Kotaku
 |
|
|
Type of site
|
Gaming blog |
|---|---|
| Owner | Univision Communications |
| Created by | Brian Crecente |
| Editor | Stephen Totilo |
| Slogan(s) | The Gamer's Guide |
| Website | kotaku |
| Alexa rank |  902 (May 2016[update])[1] |
| Commercial | Yes |
| Launched | October 2004 |
Kotaku is a video game website and blog that was originally launched in 2004 as part of the Gawker Media network.[2] Univision Communications bought Gawker Media in August 2016, and rebranded it as Gizmodo Media Group.[3]
History[edit]
Kotaku was first launched in October 2004 with Matthew Gallant as its lead writer, with an intended target audience of young men.[4][5] About a month later, Brian Crecente was brought in to try to save the failing site.[6] Since then, the site has launched several country-specific sites for Australia, Japan, Brazil and the UK. Previous contributors to the site include Luke Smith.[7] Crecente was named one of the 20 most influential people in the video game industry over the past 20 years by GamePro in 2009[8] and one of gaming's Top 50 journalists by Edge in 2006. The site has made CNET's "Blog 100" list[9] and was ranked 50th on PC Magazine's "Top 100 Classic Web Sites" list.[10] Its name comes from the Japanese otaku (obsessive fan) and the prefix "ko-" (small in size).[11]
In April 2014, Gawker Media partnered with Future plc to launch Kotaku UK, and with Allure Media to launch Kotaku Australia.[12]
Kotaku is currently run by Stephen Totilo, who replaced Brian Crecente in 2012.[13]
Kotaku was one of six websites that was purchased by Univision Communications in their acquisition of Gawker Media in August 2016.[14]
Controversy[edit]
In 2007, attorney Jack Thompson sued Gawker Media and site editor Brian Crecente over concerns that Kotaku declined to remove threatening user comments,[15] but the lawsuit was dismissed the next day.[16] In 2009, Business Insider reported that Hearst Corporation sought to buy Kotaku from Gawker Media.[17] In 2010, Kotaku criticized Japanese magazine Famitsu's glowing endorsement of a Konami game as a conflict of interest; Konami subsequently revoked Kotaku's invitation to the game's launch party.[18] In 2013, Forbes criticized Kotaku over what they called an inflammatory headline in a story about Hideki Kamiya; Kotaku rewrote the headline.[19]
Blacklistings[edit]
In 2007, Kotaku ran a story about rumored upcoming features on the PlayStation 3, and Sony responded by temporarily blacklisting the website.[20] The site claimed in 2015 that they had been blacklisted by major game companies Bethesda Softworks and Ubisoft.[21]
References[edit]
- ^ "Alexa Ranking". Alexa Internet. Retrieved May 22, 2016.
- ^ http://kotaku.com/a-note-to-readers-1781773021
- ^ http://www.forbes.com/sites/veronicavillafane/2016/09/22/univision-rebrands-gawker-media-as-gizmodo-media-group-starts-translating-content-for-univision-com/
- ^ Carr, David (October 4, 2004). "At These Web Sites, It's a Man's World". The New York Times. Retrieved January 24, 2014.
- ^ Parker, Pamela (October 4, 2004). "Gawker Media: We're Where the Boys Are". ClickZ. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
- ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20041109094627/http://www.kotaku.com/
- ^ "GAMING'S TOP 50 JOURNALISTS". Edge. October 17, 2006. Retrieved January 24, 2014.
- ^ Shuman, Sid (May 2009). "20 Most Influential People in Gaming: #20 – Brian Crecente". IDG. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved July 12, 2009.
- ^ "CNET News.com'S Blog 100". CNET. Retrieved January 24, 2014.
- ^ "The Top 100 Classic Web Sites". PC Magazine. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
- ^ "Kotaku FAQ". Kotaku. Gawker Media. July 2, 2004. Archived from the original on July 15, 2007. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
- ^ Reynolds, John (March 13, 2014). "Gawker links up with Future to launch Lifehacker and Kotaku in UK". The Guardian. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
- ^ Caoili, Eric (January 3, 2012). "Consumer gaming blog Kotaku loses key staff". Gamasutra. Retrieved January 24, 2014.
- ^ Calderone, Michael (18 August 2016). "Gawker.com Ending Operations Next Week". The Huffington Post.
- ^ McCarthy, Caroline (April 26, 2007). "Gaming foe Jack Thompson sues Gawker Media". CNET. Retrieved January 24, 2014.
- ^ McCarthy, Caroline (April 27, 2007). "Judge tosses out Jack Thompson's lawsuit against Gawker Media". CNET. Retrieved January 24, 2014.
- ^ Carlson, Nicholas (November 13, 2009). "Hearst Eyed Videogame Blog Kotaku For Acquisition". Business Insider. Retrieved January 24, 2014.
- ^ Quillen, Dustin (April 26, 2010). "Konami Shuns Blog Over Metal Gear Review Controversy". 1up. Retrieved January 24, 2014.
- ^ Kain, Erik (January 9, 2013). "Kotaku And The Problem With Inflammatory Headlines In Video Game Blogging". Forbes. Retrieved January 24, 2014.
- ^ Kohler, Chris (March 1, 2007). "Sony and Kotaku In Blacklist Flap". Wired.com. Retrieved January 24, 2014.
- ^ Totilo, Stephen. "A Price Of Games Journalism". Kotaku.
