I apply the flow cannon…

Six Novels That Could Become Great Video Games

I have an overactive imagination. When I read books, I imagine myself as being in the book’s world, as sharing the experience with the characters themselves. Video games are cool because they actually bring that experience to life; with The Witcher, for instance, fans of the books finally got to be the witcher Geralt, hunting…

It’s Kodocu Time (This Is Not A Drill)

I have horrible news. Everyone at Kotaku is presumably either celebrating Labor Day or died in a tragic fight over who would review Frog Fractions 2, which means that I’m in charge. I’ve been sitting at my computer trying to come up with a great way to explain who I am to those who might…

This Week In The Business: Conventional Wis-dumb

QUOTE | “The reality of doing business in the games industry is much more nuanced than prevailing industry opinions would suggest, namely because those opinions lack appropriate context.” – Butterscotch Shenanigans’ Sam Coster explains why the studio ignored everyone telling it a simultaneous mobile-PC launch for its Crashlands was a terrible idea Elsewhere in the…

Podcast: Straight Outta PAX

Jason and I are both at PAX West in Seattle, so we recorded Kotaku Splitscreen a little later in the week than usual. It’s a rare episode where we’re sitting in the same room, at the same microphone, interrupting each other with much greater clarity and resolve. Topics discussed: Jason’s impressed with the two-hour Final…

Duke Nukem 3D Returns To Consoles And PC With An All-New Episode

Arriving on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC on October 11, Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary Edition World Tour reunites some of the original game’s creators to add a new eight-level chapter to the 1996 classic. Gearbox Software’s brought some of the band back together for Duke Nukem 3D’s 20th birthday, including original designers Allen…

Ever Play A Game For 100 Hours, Then Realize You Hate It?

In light of recent talk about No Man’s Sky and people seeking refunds after 50+ hours of playtime, I’ve been wondering: have you ever spent way too long with a game that just wasn’t for you? It’s definitely not an isolated phenomenon. I see it a lot on Steam, with people giving negative reviews to…

Ark: Survival Evolved Players Not Pleased With Decision To Charge For Early Access DLC [UPDATE]

Dinosaur survival playground Ark: Survival Evolved is one of the most popular games on Steam, regularly ranking among the top ten most-played games on the whole service. Despite this, it’s still very much an Early Access game, something players are worried developer Wildcard is forgetting. Yesterday, Wildcard released paid DLC for their dinosaur sensation. Titled…

A Discussion On Female Body Diversity In Games

Yesterday, critic Anita Sarkeesian published a video about female body diversity in games. “All the Slender Ladies” examines why games often showcase thin, young, humanoid women but rarely feature lady rock creatures or skeletal female priestesses. Male video game characters, she says, more often deviate from standards of male attractiveness, she explains. “It’s as if…

Four Minutes of Amazing GTA Online Car Stunts

GTA Online’s Cunning Stunts update has given players a whole slew of new toys to do mess around with, and some daredevils are taking advantage of this by concocting all sorts of entertaining car tricks. Behold, an impressive compilation of stunts pulled off by EvolveStunting: Damn.

Strike Vector EX Nails That Arcade Shooter Feel

Strike Vector EX is a fast paced flight combat game that pretty much feels like you’ve brought an arcade cabinet right into your living room. From the dogfighting to the near sensory overload of information, it really makes me feel like I should have some quarters on hand in case I need to continue. The…

Pokémon Go’s Buddy System Will Let You Have Special Time With Your Favorite Monster

While it has been rumored for a while now thanks to data miners, Niantic finally acknowledged an upcoming feature that will let you have more one-on-one time with Pokémon. Here’s Niantic, explaining how it’ll generally work: The next addition to Pokémon GO will be Buddy Pokémon. You will be able to pick your favorite Pokémon…

What Happens If You Wear The Silver Shroud Costume In Fallout 4’s Nuka World DLC

The Silver Shroud costume was one of the best gags in Fallout 4, and Bethesda has been keen to keep the joke going in all the DLC, including the latest installment, Nuka World. Let me tell you, the lines are excellent. FluffyNinjaLlama has documented ten whole minutes of scenes that can unfold in Nuka World…

FFXIV‘s Dungeons Sure Can Feel Like “Duties”

What are dungeon runs for? In Final Fantasy XIV, you mostly run dungeons because you have to. Fittingly, in FFXIV, they’re called “Duties.” The urgency, and necessity, to complete dungeons is why all ten-plus of my dungeon runs in FFXIV have been beelines to boss fights. But yesterday, when I read about a hidden NPC…

The Internet Reacts To Pokémon Sun and Moon’s New Snorlax

By now you probably know about Pokémon Sun and Moon’s preorder bonus, which gives you access to a Snorlax with a special move called Pulverizing Pancake. Turns out, waking Snorlax up can get pretty ugly in Alola. Just seeing the move in action is hilarious—Game Freak definitely had fun coming up with the idea: Given…

World Of Warcraft: Legion Progress Report: All The Artifact Weapons

It’s been four days since World of Warcraft’s sixth expansion dropped, and while a full review is weeks away, I’ve been plenty busy exploring, dancing, crafting, participating in PVP . . . okay I’ve just been obsessively collecting artifact weapons. I need them. It started innocently enough. I was logged into the game when the…