Automaton West writer. Zoto has been playing video games for 30+ years now but has only recently come to grips with PC gaming. When he isn't playing video games, he watches romance anime and gets mad when his best girl never wins.
Why is Street Fighter’s M. Bison called Vega? Exploring the fighting series’ complex naming conventions

Why do Street Fighter characters M. Bison, Vega and Balrog all have their names swapped outside Japan? Read on to find out.
Neko Odyssey lets players photograph cats in an idyllic pixel art Japan

The Steam Next Fest demo of Neko Odyssey showcases an intriguing, cozy adventure game where you befriend and take photos of cute cats in Japan.
Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka explains why Shadow doesn’t use guns anymore

Sonic team lead says that Shadow is “extremely powerful on his own and doesn’t really need a gun or anything because he can do it himself.”
Doom: The Dark Ages’ Atlan war machines will enrich players’ experience of a bygone era

Doom: The Dark Ages' trailer shows what seems to be footage of a playable Atlan segment. These war machines have a long history in the series.
Why Capcom’s Viewtiful Joe series would thrive with a modern entry

It's been almost 20 years since the last Viewtiful Joe game, but the playful Capcom series would lend itself brilliantly to a modern release.
MultiVersus players report being put into bot lobbies after losing a few PVP matches

In Player First Games' MultiVersus, players are getting involuntarily removed from matchmaking after losing PvP fights.
Tekken’s quirky character voice lines were a way to entice console gamers, Harada reveals

Tekken director explains how the fighting game series developed unique characters such as Lili, Dragunov and Bryan
The best ways to get into fighting games are free

Free demos, trial periods, and free-to-play fighting games are some of the best ways to get into the genre without leaping into big purchases.
Street Fighter 6 director says Capcom will continue to announce DLC characters early to avoid player frustration

Street Fighter 6's director Takayuki Nakayama commented in an interview that he wishes to continue announcing DLC characters as early as possible.
Yoko Taro’s iconic NieR mask made it hard for him to celebrate his birthday

NieR series director Yoko Taro's Emil mask caused some unforeseen issues at his surprise birthday celebration in Taipei on Saturday
Street Fighter 6’s extensive avatar creator was a result of players asking for characters

Street Fighter 6's extensive character creator was the director's response to players' character wishes he was unable to fulfill.
Street Fighter 6’s first anniversary is packed with in-game activities and goodies worth logging in for

Coinciding with Zangief, Lily and Rashid's birthdays, Street Fighter 6's 1st anniversary comes with tons of in-game events and avatar goodies
What does the Silent Hill 2 remake’s over-the-shoulder camera mean for the game?

The Silent Hill 2 remake will switch out the original fixed camera angle with an over-the-shoulder perspective. What can we expect from this change?
Why does Persona 3 Reload’s protagonist have such a hard time finding love?

We take a look at the hurdles Persona 3 Reload's protagonist has to go through in pursuing romantic interests.
Video games and anime will be the “core industries” of Japan’s updated Cool Japan strategy for economic growth

Japan plans to focus its efforts into the local video game and animation industries as part of an updated strategy for economic growth.
Why did Metal Gear Solid 2’s main protagonist get so much hate?

Why was Metal Gear Solid 2's main protagonist Raiden so unpopular back in 2001 and what were Kojima's reasons for creating him?
Hideo Kojima says he can see Furiosa actor Tom Burke as Metal Gear’s Solid Snake

"I could only see him as Snake" says Hideo Kojima about Tom Burke in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. Is there still hope for a Metal Gear movie?
Furiosa director George Miller’s comments on Mad Max game and Hideo Kojima prompt response from Mad Max’s original devs

George Miller's recent comments about the existing Mad Max game and Hideo Kojima came off as insensitive to the game's original developers.
Elden Ring’s upcoming Shadow of the Erdtree DLC unearths confessions about things players didn’t know about the main game

Seasoned Elden Ring players confess to things they were late to find out ahead of the release of the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC.
Viral Mario twerking video experiences a revival among Japanese audiences

A parody video centering on Mario's butt has resurfaced on Japanese social media, prompting LOLs and Nintendo copyright strike concerns
What does “Souls-like” even mean anymore? How the overuse and misuse of Steam tags can mislead gamers

The liberal use of Steam tags like "souls-like" for titles that very loosely fit the description has made the system unreliable.
Capcom’s “Twitch Plays Akuma” event will have thousands of viewers chaotically play Street Fighter 6 at once

Capcom is planning a "Twitch Plays Akuma" event in which Twitch viewers will collectively play Street Fighter 6 at once.