-
NFL Retirees, Union Finally Settle Madden Licensing Lawsuit
Saying it wanted to patch things up with its increasingly embittered and estranged retirees, the NFL Players’ Association dropped its appeal of a multimillion-dollar judgment related to former players’ uncompensated appearance in EA’s Madden series. The NFLPA will agree to pay $24 million to the plaintiffs and drop its appeal of the $26 million judgment…
By Owen Good Published June 6, 2009 -
Scribble Off the Keyboard Cat
This can-you-stump Scribblenauts game is getting even more absurd. Einstein? Got him. The Kraken? Of course. We were even told they put Crecente in but cut him at the last minute. Still, Keyboard Cat remains. Because this entire game is a nonsequitur, it needs an establishing sentence. In Scribblenauts (for the DS), you’re given a…
By Owen Good Published June 6, 2009 -
German Pols Push to Ban Development of Violent Games
Germany’s latest demagogue tantrum against “killerspiele” – violent video games – could be shrugged off as hot air, except for the fact it would ban even their development. So Germany-based Crytek would have to move. The interior ministers of Germany’s 16 states have unanimously asked the German legislature to ban outright the distribution, sale, and…
By Owen Good Published June 6, 2009 -
Hacked Ms. Pac-Man ROM Wins Hand in Marriage
There seems to be no end to the ways gamers propose to their brides. A North Carolina man successfully popped the Q with using a hacked Ms. Pac-Man ROM and a modded cocktail table cabinet. This came from Kotaku reader Daniel, who is friends with Chad H., a librarian at the U. of North Carolina.…
By Owen Good Published June 6, 2009 -
K5
TABLE OF CONTENTS May 2009 Aye, Robot The Three (Or More Or Less) Laws of Gaming AI by Luke Plunkett Mommy Dearest The Best and Worst Mothers in Video Games by A.J. Glasser A Fist Full Of Quarters The Last Of The Great Arcade Fighters by Brian Ashcraft War! Good God, Y’All! Making a Game…
By Brian Crecente Published June 6, 2009 -
Billy Mitchell Denies and Denounces Taunting Tweets
Some unsportsmanlike tweets attributed to Billy Mitchell are 100 percent fake, says the Donkey Kong world record holder. G4TV has reported that Mitchell, via Twitter, taunted rival Steve Wiebe after his unsuccessful attempts this past week to claim the Donkey Kong world mark that Mitchell holds. “The day after #Wiebe could not pull it off…
By Owen Good Published June 6, 2009 -
Tetris, 25 Years Later
Today marks the 25th Anniversary of Tetris, the classic puzzle game made by Alexey Pajitnov in Russia. This documentary explores the Tetris Effect and the history of the popular game, explaining how Henk Rogers discovered the game at a Las Vegas trade show and went on to license it from the Soviet government. The video…
By Brian Crecente Published June 6, 2009 -
L4D Sequel Met with Much More than Indifference
Whatever your view is of internet boycotts, Left 4 Dead might be the first critically acclaimed franchise whose announcement of a sequel was answered by nearly 10,000 fans pledging not to buy it. Since the game was unveiled June 1 at E3, a Steam group called L4D Boycott (NO-L4D2) has assembled 9,742 members as of…
By Owen Good Published June 6, 2009 -
Monday Means iPhone News, Confirmation of Apple’s Gaming Push
Don’t forget that Apple’s World Wide Developers Conference kicks off Monday. The press conference is sure to have at least some iPhone gaming news from the company. Earlier this week we reported on a rumor that Apple was gearing up for a much stronger gaming presence, hiring game in-house game developers, preparing their microtransactions-friendly firmware…
By Brian Crecente Published June 6, 2009 -
Miyamoto Laughs (Kinda) at Other Motion Control Projects
Considering both of Nintendo’s rivals announced motion-control projects, one wonders what Shigeru Miyamoto’s reaction would be. The BBC asked if Ninty was “in danger of getting left behind by the competition.” Laughter has no translation, but if Shiggy’s did, it might be “The f—k you talking about …?” Click to view Go up to 3:50…
By Owen Good Published June 6, 2009 -
Wii MotionPlus Arrived
I found these two orphans sitting on my doorstep when I arrived home Friday night. The MotionPlus add-ons came sheathed in oversized remote jackets and an instruction manual warning me to keep my original jacket in case I ever wanted to use the remote without MotionPlus. If you’re not quite as worried about breaking things…
By Brian Crecente Published June 6, 2009 -
Activision CEO Unhappy No Console Price Chop Announced
Bobby Kotick, the Activision CEO, says that in these hard times the console makers should all do their part and lop a hundy off the retail price of the current generation rigs, so gamers can buy more full-price sequels. Speaking to Bloomberg news, Kotick said he was “disappointed not to see any sort of aggressive…
By Owen Good Published June 6, 2009 -
Blur Preview: Disco Scene
When Activision purchased Bizarre Creations, all eyes were on the former Project Gotham Racing developer was going to do next. While it’s no surprise that Bizarre is sticking to racing games, you may be surprised what direction they’re taking the genre in. What Is It? Bizarre Creations’ 2009 arcade racer will be the first game…
By Brian Crecente Published June 6, 2009 -
Kotaku Originals: But Wait, There’s More!
E3 week delivered a deluge of stories, previews, impressions, hands-on, live blogs and well, just coverage, but that doesn’t mean the flood stops here. Let’s recap a mammoth news week – more than 250 posts on E3, nearly 100 of them classified grade-A originals – but remember much more is on the way. Probably another…
By Owen Good Published June 6, 2009 -
Trying Googling The 25th Anniversary of Tetris
As seen on Google.com
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 6, 2009 -
Perfect Dark XBLA Looks Sharp, No Expansion Pak Required
Rare’s Nintendo 64 first-person shooter Perfect Dark is coming to Xbox Live Arcade later this year. Winter, says Microsoft. This is what it looks like. In a word, Perfect Dark looks sharper, thanks to its high-definition upgrades and “sporting a silkier framerate than ever before.” In hard numbers, that translates to 1080p resolution and 60…
By Michael McWhertor Published June 6, 2009 -
Well… What Did You Think of E3?
E3 is over. Done. Dusted. Time to talk. This is Tell Us Dammit, no, make that TELL US DAMMIT. Here’s how it works: We ask a question, you answer it. Simple and no strings attached! This isn’t some marketing survey or whatever. It’s an emotional investment in you. Yes, we’re interested in knowing you, Kotaku…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 6, 2009 -
The Great Wii Release Schedule Caper
Tucked away at the foot of Nintendo’s E3 press kit is an exhaustive list of the known (and in some cases unknown) release dates for what looks like every single announced Wii and WiiWare game. The list covers both first and third-party releases. Can’t find a game you’re after? Take it up with Nintendo. We’re…
By Luke Plunkett Published June 6, 2009 -
Conan O’Brien Comments On Super Mario Bros. Set
Tonight on The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien, Conan O’Brien addressed the Photoshop that’s been flying around the internet that show similarities between his show’s backdrop and Mario Bros. What’s his response? According to Conan, “There’s no way you could ever see Super Mario Bros. in this set.” Even if it was accidental or planned…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 6, 2009 -
Katamari Forever Rolls Up A Preview
I totally forgot Katamari Forever was going to be at E3, but when I trundled up to Namco’s booth and saw it languishing unattended, was glad I found myself with half an hour to kill. Why? Because while the past few Katamari games – the ones without the input of creator Keita Takahashi – were…
By Luke Plunkett Published June 6, 2009