kotaku

Kotaku was first launched in October 2004 with Matthew Gallant as its lead writer, with an intended target audience of young men.{{Cite news |last=Carr |first=David |date=October 4, 2004 |title=At These Web Sites, It's a Man's World |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/04/technology/04blog.html?_r=0 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140304171637/http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/04/technology/04blog.html?_r=0 |archive-date=March 4, 2014 |access-date=January 24, 2014 |work=The New York Times}}{{Cite news |last=Parker |first=Pamela |date=October 4, 2004 |title=Gawker Media: We're Where the Boys Are |url=https://www.clickz.com/gawker-media-were-where-the-boys-are/62588/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170706012555/https://www.clickz.com/gawker-media-were-where-the-boys-are/62588/ |archive-date=July 6, 2017 |access-date=September 16, 2015 |work=ClickZ}} About a month later, Brian Crecente was brought in to try to save the failing site.{{Cite web |date=November 9, 2004 |title=Kotaku |url=http://www.kotaku.com/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041109094627/http://www.kotaku.com/ |archive-date=November 9, 2004 |website=Kotaku}} Since then, the site has launched several country-specific sites for Australia, Japan, Brazil and the UK. Crecente was named one of the 20 most influential people in the video game industry over the past 20 years by GamePro in 2009{{Cite web |last=Shuman |first=Sid |date=May 2009 |title=20 Most Influential People in Gaming: #20 – Brian Crecente |url=http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/210055/20-most-influential-people-in-gaming-20-brian-crecente/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607142221/http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/210055/20-most-influential-people-in-gaming-20-brian-crecente/ |archive-date=June 7, 2011 |access-date=July 12, 2009 |publisher=IDG}} and one of gaming's Top 50 journalists by Edge in 2006. The site has made CNET's "Blog 100" list{{Cite web |title=CNET News.com'S Blog 100 |url=http://news.cnet.com/CNET-News.coms-Blog-100/2009-12_3-5887900.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120713051646/http://news.cnet.com/CNET-News.coms-Blog-100/2009-12_3-5887900.html |archive-date=July 13, 2012 |access-date=January 24, 2014 |website=CNET}} and was ranked 50th on PC Magazine{{'}}s "Top 100 Classic Web Sites" list.{{Cite web |title=The Top 100 Classic Web Sites |url=https://www.pcmag.com/slideshow_viewer/0,3253,l=231203&a=231203&po=50,00.asp |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201190559/http://www.pcmag.com/slideshow_viewer/0%2C3253%2Cl%3D231203%26a%3D231203%26po%3D50%2C00.asp |archive-date=February 1, 2014 |access-date=January 25, 2014 |website=PC Magazine}} Its name comes from the Japanese otaku (obsessive fan) and the prefix "ko-" (small in size).{{Cite web |last= |date=July 2, 2004 |title=Kotaku FAQ |url=http://kotaku.com/gaming/announcements/kotaku-faq-022008.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070715070534/http://kotaku.com/gaming/announcements/kotaku-faq-022008.php |archive-date=July 15, 2007 |access-date=July 6, 2015 |website=Kotaku |publisher=Gawker Media}}

In 2009, Business Insider reported that Hearst Corporation sought to buy Kotaku from Gawker Media.{{Cite web |last=Carlson |first=Nicholas |date=November 13, 2009 |title=Hearst Eyed Videogame Blog Kotaku For Acquisition |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/hearst-eyed-videogame-blog-kotaku-for-acquisition-2009-11 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203122537/http://www.businessinsider.com/hearst-eyed-videogame-blog-kotaku-for-acquisition-2009-11 |archive-date=February 3, 2014 |access-date=January 24, 2014 |website=Business Insider}}

Stephen Totilo replaced Brian Crecente as the editor in chief in 2012.{{Cite web |last=Caoili |first=Eric |date=January 3, 2012 |title=Consumer gaming blog Kotaku loses key staff |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/consumer-gaming-blog-kotaku-loses-key-staff |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140219051332/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/39456/Consumer_gaming_blog_Kotaku_loses_key_staff.php |archive-date=February 19, 2014 |access-date=January 24, 2014 |website=Gamasutra}} Totilo had previously joined Kotaku in 2009 as deputy editor.

In April 2014, Gawker Media partnered with Future plc to launch Kotaku UK, and with Allure Media to launch Kotaku Australia.{{Cite web |last=Reynolds |first=John |date=March 13, 2014 |title=Gawker links up with Future to launch Lifehacker and Kotaku in UK |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/mar/13/gawker-future-lifehacker-kotaku-uk |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150722230930/http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/mar/13/gawker-future-lifehacker-kotaku-uk |archive-date=July 22, 2015 |access-date=July 22, 2015 |website=The Guardian}}

Kotaku was one of several websites that was purchased by Univision Communications in their acquisition of Gawker Media in August 2016; Gizmodo Media Group was subsequently founded to house the Gawker acquisitions, operating under the Fusion Media Group, a division of Univision.{{Cite web |last=Calderone |first=Michael |date=18 August 2016 |title=Gawker.com Ending Operations Next Week |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/gawker-closing_us_57b5e870e4b0fd5a2f41cbb5 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161016051720/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/gawker-closing_us_57b5e870e4b0fd5a2f41cbb5 |archive-date=October 16, 2016 |website=The Huffington Post}} The Gizmodo Media Group was later acquired by the private equity firm Great Hill Partners in April 2019, and renamed G/O Media.{{Cite web |last=Ha |first=Anthony |date=April 8, 2019 |title=Gizmodo Media Group acquired by private equity firm Great Hill Partners |url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/04/08/great-hill-partners-acquires-gizmodo/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191031021734/https://techcrunch.com/2019/04/08/great-hill-partners-acquires-gizmodo/ |archive-date=October 31, 2019 |access-date=October 31, 2019 |website=TechCrunch}}

In December 2018 Pedestrian Group, owned by the Australian media company Nine Entertainment, acquired Kotaku Australia.{{Cite web |last=Bennett |first=Lindsay |date=11 December 2018 |title=Pedestrian TV to absorb Allure Media in post-Fairfax consolidation |url=https://www.adnews.com.au/pedestrian-tv-to-absorb-allure-media |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220321013521/https://www.adnews.com.au/pedestrian-tv-to-absorb-allure-media |archive-date=March 21, 2022 |access-date=2021-04-14 |website=AdNews |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=11 December 2018 |title=Nine merging digital publishers Pedestrian.TV & Allure Media |url=https://www.mediaweek.com.au/nine-merging-digital-publishers-pedestrian-tv-allure-media/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220317054717/https://www.mediaweek.com.au/nine-merging-digital-publishers-pedestrian-tv-allure-media/ |archive-date=March 17, 2022 |access-date=17 March 2022 |website=Mediaweek}}{{Cite web |title=Home page |url=https://pedestriangroup.com.au/ |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220315163319/https://pedestriangroup.com.au/ |archive-date=15 March 2022 |access-date=17 March 2022 |website=Pedestrian Group}}

The transition to G/O Media led to several departures from the site, as well as from other sister sites under the former Gawker Media label due to conflicts with G/O Media's management. Cecilia D'Anastasio left Kotaku in December 2019 to become a journalist for Wired.{{Cite web |last=D'Anastasio |first=Cecilia |date=December 5, 2019 |title=Goodbye |url=https://kotaku.com/goodbye-kotaku-1840245766 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200416191515/https://kotaku.com/goodbye-kotaku-1840245766 |archive-date=April 16, 2020 |access-date=April 16, 2020 |website=Kotaku}} Joshua Rivera and Gita Jackson left in January 2020 stating it was impossible to work with the new management.{{Cite web |last=Jackson |first=Gita |date=January 10, 2020 |title=Goodbye From Josh and Gita |url=https://kotaku.com/goodbye-from-josh-and-gita-1840936478 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200416173244/https://kotaku.com/goodbye-from-josh-and-gita-1840936478 |archive-date=April 16, 2020 |access-date=April 16, 2020 |website=Kotaku}} Jason Schreier, one of Kotaku{{'}}s writers since 2012 known for his investigative in-depth coverage of working conditions at various studios and development histories for various video games, announced his departure from the site on April 16, 2020, citing the issues surrounding G/O Media which filtered into disruptions at their sister website Deadspin around October 2019. Schreier subsequently took a position at Bloomberg News.{{Cite news |last=Park |first=Gene |date=April 16, 2020 |title=Jason Schreier is leaving Kotaku, citing G/O Media as reason |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/2020/04/16/jason-schreier-is-leaving-kotaku-citing-go-media-reason/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417111920/https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/2020/04/16/jason-schreier-is-leaving-kotaku-citing-go-media-reason/ |archive-date=April 17, 2020 |access-date=April 16, 2020 |work=Washington Post}} In May 2020, senior writer Harper Jay MacIntyre{{efn|name=harper-name-change|Formerly known by the pen name "Heather Alexandra", now goes by Harper Jay MacIntyre after a legal name change.{{Cite web |last=MacIntyre |first=Harper Jay |date=2021-09-22 |title=On September 20th, my name was legally changed to Harper Jay MacIntyre. (I have no issue sharing that last name; I've done so professionally.) Heather was a spur of the moment choice as a writer. This? Is me. A deliberate choice to become who I am. |url=https://twitter.com/transgamerthink/status/1440658947656982534 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220711224001/https://twitter.com/transgamerthink/status/1440658947656982534 |archive-date=July 11, 2022 |access-date=2022-07-11 |website=Twitter |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=MacIntyre |first=Harper Jay |date=2021-11-02 |title=Psychonauts 2 Update #21: Quality Of Life |url=https://www.fig.co/campaigns/psychonauts-2/updates/1460 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220902153613/https://www.fig.co/campaigns/psychonauts-2/updates/1460 |archive-date=September 2, 2022 |access-date=2022-07-11 |website=Fig |language=en}}}} departed from Kotaku, similarly citing conflicts with management, and joined Double Fine Productions as their content and community manager.{{Cite web |last=MacIntyre |first=Harper Jay |date=May 8, 2020 |title=To The Horizon |url=https://kotaku.com/to-the-horizon-1843340657 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200521034941/https://kotaku.com/to-the-horizon-1843340657 |archive-date=May 21, 2020 |access-date=May 22, 2020 |website=Kotaku}}

Kotaku UK closed on September 9, 2020.{{Cite web |last=Stanton |first=Rich |date=2020-09-07 |title=Farewell from Kotaku UK |url=https://kotaku.com/search/?q=farewell%20from%20kotaku%20uk |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200907101303/https://www.kotaku.co.uk/2020/09/07/farewell-from-kotaku-uk |archive-date=2020-09-07 |access-date=2021-09-01 |website=Kotaku UK |language=en-us}}

Totilo announced he was departing as editor in chief on February 5, 2021, though will remain in games journalism elsewhere.{{Cite web |last=Sinclair |first=Brendan |date=February 5, 2021 |title=Stephen Totilo leaves Kotaku |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-02-05-stephen-totilo-leaves-kotaku |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210205200751/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-02-05-stephen-totilo-leaves-kotaku |archive-date=February 5, 2021 |access-date=February 5, 2021 |website=GamesIndustry.biz}} Riley MacLeod served as interim editor in chief following Totilo's departure, before Patricia Hernandez commenced her tenure as editor in chief from June 2, 2021.{{Cite news |last=Liao |first=Shannon |date=May 27, 2021 |title=Kotaku's next editor in chief will be Patricia Hernandez |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/2021/05/27/new-kotaku-editor-chief-patricia-hernandez/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210625092252/https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/2021/05/27/new-kotaku-editor-chief-patricia-hernandez/ |archive-date=June 25, 2021 |access-date=September 2, 2020 |work=Washington Post}}

Jen Glennon was appointed editor of the site in October 2023, after previous editor Patricia Hernandez was reportedly fired following a "personal disagreement" in August 2023.{{Cite web |last=Rousseau |first=Jeffrey |date=2023-10-05 |title=Jen Glennon is appointed as Kotaku's new editor-in-chief |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/jen-glennon-is-appointed-as-kotakus-new-editor-in-chief |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231109225224/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/jen-glennon-is-appointed-as-kotakus-new-editor-in-chief |archive-date=Nov 9, 2023 |access-date=2023-12-06 |website=GamesIndustry.biz |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Batchelor |first=James |date=2023-08-15 |title=G/O Media reportedly fires Kotaku editor-in-chief Patricia Hernandez |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/go-media-fires-kotaku-editor-in-chief-patricia-hernandez |access-date=2023-12-06 |website=GamesIndustry.biz |language=en}} In November 2023, G/O Media announced it was laying off 23 people across Kotaku and the company's other websites.{{Cite web |last=Stenberg |first=Mark |date=2023-11-09 |title=G/O Media Shutters Jezebel |url=https://www.adweek.com/media/g-o-media-lays-off-merrill-brown/ |access-date=2024-03-06 |website=adweek.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Rousseau |first=Jeffrey |date=2023-11-09 |title=Kotaku staff hit by redundancies |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/kotaku-staff-hit-by-redundancies |access-date=2024-03-06 |website=GamesIndustry.biz |language=en}}

Jen Glennon resigned her position as editor in March 2024, citing an opposition to G/O Media's desire for the site to deprioritize news and instead focus on producing game guides.{{Cite web |last=Writer |first=Jeffrey Rousseau Staff |date=2024-03-21 |title=Kotaku editor-in-chief exits due to parent company's new guide directive |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/kotaku-editor-in-chief-exits-due-to-parent-companys-new-guide-directive |access-date=2024-03-21 |website=GamesIndustry.biz |language=en}}

In July 2024, it was reported that Kotaku Australia would shut down as part of a cost-cutting effort from third-party publisher Pedestrian Group.{{Cite web |last=Jaspan |first=Calum |date=2024-07-08 |title=Pedestrian boss to depart as group slashes staff and titles |url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/pedestrian-boss-to-depart-as-group-slashes-staff-and-titles-20240701-p5jq25.html |access-date=2024-07-08 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}} In October 2024, Kotaku Australia began to redirect to Kotaku and made its article archive "publicly inaccessible".{{Cite web |last=Plunkett |first=Luke |date=October 15, 2024 |title=Maybe It Should Be Illegal To Instantly Delete A Website's Archives [Update] |url=https://aftermath.site/game-informer-archives-closed-illegal |url-access=registration |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/fTQn6 |archive-date=October 15, 2024 |access-date=October 15, 2024 |website=Aftermath |language=en}} Aftermath reported that "this not only means the work of dozens of Australian writers over the course of 16 years has been lost, but also thousands of Kotaku US stories as well that, thanks to various server and ownership changes, had only survived via their reposts on Kotaku AU".

In 2007, attorney Jack Thompson sued Gawker Media and site editor Brian Crecente over concerns that Kotaku declined to remove threatening user comments,{{Cite web |last=McCarthy |first=Caroline |date=April 26, 2007 |title=Gaming foe Jack Thompson sues Gawker Media |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9712921-7.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201150539/http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9712921-7.html |archive-date=February 1, 2014 |access-date=January 24, 2014 |website=CNET}} but the lawsuit was dismissed the next day.{{Cite web |last=McCarthy |first=Caroline |date=April 27, 2007 |title=Judge tosses out Jack Thompson's lawsuit against Gawker Media |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9713229-7.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201150432/http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9713229-7.html |archive-date=February 1, 2014 |access-date=January 24, 2014 |website=CNET}}

In 2010, Kotaku criticized Japanese magazine Famitsu's glowing endorsement of Konami's PlayStation Portable game Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker as a conflict of interest. In response, Konami revoked Kotaku{{'}}s invitation to the game's launch party.{{Cite web |last=Quillen |first=Dustin |date=April 26, 2010 |title=Konami Shuns Blog Over Metal Gear Review Controversy |url=http://www.1up.com/news/konami-shuns-blog-metal-gear |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202164439/http://www.1up.com/news/konami-shuns-blog-metal-gear |archive-date=February 2, 2014 |access-date=January 24, 2014 |website=1up}}

On October 9, 2021, Kotaku published an article about Metroid Dread, which had been released a day prior, running on Nintendo Switch emulators. The article praised the game's performance on emulators (said to be better than on the Nintendo Switch itself), thanked "pirates, emulators, modders, and hackers", and suggested readers emulate older or expensive games themselves.{{Cite web |last=Zwiezen |first=Zack |date=2021-10-09 |title=Metroid Dread Is Already Running On Switch Emulators |url=https://kotaku.com/metroid-dread-is-already-running-great-on-switch-emulat-1847833403 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211009211511/https://kotaku.com/metroid-dread-is-already-running-great-on-switch-emulat-1847833403 |archive-date=2021-10-09 |access-date=2023-05-05 |website=Kotaku |language=en}} The article was criticized for promoting piracy, especially of newly released games, but was also noted to have sparked wider discussions about the role of emulation in video game preservation.{{Cite web |last=Warner |first=Noelle |date=2021-10-19 |title=Pirating Metroid aside, emulators play an important role in games preservation |url=https://www.destructoid.com/emulators-play-an-important-role-in-video-game-preservation/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207032236/https://www.destructoid.com/emulators-play-an-important-role-in-video-game-preservation/ |archive-date=February 7, 2023 |access-date=2023-05-05 |website=Destructoid |language=en-CA}}{{Cite web |last=King |first=Jade |date=2021-10-11 |title=Even If Piracy Is Wrong, Nintendo Will Be Just Fine |url=https://www.thegamer.com/nintendo-piracy-metroid-dread/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230505232548/https://www.thegamer.com/nintendo-piracy-metroid-dread/ |archive-date=May 5, 2023 |access-date=2023-05-05 |website=TheGamer |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Andrews |first=Heath |date=2021-10-10 |title=Kotaku Possibly Sabotaging "Metroid Dread" Sales with Emulator Links |url=https://nerdbot.com/2021/10/10/kotaku-possibly-sabotaging-metroid-dread-sales/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230505231044/https://nerdbot.com/2021/10/10/kotaku-possibly-sabotaging-metroid-dread-sales/ |archive-date=May 5, 2023 |access-date=2023-05-05 |website=NERDBOT |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Liebl |first=Matthew |date=2021-10-10 |title=Support game developers, please don't emulate Metroid Dread |url=https://apptrigger.com/2021/10/10/emulate-metroid-dread/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230505231053/https://apptrigger.com/2021/10/10/emulate-metroid-dread/ |archive-date=May 5, 2023 |access-date=2023-05-05 |website=App Trigger |language=en-US}} On October 10, Kotaku revised the article to clarify they were referring to game preservation{{Cite web |last=Zwiezen |first=Zack |date=2021-10-09 |title=Metroid Dread Is Already Running On Switch Emulators |url=https://kotaku.com/metroid-dread-is-already-running-great-on-switch-emulat-1847833403 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211011004929/https://kotaku.com/metroid-dread-is-already-running-great-on-switch-emulat-1847833403 |archive-date=2021-10-11 |access-date=2023-05-05 |website=Kotaku |language=en}} and, after a complaint from Nintendo on a later date, removed all mentions of piracy from the article.{{Cite web |last=Zwiezen |first=Zack |date=2021-10-09 |title=Metroid Dread Is Already Running On Switch Emulators |url=https://kotaku.com/metroid-dread-is-already-running-great-on-switch-emulat-1847833403 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211024102910/https://kotaku.com/metroid-dread-is-already-running-great-on-switch-emulat-1847833403 |archive-date=2021-10-24 |access-date=2023-05-05 |website=Kotaku |language=en}} Kotaku also issued an apology and stated that, though they believed emulation was "a vital part of the world of gaming", they did not condone using it to acquire games illegally.

In 2007, Kotaku ran a story about rumored upcoming features on the PlayStation 3, and Sony responded by temporarily blacklisting the website.{{Cite web |last=Kohler |first=Chris |date=March 1, 2007 |title=Sony and Kotaku In Blacklist Flap |url=https://www.wired.com/gamelife/2007/03/sony_and_kotaku/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100727165234/http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2007/03/sony_and_kotaku |archive-date=July 27, 2010 |access-date=January 24, 2014 |website=Wired.com}} In 2015, Kotaku claimed that they had been blacklisted by major video game companies Bethesda Softworks and Ubisoft.{{Cite web |last=Totilo |first=Stephen |date=November 19, 2015 |title=A Price Of Games Journalism |url=https://kotaku.com/a-price-of-games-journalism-1743526293 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151120021330/http://kotaku.com/a-price-of-games-journalism-1743526293 |archive-date=November 20, 2015 |publisher=Kotaku}}{{Cite web |last=Orland |first=Kyle |date=2015-11-20 |title=Analysis: Kotaku, blacklisting, and the independence of the gaming press |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2015/11/analysis-kotaku-blacklisting-and-the-independence-of-the-gaming-press/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170214102413/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2015/11/analysis-kotaku-blacklisting-and-the-independence-of-the-gaming-press/ |archive-date=February 14, 2017 |access-date=2023-02-06 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}} Because of this blacklist, Kotaku opted not to be a jury member in The Game Awards when invited by Geoff Keighley in 2019.{{Cite web |last=Glennon |first=Jen |date=December 11, 2019 |title=Geoff Keighley Is The Nicest Power Player In Video Games |url=https://www.inverse.com/gaming/61589-geoff-keighley-interview-game-awards-2019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200930025352/https://www.inverse.com/gaming/61589-geoff-keighley-interview-game-awards-2019 |archive-date=September 30, 2020 |access-date=December 11, 2022 |website=Inverse}}

In 2023, Kotaku was blacklisted by Nintendo, reportedly over articles that covered leaks of unreleased Nintendo games. Further controversy followed when then senior writer Luke Plunkett posted a picture of a fighter plane with victory markings featuring the Imperial Japanese flag.{{Cite web |date=2023-05-08 |title=Video game journalist sparks backlash with tweet of WWII photo amid Nintendo blacklisting |url=https://news.yahoo.com/video-game-journalist-sparks-backlash-220440812.html |access-date=2024-01-05 |website=Yahoo News |language=en-US}}

{{Main|Gamergate (harassment campaign)}}

In 2014, Kotaku was part of the accusations that instigated the harassment campaign known as Gamergate when a writer from the site, Nathan Grayson, was falsely accused of writing a favorable review of the game Depression Quest as a result of his relationship with its developer, Zoë Quinn. After conducting an internal review, it was discovered that no review of Depression Quest existed and he had only written one article that mentioned Quinn in passing before their relationship began.{{Cite web |last=Rott |first=Nathan |date=September 24, 2014 |title=#Gamergate Controversy Fuels Debate On Women And Video Games |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2014/09/24/349835297/-gamergate-controversy-fuels-debate-on-women-and-video-games |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190806100245/https://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2014/09/24/349835297/-gamergate-controversy-fuels-debate-on-women-and-video-games |archive-date=August 6, 2019 |access-date=2019-07-27 |website=NPR.org |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=August 20, 2014 |title=In recent days I've been asked several times about a possible breach of ethics involving one of |url=https://kotaku.com/in-recent-days-ive-been-asked-several-times-about-a-pos-1624707346 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200531061846/https://kotaku.com/in-recent-days-ive-been-asked-several-times-about-a-pos-1624707346 |archive-date=May 31, 2020 |access-date=2020-06-14 |website=Kotaku |language=en-us}} The subreddit KotakuInAction became a hub for the Gamergate community.{{Cite web |last=Bernstein |first=Joseph |date=30 October 2014 |title=The Disturbing Misogynist History Of GamerGate's Goodwill Ambassadors |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/josephbernstein/the-disturbing-misogynist-history-of-gamergates-g |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180920120618/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/josephbernstein/the-disturbing-misogynist-history-of-gamergates-g |archive-date=September 20, 2018 |access-date=2 August 2019 |website=Buzzfeed News}}{{Cite magazine |last=Singal |first=Jesse |date=20 October 2014 |title=Gamergate Should Stop Lying to Itself |url=https://nymag.com/scienceofus/2014/10/gamergate-should-stop-lying-to-itself.html |access-date=2 August 2014 |magazine=New York}} Its creator attempted to shut it down in 2018, claiming that it had become "infested with racism and sexism", but it was reinstated by a Reddit administrator due to the site's guidelines.{{Cite web |date=July 13, 2018 |title=The Creator of the Largest Gamergate Subreddit Rage Quits, Says it's 'Infested With Racism and Sexism' |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/gamergate-subreddit-kotaku-in-action-shut-down-by-creator/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20180713161256/https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/43pv3g/gamergate-subreddit-kotaku-in-action-shut-down-by-creator |archive-date=July 13, 2018 |access-date=2022-03-25 |website=Vice |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Alexander |first=Julia |date=2018-07-13 |title=Reddit employee saves GamerGate subreddit, KotakuInAction, after founder closes it |url=https://www.polygon.com/2018/7/13/17568556/kotakuinaction-reddit-mod-shut-down-administrator |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180716170635/https://www.polygon.com/2018/7/13/17568556/kotakuinaction-reddit-mod-shut-down-administrator |archive-date=July 16, 2018 |access-date=2019-07-27 |website=Polygon}}

In March 2024, the narrative development studio Sweet Baby Inc. became the target of claims from online users who said that it promoted a "woke agenda". Kotaku editor Alyssa Mercante became the target of harassment from users after publishing an article on the backlash. Media outlets such as The Week, Wired, and The Verge compared the backlash to Gamergate or dubbed it "Gamergate 2.0".{{cite news |last=Coleman |first=Theara |title=Gamergate 2.0: Extremism in video games sees another reckoning |url=https://theweek.com/culture-life/personal-technology/games/gamergate-2-extremism-video-games |access-date=March 25, 2024 |work=The Week |date=March 22, 2024}}{{cite news |last=Farokhmanesh |first=Megan |title=The Small Company at the Center of 'Gamergate 2.0' |url=https://www.wired.com/story/sweet-baby-video-games-harassment-gamergate/ |access-date=March 25, 2024 |work=Wired |date=March 14, 2024}}{{cite news |last=Parrish |first=Ash |title=The return of Gamergate is smaller and sadder |url=https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/18/24104799/gamergate-2024-sweet-baby-inc-diversity |access-date=March 25, 2024 |work=The Verge |date=March 18, 2024}}

In March 2025, former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick sued G/O Media for defamation, claiming articles in Kotaku and Gizmodo which noted his interest in acquiring TikTok repeated claims of widespread workplace misconduct on his watch at Activision without noting that the claims were investigated and dismissed by state regulators. Kotick said he and his representatives repeatedly asked for corrections to the articles.{{cite news |last1=Healy |first1=Jackson |title=Former Activision Blizzard CEO sues over news articles accusing him of workplace harassment, discrimination |url=https://www.courthousenews.com/former-activision-blizzard-ceo-sues-over-news-articles-accusing-him-of-workplace-harassment-discrimination/ |access-date=2 April 2025 |work=www.courthousenews.com}}

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{{Commons category|Kotaku}}

• {{official website|https://www.kotaku.com/}}
• {{official website|https://www.kotaku.com.au/|Kotaku Australia}}

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