Friday, January 25, 2008
Teenage Boy Hacks, Steals for Princess Dress
11:00PM Brian Ashcraft | It all started with a gothic Lolita dress. A 16 year-old Japanese gamer has been arrested by cops from Tokyo Metropolitan Police’s “Hi-Tech Crimes Control Center” for stealing 36 million yen ($US 325,000) worth of virtual currency that’s used in online RPG Mabinogi. The teen obtained the ID and password of an employee at the Tokyo branch of Korean game company NEXON. With that info, he accessed the company’s servers and filled his virtual pockets with in-game money. He allegedly converted amount 600,000 yen ($US 5,500) into real cash, which he spent on books and software. The teen has confessed, saying: I originally wanted the dress worn by the princess, but I just ended up racking up a bunch of game points. That, and getting arrested. Online Theft [Nikkan Sports via Pink Tentacle Thanks Randy!] More »
Truly, A Fugly Carved PS3
10:00PM Brian Ashcraft | The artist behind the truly ugly Rozen Maiden etched DS Lite is back. The latest victim? The PLAYSTATION 3. The artist has carved Suigintou from Rozen Maiden onto a PS3 with what looks like a pen knife. What is it with this guy and etching stuff on consumer products? More importantly, what is it with Rozen Maiden? Everyone in Japan, hide the PSPs and Wiis. They’re NEXT. Hit the jump for a shocking wide shoot. More »
Otaku Screams, Kicks Counter
9:00PM Brian Ashcraft | Some of those who don’t live in Japan seem to be under the impression that Japanese folks are reserved and orderly, that don’t get pissed off, freak out and throw fits. Western stereotyping aside, of course they do. There’s lots of people in Japan! You know, different types of people. This customer in the clip? He kicks the counter at the Shibuya Bic Camera game counter. Scary! Crazy Otaku Dude [fuckedgaijin] More »
News
Manhunt 2 Blocked By British High Court
8:00PM Brian Ashcraft | Looks like the UK Manhunt 2 drama is drawing to a close. As you know, last June the game was banned by the British Board of Film Classification for sale in the UK. Rockstar revamped the game enough to convince the UK Video Appeals Committee to reclassify the title with a new rating, which circumvented the BBFC. So the BBFC then argued that the “game had been approved for release on a misinterpretation of the law.” That argument went to the British High Court, where the BBFC was able to fight the game’s release. The High Court has now ruled that the VAC’s decision to allow for classification was flawed by “a clear error of the law” and has asked that it reconsider its decision. The court’s decision blocks the sale of Manhunt 2 in the UK. During the hearing, the BBFC mentioned that the VAC’s decision could undermine its ombudsman role “not only in relation to video games, but generally.” Seems like a political power struggle more than anything. High Court Blocks Game [ITN, Thanks Funky J!] [Pic] More »
Japan Finally Getting Wii Demo Kiosks
7:00PM Brian Ashcraft | While the Japanese PS3 and Xbox 360 demo kiosks let gamers try out the games and system, the Wii one doesn’t. Instead, folks watch game footage or information about the system on monitors. The reason? Concern about injuries and accidents being caused by wild Wii-mote waggling. Times have changed! Starting the 26th of this month, Wii demo kiosks will get a Japan roll out. Yep, just in time for Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Wii Demo Units [IGN] More »
LA Times Says, Games Don’t Work as Movies
6:00PM Brian Ashcraft | For a long time, comic books didn’t work as movies. They do now, sorta. But currently, games really don’t work as movies. Like at all. Los Angeles Times goes through movie making rules that emerged last year. One of them involves games. According to the paper: Hollywood can’t win at video games. Because 13-year-old boys spend hours zapping asteroids or stealing virtual cars, movies based on video games would seem to be the logical follow-up to the comic- book-to-movie frenzy. Screenwriter Josh Olson, who was rewriting the “Halo” script (Peter Jackson was to direct) before the movie fell apart, says video games “have aimless cycles. You go to A, shoot some monsters, then go to B, then start over and do it again.” …Step away from the video games. Transforming this medium’s weak narratives to film hasn’t been as successful as with comic books. Best advice I’ve heard regarding Hollywood’s desire to adapt video games: Don’t. Sure, there will be a movie that’ll come along and show us how it’s done. Until then, we wait. The Rules [LA Times] [Pic] More »
Don’t Hate Uwe, He’s Nice To Injured Drunks
5:10PM Brian Ashcraft | Sure, German director Uwe Boll makes shit game adaptations, takes advantage of tax laws and beats up nerds. But that doesn’t mean he’s all bad. (Just mostly?) AMC blog Monsterfest points out: “Last summer in Montreal, I witnessed him help out an injured drunk who fell down and hit his head, even calling the paramedics himself”. Hey, he might be nice to drunks, but he’s really mean to motion pictures. In Defense of Uwe [Monsterfes via VH1 Game Break] [Pic] More »
There Are Going To Be SSBB Shortages? Why?
5:07PM Brian Ashcraft | Hardware shortages we can understand — heck, we can even sympathize. Making hardware is hard. Game shortages? Well, that’s just silly. After delays, there will apparently be a Super Smash Bros. Brawl shortage. According to blog Canned Dogs, retailer Lepton is only getting 156 copies, but has over 800 pre-orders. Nintendo is apparently giving afflilate stores first-priority and Lepton isn’t one of them. What’s more, importer National Console Report has closed its SSBB pre-orders, stating: Last night, vendors in Japan warned us that there might be a shortage of [SSBB] so we’re closing preorders today. If the information turns out to be erroneous, we’ll accept new preorders again. The launch day shipment is apparently going to be somewhere between 300,000 and 400,000 copies. But, why? Unless I’m missing something, that doesn’t make much sense. There aren’t any semiconducters in a game disc. It’s just data printed on a CD. So, print up more. Delays aside and all, for a game that has been hyped for a year and a half, you’d think they’d be better prepared. That, or hype their games less. Angry SSBB Fans [Japanator via Dtoid] More »
Fox Responds to EA, Invites onto News Show
3:00PM Brian Ashcraft | This Fox News Mass Effect imbroglio is turning into quite the drama. To bring everyone up to speed: Fox News made erroneous claims about Mass Effect. Game journalist and one-time Kotaku guest editor Geoff Keighley tried to clear the air, but the network’s panel and dime store Freud shrink Cooper Lawrence wouldn’t listen. The internet got angry and spammed her book’s Amazon.com and Barnes&Noble listings. Amazon.com has since turned off the comments and erased user added images for her book’s page. Electronic Arts, likewise, got upset and called out the news network on its “insulting” inaccuracies. The Fox producer of the segment in question blew off Electronic Arts’ request for a correction. There still hasn’t been a correction or an apology from Fox News. The game publisher added that it won’t back down and will continue to “step up when someone maligns our creative teams”. According to MTV Multiplayer, Fox News issued this statement: Fox News Channel has extended several invitations to EA through a company representative to appear on Live Desk With Martha MacCallum to discuss Mass Effect and the segment which aired on Monday. We have received no response. Hey Fox, the point isn’t inviting EA onto your dog and pony show to set the record straight. It’s for you to do that yourself. Get a clue. This is libel. Sexbox Controversy [MTV Multiplayer] [Pic] More »
