Microsoft

Did OnLive Gut Its Employees’ Stock Options to Make Itself Cheaper to Buy Out?

In the aftermath of OnLive’s not-really-bankruptcy, not-really-restructuring comes this rumor from TechCrunch, which may explain why the cloud-gaming service would want to, effectively, terminate itself as a company, but not its services, nor offer up any of its assets for liquidation to settle its mounting debts. OnLive, suggests TechCrunch, opted for its technical “form of…

Watch The Fable: The Journey Team Tell A Story About Telling the Story, Then Play the Demo in September

The dev team at Lionhead Studios have shared a behind-the-scenes look at the story of their upcoming Kinect title Fable: The Journey. While early demonstrations of the game didn’t go very well, by this year’s E3 Kotaku‘s own Stephen Totilo found the demo to be a good experience If you want to try a demo…

In Japan, Microsoft’s Take on Windows 7 Has Been…Different

It’s the return of Nanami Madobe! She’s the OS character (née OS-tan) for Windows 7. OS-tan is an anime personification of computer operating systems; they’re usually created online by fans. Nanami Madobe, however, was the first official OS-tan. Windows 7 was Windows 7 in Japan—it wasn’t any different other than being in Japanese. However, back…

“XBOX Durango Development Kit” Sells For $20,000

The nondescript black PC tower that its seller claims is a Durango (ie, the next Xbox console) development kit has now been sold. The winning bid? Oh, a trifling $20,100. For that price, the buyer has either got themselves an unexpectedly early look at the future of the Xbox brand or the world’s most expensive…

Someone’s Trying to Sell an “XBOX Durango Development Kit” on eBay [Update]

An eBay seller is attempting to offload what they’re calling a “Microsoft XBOX Durango Development Kit”. At time of posting, a bid of $425 will get you out front with a chance to buy it. Interestingly, the seller’s name is “superdae”, which matches the handle of the person who, last week, was claiming to have…

Rumor: First “Leaked” Kinect 2 Image Shows Fingers and Head Patting

An image that allegedly shows off Kinect 2 has hit the internet. It not only shows improved depth perception, but a higher level of detail—such as being able to read people’s fingers and discern clothing. There’s head patting, too. As Kotaku first revealed, the next Xbox is codenamed “Durango”. Previously, insiders told Kotaku that the…

Forgot those launch day woes! Hybrid is up and running, waiting to defy gravity on your Xbox 360.

Those real money prices on Xbox Live were “an error”. Microsoft is sticking with Microsoft Points. Unfortunately.

Everything You Wanted (or Needed) to Know About Halo 4’s Guns

The history. The purpose. The sound effects. The enormous write-up over on Halo Waypoint (linked below) has everything a series fan – or firearm fetishist – could ever want with regards to humanity’s weapons of choice. And if you don’t feel like reading? Here’s every UNSC gun in the game, shooting things in the face.…

According to this job listing, Microsoft expects to release a “new version” of the Xbox within the next 18 months.

Windows Is Its Own Biggest Threat to the Future of PC Gaming

Hey, do you remember Blackberry? Remember how for years, every white-collar professional who worked in every office had to have one? And how they made consumer smartphones, that some people actually bought, and wanted to be all cool? When I started work at the headquarters for a major media company in 2008, every executive had…

Microsoft Says When They Said ‘New Xbox,’ They Didn’t Really Mean New Xbox

Last week on a podcast, Microsoft’s Brian Hall mentioned “the new Xbox” while discussing products that his company will be releasing in the near future. But Microsoft now says he wasn’t actually talking about the new Xbox. Up until now, Microsoft has refused to confirm what we all know: there’s an Xbox 360 successor en…

Minesweeper and Solitaire Now Have Achievements. Sigh.

Well, this is depressing. In preparation for the release of Windows 8, Microsoft is updating some of the platform’s stalwart titles, like Minesweeper, Solitaire and Majong. Updating them with achievements. Minesweeper, for example, has four of them. Four. One is for finishing a board, and one is for losing a round. Solitaire has 3. Presumably…

Microsoft Finally Admits There Will Be A Next Xbox

After dodging many, many questions about the Xbox 360’s successor, Microsoft has finally confirmed what we’ve all known for years: there will be another Xbox. Windows Live general manager Brian Hall mentioned the new console to The Verge in a podcast last week “We did this- we’ve had Hotmail for- and operated Hotmail for about…

Wreckateer: The Kotaku Review

This review of Wreckateer is a little late because last week, I was also under siege from large stones, some of them burning. They were just in my kidneys. While Wreckateer may be more enjoyable than a trip to the urologist, it still involves its own degree of waiting and uncertainty, and likewise requires you…

Deadlight: The Kotaku Review

Now is the summer of our zombie apocalypse discontent. We’ve played so many zombie games; we’ve had glorious highs and depressing lows. We’ve grown sick of zombie games only to be surprised by good zombie games only to become sick of zombies games all over again. At this point, what kind of magnificent zombie game…

Blizzard Isn’t Happy With Windows 8 Either

Valve says Windows 8 is a catastrophe. Blizzard doesn’t disagree. Blizzard executive vice president of game design Rob Pardo says Microsoft’s controversial new operating system also isn’t great for his company, which makes games like Diablo III and World of Warcraft “Nice interview with Gabe Newell – ‘I think Windows 8 is a catastrophe for…

Report: Microsoft Starts New Studio in London

Microsoft’s new London studio is believed to be focused on creating casual and free-to-play games for the Xbox 360. [MCVUK via CVG via Polygon]

OK, That Halo 4 Console Doesn’t Look as Bad as I Thought

Let’s be honest: most people’s reaction to the upcoming Halo 4 Xbox 360 console was probably somewhere between “oh” and “oh God my eyes”. Which may explain why some new pictures of the console have turned up on Halo’s official site looking, well, a lot better. It’s all down to that transparent effect. Not really…

Microsoft Reportedly Shuts Down Vancouver-Based Studio [UPDATE: Projects Cancelled]

Looks like Microsoft has laid off quite a few people at its Vancouver-based studio that was responsible for developing a core Kinect shooter Update: Microsoft has informed Kotaku that they have not shut down the studio but it has ended development on flight simulator Microsoft Flight and Project Columbia, a Kinect interactive TV project designed…