Xbox

Rise Of The Dark Spark Is A Tale Of Three Optimus Primes

We knew Activision’s upcoming Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark combined two Transformers continuities. Now it’s three, as the original Optimus Prime arrives to show the other two how it’s done. Maybe that’s not a good thing. Having recently rewatched the entire original Transformers cartoon series, I’ve come to the realization that Optimus Prime was…

​Xbox Live Prepares to Warn and Punish Players With Bad Reputations

There are a lot of people on Xbox Live. Some of them are cool and do incredible things. Others are jerks who ruin the multiplayer experience for everybody else. New changes coming this month to Microsoft’s online service will soon be doling out penalties and rewards to the trolls or decent people you’re playing with.…

Puzzle Platforming Has Never Looked So… Pleasant

Yes, it’s another quirky indie puzzle platformer. With physics and stuff. But come on, just look at it. I want to frolic amongst the twirly grass things. The Land of Eyas has apparently been languishing on Kickstarter for quite some time, even though it looks, well, not phenomenal, but nice. Simple. Clean. Satisfying on a…

I don’t know whether to be excited or filled with dread about the tricks system coming to Trials Fusion Yes, the special moves look like they’ll add a lot to the game but they’ll also provide ample opportunities for embarrassment as players chase down Trials‘ particularly punishing brand of perfection.

Xbox One Is $50 Off On Microsoft’s Store

The Xbox One Titanfall bundle is now $450 on Microsoft’s store—joining retailers like Walmart and Target in offering a $50 discount on the newest Xbox—but don’t call it a price cut. Microsoft says the deal isn’t permanent. Here’s Microsoft’s official statement to news outlets including Kotaku: This is not a price drop on Xbox One.…

​The Xbox One’s Media Remote Is Surprisingly Great

The Xbox One wasn’t supposed to need a remote control. That was the whole point, right? With its high-tech Kinect camera, we could just talk to it and tell it what to do. Remote controls were a thing of the past, a finally bygone relic of the 20th century! Except, well, not really. A few…

Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes – PS4 vs. Xbox One vs. PS3 vs. 360

With every new cross-gen video game comes a new opportunity to compare technical performances across most of today’s big gaming consoles, and Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes is no exception. The super-technical folks at Digital Foundry have put together a great breakdown of the technical specs in the latest MGS game, complete with video…

Motorcycle Murdered By Raging, Xbox-Deprived Stepson

A 19-year-old man from St. George, Utah, faces felony domestic abuse criminal mischief charges after allegedly beating the living hell out a custom Harley-Davidson after his stepfather turned the Xbox off. According to a report filed by St. George Police Officer David McDaniel, Alec Young’s stepfather arrived at his home earlier this week to find…

​Latest Wolfenstein Trailer Shows a Pretty Messed-Up Nazi Card Game

Nazi coffee. Nazi robots. Nazi cigarettes. Nazi old ladies. Nazi psych tests. This new teaser for the upcoming alternate reality take on the Wolfenstein franchise doesn’t offer up any gunplay but it does give a glimpse into the messed-up psychology of a world where the Third Reich won out. Knowing what we now know about…

​Let the Next-Gen Engine for The Division Blow Your Mind Even More

Quick, think of the burliest video game engines that you’ve seen lately. Frostbite 3. Unreal Engine 4. That Luminous Studio demo Square Enix showed off at E3 2012. Project Cars. Pretty soon, you’re going to have to add Snowdrop to that list. Ubisoft first showed the tech behind its upcoming Tom Clancy game at E3…

Leaked Images Reveal One Of This Fall’s Two Assassin’s Creed Games

One of this fall’s big Assassin’s Creed games, called or code-named Unity, is set at least partly in 18th-century Paris, according to early leaked screenshots obtained by Kotaku These screenshots, sent to me by a source who requested anonymity, show Unity‘s new assassin roaming around what appears to be Paris. You can see Notre Dame,…

What’s the Point of Releasing the Xbox One in Japan, Anyway?

Today, Microsoftannounced that the Xbox One will be out in Japan in September 2014. That’s almost a year after it was released in North America and parts of Europe. But, really, why bother? Online in Japan, many gamers were amused by the fall 2014 release. “September, lol. It’s already forgotten,” wrote one commenter on 2ch,…

Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes: The Kotaku Review

“How can I best describe Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes?” I asked myself. “Ah, yes. I’ll describe it as a small plate at an expensive restaurant.” So, okay, let’s do that: You’re at one of those restaurants where they serve gourmet food in very small portions. You’ve been given your entree—a intricate thing that…

The Xbox One arrives in Japan—and twenty-five other countries—in September this year. The full list of countries can be found over at Xbox Wire, with more details on the forthcoming September launch promised for April.

​The Xbox One Improves a Little Bit More Next Month

Microsoft’s newest console just got a significant update a few weeks ago, changing a whole bunch of stuff in the process. Next month’s update won’t be quite as wide-ranging but it still adds tweaks that people have been asking for. April’s Xbox One update gets detailed on the console’s news site, bringing news about improved…

Xbox Executive Marc Whitten Leaving Microsoft After 14 Years

Microsoft just announced that Marc Whitten, Chief Product Officer of Xbox, will be leaving the company to take up a role with wireless audio company Sonos. The full statement is below: Following the launch of Xbox One, the most successful launch in Xbox history, and the recent launch of “Titanfall,” the most anticipated game of…

The Famous “Wall Of Death” Stunt Looks Just As Crazy In GTA V

Sometimes people question if GTA has broken physics that allow some of the crazy stunts we see, but this stunt has actually been done in real life. If you aren’t familiar, the “Wall of Death” is a real circus stunt done with actual cars and motorcycles. There’s no custom-built pit in Los Santos, so you…

Activision Is Almost Finished With Skylanders: Swap Force Toys

The next wave of Skylanders: Swap Force figures hit Toys’R’Us this weekend, leaving hardcore collectors and impressionable youngsters only two more reasons to get out of bed in the morning until the next game is announced. What’s the point of it all? Man, Activision and Toys for Bob really love to drag these things out,…

A Fresh Reminder Why Fanboys Are Stupid

I put this to you, Xbox fanboys (though it’s of course equally applicable across all platforms): if you love console so damn much you indeed qualify as a fanboy, one who adores Microsoft and despises Sony and Nintendo, what does it say about you when one of the execs running Xbox itself owns and enjoys…

Yes, Dark Souls II Looks Different Than It Did Last Year

If you’ve been playing Dark Souls II, and following the coverage leading up to the game’s release, you may have noticed that the version of Dark Souls II that was originally shown off to the public was not the same as the game we got on consoles. Tweaks to the lighting, overhauls in the structure…