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Dashboard Beta Testers Get Free Digital Halo: Reach to Replace Borked Disc
The recent title update to Halo: Reach has rendered unplayable the free disc version of the game given to Xbox Live dashboard beta participants earlier this year. Rather than say tough luck, Microsoft is giving all of them a free digital copy of the game. An email to dashboard beta participants today advised them of…
By Owen Good Published September 24, 2011 -
Wrongly Banned Xbox Live Users Welcomed Back with Gifts
A recent crackdown on modded consoles snared “a very small percentage” of Xbox Live users who had done nothing wrong, yet received comprehensive bans from Microsoft nonetheless. Xbox Live’s top cop today apologized for the mistake and said these gamers would be reinstated immediately. Stephen Toulouse, better known as Stepto to some, said the bans…
By Owen Good Published September 23, 2011 -
The Kotaku Game Club is Debating Gears of War 3 Acts 1-2 Right Now
Welcome to the first meeting of the Kotaku Game Club: Gears of War 3 edition. Today we’ll be discussing the the first two acts of the game’s campaign. For all you Game Club first-timers, this group convenes to analyze and discuss games as we play them. For all you Gears players who haven’t played the…
By Mike Epstein Published September 22, 2011 -
Reminder: The Kotaku Game Club is Meeting to Discuss Gears of War 3 Tomorrow!
Hey guys! Keep in mind that the Kotaku Game Club is having its first discussion Gears of War 3 tomorrow! We’ll be talking about acts one and two of the game’s campaign at 4pm Eastern. Be there!
By Mike Epstein Published September 21, 2011 -
Japan Likes Gears of War Just Fine, Thank You
Back when the first Gears of War was launched in 2006, so many Japanese gamers used to turn their noses up at Western games. Slowly, but surely, that’s beginning to change. While at this year’s Tokyo Game Show, many members of the Japanese press I talked with expressed interest and excitement about Gears of War…
By Brian Ashcraft Published September 21, 2011 -
Was The Gears of War 3 Launch Party Worth the Wait?
Microsoft really tried to pull off an epic event to Launch Gears of War 3, but did it work? I spent a while inside the venue before it was opened to the main line. I checked out the early access people playing the game. Dj’s were keeping the venue saturated with music, while the open…
By Chris Carolan Published September 20, 2011 -
The Sexiest Gears of War 3 Unboxing Made Sexier with Spanish
Spanish always makes things sexier. Not sure if the same is true for man bellies and man boobs—or even Gears of War, for that matter. YouTube KevinWK and his Mexican friend unbox Gears of War 3 Out of all the things they get in the Gears bundle, a shirt is not one of them. The…
By Brian Ashcraft Published September 20, 2011 -
Gears of War 3: The Kotaku Review
Gears of War has always felt as though it was built with metaphor in mind. The slam of a clip locking into place; the thudding, oversized boots of a COG soldier. The pinwheeling spokes of combat, lines of engagement moving in two opposing semicircles; the rev of a chainsaw’s motor. These are games filled with…
By Kirk Hamilton Published September 20, 2011 -
How Gears of War 3 Deals With Salty Language When You Don’t Wanna Hear It
We already knew you could turn on mature language and gore filters for Gears of War 3, but here’s a look at how that language censor works in action. Be warned, if you want to experience the Xbox 360 shooter completely free of lightly spoiling dialog, you might want to give this short video a…
By Brian Crecente Published September 19, 2011 -
Only the Brave and Lovely Endured the Tokyo Game Show
The 2011 Tokyo Game Show wasn’t even supposed to happen this year. During the spring, as the country was starting to put itself back together after the earthquake, the show looked like it was a no-go. Then, there were the blackouts, power consumption concerns, and a general feeling among many Japanese that they should refrain…
By Brian Ashcraft Published September 19, 2011 -
Microsoft’s TGS Booth Contained Branded Underpants and Dancing Furries
For nearly a decade now, Microsoft has been fighting an uphill battle in Japan trying to get the locals interested in the Xbox. It hasn’t worked. And in 2011, for the first time, the strain of that battle may be starting to show. In previous years, Microsoft has had a huge presence at the Tokyo…
By Luke Plunkett Published September 17, 2011 -
Halo Anniversary is Exactly how I Like my HD Remakes
It’s the flavour of the show at this year’s TGS. It seems everywhere you turn there are HD remakes of old games, just waiting for the chance to get you to pay for the same game twice. As I’ve said with one such remake, MGS2, each is taking a slightly different approach to renovating an…
By Luke Plunkett Published September 16, 2011 -
Forza 4’s Magic Steering Wheel Doesn’t Look Very Magic
Not content with throwing some Kinect support into Forza 4, Microsoft is also releasing a wireless, motion-controlled racing wheel for the game. It didn’t sound too promising when it was first announced. And doesn’t look too promising in action, either. I shot this footage earlier today at Microsoft’s booth at the Tokyo Game Show. Note…
By Luke Plunkett Published September 16, 2011 -
Would you Camp Outside for 8 Days To Get a Copy of Gears of War 3? David Tyson Would
David Tyson, aged nineteen years, is sitting outside of the Best Buy Theatre in Times Square for next week’s Gears of War 3 launch party. If David had showed up today I would say that it is a little excessive, but it turns out he has been there since Sunday night. That’s right, he has…
By Chris Carolan Published September 15, 2011 -
The Kotaku Game Club is Playing Gears of War 3!
The wait is over, everyone: Game Club is back! September is the beginning of blockbuster season in the world of video games. The release calendar is rife with returning franchises and long-awaited new games. Most major publishers are bringing out their big guns. The CivWorld experience was great, but it’s time move on to something…
By Mike Epstein Published September 15, 2011 -
This Isn’t Your Father’s Panzer Dragoon
Project Draco is the latest title from the designer behind Panzer Dragoon The game is a sci-fi yarn in which humans colonized an unnamed planet inhabited by dragons. The humans are able to befriend the dragons and control them. Enter Project Draco The game is a Kinect rail shooter, but promises 180 degrees of freedom.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published September 15, 2011 -
Do You Know Whose Voice Haunts This Game?
Haunt is the latest title from Masaya Matsuura, the designer best known for Parappa the Rapper Haunt is an Xbox Live title for Kinect. It’s set in a haunted house with players fending off ghosts and shining a flashlight down creepy hallways. It’s not scary, and it’s kid friendly. For gamers, Haunt has a special…
By Brian Ashcraft Published September 15, 2011 -
Halo 2‘s “Headlong” Gets a Stunning Anniversary Makeover
With excellent sniping spots and what amounts to a vehicular combat arena at the bottom, Halo 2‘s “Headlong” multiplayer map is reborn as “Breakneck” in Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary. Bask in the glorious gameplay footage and screens, plus get a peek at the very first Halo campaign level in all its remastered glory. Making its…
By Mike Fahey Published September 14, 2011 -
Are You Going Commando To the Gears Of War 3 Launch
GameStop sent us a box of underwear, t-shirts and steak seasoning to help promote their Go Commando Gears of War 3 giveaway… What now? The t-shirts all say Go Commando, as do the boxers, but what about that steak seasoning? “Omaha steak seasoning – to help prepare a Gears meat shield.” Wait, doesn’t the underwear…
By Brian Crecente Published September 14, 2011