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The First of Many Updates to Kotaku.com Design is Live Right Now
This morning Kotaku pushed live a little (but very hard-won) update to our code that most folks probably won’t even notice. But for more dedicated readers and those with older web browsers, these changes should help to soothe at least some of the wounds inflicted by the redesign. You can finally share links on Facebook…
By Joel Johnson Published May 10, 2011 -
Talk Amongst Yourselves
Guess what? It’s time to Talk Amongst Yourselves. Feel free to bring up whatever game-related thoughts pop into your head. Special thanks to Hisilarn for our image of the day. Wanna get your TAYpic on Kotaku? Submit your pic to #TAYpics (Read this thread for directions on how to do a TAYpic.)
By Mike Epstein Published May 10, 2011 -
Skype Officially Coming to Kinect, Windows Phone, Xbox Live
Rumored by Reuters last night, Microsoft this morning confirmed that they are buying Internet voice talk and video service Skype for $8.5 billion. They also confirmed that the service will “support” devices like the Xbox, Kinect and Windows Phone and that it will be connected to Xbox Live and other Microsoft communities. They will also…
By Brian Crecente Published May 10, 2011 -
Modern Warfare 3 to Feature Bigger Story, More Destruction This Fall
While still unannounced, sources who have seen the game in action tell Kotaku that the next Call of Duty will be a Modern Warfare 3 that pushes the bar on what people have come to expect from the series. And it hits this fall. The yet-to-be announced sequel is under development by Infinity Ward, though…
By Brian Crecente Published May 10, 2011 -
Falling Fred Lands on His Feet
What goes up, must come down. In iOS game Falling Fred, Fred not only comes down, he avoid saws, fire, blades and concrete ledges. It’s a seemingly endless race to the bottom, and the goal here is to see how far Fred can fall before splattering to bits. Falling Fred uses the gyroscope to control…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 10, 2011 -
He’s Single, Ladies
HE’S BACK | LONDON, ENGLAND: Arnold Schwarzenegger and his wife of 25 years Maria Shriver have split. (Photo: Oli Scarff | Getty) Some of the PS3 Hackers May be Turning On Themselves It’s believed that members of Anonymous, a group of hackers and activists, are behind the attacks on the PlayStation Network. While the group’s…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 10, 2011 -
Will These PlayStation Portable Earphones Make You Happy?
Chin up, PlayStation fans! The PSP is getting new headphones in six (count ’em, six) colors: black, white, silver, red, blue and pink. Each is priced at ¥2,200 (US$27) and will be out on July 21 in Japan. PSP®「プレイステーション・ポータブル」対応「ステレオイヤホン」カラーバリエーション(全6色) [PlayStation.com]
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 10, 2011 -
Steel Diver DS Development Was Done Before the Tea Table Was Upended
Underwater action game Steel Diver was originally going to be a Nintendo DS game, but it’s since surfaced on the 3DS. According to Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto, the game was “well along” in its development when it was decided that the game should be a 3DS title instead. In fact, development on the game was…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 10, 2011 -
Alan Wake Developer Is Making…a New Alan Wake Game
Shocking! But the new Alan Wake isn’t a sequel. “Fans of the franchise will be excited to learn that, yes, more Wake is coming!” the game’s developer told website Joystiq. “But to be absolutely certain to avoid confusion, this next Wake installment will not be Alan Wake 2. But neither will it be DLC.” [Joystiq]
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 10, 2011 -
If You Think Competitive Tetris Is Boring, You Are Dead Wrong
It may not be as sexy as more modern games like StarCraft II or Modern Warfare, but venerable old Tetris still has its hardcore players, who last year got together for the Classic Tetris World Championship. Filmmaker Adam Cornelius was there to document the whole thing, and in the process was able to put together…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 10, 2011 -
You Can’t Hate Your 3DS If it Gets a Fail Squid
The new Nintendo 3DS has a rather blunt “ERROR” screen when the handheld locks up. It does the job, sure, but it’s bland as hell. This Mario-and-Twitter-themed “Fail Squid” would be much better. Error Screen [Super Punch]
By Luke Plunkett Published May 10, 2011 -
A Very Unlikely Mother (Daughter?)
It doesn’t matter if she holds concerts or appears in crappy commercials, Miku Hatsune is only virtual and certainly not some 12-year-old kid’s mother. Before Mother’s Day, Japanese supermarkets have pieces of paper so children can draw pictures of their mothers. The drawings are then hung in the grocery store for everyone to see. (Note:…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 10, 2011 -
Call of Duty’s Nazi Zombies Look Great in Real Life
Logan Fulton and his pals have put together this short homage to Call of Duty’s zombie mode, playing out a round of the game as a live-action fan film that’s not afraid to go overboard with the yellow glowing eyes. It’s not made for laughs, this is simply a straight-up recreation of the game mode,…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 10, 2011 -
Adventures in Badly-Translated Japanese Video Games
Demian Smith had the (mis)fortune to get a job working as a translator on the very first Yakuza game for the PS2. If you haven’t played it, know that for a game set in Japan and called Yakuza, it wasn’t that Japanese. Instead, Sega decided that, to try and sell the brawler to the Western…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 10, 2011 -
This Lady Has a Special Skill
Voice actress Chiaki Omigawa, best known for her roles in Arakawa under the Bridge and Soul Eater, can do more than act. She can also sing. But that’s not her secret talent. On Fuji TV program Say You Love!, a word play on the Japanese word for voice actor (声優 or “seiyu”), Omigawa showed her…
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 10, 2011 -
Get Your E3 2011 Floorplan Maps Right Here!
Most of you won’t be going to E3, as unlike TGS and GamesCom it’s sadly closed to the public, but that doesn’t matter. Some of you still find it interesting to pore over the location and size of a company’s booths, so here they are! And hey, that’s cool. The weigh-in before a boxing match…
By Luke Plunkett Published May 10, 2011 -
Harvest Moon Studio and The Last Story Studio Are Marvelous Together
Marvelous Entertainment, the studio behind the Harvest Moon farm simulators, is merging with AQ Interactive, which recently did The Last Story for Nintendo, and Liveware, a software contents company. [Marvelous Entertainment]
By Brian Ashcraft Published May 10, 2011