(Photo by Geordie Mott)

We’re pleased to announce the theme for our next issue, Kill Screen #3: The Intimacy Issue. We’re open to submissions through September, and please send them our way via submissions [ at ] killscreenmagazine.com.

You can read our general guidelines here, but we have a few special notes for this issue after the jump.

1. “Intimacy” is a powerful world, and it can mean a lot of things. This isn’t the “sex” issue, although you can pitch us on sex in games. We’ve also gotten some pitches about buddies playing games together; these may work, if you’re writing about some really good buddies.
2. On the other hand, we’ve also gotten ideas about communities. Communities usually aren’t that intimate. This could be a tough sell. But maybe we’ll do a Community issue in the future?
3. Intimacy also means we want to know about you. Take a chance. Bare your soul.
4. I’m guessing we’ll get a lot of pitches about BioWare’s NPC relationships/romances, but fair warning: we’re running a piece on this topic in our upcoming “Back to School” issue, and we probably won’t want to do another one right away.
5. The bar’s also set pretty high for stories about the God of War mini-game, Custer’s Revenge, or that thing that happened to Aeris.
6. We’re interested in straight-up, Q & A-style interviews with terrific subjects.
7. As always, the secret to a Kill Screen article is a great subject + smart analysis + original perspective + writing your butt off.

Based on the pitches we’ve gotten so far, this issue should be really, really good. What have you got for us?

That picture there is the cover of the next issue of Kill Screen. Checking in at 96 pages – almost twice as long as our debut – it’s at the printers right now and will ship in the next two weeks. Subscribers will get it as quickly as we can send it to you; for individual orders, visit our shop.

THE WRITERS

Jason Fagone talks to the team behind Big Buck Hunter Pro, and studies the allure of its gun.

John Teti tells the incredible story of New York City’s 30-year ban on pinball.

Jenn Frank picks the videogame feminist of the decade.

J. Nicholas Geist with a story of marriage, judgment, and World of Warcraft addiction.

Jason Killingsworth is schooled by an eight-year-old Guitar Hero prodigy – and uses the opportunity to grow up.

Gus Mastrapa battles anxiety and finds a rescue in EverQuest.

Rob Dubbin digs up the strange, hilarious fan fic of internet legend Stuart Michigan, starting with his latest work, “Some Russian.”

Majed Athab takes on on the Six Days in Fallujah controversy, and asks: why is it easier to make a ridiculous war game than a realistic one?

Matthew Burns asks: Is competition necessary? Or is he just terrible at multiplayer Halo?

Nora Nahid Khan on the most disgusting bosses in survival horror.

Mitch Krpata goes to the darkest corners of the Fun and Games in Framingham, to play torture porn shooter Chiller.

Ryan Kuo with a critique of Left 4 Dead 2.

Filipe Salgado on the hopelessness of Stephen Lavelle.

Interviews with MESSHOF, ANNA ANTHROPY, JESS CHAVEZ, and KRYSTIAN MAJEWSKI, by Jamin Brophy-Warren, Chris Dahlen, Richard Morgan, and Ryan Kuo.

And Zack Handlen brings it home with the most disgusting puzzle in interactive fiction history.

THE ART

Drink in the works of Fred Benenson, David Boni, Eóin Burke, Brody Condon, Alessandro Cotrufo, Joseph DeLappe, Eric Englehard, Ben Fry, Jon Haddock, Sarah Jacoby, Julian Lytle, Eva and Franco Mattes, Julian Sancton, and Ryan Theodores

Kill Screen HQ is proud to announce our new store, where you can buy the magazine and/or a shirt. You can access it here or from the link over on the right.

The new store improves a few things:

• You can now pay with PayPal or Google Checkout.

• If you order a t-shirt – separately or with the magazine – you can now specify your size right in your order. Sizes go from S through XXL.

Prices have not changed, and the 4-issues-plus a t-shirt bundle remains our most popular option. Check it out!

Another key announcement: as of today, the 4-issue subscription will start with our upcoming issue, #1 – The “No Fun” issue, due to ship at the beginning of July. Copies of our debut issue, #0 – The “Maturity” Issue, will remain on sale for individual purchase while supplies last (and we’re pleased to say, we’re actually running out!).

If you run into any issues or have any questions, contact us at subscriptions [ at ] killscreenmagazine.com. And check back for the other new goodies we have in the works!

(Photo by ShellyS)

Kill Screen is pleased to announce – formally, officially – our upcoming fall issue – the “Back to School” issue. We are now taking pitches through June 7 for text and art. What kind of stuff are we interested in? The short version is, pretty much anything, if it’s great – but read our submission guidelines here.

We’ve already received terrific ideas from writers around the globe, and one question keeps coming up: what do we mean by “Back to School”? Well, anything. Anything around learning and games. What have games taught you? What have you taught games? You may leap to ideas about educational games, or game design education – and we do want stories about those subjects. But feel free to think broadly around this theme. Hit us with something surprising and original and you will have our undivided attention.

Please send submissions or questions to submissions@killscreenmagazine.com.

When we funded Kill Screen with Kickstarter, we promised our top contributors a carefully-curated grab bag of some of our favorite games. Last month we sent out the grab bags, and we’re pleased to list all of the games we selected for the collection. While the grab bag is out of print—wait, are Flash drives “print”?—buy or download any of the games by clicking on the links.

Browse the games after the jump.

AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAA!!!: A Reckless Disregard For Gravity (Dejobaan Games)

In this IGF 2010 finalist, basejumpers plummet past skyscrapers that hang in the air, scoring “kisses” and “hugs” against the buildings in pursuit of a perfect five stars. “From the made-up lingo to the flirty backtalk and insider gags, it plays like an underground skating or Parkour flick—but one that’s made for an imaginary sport instead of a real one. The attitude informs everything from the humor and the bizarre video segments to the scoring mechanism, and it makes each jump feel like a radical act committed just for laughs. If teenagers in some futuristic, skyscraper-plagued city actually played this sport, they would really get off on this.”—The Onion AV Club

Earl Grey (Rob Dubbin and Adam Parrish)

Kill Screen #0 contributor Rob Dubbin (“Naming Rights”) and Adam Parrish wrote Earl Grey
for the 2009 Interactive Fiction Competition. As one voter wrote, “The game combines a ruthless logic with dazzling capriciousness,” not to mention humor. To enjoy Earl Grey, install this interpreter.

Fatale (Tale of Tales)

The acclaimed and controversial creators behind The Graveyard and The Path tackle Oscar Wilde’s Salome. A team of artists, musicians, and a dancer (Eléonore Valere Lachky) come together to recreate the beheading of John the Baptist and the scene that follows on the terrace above, where players discover elements both modern and biblical.

Jetback Basketball (Messhof)

Once again, Messhof (Mark Essen) boggles the eyes and tests the skills with an out-there premise and an unusual mechanic. Originally written for the Bivouac Urbain gamejam in Québec in August 2009, the game pits one or two players on a single keyboard. Fly, steal, and score.

My Life With Master (Half Meme Press)

This acclaimed role-playing game by Half Meme Press lets you play Igor to a merciless
master. My Life With Master emphasizes storytelling and skin-crawling over stats and dice, measuring your progress in terms of needs and wants, fear and reason. “My Life With Master is as seminal a work in the history of tabletop role-playing games as Frankenstein was for literature.”—Play This Thing

Ruben & Lullaby (Opertoon)

Two characters sit on a bench, waiting for you to choose their fate—simply by moving your iPhone. Shake to make them angry. Stroke to make them sad. The future of their relationship is in your hands. “What designer Erik Loyer has managed to create here is terribly impressive, both for what it achieves and what it portends.”—Michael Abbott, Brainygamer.com

Shadow Complex (Epic Games)

As well as apeing the retro 2D adventures of Castlevania and Metroid, Shadow Complex runs the player through an ethical nightmare. Who has time for a shadowy, tech-savvy militia when you just scored a “romantic hike” with your new girlfriend? If said girlfriend’s being shlepped to a chopper by goons, should you run after her—or stroll around looking for hidden keycards? Is a left-wing militia really any different than a right-wing one? Where does Orson Scott Card get off bashing gays after writing those books about naked little kids fighting wars? And if nuclear disarmament is such a hot idea, can it wait until after we blow up the boss?

Squid Yes! Not So Octopus! (Bagfull of Wrong)

This utterly gonzo arena shooter comes from Robert Fearon, who contributes both the Xbox 360 version of SYNSO and SYNSO 2: Squid Harder. Keep the effects on maximum, don’t stop shooting, and try to survive even a single minute.

The New Yorker Book Bench blog asked me to do my favorite titles about videogames.  All the usual suspects were included.  Fun fun fun.  Take a read!

Kill Screen is on the move! Austin, San Francisco, Boston, New York, and, of course, Newark.

After this year’s Game Developers Conference, I got a chance to lead a panel this year at SXSW on crowdfunding, an issue near and dear to my heart.  Of course, Kill Screen was a crowdfunded effort thanks to the wonderful world of Kickstarter.  The panel was myself (Jamin), Yancey Strickler, co-founder of Kickstarter, Ian Rogers, CEO of Topspin, musician Allison Weiss, and digital marketing wiz Dick Huey of Toolshed.

The NYU event was a blast!  Great questions and it was great to be able to show-off the mag in person.  If anyone is in Newark or around Rutgers, I’ll be speaking to students.  See the flyer below.

Thanks to everyone who came out to support as at PAX! Big thanks to Adam from Attract Mode and 2 Player Productions for giving us a spot at the table.

A note about the PDF.  This was a one-time only thing for those who contributed via Kickstarter, not for those who paid via PayPal. There’s been some confusion.  It’s not going to be a recurring thing for us although we will have other digital goodies in store.

Jamin, Ryan and I are attending PAX East this weekend. Say hi!

When we’re not walking around and showing off the magazine, you can find us:

• Magazines and t-shirts will be available courtesy Attract Mode, who are manning the 2 Player Productions booth in Band Land. That’s in Band Land, not apparently the expo. Get a shirt and magazine for only $30!
• I will be on the panel “The Death of Print,” Saturday 1 PM in the Manticore Theater. Guess what angle I’m taking on this.
• I will also be at the Interactive Fiction Suite Saturday at 7 PM, on a panel discussing IF outreach. (Not only am I a big fan of interactive fiction, but IF-author Rob Dubbin (co-writer on Earl Grey and Alabaster) wrote “Naming Rights” for Kill Screen #0. So, it’s a family thing.)

This is the debut of our awesome, professionally-printed t-shirts, which are red type on white shirts. (No slight to the Jamin-printed t-shirts we wore at GDC, which are already collector’s items.)

Note from Jamin: For those who are wondering, the vast majority of magazines are in the mail already with a few stragglers (send me your tshirt size!) coming along.  The USPS has already complained to me in person about the volume…

Frank Lantz of Area/Code kindly asked myself, Leigh Alexander (Gamasutra), and  Stephen Totilo (Kotaku) to a panel as part of the NYU’s Game Center Lecture series.  Stop by if you can tonight!