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'Halo' die-hards will get their very own motorcycle helmet in July
Who says motorcycle helmets have to be functional, not fashionable? Renowned toy-maker NECA is getting into the headgear game with a street-legal design based on Halo's main man, Master Chief. The helmet features front air intakes to prevent fogging and rear exhaust vents to keep your head cool and comfy while driving your Warthog into walls. Plus there's a reflective shield with UV protection and removable top and cheek pads. And don't worry, you'll be able to fit your Coke-bottle specs under there.
Dozens of Blizzard's biggest game characters are getting figurines
You're typically lucky if you get even a few figurines based on your favorite games. That's certainly true with Blizzard -- despite its deep game universes, you seldom get more than a handful of characters. Thankfully, that relative drought is about to end soon. The National Entertainment Collectibles Association (NECA) is launching a collectible line based around Blizzard's multi-franchise online battle arena, Heroes of the Storm, and it's planning figurines for all 34 playable characters. If you want to have a Diablo III demon hunter or StarCraft II's Tychus on your desk, you can.
Batman goes retro with NECA 8-bit colored figure
The latest addition to NECA's successful line of 8-bit video game tributes is Batman from the 1989 video game based on the Tim Burton movie. The 7-inch figurine has 25 points of articulation, removable cape and Batarang. The paint job is meant to evoke the Dark Knight's purple hue from the NES game. There will be only one production run of the figure and it will be available in October. More details on the figure are planned for this weekend's San Diego Comic-Con. Previous entries in the 8-bit series include Robocop, Predator and Jason Voorhees. [Image: NECA]
NECA makes a Master Chief motorcycle helmet
Fine purveyor of action figures and other sundry collectibles, NECA is making a piece of molded plastic for Halo fans that does more than just look super cool on your desk. The Master Chief motorcycle helmet isn't just a piece of flashy, decorative headgear but a functional helmet that will protect your cranium while riding your hog. It will also allow you to pretend you're hauling tail on a Covenant Ghost after kicking a Grunt in its wee squeaky face. Riders ready to plunk down cash for a new full-face helmet in time for Halo: The Master Chief Collection to hit Xbox One this fall will unfortunately have to wait a bit longer. The helmet is currently in the sculpt prototyping stage, meaning NECA's still trying to lock down a finished version. With a proposed 2015 release, though, the helmet will likely be available in time to satisfy any obsession born out of Halo 5: Guardians. Finally, you and your cat can do that Master Chief Cosplay Cross Country Bike Tour. [Images: Microsoft]
Gaze into the eyes, ear horns of these BioShock Infinite figures
We may not be able to judge how BioShock Infinite plays as a game yet, but we can certainly tell that it's a pretty experience with some intriguing characters, at least superficially. Now you can own two of those characters, Elizabeth and one of the Boys of Silence, both made by the video game toy gurus at NECA.The Elizabeth and Boys of Silence figures are available in the Irrational Games store for $20 each or $35 as a set. Irrational also added lithographs of the Handyman, Elizabeth and Songbird, and Charles, each for $25 or $65 for the trio. A limited edition trio includes signatures from Irrational creative director Ken Levine and artist Robb Waters, running $150.NECA's Sky-Hook replica will also hit the Irrational Games store "soon," in a limited quantity. It's not safe for too much awesomeness to exist in one online retailer, after all.
Team Fortress 2 Demo and Pyro action figures now available
If your childhood was/is anything like our own, a good majority of it was probably spent blowing up and/or incinerating action figures that totally had it coming, on account of being found guilty of being the bad guy or belonging to one of our siblings. Valve and NECA's shiny new Team Fortress 2 figures follow a somewhat similar theme, though they typically prefer to be on the giving end, rather than the receiving. Available at Toys 'R' Us, Amazon or directly from Valve's own store, both Demo and Pyro figures measure 7 inches tall, feature 25 points of articulation, include codes for in-game goodies, are individually numbered (1 to 10,000) and cost about $22.%Gallery-177568%
Half-Life 2 Gravity Gun on sale in April, sign up for updates
NECA's full-size Half-Life 2 Gravity Gun replica can be yours, but getting it won't be easy.The Gravity Gun will go on sale on Think Geek in April for $150, but there will be a limited quantity. Like the Portal guns that sold out in just 30 minutes last year, once they're sold out, they're gone forever. To give yourself the best chance of scoring a Gravity Gun, sign up for an email alert now on its Think Geek page.The NECA Gravity Gun is stocked with sound effects and LEDs, and a kickstand for all those times you're not acting out Gordon Freeman fantasies with it. Check out the full run-down on Think Geek, and if you're interested, don't forget to sign up for that email reminder.
BioShock Infinite Sky-Hook replica now up for pre-order
Those certain the Sky-Hook will be their most beloved BioShock Infinite sidearm will be pleased to learn that pre-orders for NECA's recreation are now open. In the video above, you can see the game-accurate "leather textures" and "highly detailed engravings" of the motorized replica.US gamers can pre-order the 22-inch long, nearly 11-inch tall prop now through GameStop for $79.99. NECA's Sky-Hook will launch ahead of the recently delayed BioShock Infinite, on February 26, 2013.
Gears of War Judgment 'Car No. 13' Lancer replica at GameStop (plus: Judgment footage)
If you're keen on getting a replica of a fictional weapon – but don't feel like making it out of Legos – GameStop is offering a less laborious option. The "Car No. 13" Lancer, yellow with checkered taxi cab accents, is now visible on the pre-order page at GameStop. The replica is being sold for $99.99 and wil go on sale through GameStop in February.We've also got four new gameplay videos from Gears of War Judgment. Above, you'll see some campaign in the Mansion level, followed by campaign footage from the Museum level just past the break, followed by two multiplayer videos.[Thanks, Tony.]
Your Portal gun isn't as cool as Hack-a-Day's Portal gun (which actually levitates a companion cube)
There you were, thinking your NECA-produced Portal gun replica was super neat all on its own. Well, okay -- it is -- but wouldn't it be even cooler if you could use it to make a baby companion cube levitate in mid-air with it? That question is exactly what lead to Hack a Day's creation of just such a device, as seen in the video below the break. By reappropriating a magnetic floating globe's parts and attaching said parts to both the gun and a homemade companion cube, Hack a Day were able to recreate at least part of the magic Chell experiences in her Aperture Science adventures. Of course, if you move the gun too much, the companion cube will fall out. Just think what that does to its psyche! You monster. [Image credit: Caleb Kraft, Hack a Day]
Jump at the chance for a real Portal 2 jumpsuit
NECA is beginning a bold new behavioral experiment, to determine whether the addition of a logo will render plain orange jumpsuits desirable enough for consumers to purchase them in high quantities and for $100 each. The company's hypothesis is that it will, and we tend to agree.In order to get one of NECA's official Portal 2 Chell Jumpsuits (in women's and men's sizes) from ThinkGeek, you need to get on a mailing list. ThinkGeek will alert its "Test Subjects" about the product's availability when it arrives in October. This is the only way the retailer plans to sell these, so if you want that testy look go sign up now.Pre-orders are available from a variety of other retailers, some of which have their own restrictions – like only offering reservations during the weekend of Comic-Con (i.e. now). Given the response to other Portal memorabilia, you're better off pre-ordering immediately from your retailer of choice.
Gordon Freeman action figure has no push-button catch phrases
NECA's latest Valve figurine features a surprisingly smooth-skinned Gordon Freeman in a hazard suit, and comes with two sets of interchangeable hands, even though limb detachment is a feature we don't quite remember from Half-Life 2 (at least, not voluntary limb detachment).Freeman stands 7 inches and has 20 points of articulation, and also comes with four separate accessories: crowbar, bugbomb, gravity gun and headcrab.The Freeman figurine runs $18 and will launch in September, Lambda Generation notes. Just in time to get grandma that headcrab she's always asked for during the holidays.
NECA introduces P-body style Portal gun replica
All right, maybe we didn't really notice that the Portal gun used by P-body in Portal 2 co-op looked different. But NECA did, and designed a replica of that attractive, striped gun. The lights for this one, of course, are different from the original (we noticed that much!), glowing in orange and red.NECA plans to make 5,000 of these, "and we'll do our best to make sure it reaches those who were not able to purchase the [previous] replica," the company said. Retailers will be announced next week.
50 more Portal gun replicas available for pre-order tonight
NECA's plan to sell an official replica of Aperture's handheld portal device – otherwise known as the Portal gun – has run into the double-whammy of rabid demand and puny production output. NECA is offering another 50 (!) replicas, which will be available for pre-order starting tonight at midnight ET, according to its Facebook page.Just, uh, leave one for us, okay? Please? We'll buy you a delicious piece of – ah, nevermind.
Borderlands action figures from NECA are looking nice-a
Borderlands is getting the Barbie treatment with its own line of action figures from NECA, starting with Claptrap and the Psycho Bandit. The Borderlands Series 1 figurines are painted in an homage to the game's cel-shaded cartoon style, and while we wonder how the Psycho Bandit's pants can possibly stay on his hips even with that belt, the simple, chunky designs have grown on us.Claptrap stands 4.5 inches and looks especially canon, featuring an extendable antenna (making him 6 inches), a wheel with shocks, hinged shoulder and eye flaps, ball-jointed shoulders and hinged, swiveling elbows, along with a display stand. The Psycho Bandit stands 7 inches and includes a buzz axe accessory, ball-jointed head, shoulders, elbows, thighs, feet and wrists, a hinged torso, swivel waist and hinged knees.Check out a few photos here and look out for Series 1 figurines to be available in May, with Series 2 to debut in August with Zero the Assassin and Salvador the Gunzerker.
Watch the toy Portal gun do its thing
Toy maker NECA demonstrates its replica Portal gun in this video. It lights up in both orange and blue, and makes appropriate Portal-y sounds! In short, the toy does everything you'd want a Portal gun to do ... except for the one thing you'd want an actual Portal gun to do.NECA notes on its Twitter page that pre-orders in the US are currently sold out, but "other opportunities" are coming. Perhaps you should keep an eye on that Twitter page for your next chance to get in a clicking race with other ravenous Valve fans.
Portal Gun arrives at Think Geek, goes on sale mid May
Despite a brief scare last week, NECA's replica Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device is still on its way to virtual store shelves, albeit in fairly limited quantities. Think Geek's listing for the gun has gone up with an estimated availability date of May 18, although pre-orders do not appear to be part of the plan.Instead, interested enthusiasts register to receive an email notification once the Portal gun goes on sale; from there it's first come, first serve. NECA has only manufactured 5,000 of the $140 replicas, and considering that Portal 2 sold three million copies in its first two months on the market, we expect demand to be fairly high. Remember when you learned about sharing in kindergarden? This is why.
Replica portal gun orders canceled by some retailers [update: still coming, says NECA]
Update: NECA claims that the Portal gun is still being prepared, but fell victim to uncontrolled numbers of pre-orders. After slamming on the brakes with certain retailers, the association aims to deliver the replica between May and June in an "organized and fair manner."Original story: NECA -- National Entertainment Collectibles Association -- was set to create a line of replica portal guns for public purchase in May or June this year, but it has stopped production on the piece, citing "issues" and "no longer planning on making it for the foreseeable future," according to information shared via email by distributor Entertainment Earth. "The item was never produced, and to the best of our knowledge will not be delivered to any retailer at this time."Entertainment Earth has logged a protest with NECA, but for now it seems we'll all be $130 richer and a million-fold more heartbroken.[Thanks, Matthew.]
Replica Portal gun coming from NECA in late spring/early summer
Portal has been around for about five years at this point, and over the years we've suffered countless fits of unreasonable jealousy due to the multitudes of homemade, replica Aperture Science Handheld Portal Devices floating around the Internet. Many a night have been spent fantasizing about somehow owning our own without taking out a second mortgage, and now the dream can finally become a reality.Well, not now now, but in a few months. NECA Toys is developing a line of licensed Valve products that include Team Fortress 2, Half Life and Left 4 Dead 2 action figures, but the crowning jewel of the series is NECA's one-to-one scale ASHPD replica. It lights up and everything. The device should be available somewhere around May or June of this year and retail for $130, according a brief video interview with NECA's Randy Falk at The Verge. We predict a mad rush on Repulsion, Propulsion and Conversion gel and Long Fall socks as soon as these things hit the shelves.%Gallery-148349%
Left 4 Dead's Boomer action figure is pretty gnarly
You know who we'd like to see featured in the hit television program Dirty Jobs? The guy who's responsible for making this Left 4 Dead Boomer action figure. Just think: Some poor soul at NECA not only had to mold this fully articulated, pustule-covered monster -- they had to paint on his every blemish, scab and scar. There is no amount of money high enough to merit such attention to nastiness. We won't be able to get our hands on this figure (and others from the zombie-centric hit) until next Spring, but you can be sure that when we do, our hands will be safely enveloped by gloves. Check him out in all his oozing glory after the jump.
