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EA’s $15 Million in ‘Online Pass’ Revenue Isn’t ‘Dramatic’, but It Isn’t a Failure
In comments yesterday, Electronic Arts’ chief financial officer suggested that Online Pass—the program under which gamers who pick up a used copy of an EA Sports game typically shell out another $10 to EA if they want to activate multiplayer for it—has netted the company in the realm of $10 to $15 million since it…
By Owen Good Published September 10, 2011 -
Today’s Punishment: Camping Mama‘s Sing-Along Trailer
Punishment was a concept I tried out in 2009 and it didn’t last long, because there weren’t enough mortifying, teeth-grating, or sickeningly sweet videos to publish one per week. But I thought of it when I saw this Camping Mama trailer. And you guys have gone a long time without saying your hail marios. So…
By Owen Good Published September 10, 2011 -
Win $10,000 and Score a Gears of War 3 Console in deviantART’s Wallpaper Contest
The ‘Shop Contest we run on weekends is for bragging rights only. deviantART don’t fuck around, however. It’s offering a $10,000 cash prize to whomever sends in the best wallpaper in a promotional Gears of War 3 contest offering a lot of other loot to the runners-up, too. For the first time, deviantART is permitting…
By Owen Good Published September 10, 2011 -
“Swatting,” the Hip New Griefing Trend, Sends the Cops to Xbox Live Mod’s House
Cops in Sammamish, Wash. are super pissed after being sent to a home here by a 911 call claiming someone inside had claymore mines and hostages. The caller turns out to be a prick seeking revenge on an Xbox Live moderator. Rolling Johnny Law up to someone’s doorstep just to cause them trouble is called…
By Owen Good Published September 10, 2011 -
Dead Island DLC Shambles Forth Later This Month
Here’s something I didn’t know: Those who pre-ordered Dead Island got a code for free DLC, which includes the “Bloodbath Arena” and a weapon called “the Ripper.” They just can’t use the Arena until it releases for everyone, evidently. That will be “later this month,” says publisher Techland, with rumor having it around the last…
By Owen Good Published September 10, 2011 -
Melanoma Head’s Coming
I don’t think I want to know a six-year-old who isn’t a dreamer, or a sillyheart. And I sure don’t want to know one who takes their student career seriously. I don’t have a college degree. I don’t even have a job. But I know a good kid when I see one. Because they’re all…
By Owen Good Published September 10, 2011 -
Canadian Cable Giant Admits It Could be ‘Inadvertently’ Throttling Games
In March, Canadian gamers were upset to learn that World of Warcraft traffic was being throttled by Rogers Cable and Telecom, the country’s largest broadband provider. Now the company has admitted that other games’ online traffic might trip its pipeline monitors and result in their throttling, which Rogers called “inadvertent.” Canadian gamers do not accept…
By Owen Good Published September 10, 2011 -
The Sims Social Overtakes FarmVille, but Don’t Worry, Of Course We Know You Don’t Play Either
EA’s designated Zynga-killer, The Sims Social just toppled FarmVille from its No. 2 perch in “daily active users,” the key stat describing a Facebook app’s popularity, according to app-watching site AppData. The 9.3 million DAUs, as they are called, come about a month after The Sims Social launched. Farmville, by comparison, launched in July 2009.…
By Owen Good Published September 9, 2011 -
Quite Possibly the Most Mega Flute/Guitar Duet Of All Time
There have been so many Mega Man soundtrack reinterpretations over the years; the classic games and their sequels feature bouncy, soaring melodies that lend themselves wonderfully to performance. But still, this one stands out: it’s an acoustic reinterpretation of “Splash Blue” from Mega Man 9, performed as a duet between nylon-string acoustic guitar and flute.…
By Kirk Hamilton Published September 9, 2011 -
Corpse Party
Wait a second! It’s Friday? Hell yes! This shortened workweek totally threw off my inner calendar. Let’s celebrate my surprise early weekend by wrapping up this Friday with some off-topic conversation. By the way, if you’re in LA this weekend, there are a few video game related things happening. The SUPER iam8bit book signing/gallery closing…
By Michael McWhertor Published September 9, 2011 -
Despite a Lockout and Disappointing Reviews, Madden Looks to One of Its Best Years Ever
When the NFL lockout hovered over the release of EA Sports’ Madden series earlier in the year, investors were told to expect lower sales of Madden NFL 12. Analysts pegged the potential losses at up to half of all sales. The label’s exclusive pact with the league was renegotiated to terms that would help mitigate…
By Owen Good Published September 9, 2011 -
Amnesia Developer Eyeing Consoles While Working On New, Slightly Less Terrifying Projects
You guys all played Amnesia: The Dark Descent, right? That whole game “happened” before I came onboard at Kotaku, but I hope that everyone here had a chance to play it and talk about it to the extent that it deserved. Because seriously: scary, rad game. Thomas Grip, the founder of Frictional Games, the studio…
By Kirk Hamilton Published September 9, 2011 -
Regarding the Ridiculousness of In-Store HDMI Cable Prices
I realize that this comes as news to basically no one, but felt it was worth railing about anyway. I am the proud owner of a sweet-ass new HDTV, and so I decided it was finally time to drop the VGA cables from the back of my computer monitor and hook my game consoles up…
By Kirk Hamilton Published September 9, 2011 -
EA has a First Amendment Right to Depict Real College Football Players, Judge Rules
Electronic Arts on Friday won the dismissal of one lawsuit against it regarding its use of identifying characteristics of real college football players in its NCAA Football series. A federal judge said EA’s right to free expression under the First Amendment supersedes a former quarterback’s right to control the use of his likeness. The dismissal…
By Owen Good Published September 9, 2011 -
EVE Online Now Just One Fashionable Degree of Separation From Lady Gaga
What do Lady Gaga and CCP Games, maker of massively multiplayer online role-playing game EVE Online, have in common? They’ve both worked with fashion director Nicola Formichetti and his muse, the model with a full body corpse tattoo, Rick Genest. Let’s take a step back. CCP has teamed up with Formichetti to create a “virtual…
By Michael McWhertor Published September 9, 2011 -
Check That, From Dust Hits PSN Next Week
Announced yesterday for a Sept. 27 release on the PlayStation Network, god-game From Dust has had its delivery date moved up two weeks to Sept. 13. It’s still $14.99. Because some have wondered, no, the game does not support PlayStation Move.
By Owen Good Published September 9, 2011 -
Alice Minimates Returns
My Desk – I can’t seem to find Alice’s tiny little knife. She seems OK with that. The Flex-Fire Is PlayStation Move Shooting, But with a Bender We are about a year into hardcore shooter gaming played with the PlayStation Move-an experience that, from day one, is assumed to demand one play it with something…
By Brian Crecente Published September 9, 2011 -
Minecraft‘s Big Adventure Update ‘Leaks’ A Lil’ Early
The next release of Minecraft—the so-called “Adventure” update, AKA Minecraft 1.8—is now, somewhat unexpectedly, in the wild. And its creator is perfectly fine if you go ahead and grab the leaked release. “Ooh, looks like 1.8 has leaked, not that I’d ever admit that,” writes Marcus “Notch” Persson on his Twitter account, winking coyly and…
By Michael McWhertor Published September 9, 2011 -
From Play-Fakers to Music-Makers, Here Are Your Gaming Apps of the Week
Between vacations and major gaming events, we’ve spent far more time playing gaming apps than writing about them over the past few weeks. This week we bounce back with something old, something new, something NFL-related, and something oddly musical. Are you ready for some football? No? Then are you ready for a music creation app…
By Mike Fahey Published September 9, 2011