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  Assassin’s Creed II Sneaks Past 6 Million Sold

  During Ubisoft’s fiscal report from earlier today, it was disclosed that sales of Assassin’s Creed II – 2009’s little engine that could – are now very healthy indeed. I say “little engine” because while Modern Warfare 2 spent the latter half of 2009 dominating all talk of game sales, to date Assassin’s Creed II has…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 14, 2010
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  250GB PlayStation 3 Dated For Japan

  Sony has just announced that the PS3 with a 250GB hard disk drive will launch in Japan next month. Releasing on February 18, the console will be priced at ¥34,980 (US$381). A 250GB PlayStation 3 has already been released in Japan as part of the white and pink PS3 bundle Sony released for the PS3.…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 14, 2010
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  Digital Recording Comes To The PS3 (Again)

  Sony Computer Entertainment today brings word that it is now possible to digitally record terrestrial broadcasts with a new dedicated peripheral called “torne”. The torne is a terrestrial digital tuner that connects to the PS3 via USB cable. Torne offers players an easy and colorful interface that lists programs. It’s possible to look up programs…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 14, 2010
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  DSi XL Gets European Release Date

  The new Nintendo DSi XL – already out in Japan, where it’s known as the DSi LL – will be released in Europe in March, Nintendo has announced. It will be available on March 5, on both the continent and in the UK, in red and dark brown. The Nintendo DSi XL is essentially a…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 14, 2010
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  Design A Team Fortress 2 Weapon, See It Appear In The Game

  Deciding that all that talent was going to waste on mere “art”, Valve are going to put Team Fortress 2’s fanbase to work, giving them the chance to craft their own in-game items, weapons and avatars. It’s part of the new “Contribute” site, which will allow TF2 fans to submit their own ideas for things…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 14, 2010
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  These Armored Core 5 Screens Are So Not Blurry

  Yesterday, mecha game Armored Core 5 was leaked by blurry Famitsu scans. Today, it gets its official reveal. Like clockwork! As we previously posted, the game’s concept is “mayhem” mechanical action. The game will feature new weapons, more robust and dramatic mission stories and stages that are more detailed and complex than the previous titles.…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 14, 2010
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  Street Fighter Was Officially The Worst Movie Of 2009

  There were plenty of terrible movies in 2009, but only one can be the terriblest. And, according to popular movie review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes, that honour goes to Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li. Yes, the Capcom/Kristin Kreuk disaster beat out other hopefuls like Old Dogs and Dragonball to claim the prize as the…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 14, 2010
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  “Overseas” Version of Final Fantasy XIII Finished

  Final Fantasy XIII has been released on the PS3 in Japan, but the multi-platform version won’t be out in the West until March. Square Enix has, however, announced that development on this “overseas version” is now complete. In an online letter to European gamers, FFXIII game director Motomu Toriyam writes, “FINAL FANTASY XIII overseas version…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 14, 2010
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  Are These The Final Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing Characters?

  The reveal of Space Channel 5’s Ulala and Crazy Taxi’s B.D. Joe in Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing may not be the final reveal that Sega has planned. Four more additions may have been discovered today. Buckle in for obscurity! According to some digging by the folks at TSSZ News, it appears that Akira (and…

  By Michael McWhertor Published January 13, 2010
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  Kotaku Off Topic: Bustin’

  It’s a special hump day edition of Kotaku Off Topic, meaning we’ll take some time to talk about things that aren’t video game related. Hey, that’s just like every other edition of Kotaku Off Topic! What’s on my mind is that lone beer that’s currently chilling in my refrigerator. It’s a Yards Brewing Company Philadelphia…

  By Michael McWhertor Published January 13, 2010
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  Three-Day Symposium will Examine the Art of Games

  “The Art History of Games,” a three day public symposium devoted to investigating games as an art form, will be held in Atlanta in early February, followed by the monthlong display of three commissioned art games. Participants at the Feb. 4-Feb. 6 symposium will include John Romero, a designer of the original Doom and a…

  By Owen Good Published January 13, 2010
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  Sony Plans Less Awful Heavy Rain Box Art Option For America

  If you have a discriminating eye for fine video game box art and were rendered inconsolable by the visual blight that is Heavy Rain’s North American box art, Sony has good news for you. In response to a request for the PlayStation 3 game’s “EU boxart available as a pre formated PDF to print out,”…

  By Michael McWhertor Published January 13, 2010
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  Irrational Pitch for a Zombie Shooter was Well Ahead of Its Time

  Irrational Games had this idea for – hang with me here – a zombie shooter. Only thing was, it was back in 2005, and the studio’s creative director said its pitches were met with the sound of crickets. “I remember going around pitching it and the person would be ‘Zombies? Who wants to play a…

  By Owen Good Published January 13, 2010
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  SCEA: December Was PS3 And PSN’s Best Month Ever

  The holidays were kind to the PlayStation Family, with the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Network bringing in more sales than ever before. The previously announced 1.7 million PS3s sold during the holidays aren’t the only holiday milestone Sony’s bragging about.. A statement from Patrick Seybold, Sony Computer Entertainment America’s senior director of corporate communications and…

  By Michael McWhertor Published January 13, 2010
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  MLB 2K10 Keeps Scandalized ex-ESPN Analyst

  Steve Phillips, fired from his ESPN analyst’s gig after an embarrassing affair with a production assistant, remains in the commentary booth for MLB 2K10, according to the first previews of the game. It’s not surprising, nor can 2K Sports be blamed for holding its nose and keeping Phillips on. His scandal came to light in…

  By Owen Good Published January 13, 2010
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  Get Up To Speed On Nintendo’s New Glory Of Heracles

  You may not have it penciled into your calendar, but some of us at Kotaku Tower are looking forward to getting our first taste of the Glory of Heracles series in good ol’ English, hitting the Nintendo DS next week. And you may be getting your first taste of the Greek role-playing game, the game…

  By Michael McWhertor Published January 13, 2010
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  Your First Look At Project Runway: The Video Game

  They’re finally here, the first screen shots of Atari’s Project Runway for the Wii, showcasing the make-up applying, rhythmic catwalk-strutting, outfit-trying on excitement you’ll be enjoying on March 2, 2010. Atari’s release calls Project Runway: The Videogame a “must have accessory for series fans,” touting Wii Balance Board support for runway walking, and appearances from…

  By Michael McWhertor Published January 13, 2010
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  Why Valve Took a Leak(er) Out of Left 4 Dead 2

  Speaking to Official Xbox Magazine, Valve’s Chet Faliszek said the Left 4 Dead 2 team came up with a since-discarded special infected called “The Leaker.” He was axed not for doing something disgusting, but predictable. “With The Leaker, the idea was a kind of Boomer that could take damage, and shoot out spouts of goo.…

  By Owen Good Published January 13, 2010
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  C-B-S

  To: Ash From: Crecente Re: Delays Aren’t Necessarily Bad, Yo Busy, busy day what with the sex bots, Tiger woods stuff and our podcast. Did you listen to the podcast? It was a ton of fun and man, the sound difference. I can’t believe the difference a professional sound engineer and studio makes. OK, I…

  By Brian Crecente Published January 13, 2010
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  Ubisoft Eyes PS3, 360 In 2010 After Losing Big On DS Casual Games

  Earlier today, publisher Ubisoft warned that it wasn’t going to have quite the year it was expecting, in part due to big delays, in part due to its efforts on the Nintendo DS and Wii. So it’s changing course. Yves Guillemot, CEO of Ubisoft put the blame on Ubisoft’s worse than expected 2009-2010 on “considerable…

  By Michael McWhertor Published January 13, 2010