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.
Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka explains why Shadow doesn’t use guns anymore
![Shadow](https://automaton-media.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/20240611-32269-768x458.jpg)
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
![Atlan in Doom: The Dark Ages](https://automaton-media.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/20240611-32221-768x431.jpg)
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
![Viewtiful Joe](https://automaton-media.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/20240610-32161-headerJPG-768x507.jpg)
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
![Shaggy and Superman in MultiVersus](https://automaton-media.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/20240607-32102-768x442.jpg)
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 8 Lili](https://automaton-media.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/20240606-32063-header-768x432.jpg)
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 Character roster in Granblue Fantasy Versus Rising](https://automaton-media.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/20240606-32038-768x428.jpg)
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 Character Pass roster for Year 1](https://automaton-media.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/20240605-31976-768x436.jpg)
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
![Yoko Taro tries to blow out birthday cake candles](https://automaton-media.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/20240604-31912-header-768x432.jpg)
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 lobby](https://automaton-media.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/20240604-31885-header-768x446.jpg)
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
![Street Fighter 6 first anniversary](https://automaton-media.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/20240603-31855-header-768x432.jpg)
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?
![Silent Hill 2 remake trailer screenshot](https://automaton-media.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/20240603-31806-003-768x432.jpg)
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?
![Persona 3 Reload ending scene featuring Aigis](https://automaton-media.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240531-31730-768x468.jpg)
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
![Cool Japan official logo](https://automaton-media.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240530-31645-768x540.jpg)
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?
![](https://automaton-media.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240529-31567-header-1-768x432.jpg)
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
![Furiosa Mad Max Tom Burke Praetorian Jack](https://automaton-media.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240528-31527-header-768x432.jpg)
"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
![Mad Max box art](https://automaton-media.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240524-31401-768x439.jpg)
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
![Screenshot from the Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC trailer](https://automaton-media.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/image_2024-05-24_124916026-768x429.png)
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
![Super Mario Odyssey shocked Mario](https://automaton-media.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240523-31266-header-768x473.jpg)
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
![Ghost of Tsushima categorized under the Souls-like tag on Steam](https://automaton-media.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240522-31212-768x426.jpg)
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
![Akuma in Street Fighter 6](https://automaton-media.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240521-31173-header-768x432.jpg)
Capcom is planning a "Twitch Plays Akuma" event in which Twitch viewers will collectively play Street Fighter 6 at once.
Nintendo Game Boy: Demand for second-hand handhelds increases
![Nintendo Game Boy Image Credit: Future](https://automaton-media.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240521-31130-header-768x432.jpg)
Second-hand Nintendo Game Boys are commanding high prices in Tokyo's Akihabara, with working handhelds selling for over $200
Naruto’s creator was very eager to work on Tekken 6’s character redesign
![](https://automaton-media.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240521-31122-header-1-768x520.jpg)
Tekken series director Katsuhiro Harada revealed what it was like to work with Masashi Kishimoto on the Tekken 6 x Naruto crossover