• Kotaku East

  The Horror of Custom Figurines

  While the idea of a customized action figure seems badass, a Japanese television programmed inadvertently depicted the horrifying reality. Eek! This is the work of Akihabara establishment Clone Factory. The studio measures and photographs your head, inputs the digital data, and then uses a 3D printer to reproduce your mug in miniature figure form That’s…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published March 5, 2012
• Kotaku East

  Japanese Adult Video Stars Teaching China about Sex

  Sexual education in China is quite interesting. Sex and anything related has long been a “taboo” topic, but things have been loosening up over the last decade. And now, Japanese adult video stars are now teaching sex-ed on public television. Progress! Former Japanese adult video actress Akane Hotaru, perhaps best known for her work in…

  By Eric Jou Published March 5, 2012
• Kotaku East

  Japan Is Now Studying Its Geeks

  “Otaku” in Japanese is usually to refer to individuals who are really into things, whether that be trains, movies, or video games. There are a wide variety of different otaku, but within the last few years the word “otaku” has become shorthand for gaming, anime, or idol diehards. The stigma surrounding the word is on…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published March 5, 2012
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  Kotaku East

  Could This Gun Stop Online Trolls?

  One of the best things about playing online is playing with others. One of the worst things? Playing with others. Some people are total dicks! Wouldn’t you love to shut them up? As previously reported on sister site Gizmodo, the SpeechJammer is a gun that “jams” people’s speech, by firing their words right back at…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published March 5, 2012
• Kotaku East

  Hooters Girls in Metal Gear Solid

  Metal Gear Solid, never one to shy away from a collaboration, is bringing Hooters girls to upcoming its 3DS game, Snake Eater 3D A Hooters girl magazine appears as an in-game item. (Nintendo’s Yoshi also pops up in the game.) Today in Tokyo, Konami held a shindig at Hooters to promote the game with orange…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published March 5, 2012
• Kotaku East

  The Olympics, the Sex Worker Rumor, and Japanese Nerdom

  In 2006, siblings Domu Narita (above, in pink) and his sister Mero pulled out a rare feat: both competed in the Olympics in the same sport. Domu, with his ponytail, and Mero, with her pink hair, might have appeared like your typical snowboarders, but not like the more conservative-looking Japanese athletes representing their country. They…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published March 5, 2012
• Kotaku East

  Kotaku East Starts Now

  Kotaku East runs from 4am to 8am EST. For more info about Kotaku East click here

  By Brian Ashcraft Published March 5, 2012
• Uncategorized

  A Man’s Flesh, Covered in Badass World of Warcraft Imagery

  Reader Clay McCay sends us this image of a tattoo he recently had finished. And yes, that is a giant Worgen covering his entire back. Before you scream BUT WHAT WILL YOU DO WHEN NOBODY REMEMBERS WOW, consider this: even in twenty years, if nobody remembers what a Worgen looks like, Clay still has a…

  By Luke Plunkett Published March 5, 2012
• Uncategorized

  The Very Best In Cosplay: Volpin Props

  We’ve looked at models, costume builders and photographers so far in our tour around the best in the world of cosplay, so today I thought we’d look at someone else. Someone like Harrison Krix. Who builds replica props and weapons. After all, cosplay without weapons and props can often be just a fancy dress party.…

  By Luke Plunkett Published March 5, 2012
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  Uncategorized

  Trolling Private Ryan Replaces Matt Damon With Small, Angry Child

  There is trolling in the name of evil, in which you act like an asshole. But there can sometimes be trolling in the name of public good. Like this. Authentic military terminology is a part of the game, kid! War isn’t all murder and explosions. There are communications protocols to maintain as well.

  By Luke Plunkett Published March 5, 2012
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  Uncategorized

  New Game of Thrones Trailer: Season Two Looks Twice as Expensive

  Here’s a big, long, proper look at the second season of Game of Thrones, courtesy of a brand new trailer. How very exciting.

  By Luke Plunkett Published March 5, 2012
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  Uncategorized

  Turning Video Game Developers Into Electronic Music

  Aussie sound man Mick Gordon was at last year’s Game Developers Conference with a microphone, where he grabbed everyone who walked past him and asked them to say something into the mic. Anything The result became not a documentary, not a commercial, but a…song. A damn impressive one.

  By Luke Plunkett Published March 5, 2012
• Uncategorized

  Darkstalkers Making a Comeback, Street Fighter Boss at the Wheel

  According to a report on VentureBeat, Capcom is currently developing a new entry in the Darkstalkers series of fighting games. Apparently, it’s being produced by Street Fighter IV’s Yoshinori Ono. The report also claims the game entered full development late last year, and will run on a modified version of the Street Fighter x Tekken…

  By Luke Plunkett Published March 5, 2012
• Uncategorized

  Yeah, Looks Like EA is Making Army of Four

  Late last year, we told you EA had begun work on a new Army of Two game, only this time it was called Army of Four. The name change was because it would support four-player co-op, and we also heard it would be running on DICE’s fancy new Frostbite 2.0 engine. Well, over the weekend,…

  By Luke Plunkett Published March 4, 2012
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  Uncategorized

  Jet Set Radio HD’s First Trailer Destroys a Cartoon Tokyo

  Since Sega officially announced its long-awaited Jet Set Radio re-release sans trailer, here’s your first look at the Dreamcast classic back in action. Good Lord. The colours. The graf. The music. It’s all flooding back. It’s like all the best parts of the year 2000 rose from the grave, not to feast on my flesh,…

  By Luke Plunkett Published March 4, 2012
• Uncategorized

  Fable: Heroes Turns the RPG Series Into a… Brawling Party Game?

  Seemingly jumping the gun ahead of next week’s Game Developers Conference, a listing on Xbox.com has appeared for a game called Fable Heroes Here’s the product description: Fable Heroes is a fresh spin on the beloved Fable franchise in which up to 4 players play both cooperatively and competitively in this hack-and-slash adventure. Work together…

  By Luke Plunkett Published March 4, 2012
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  Uncategorized

  A Delightful Baker’s Two Dozen

  Can You Name All 26? | Here are 26 games represented in minimalist design, in alphabetical order. Can you identify all 26 right off the bat? (Video Games ABC, by YouTube’s thijlkema) Is This a Photo of Valve’s Rumored Console, Or At Least a Prototype? Less than 24 hours since the website The Verge reported…

  By Owen Good Published March 4, 2012
• Culture

  Mass Market

  The long-awaited conclusion to the Mass Effect space opera trilogy leads the list of new releases this week. It’s joined by two baseball titles and Capcom’s fighting game crossover with Namco. Tuesday • Mass Effect 3 (PS3, PC, 360) • Mass Effect 3: From Ashes (PC, PSN, XBLA) • LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 (PS…

  By Owen Good Published March 4, 2012
• Uncategorized

  Is This Valve’s Control Pad Design?

  It’s beginning to seem entirely possible that PC gaming powerhouse Valve is working on its own “console” (or at least custom PC). Especially when you consider that it’s been working on control pad designs for nearly three years. A report published on The Verge last week mentioned not just the company’s machine but a patent…

  By Luke Plunkett Published March 4, 2012
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  Uncategorized

  Signs Getting Stronger that SimCity 5 is Coming—in 2013

  There are so many “leaked” trailers that have survived multiple days on YouTube, it’s hard to believe this isn’t deliberate. Whatever the case, this silent slideshow of SimCity 5 concept art is alleged to be source material for a GDC announcement, and the game will release in 2013. Earlier this week, seven images published in…

  By Owen Good Published March 4, 2012