To: Crecente
From: Bashcraft
RE: The Event

This is gonna be short. Tomorrow, I have to get ready for my winter vacation, so I'll be spending the day packing. Yes, I need an entire day to pack. Today was spent cleaning the house. At the end of the year, Japan cleans house. Fun.

Anyway, I'll swing by the Tower while I'm in Texas and look forward to getting back to work in early January! Hopefully someone will post Hot Tears of Shame items in my absence.

Good luck with Funde Razor!

What you missed last night
Maxim gets all GOTY
Microsoft doesn't want you to own HD DVD
Hellgate contest winners
Orange Box video comparison
Gojira Contest!

In Britain, Wiis are as rare as hen's teeth. You just can't find one. But in France, well, the French are harder to please, non? So there are still Wiis to be found, here and there. With Britain and France separated by naught but a rail tunnel and a shallow pond, British retailers are putting two and two together and are heading off to France to get their hands on a Wii for Christmas. After all, paying retail sure beats paying £1,000,000. A boat-ride, armful of duty-free Marlboros, case of Stella and a Wii...it's the perfect day trip, really.

French trips for Wii [Daily Mirror]

To show that we don't hate all of you (just some), we've got a special present for one lucky Kotakuite. We've got $US 2000 in Kotaku Kash that we are dying to part with. That's right. We don't want it! Alright, contest time: We're calling this one the Make-Us-Your-Shopping-Slave contest. That's right, we will do one lucky winner's shopping, spending up to $US 2000 on presents. And yes, we'll even send the presents to that winner! Some parameters the winner must take into account:

• Including sales tax and shipping, we will only spend up to $US 2,000 KK. One KK equals exactly one US dollar.
• The winner will be asked to draw up a shopping wish list. All items on that list must be directly video game related.
• We will only go to one store on one day and purchase your presents there. This contest is one-stop shopping!
• Once the winner draws up his or her shopping wish list, it's final. That means if a game, a console or whatever is sold out, tough crap.

Since I am heading out for Texas tomorrow and will be on vacation, I don't have details about when this contest is starting or how it's going to go down. I do imagine after Crecente finishes with Funde Razor, he'll kick it off. Yes, he's going to be handling the contest. That could be a good thing or a very, very scary thing. Happy Holidays!

The Blip Festival wound up a bit over a week ago, and despite our urgings, 99% (or more!) of you didn't make it. For you, then, is this Boing Boing TV clip of the delightful Dave Hill making his way around the festivities, fighting everyone his steely gaze settles upon. It's just like being there. Only better.

Can gaming honestly be a spectator sport? Andy Reif thinks so. Of course he does, he's the commissioner of e-sports league Championship Gaming Series. He points out:

NASCAR, apart from the NFL, is by far the biggest sport in this country. It's been around for 40 years or so. Only in the last 10 years or so did it really explode. We're really lucky because a lot more people play video games than drive stock cars. So we have a real opportunity to blow this up a lot quicker, but it is not going to happen in a day.

Championship Gaming Series [Games Industry] 8Image]

Sony & Polyphony have released some new screenshots for Gran Turismo 5: Prologue. For anyone who didn't manage to get hold of the demo on the Japanese marketplace, yes, the game's replay mode looks this damn good.

And the contests just keep coming! Next up, we're giving away a copy of Godzilla Unleashed (PS2, DS or Wii, your choice) as well as a limited edition poster. Wait. We're not giving it away, you've gotta earn it. Alright, on to the contest: Do your best imitation of Godzilla. Hold up a sign. Take a picture of your self. Send it to kotakucontestATgmailDOTcom. That's it! INTERNET FAME HAS NEVER BEEN SO SIMPLE.

We're wrapping this one up on December 19th at midnight EST. Good luck!
Godzilla Unleashed [Official Site]

Hey, look, it's the poster to Uwe Boll's silver screen adaptation of the Dungeon Siege universe! Doesn't Jason Statham look determined to break free from his B-grade action star pigeon-hole? Doesn't Lelee Sobieski look thrilled to be involved in the project? You bet she does! Only criticism I can think of: needs more Burt Reynolds.

New Dungeon Siege Poster [Movies Online, via 1UP]

There's a big PSP firmware update hitting Japan on December 18th. Version 3.80 brings the ability for the new Slim PSPs to record 1seg digital broadcasts to Memory Sticks. It isn't possible to record while using the internet or during gameplay, however. It can apparently go into sleep mode while recording as well. What else? An internet radio station will also be made available. The PSP's RSS capabilities will be strengthened. Video clips can be searched by scene. A series of demos and wallpapers will be made available via PSP WiFi spots on the 18th as well. Most are from Sony's PSP greatest hits line and include: new Ape Escape (demo and wallpaper), Doko demo issyo: Let's Gakkou! PSP the Best (demo, wallpaper, promo clip), LocoRoco PSP the BEST (demo, wallpaper), Ape Escape: Pipo Saru Racer PSP the Best (demo) and Japan-only Yuusha no Kuse ni Namaiki da (demo). Hrm, not a bad update at all! The cat totally approves.

Big PSP Update [Famitsu]

Akira Chiba, president of Pokémon USA, has announced that at the end of the year he'll be stepping down from his throne of brightly-coloured skulls. Citing only that he has "plans to pursue other opportunities", Chiba leaves after five years with the company that saw the franchise dust off it's post-boom slide and remind us all that as long as they want to keep making Pokémon games kids will keep buying Pokémon games. He'll be replaced by Kenji Okubo, who will not only be running the show in the US but in all territories outside of Japan.

[via Dtoid]

Thanks muu!

Despite some negative first impressions, lotsa folks are still excited about Mistwalker's Lost Odyssey. To capitalise on those types, Microsoft have announced a deal whereby those pre-ordering the title will receive a bonus card (ie piece of plastic with download code on the back) that'll unlock an extra mission and weapon for the game. Those interested have until February 12, which is when the game's scheduled for release in the US.

[Next-Gen]

How adowable! This is a small, customised version of the cardboard robot figure from Japanese comedy manga Yotsuba&!. A D.I.Y. type has made customised Wii decals. Miniature Wii, Wii-mote and Nunchuk capsule toys are accented with toy Wii games. This could very well be the cutest thing you see all day. All month, even!

So Mass Effect sold a million. For a broken RPG, those are good numbers! Actually, for any game, those are good numbers. They're nothing on Halo 3's though. That thing just will not stop selling. Microsoft have announced that the game has sold more than five million copies since launch, which for a console that can't have more than 15 million units in the wild is as good an attach rate as anyone at MS HQ could be hoping/praying madly for.

[Gamedaily]

Once upon a time, Devil May Cry 4 was a PS3 exclusive. Now, it's not. Capcom is putting it on the PS3, the Xbox 360, PCs and cereal boxes if it could. But was it hard to move what was once a PS3 exclusive over to the 360? Nope! It was simple. DMC4 Hiroyuki Kobayashi explains:

It [the engine] is not a 360 engine. It's not an engine for the 360. It's the internal engine that we use at Capcom for next generation machines called the MT Framework [note: MT stands for multi-target]. That actually runs on PC. As you know, we did originally plan to have this title just on PS3, but actually the development was done on a PC, not on a particular console. So because it's all done on the PC... it makes it very easy to move it put it on the 360 and use the power of that machine, or to put it on the PS3 and use the power of that machine, each in different ways. It's really pretty easy to do it, developing it from this PC base.

Sympathy for the Devil [Level Up]

We didn't understand all the hype, really. While everyone was gibble-gabbling about Jade, we were so into the game's Creative Director Patrice. We even learned his last name! (It's Desilets.) Others focused more on Ubisoft producer Jade Raymond. MTV's Multiplayer blog has an insightful interview up with game journo Jane Pinckard about women in the game interesting. We've been big fans of Pinckard's blog Game Girl Advance for donkey's yonks. Anyway, here's what she has to say about the whole Jade Raymond media circus:

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Not much debate surrounding the 360 version of the Orange Box. It's great, if you don't have it, you're a sucker. But the PS3 version? It raises people's ire. Ignites controversy. Some believe it's all busted up. Others, like our own Michael "Once Was A Teenage Hair Model" McWhertor, didn't really mind the PS3 version's technical hiccups, and had a blast. Who, then, do you believe? "Why Mike, of course" is the correct answer, because a low-res embedded clip is no substitute for, you know, actually playing the thing. But if you really must come to these conclusions on your own, please see above.

Sure, SEGA isn't planning on making a new Dreamcast, but it is making stuff you control with your brain. SEGA's SEGA TOYS is teaming up with bio-sensor maker NeuroSky to develop a new line of toys. NeuroSky CEO Stanley Yang says:

With our ThinkGear bio-sensor technology and innovative capacity of SEGA TOYS, our collaboration with SEGA TOYS will empower consumers to intimately interact with or control a toy, using their mind.

New Toy [Sega Nerds]

Merriam-Webster are wordsmiths of the highest order. So much so they put out a dictionary every once in a while. You may know this. What you may not know is that they recently held an online poll, asking for the "word that best sums up 2007". That word would be their "Word of the Year". This year's winner? W00t, which was described by MW as "a hybrid of letters and numbers used by gamers as an exclamation of happiness". If w00t best sums up 2007, 2007 must be destroyed. Right away.

Online Gamers: Something To "W00t" About [CBS]

Holy crap our Hellgate: London contest was way too close to call! Finalist 2 and Finalist 4 ran neck and neck. Here's our solution: We're giving both copies of Hellgate: London. The other finalists must be satisfied with INTERNET FAME — however ephemeral it is. We're not going to do this every contest, so do not ask.

Congrats to our dual winners and much love to everyone else who entered! Finalist 2 and Finalist 4 shoot tips an email with your address so we can get your prizes to you.

It's nice and convenient to download movies temporarily to your new Elite 360, but wouldn't you like the option of downloading a movie and keeping it? Course you would. Works for iTunes, just like it works for digital game downloads (including Microsoft's own Xbox Originals), because people are often willing to forgo physical ownership of a game in exchange for a small saving at the register. Pity, then, that Microsoft don't see it that way:

The research that we have showed that our audience is an audience that wants to rent movies through their Xbox 360. And if you want to buy something a lot of people want to buy it on DVD and have the physical media right now. That's a market that's very healthy and will continue to be so. Obviously we provide an HD DVD accessory that plays to that market and continues to buy the HD format.

[Ars Technica]

Those outside of the most die-hard C&C fanboy circles may not remember, but a few years back, Westwood tried their hand at a Command & Conquer FPS. It was called Renegade. It sucked. So they're trying again, the latest issue of Game Informer revealing that EA are at work on Tiberium, a squad-based shooter that sounds a lot like GRAW, just with C&C units instead of Mexicans. That's about all we know at the moment, but rest assured EA will be milking the prospect for all its worth in the coming months, so sit tight.

[Video Games Blogger]

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Sure, TIME's list of the best ten games released this calendar year had its controversial entries, but I highly doubt anyone will dispute gaming bible Maxim's choices. Basically, all you really need to know is that 2K Games The Darkness surpassed Metroid Prime 3: Corruption in Maxim magazine's year end wrap up of the best games of 2007. What else did The Darkness beat out? Halo 3, Rock Band and Mass Effect, who sadly didn't make the cut, despite one of those featuring hot girl-on-girl action. At least Halo 3 nabbed the coveted "User Pick" for top spot. Maybe similar mags Stuff or King will throw them a bone. Anyhoo, enough teasing. Here are the top ten games of 2007, as decreed by the editors of Maxim.

1. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
2. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
3. The Orange Box
4. BioShock
5.God of War II
6. Super Mario Galaxy
7. The Darkness
8. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
9. John Woo's Stranglehold
10. Lost Planet: Extreme Condition

We'll be tabulating the LOLs, ROFLs, ROFLMAOs, WTFs and GTFOs as soon as possible and plan to provide nice pie charts.

Best of 2007: Video Games [Maxim]

With the news that Obsidian has released a new patch for its D&D-based RPG, I thought it might be an idea to let you guys know which mods I use to enhance the game.

I'm a firm believer in using mods only to make the game better, or fix bugs that the developer is unwilling or unable to do something about. If you're looking for mods to help you cheat, or deliver unto your character a +10 Sword of Holy Butt Whopping, you won't find it here.

I only have two recommendations, but they're excellent ones. Details after the jump.

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The Consumerist have a great piece up detailing the "confessions" of a serial Craigslist reseller. Beginning his "job" with the launch of the PS3, the guy has since sold loads of PS3s and Wiis, all to crazy profits and all thanks to some questionable ideas on fairness and the exploiting of an open market.

The Wiis have been a steady stream of income. I'm a casual video game player but I got to know the guy who runs my local Gamestop. He told me when they get their deliveries and said Wii's were first come, first serve. Since the summer I've bought 10 of them and sold them for an average of 150 bucks over cost.

[The Consumerist]

To: Ash
From: Crecente
Re: On Middle Names (What's Yours?)

Tomorrow afternoon I'll be leaving to head down to Denver with a van full of schwag and fake guitars. I'm bringing two Xbox 360s with me, because one of them has been locking up recently. I'm hoping to split the signal from the 360 to a projector mounted in the middle of the ceiling of the Walnut Room, and the television I just took down from our bedroom wall. The TV will be the monitor for those playing the game, the projector will be for those not playing the game. If this all sounds confusing, you're in the same boat as me. I'm a little worried the whole thing is going to blow up in my face... hopefully only figuratively speaking.... Oh, I may try to bring the Justin.TV rig with me to broadcast the event live to Kotaku.

What you missed:
Frag Doll Sings Portal Song
Auran Lets Fury Go Free, Bad News Follows
Schwarzenegger Wants No Part of Conan Game
Being Brian Crecente, a Tale of One Kotaku Editor's Unintentional Appearance at GDC
Regis and Kelly Play Rock Band
More than One DS Sold Every Five Seconds in U.S.
LittleBigPlanet Demo Axed for 07
Spielberg's Boom Blox Will Be Featured At GDC
Become the King of Komments at Kotaku
Whorecraft Season 2 is Live

The arrival of Sony Computer Entertainment's God of War franchise on the PSP this coming March will finally give fans of the handheld an opportunity to experience sex mini-games and excessive amounts of gore on the go. To keep hype going through the holidays, SCEA has handed out a new batch of screens of God of War: Chains of Olympus, all of which are in our gallery below. They may not have the polished allure of the original set of screens release many moons ago, but developer Ready At Dawn look to do portable justice to Kratos and whomever he'll be slicing from skull to crotch.

The "video game" adaptation of Rob Reiner's 1987 classic romantic adventure comedy The Princess Bride isn't actually a game, as the official site so openly admits. It's merely an "animated online entertainment experience". It's the Nutrasweet of adventure gaming, a sickeningly chemical hint of a game that looks to add nothing to the film, merely acting as a crudely animated, gratingly voice acted, casual targeted impostor.

It's coming to Windows, Mac OS US X and Linux, but don't expect much for your $17. The only amusement I've received from this monstrosity so far is the misspelling of the title on the official site, who refer to it as The Princess Bridge Game. Hahaha! *sobs*

It may be 20 degrees out right now, it may be snowing, it may be icy, but tomorrow I expect sunshine, if not in Denver then at least in The Walnut Room.

Why? Well because that's when we're doing the first ever local Funde Razor here in Denver. For those of you planning on attending in Denver, it runs from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and you'll need to be 21 or older to get in. The cover is a $US 10 minimum donation.

The ticket gets you, besides a warm fuzzy feeling inside, a door prize ticket. I'm bringing a mountain of swag with me to the fund raiser to give away including the Manhunt 2 straitjacket, one of those Wii bags from E3 06, a Metal Gear Solid multi-tool knife, a Lair lighter, a Vault Boy Fallout 3 bobble head, Zelda hourglass and more shirts than I want to even think about. We will also have a Limited Edition copy of Rock Band for the 360 on hand to giveaway and, of course, that life-sized companion cube.

If you're planning to attend the Brooklyn Funde Razor hit up the official site for the details.

Over the past few days, I've had the opportunity to play some the PlayStation 3 version of Team Fortress 2, one fifth of The Orange Box. The PS3 version should arrive at retailers tomorrow, but it wasn't until recently that EA has given press an opportunity to play TF2 online. Unfortunately, the player count in all of my hands-on sessions never topped eight and the game doesn't support bots, so it was hardly representative of a real-life game that can support up to sixteen players at once. Still, after a few hours of play, I felt like I had a good feel for the performance capabilities of the game.

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If you like to stay up-to-date with your system drivers, and own an NVIDIA graphics card, then you might want to download the latest WHQL ForceWare candidates.

There's no mention of any specific games that these drivers affect, however, they do add support for NVIDIA's upcoming 8800 GTS based on the company's G92 chip (the same one in the excellent 8800 GT). Not that they're available yet, but there's nothing wrong with being prepared.

If you're curious, there's a huge PDF of release notes. As much as I'd like to read them, I'd more than likely suffocate myself with my phone before reaching the end.

The link here leads to the Vista 32-bit version of the drivers. Versions for other Windows operating systems can be found in the immediate area following the link.

Vista 32-bit ForceWare 169.21 [NVIDIA, via Blue's News]

World of Whorecraft, renamed Whorecraft and now, oddly enough, Whorelore, is back for its second season. For those of you who missed our feature on this blending of hardcore pornography and World of Warcraft, you should probably read the story, it's really quite fascinating.

Dez, the series producer, dropped me a line today to say that Whorelore will continue into next year with a second season, the first episode of which features female elf-on-elf sex and your typical follow up, inter-racial human-on-elf sex scene. Not content to stick with just prosthetic ears and a bit of handmade weapons and armor, the series has added honest to goodness special effect to the mix this time around.

I remain more intrigued than tantalised by the prospect of pornography made for an audience of gamers, even the more mainstream gamers that make up the World of Warcraft fanbase. What I wonder is if the attraction to something like these videos would come from some sort of elf fetish or if it's really about carrying over the fantasy of an MMO or RPG into the real world and that the sex thing is almost an aside.

Hit the jump for some NSFW pics and a school of happily nesting Kotaku pointing fish.

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According to a rumour allegedly sourced from the latest issue of Weekly Famitsu magazine, Nintendo plans to introduce new Wii colours to coincide with the Japanese release of Super Smash Bros. Brawl. According to early leaks from the magazine, Japan will have the chance to buy the Wii in five colours: red, diamond black, mint blue, snow pink, and Famicom-themed red and gold. The package would include a copy of Brawl, two Wii remotes and two nunchuk controllers. The Brawl bundle is reported to retail for 35000 yen, about $US 310.

While North American Nintendo reps have claimed that the Wii won't arrive in non-white versions until current supply issues are resolved, Nintendo of Japan is no stranger to releasing new colourways of its consoles. Still, rumours of multi-coloured Wiis and Wii accessories have come before, passing without anything concrete. That means, take this with a grain of salt (until Famitsu scans start turning up).

UPDATE: Looks like the source of these rumours, a 2ch message board poster, has admitted that the Famitsu info was faked. Everyone will have to settle with the lush whiteness of their Wiis for the time being it seems. Thank God I didn't get my hopes up or my wallet out.

Weekly Famitsu Thread, 12/14 issue [NeoGAF]

In case you missed them...
Pros and Cons of WoW Powerlevelling, Part 1
Pros and Cons of WoW Powerlevelling, Part 2

Here it is, the last chunk of our epic powerlevelling story. I've been assured by the anonymous writer who sent this mammoth literary extravaganza in that everything is true.

Well, no need for me to waffle on about this one, you know the story - or should I say, you will know.

Ah, watch out - a disclaimer!

Disclaimer: Kotaku AU does not advocate the use of powerlevelling services, or the use of any service that violates the Terms of Use or End User License Agreements (EULA) of any game. If you decide to indulge in any such service, you do so at your own risk.

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