The closer we get to E3, when the Wii U seen there is expected to be the finished product, you can expect rumors on this machine to increase commensurately. Here's another one. The Wii U's parts will cost about $180, with roughly $50 of that going to the controller.

That's according to the unidentified sources of the Forget the Box media collective has reported that the full bill of materials for the Wii U comes to about $180, with roughly $50 of that going to the controller. As Nintendo calculates labor, marketing and other costs, we're to expect a machine costing no less than $300 at retail.

The sources speak in deep specifics, so visit the full article to read and judge it for yourself. Of note, though, Nintendo is said to be greatly concerned "with cutting production costs to maximize profits," says one of the unnamed sources. "Nintendo wants investors to view Wii U as a less risky proposition." As well they should; Nintendo's stock price is at a seven-year low and its president, we assume, still is working at a half-off discount following the 3DS' poor launch.

As for the $300 price, Forget the Box notes that many costs can pile up, such as software, shipping, packaging, among others. So again, $180 is just the raw parts cost. See the link if you want specific prices on the new console's components.

I've reached out to a Nintendo spokesman for comment on this rumor. Any the company makes will be updated here.

[Update] A Nintendo of America representative said that the company does not comment on rumors and speculation.

Rumor: Wii U's Total Bill of Materials Estimated at $180 [Forget the Box. h/t Deer Huntress]

Look, a hilarious and well-done Skyrim video that also does not reference wounded joints or fus ro dah! They do exist, you know, and now there's another—an outstanding goof on looting dead bodies, sometimes before they hit the ground, sometimes before they're even dead bodies.

The video is by Michael Shanks and Sam McCabe; the extras who died are Nick Issell, Nick Atkins, Ryan Keenan and Mark Taylor. If you like that song, it is original. Shanks composed it and you can get it here..

Word is that Jessica Nigri, a big-time cosplayer hired to portray the protagonist of Lollipop Chainsaw, was asked to leave PAX East yesterday. Why, you ask? Oh, I don't know. Maybe that hot pink jumpsuit with a "neckline" plunging to her crotch has something to do with it.

She's back today (here is Nigri, as Juliet Starling, at the Lollipop Chainsaw booth.) But Destructoid first reported that she was "asked to leave the show floor" until she had changed out of that pink outfit at right. But after changing back to the Juliet Starling costume, at left—which she had worn all Friday with no issue—she was asked to change again or leave the show entirely.

Nigri's Twitter feed does reference something like this. "Haha guys! I just had to tone down the costume!" she tweeted this morning.

Robert Khoo, the president of business development for Penny Arcade, verified to Kotaku that Nigri was asked to change, or leave, because expo staff had received plenty of complaints about her attire, or lack of it.

Khoo said expo staff "notified the WB booth on Friday of our concerns regarding the costumes, and although there was some confusion initially about which outfit was appropriate ... they understood the situation."

Penny Arcade has had a "no booth babe" policy at its expos, not wishing them to be known for models in skimpy clothes hawking products, as they do at other events in the video gaming industry. Two years ago, that policy was put to a vote of its community, which largely reaffirmed the idea. Costumed representatives are required to know something about their product. There is to be "no messaging that specifically calls out body parts," and while "cosplayed characters are allowed to wear revealing outfits, assuming it is true to the source game," there is a ban on anything considered "partial nudity." This policy still is in place, Khoo said.

"Although the policies regarding appropriate attire are clearly laid out in our exhibitor rules, there are times when edge cases like Lollipop Chainsaw, which technically is allowed since it's the main character in the game, pop up," Khoo told Kotaku. "For scenarios like that, we need to make a judgment call, and a big factor for this one was looking at the number of complaints we had received."

"Ultimately the costume policy is designed to keep the show family friendly, as we see a good number of parents being their young children to the show," Khoo said. "No one, including WB, wants to upset their fans, so I'm perfectly fine standing behind the decision and policy."

From whence these came originally, your guess is as good as mine, but if Ubisoft is trying to keep screens of Assassin's Creed III secret, they're doing a poor job. Three of these screenshots depict Connor sneaking around a battlefield as Yanks and Redcoats trade fire. You get a look at the game's HUD for the PS3 version, too. A fourth appears to be a cutscene, some commanding officer addressing the troops.

Assassin's Creed III gets here Oct. 30.

Assassin's Creed III Leaked Images [All Games Beta]

You're gonna have to put on your thinking cap for this one. That's an inflatable tank, a prop spied at PAX East 2012. Its purpose is unknown. Its capabilities likewise have not been analyzed. That's where you guys are going to take over.

I mean, come on, inflatable toys make for awesome girlfriends 'Shop Contests, amirite? There's a universe of possibility here. I'm sure someone will do their damnedest to vectorize Inflata-Tank and put it in Battlezone. If not, you can always fall back on Bad Dudes and Asshole Dog. OK, off we go.

Source Image: The Inflata-Tank at PAX East 2012.

You know the rules: The 20 best will get rounded up and published at the end of next Saturday. Meantime, I and the rest of the starred commentariat will approve and promote as many as we can so folks can see them and pass judgment.

This is your no-frills step-by-step procedure to participation in the Kotaku 'Shop Contest.

1. Create your 'Shop.
2. Upload it to a free image hosting service. I suggest imgur. It's stupid simple. No account is necessary.
3. This is very important: You must use the URL of the image itself. In imgur, this is the second URL it gives you after you upload the image. It's under "Direct Link (email & IM)"
4. At the beginning of the comments roll, click "Start a New Thread"
5. To the right of your name, select "Image."
6. Paste the imgur URL in the image URL field. It's the field that says "Image URL."
7. You can add editorial commentary if you want, but then just hit submit and your image will load. If it doesn't, paste the image URL as a comment.
8. This is important: Keep your image size under 1 MB. It will not upload to comments if it is over that size. What's more, we're getting reports that if your 'Shop is more than 1000px tall (vertical), it won't upload. If you're getting the broken-image icon, try resizing to a smaller dimension.

Now, Gentlemen, start your 'shopping!

Mark of the Ninja doesn't look like your average stealth game. You won't be hiding in cardboard boxes or waiting 10 minutes for soldiers to turn around. And it's all two-dimensional.

Mark of the Ninja, which developer Klei Entertainment first announced February in the form of a neat text adventure, is more reminiscent of platformers like Prince of Persia or Outland than any stealth game I've seen. But it looks great, and the mechanics, which involve manipulating sound and darkness to avoid enemy contact while you climb and grapple up walls and ceilings, seem pretty damn neat.

Klei says Mark of the Ninja will be out this summer for Xbox 360.

Happy Easter. For those who observe the holiday, hope the good bunny left you a basket full of candy and you recovered all the eggs he dispersed in the yard. Good morning, and welcome to Weekend Talk Amongst Yourselves.

Today's image comes to us courtesy of, who else, The Real Pan1da7. You, too, can be featured atop the Official Kotaku Forum. Just post your 'shop in the #TAYpics thread. Grab the base image here, and keep your image in a 16x9 ratio. It plays nice with our publishing system. The best ones will be featured in future installments of Talk Amongst Yourselves.

Otherwise, feel free to discuss all games topics in the comments beneath.

Welcome to your Sunday read of the week's best in web comics. Make sure to click on the expand button in the bottom right to enlarge each comic.

Nerf NOW!! by Josué Pereira published April 6.—Read more of Nerf NOW!!
Awkward Zombie by Katie Tiedrich published April 2.—Read more of Awkward Zombie
Penny Arcade by Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik published April 4.—Read more of Penny Arcade
Manly Guys Doing Manly Things by Kelly Turnbull published April 2.—Read more of Manly Guys Doing Manly Things
Virtual Shackles by Jeremy Vinar and Mike Fahmie published April 4.—Read more of Virtual Shackles
Another Videogame Webcomic by Phil Chan and Joe Dunn published April 6.—Read more of Another Videogame Webcomic
ActionTrip by Borislav Grabovic and Ure Paul published April 2.—Read more of ActionTrip
Legacy Control by Javis Ray Guest strip by Rickard Jonasson of Two Guys and Guy, published April 5.—Read more of Legacy Control

Indie-curious attendees of this week's PAX East gaming show in Boston can get a "passport" stamped for every game they check out in the show's indie mega-booth. They can't just stop by the booth. They have to do something.

At the Drinkbox Studios part of the booth, where smart attendees wil check out a game called Guacamelee, you get the stamp if you can play through the first level of Super Mario Bros. with the controller upside down.

I tried it, as you can see in the video here.

The word "Guacamelee" looked indecipherable when I first spotted it on a sign in the indie games booth at the big PAX East show this weekend. I sounded it out. And then I was smitten.

Guacamelee turns out to be the perfect word to describe a Mexican-folklore-themed brawler from the creators of Tales from Space: Mutant Blobs Attack (otherwise known as Drinkbox Studios, otherwise known as the people who have dramatically improved their ability to name a video game.)

We shot a video of the upcoming game while Chris from Drinkbox told us what it's all about (He calls it a Metroidvania, FYI). Enjoy.

No release date yet, targeting consoles, PC and maybe Vita.