Culture

This Week in the Business: ‘Immaturity and Multiplayer Go Hand in Hand’

What’s happened in the business of video games this past week … QUOTE | “Immaturity and multiplayer gaming go hand in hand.”—Ethan Levy, design consultant, talking in depth about the new player experience in League of Legends and why it should be improved QUOTE | “It can take video games in general to a new…

Track: Come Down To Us | Album: Rival Dealer | Artist: Burial Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to—and gaming to—at the moment.

Track: Threats | Album: The Evil Jeanius | Artist: Jean Grae & BSBD Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to—and gaming to—at the moment.

If Only More Sci-Fi Games Were This Colorful

Garrett Hanna works at Carbine Studios, where he’s been contributing to the eyeball-bursting art style of the sci-fi MMO Wildstar. You can see more of Garrett’s work at his personal site (thanks CAW!). To see the larger pics in all their glory (or, if they’re big enough, so you can save them as wallpaper), click…

That Time When Mario And ‘Evil Brother’ Luigi Starred In a Racing Game

Recent Nintendo events got us looking back at some old news clippings about the house of Mario and we found some we just have to share. Here’s one of the more interesting ones from the Daily Yomiuri, from November 1992. As you’ll see, we can’t vouch for veracity of all of it…. The most recent…

Our Pirate Games Need More Kraken

Eduardo Peña is an artist who’s worked on games (that you do and don’t know about) and movies (that you certainly know about…like the Hobbit trilogy). Formerly of Immersion Games, he’s now at Singapore’s FZD School of Design You can see more of Eduardo’s work at his CGHub page (thanks Super Punch!). To see the…

​Ask Dr. Nerdlove: My Date Doesn’t Approve Of My Geeky Hobbies

What’s going on, everyone? Welcome to the latest installment of Ask Dr. NerdLove, dedicated to solving your dating problems and making nerds just a little sexier every day. I’ve got a trio of questions for you this time, centered around some of the most common issues geeks face out in the dating pool. Hey Dr.…

Rebel Bikes is a series of amazing post apocalyptic illustrations by artist Ignacio Bazán Lazcano, with really badass bikers and vehicles. They’re on the same level as actual video game concept art, but sadly it’s just the artist’s own project. It could be great for a game with heavily pimped bikes, though. Dayshot is an…

Track: Moodolude | Album: Qualia | Artist: Evil Needle Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to—and gaming to—at the moment.

Game Artists Will Show You How To Be A Game Artist (For Free!)

If you’re an aspiring games artist, and you see the stuff we post here on Fine Art and think “uunnnhhhhhh I’ll never be able to afford to get that good”, you might be in luck. VERTEX is a book series set up by games artist Ryan Hawkins. Fed up with the limited selection of commercial…

This Deal Is Getting Worse All The Time

Cristi Balanescu is a concept artist who has worked for companies like Ubisoft and Fantasy Flight Games. Love his style. The rough stuff always gets to me more than ultra-clean, shiny works. Always feels more alive You can see more of Cristi’s stuff at his CGHub page To see the larger pics in all their…

A Street Fighting Mismatch For The Ages

Rael Lyra is a concept aritst at Playlore who has also done work for companies like Marvel and BOOM! Studios. You can see more of Rael’s work at his personal site. To see the larger pics in all their glory (or, if they’re big enough, so you can save them as wallpaper), click on the…

The Week in Games: Raider of a Lost Month

We’re about to climb out of the customary two-month hibernation video games enter every December. An updated Tomb Raider releases for the newest consoles on Tuesday, along with Broken Age for everyone. There’s much more on the horizon. Jan. 28: Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z (360, PS3, PS Vita) Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition (Xbox…

Sunday Comics: Merge Emergencies

Welcome to Kotaku‘s Sunday Comics, your weekly roundup of the best webcomics. The images enlarge if you click on the magnifying glass icon. Brawl In The Family by Matthew Taranto. Published Jan. 21. Read more of Brawl In The Family Awkward Zombie by Katie Tiedrich. Published Jan. 20. Read more of Awkward Zombie Penny Arcade…

This Week in the Business: The Clueless Gamer Responds

QUOTE | “These Clueless Gamer segments are not serious reviews nor endorsements … We do not believe sponsorship identification is needed.”—Unnamed representative for Conan O’Brien’s show, responding to the news that Red Barrels paid $35,000 to have their game Outlast featured on the segment What’s happened in the business of video games this past week…

Track: No Medicine for Regret | Album: Rave Tapes | Artist: Mogwai Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to—and gaming to—at the moment.

Track: Last Time | Album: II | Artist: Moderat Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to—and gaming to—at the moment.

Adam West: Batman, Mayor, Star Of Terrible Video Games

The real joy of seeing Adam West do anything on the screen is that, even at his worst, he can make the most dreadful thing fun. Because he is Adam West. From the 60s Batman series to Family Guy, that’s been the rule, and it applies also to Golden Nugget, a game which might sound…

It’s The End Of The World, Why Not Have Some Fun With It

Miles Johnston is a freelance concept artist who has done work for clients like Applibot and Wizards of the Coast. You can see more of Miles’ work at his personal site To see the larger pics in all their glory (or, if they’re big enough, so you can save them as wallpaper), click on the…

Track: Green Machine | Album: Blues for the Red Sun | Artist: Kyuss Kotaku Soundtrack is a selection of the stuff we’re listening to—and gaming to—at the moment.