#awards
BioWare's Mass Effect 2 is nominated for five of ten awards at the 11th annual Game Developers Choice Awards. Rockstar's western epic Red Dead Redemption is up for six. Playdead's downloadable Xbox Live Arcade game Limbo has them both beat. More »
Issues plaguing Red Dead Redemption and its Undead Nightmare and Liars & Cheats add-ons (both disc-based and downloads) should be nipped in the bud today, Rockstar reports. Upon booting up the game, users will be prompted with a mandatory download, that resolves issues including the inability to unlock certain Achievements or Trophies, and a glitch in which players would get stuck in the environment, especially when sitting down at specific Liar's Dice chairs. It's quite a large list of fixes, so hit up the link below for the full list.
Of course, this update won't correct the behavior of all the vicious, murderous wildlife in the game. We're afraid that's a problem you (and your trusty six-shooter) will have to resolve on your own.
The Old West was not a pretty place. For decades, films and TV shows depicting this part of American history have run the gamut between sugar-coated idolization -- see: The Lone Ranger -- and, in more recent years, downright brutal (HBO's Deadwood). In games, though, the "Wild West" was at best a mild West, and then we got Red Dead Redemption.
#speakup
In the final daily Speak-Up on Kotaku of 2010, commenter RascalkingTK wonders if cheap bastards tarnish other people's online multiplayer experience as much as they do his. More »
#cnn
Scott Steinberg, Kotaku friend and video game consultant extraordinaire, writes up his personal selection of top ten video games for 2010 on CNN. Topping the list? Heavy Rain. More »
#physics
Half the visual appeal of Red Dead Redemption is in the landscapes. Those were done by Rockstar. But the other half is John Marston's swagger, or the way a bandit gets caught in his horse's stirrups. More »
Who needs a double XP weekend, when you can have a double XP week? Rockstar is giving fans of Red Dead Redemption's multiplayer modes ten days to start raking in twice as many experience points than normal. Starting today and going all the way until January 3rd, you'll get double XP for all activity in any online mode. The promotion is happening on both Xbox Live and PlayStation Network, so jump online and shoot some zombie bears or something.
Xbox Live Marketplace's Games on Demand has added Red Dead Redemption, Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands and Narnia: Prince Caspian at prices one could kindly classify as "outrageous."
Red Dead Redemption is listed at its full boxed retail price of $60. We've confirmed with Rockstar that the digital copy is just the original game and doesn't include any of the DLC. Obviously, we recommend purchasing this through the marketplace like we recommend a rattlesnake bite to the groin. Prince of Persia: TFS and Caspian are priced at $30 apiece (way above their Amazon prices).
With all the deals we've seen leading up to Christmas, we can't in good conscience recommend any of these to you. If you have any interest in these titles, just wait and see what discounts will be available at retail after the holiday.
Just like Red Dead Redemption taught us, when you fall off your horse you have to climb right back up (or find another one, at least). It appears Take-Two is firmly back in the saddle, despite the fact that there were no new Grand Theft Auto games released this year. Reuters reports that the company's stock shot up 8 percent in the wake of rosy financials released earlier this week. Reuters reports further that Wedbush Morgan raised its target stock price for Take-Two from $11 to $15, reflecting more investor confidence in the company.
Now, if Take-Two can just keep pumping out epic Rockstar games and launching successful sports games -- preferably without any competition -- it'll be set for life.
If you'd like to reward that certain special someone in your life with the gift of cowboys and zombies -- or, as we call it, the "gift that keeps on giving" -- you can do so extreme thrift. Amazon's offering Red Dead Redemption and Undead Nightmare together for $48 on 360, and $58 for PS3.
Take-Two Interactive, publisher of this year's Red Dead Redemption and Civilization V, among others, today announced net revenue earnings of $1.16 billion for the 12 months ending October 31, 2010, a 65-percent growth over the previous fiscal year's revenues. In all, after operating expenses and taxes, Take-Two earned $42.6 million in profit for the year -- quite a turnaround from the $140.5 million hole (read: net loss) it dug itself last fiscal year. Software sales slump, what now?
In its fourth quarter alone (August-October), Take-Two brought in $373.7 million in revenue, roughly 32 percent more than in the same period in 2009, working out to $53.8 million in income for the close-out quarter. "We have achieved our goal of profitability in a year without a new release of Grand Theft Auto," boasted soon to be ex-CEO Ben Feder, citing Red Dead Redemption and NBA 2K11, "as well as strong sales of catalog titles and digitally-delivered content," as key to the publisher's success.
Take-Two is currently in the midst of a five-month "transition period," having changed its fiscal calendar to now begin April 1 (instead of Nov. 1). Chairman Strauss Zelnick said the company will be focused on "newer areas of the interactive entertainment business, such as digitally-delivered content and the expanding Asian and Latin American markets" through the end of 2010.
Take-Two Interactive, publisher of this year's Red Dead Redemption and Civilization V, among others, today announced net revenue earnings of $1.16 billion for the 12 months ending October 31, 2010, a 65-percent growth over the previous fiscal year's revenues. Software sales slump, what now?
In its fourth quarter alone (August-October), Take-Two brought in $373.7 million, roughly 32 percent more than the same period in 2009. "We have achieved our goal of profitability in a year without a new release of Grand Theft Auto," boasted soon to be ex-CEO Ben Feder, citing Red Dead Redemption and NBA 2K11, "as well as strong sales of catalog titles and digitally-delivered content," as key to the publisher's success.
Take-Two is currently in the midst of a five-month "transition period," having changed its fiscal calendar to now begin April 1 (instead of Nov. 1). Chairman Strauss Zelnick said the company will be focused on "newer areas of the interactive entertainment business, such as digitally-delivered content and the expanding Asian and Latin American markets" through the end of 2010.
There just ain't no stoppin' the Red Dead Redemption sales wagon train for Take-Two, as the company revealed today the game has shipped "nearly 8 million units worldwide since launching in May." The last status update we had was back in early September when RDR rustled up, er, out nearly 6.9 million units.
Don't expect those sales to slow down as the popular game begins popping up on "game of the year" lists (it's already won some of those). And, while it's still Rockstar behind the gun, Red Dead has helped Take-Two reach its first profitable year without a Grand Theft Auto title.
#vga
To keep the show to two hours, they didn't hand out all the hardware on stage at last night's 2010 Video Game Awards. Here is the complete list of honorees. Neil Patrick Harris' compensation was limited to just one award. More »
There could only be one winner. After it was all said and done, Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption took home the coveted Game of the Year prize from the VGA, besting Call of Duty: Black Ops, God of War III, Halo: Reach and Mass Effect 2.
Other noteworthy winners throughout the evening include Costume Quest's victory as downloadable game of the year, and Limbo's victory as indie game of the year. In addition, BSG's Tricia Helfer finally won an award for something, as a voice in Starcraft 2.
For the full list of winners, click past the break.
#cosplay
Though it could easily be. No, this is "mere" cosplay, Ben Van Dyken giving it 1001% with his John Marston costume, getting not only the threads right, but the dirty dirt and even the locale for the photo shoot. More »
#novel
When you think of Salman Rushdie, you probably think of his controversial novel The Satanic Verses of the fatwa issued on his head. Right now, Rushdie is thinking about video games. More »
#nintendo
Booker Prize-winning author and famous fatwa target Salman Rushdie has a simple solution for how one should liberate Iran, the country whose former Supreme Leader once issued a death sentence against the novelist. Rushdie puts his faith in Nintendo. More »
#nintendo
Booker Prize-winning author and famous fatwa target Salman Rushdie has a simple solution for how one should liberate Iran, the country whose former Supreme Leader once issued a death sentence against the novelist. Rushdie puts his faith in Nintendo. More »
#rockstargames
Future summer blockbuster Cowboys & Aliens—based on the 2006 graphic novel of the same name—may draw some influence from another Western, Rockstar Games San Diego's Red Dead Redemption. More »
#sex
As you thumb through dialogue trees in Mass Effect, trying to find the best lines to seduce slinky space-warrior Ashley, you're engaging in what the developers hope is an advanced form of simulated human interaction. More »
We really wanted to tie the double XP offer in Red Dead Redemption to Thanksgiving in a thematic way, but there's little in common between the two things. They celebrate different periods of American history, and shooting a bunch of banditos and varmints is pretty far away from ... not dying of starvation.
Actually, there is one nice way to connect the two -- the "gluttony" theme, but Rockstar done already used it in its announcement of the event, which runs from Thursday through Sunday. "Stuff Yourself with 4 Days of Red Dead Redemption Double XP." So clever! That leaves us with, like, "this deal is no turkey!" We're going to go cry into a pecan pie now. Enjoy some RDR this weekend.
#soundtracks
Sure you can download the Red Dead Redemption soundtrack - get it on CD even! But if you want authentic pop, crackle and hiss coming over your wild west soundtrack, only Rockstar has what you need, a double vinyl LP. More »
Your record collection is looking a little ... rough around the edges. Don't get us wrong, we think it's great that someone out there owns the soundtrack to Men in Black on vinyl, and also, oh, is that Spin Doctors' "Homebelly Groove Live?" Nice. That's a ... classic. And wow! That's a lot of Michael Bolton. Listen, this is an intervention: You need to class up your act, which you might be able to do with the Red Dead Redemption soundtrack ... now on vinyl!
The "blazing red" record is available from the "Rockstar Warehouse" for $15 and features all the music from the game, including Jose Gonzalez's haunting mid-game tune, "Far Away." That's a track that's just begging to be mashed-up by a solid DJ ... or just any old DJ, really.
With spooky narration and a silent John Marston riding through the evening rain, "Undead Nightmare" opens with an unsettling reintroduction to the protagonist's sleepy rural ranch. The reformed outlaw is still in the relatively quiet moments before Red Dead Redempion's memorable final act, but not all's cut-and-dried on the homestead. In fact, thanks to an outbreak of animated corpses and an onslaught of cannibalism, things are more along the lines of cut-up-and-bloodied for the Marston crew.
#lego
Custom minifig creator Jaimie tells Kotaku he whipped up this little scarred beauty to celebrate the release of Red Dead Redemption's Undead Nightmare today. More »
Yee-haw! Rockstar's standalone disc-based collection of Red Dead Redemption DLC, Undead Nightmare, is being wrangled into retail on November 23. It includes the Free Roam online mode, along with the Undead Nightmare, Liars and Cheats, Legends and Killers, and Outlaws to the End DLC.
If you already have Red Dead Redemption, you can simply download the new Undead Nightmare pack right now on Xbox 360 for 800 Microsoft Points ($10). You can also download the "Undead Nightmare Collection," which bundles the Undead Nightmare, Legends and Killers, and Liars and Cheats DLC, for 1600 MSP ($20). You'll have the same set of choices for PS3 when the PlayStation Store is updated later today.
Ahead of tomorrow's Undead Nightmare DLC release, Rockstar has amended Red Dead Redemption with an automatic title update. Undramatically named "Title Update 1.05," the free digital addition to RDR brings with it "Friendly Free Roam" mode (the same as Free Roam, just without all the player-on-player murder), as well as a mess of fixes for everything from griefing to missing co-op Achievements.
Given that the patch also adds some preparations for tomorrow's DLC, Title Update 1.05 is a mandatory update before you start wranglin' the undead. Head past the break for the nitty gritty details on everything the update includes.
#reddeadredemption
We knew Rockstar Games was going to include a cooperative multiplayer gamers vs. zombies horde mode in the October 26 Red Dead Redemption expansion Undead Nightmare. Who knew they were going to make a poem about it? See/hear it here. More »
In case you needed more of a reason to want Red Dead Redemption's upcoming "Undead Nightmare" DLC than zombie bears -- excuse us, Zombears -- this just might be it. Rockstar has released a trailer focusing on the new content's co-op "Undead Overrun" multiplayer, and it might strike you as a little familiar.
In it, you and your posse take on waves of the infected, while trying to reach a safehouse survive until the timer runs out. Weapons and ammo must be "chosen wisely" at the outset (though more can be rummaged from coffins) and fallen amigos can be revived, provided you get to them fast enough. See it for yourself in the amusingly narrated trailer after the break. We'd try to rhyme like its narrator, but it would probably come out something like this: "Undead Overrun is a lot of fun." (Wait -- that sounds like one of his actual lines.)
In addition to the trailer, Rockstar has revealed that the DLC will bring with it 12 additional Achievements / Trophies, our favorite of which is "Smoke That Skinwagon," unlocked by making it to wave 15 of the Undead Overrun mode. You can browse the full list here, unless it's spoilers you fear.
