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Engadget Daily: Amazon's new phone, Snapchat video and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
The true story of the worst video game in history
"E.T. was the death of Atari." If you believe the urban legend, then that game, based on Steven Spielberg's blockbuster movie, is the sole reason Atari flopped in the 1980s. As the myth went, the company, allegedly so ashamed of the game, decided to bury millions of unsold cartridges in the New Mexico desert and cover them with a slab of concrete; a curious tale we now know to be true. Like the oral histories passed down from one generation to the next, though, certain details of the story behind E.T.'s genesis and Atari's demise have been lost along the way, and mild inaccuracies have become fact. To find out what really happened more than 30 years ago, we went straight to the man who made the game: former Atari developer Howard Scott Warshaw. This is his story.
Daily Roundup: Raspberry Pi cellphone, HP's Android laptop, and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Take another look at the E.T. landfill excavation
Hundreds of people went out in the desert yesterday to watch an excavation for E.T., an Atari game so awful that thousands of copies were buried in an Alamogordo landfill. Microsoft and Lightbox plan on turning the dig into a documentary with a working title of Atari: Game Over. [Image: Microsoft]
E.T. unearthed: The dig for legendary Atari cartridges in pictures
Yesterday marked the climax of a decades-long story that surrounded one of the most poorly received video games in history. A Microsoft-backed documentary crew took to a landfill in the desert town of Alamogordo, New Mexico, in an attempt to prove that Atari had in fact buried thousands of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial cartridges there. It appears they succeeded.
Microsoft's E.T. game excavation hits paydirt
It looks like the legend might be true after all. Microsoft has uncovered intact copies of E.T. for the Atari 2600 at a New Mexico landfill, supporting claims that Atari buried legions of unsold cartridges in the desert after the movie-themed game proved to be a massive failure. With that said, it's not yet clear that this is the treasure trove that Microsoft was hoping to find for its first Xbox-only documentary. The excavation team has only found a few E.T. units as of this writing, and they have company -- there's a shrink-wrapped copy of Centipede in the mix, for one thing. If the team does find many more examples of the extra-terrestrial flop, though, it could finally put a 32-year-old mystery to rest. [Image credit: Lauren Hansard, Twitter]
Microsoft digs up E.T. carcass-- er, cartridge at landfill
Xbox Entertainment Studios and Lightbox Entertainment's documentary on the excavation of a New Mexico landfill where supposedly thousands of copies of E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial for the Atari 2600 won't be completed for some time yet, but if you want to know how the search went, well, the above image should tell you all you need to know. Yup, they found E.T. - or at least one copy of the game. Xbox spokesperson Larry Hryb, AKA Major Nelson, tweeted pictures showing the cartridge, as well as other Atari 2600 games still in shrink wrap, from the landfill. Dude. Spoiler warning next time! [Image: Larry Hryb]
Atari, Human Head resume development of shooter Minimum
Atari has partnered with Prey developer Human Head to resurrect Minimum, a free-to-play online shooter presumed lost following the closure of its creator TimeGate Studios. Announced last year, Minimum is a third-person shooter with strategy and progression elements, featuring competitive gameplay bolstered by a weapons-crafting mechanic. Gameplay is partially similar to Respawn's Titanfall, as players can equip traversal-enhancing jetpacks and summon gigantic Titans during battle. A beta version of Minimum will launch for PC platforms this spring. [Image: Atari]
E.T. cartridge excavation becomes a documentary for Xbox
Come April 26, giant machines will plunge their blades deep into the soil of Alamogordo, New Mexico, in search of a rumored treasure trove of awful video games, and Microsoft wants you to be there. The event kicks off at 9:30AM MDT at the Alamogordo Landfill on Highway 54, and is slated to run through 7:30PM MDT. Presumably that time period will be much more interesting if there actually are cartridges containing the famously terrible E.T. The Extraterrestrial buried beneath the New Mexican soil, but even if this is a modern day Capone's Vault, there should still be plenty of spectacle. According to Microsoft, X-Men 2 writer Zak Penn will be on hand documenting the dig, alongside archaeologists, representatives from Fuel Entertainment and E.T. The Extraterrestrial designer Howard Scott Warshaw. More details are available at Xbox Wire, though be wary of the hype. This all sounds exciting, but never forget that you're being invited to spend the majority of a day watching people root through an old New Mexican landfill. [Image: Gene Spesard]
Atari E.T. cartridge excavation back on track after delay
There are games that earn a negative tone in their word-of-mouth buzz, and then there are games that have truckloads of unsold copies buried in a landfill. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial for the Atari 2600 is, according to legend, in the latter category. Curiosity makes people do strange things though, and Alamogordo News reports that Fuel Industries' plans to document an excavation for the supposedly buried cartridges is moving forward after the New Mexico Environment Department requested a more specific dig plan. Alamogordo News notes that Xbox Entertainment Studios and LightBox Entertainment are producing Fuel's dig for treasure, the story of which is planned to eventually air on Xbox. A Microsoft representative told Alamorgordo News that moves to begin digging up portions of the landfill are still being finalized. We admit that we'll probably watch the final product, but we can't help but wonder what they'll do with the truckloads of cartridges should they find them. Maybe they'll assemble a replica of the movie's spaceship? Perhaps they'll replace walkie-talkies in an alternate remastering of the film, where agents hurl the cartridges at Elliott to knock him off his bike and capture his extra-terrestrial friend. [Image: Shutterstock, Atari]
Microsoft cleared to exhume E.T. from landfill for original documentary (update: now with a start date!)
Microsoft's been given the go-ahead to dig through a New Mexico landfill in the hunt for dumped copies of Atari 2600 title E.T., local media reports. Not without aim, of course, but so Xbox Entertainment Studios can collect crucial material for its first original documentary, which'll look into the alleged mass burial of unsold copies of the game. Released in late 1982 when the video game industry, including Atari, was struggling, E.T. was universally panned and a commercial flop. With millions of cartridges returned by retailers, gaming lore has it that Atari quietly shipped off this useless inventory, among other unwanted paraphernalia, to a landfill site. Opinions are mixed and evidence inconclusive as to whether this actually took place, though, hence a documentary to get to the bottom of it. As much as we'd almost prefer the mystery to remain one, let's hope Microsoft come across something or there mightn't be a documentary at all. Update: Phys.org reports that the excavation's start date is set for April 26 of this year. That's soon!
Atari: Rollercoaster Tycoon 4 will be 'completely different' on PC
When Rollercoaster Tycoon 4 makes its PC debut, the game will be a far cry from its mobile incarnation, according to Atari. "We can't share that much, but [PC] will definitely be a completely different game," said Anthony Chien, Atari senior director of marketing, in a Digital Spy interview. Chien's statement follows last week's debut of the above trailer which serves as the first look at Roller Coaster Tycoon 4 Mobile. This footage immediately drew criticism from fans due to the game's apparent reliance on free-to-play gimmicks. Despite this negative backlash, Atari is moving forward with plans to release the mobile game prior to its PC counterpart. "There's a lot of diehard [Rollercoaster Tycoon] fans that want a PC experience, they want all different sorts of things," Chien stated. "[We're] trying to deliver as much as we can. First is the mobile version, then it's the PC experience. I think a lot of people are vocal about wanting to see the PC version first before the mobile, but our strategy is mobile first." The mobile version of Rollercoaster Tycoon 4 is slated to debut at some point this spring. Atari has yet to reveal a release date for the PC game. [Image: Atari]
Documentary's excavation of supposed Atari E.T. graveyard still being negotiated
Fuel Industries' planned excavation and documentation of a New Mexico landfill which would, in theory, unearth a burial of E.T. cartridges for the Atari 2600, is currently in negotiations for a dig permit. The Alamogordo Daily News reports that the New Mexico Environment Department has rejected Fuel Industries' waste excavation proposal, saying that it was too "generic" as well as lacking in site-specific details. Those details aren't just bureaucratic red tape, either. According to the Daily News, the NMED called for further testing of the Alamogordo landfill in 2004, when studies showed increased chemical levels at the site. Twenty-two "compounds of concern" were noted at the time. Imagine cracking open the soil of a landfill to hunt down a video game graveyard only to have noxious fumes and chemicals poison you, like you'd opened up a pharoah's tomb and suffered the mummy's curse. It's unclear how the delay will impact the development of Fuel Industries' documentary, which was planned to air on Xbox this year. The NMED stated that their findings were sent to Fuel Industries on February 27, but as of March 17, they had not seen a revised proposal. [Image: Atari]
RollerCoaster Tycoon 4 Mobile trailer is not exactly a crowd pleaser [Update 2]
A new trailer announced RollerCoaster Tycoon 4 Mobile to the world today, but going by YouTube ratings the world isn't impressed. At the time of writing, the video has just 49 likes and an incredible 1,968 dislikes. Fans are taking to social media including the series' Facebook page to voice their anger, with criticisms centering on the move to mobile and the likelihood of a free-to-play system with microtransactions. The game is in development at mobile-focused startup On5 Games, and it's "coming soon" to iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. It's the first game in the long-running series since the 3DS' RollerCoaster Tycoon 3D in 2012, and the first numbered entry in around a decade, since RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 in 2004. It's a series with its roots firmly in PC, and RollerCoaster Tycoon 4 is the first mobile version of the theme park-building sim. Free-to-play games are enduring increasing criticism for their use of microtransactions, with high-profile games like Dungeon Keeper, Where's My Water 2, and Angry Birds Go coming under severe scrutiny in recent months. Last month, the European Commission met with national authorities, Apple, and Google to discuss free-to-play games, and outline measures to better regulate them and to prevent misleading marketing. Update: A fresh press release from Atari reveals the base game features 20 pre-designed rollercoasters, is priced at $3, and is due early Spring. Update 2: Atari promises a new RollerCoaster Tycoon on PC this year. On Twitter, Atari writes, "RollerCoaster Tycoon is back and it's coming to mobile! Rest assured, there is a PC experience in production now for release this year!" [Image: Atari]
Titanfall's ode to 8-bit gaming is proof that robots make everything better
Need further evidence that robots improve just about everything? EA and Respawn are more than happy to provide it. They've launched Titanfall Arcade, a promotional gaming website that thrusts Titanfall's namesake giant machines into classic 8-bit Atari titles. The only working game at present is an Asteroids remake, but it proves the point -- the typically nerve-wracking space shooter becomes easy once a Titan's weaponry comes into play. Tributes to Centipede and Missile Command are coming in the future. The arcade is primarily meant to whet your appetite ahead of Titanfall's release next week, but we'd say it's worth a visit even if you don't plan to buy the game -- it's a nostalgic gaming experience without the frustrating difficulty levels that often come along for the ride.
Titanfall Arcade kicks some Asteroids
What do you get when you mix the titans from Titanfall with Atari's popular retro game Asteroids? You get Titanfall's titans in Asteroids silly, what else could you possibly have expected? Respawn Entertainment recently thought it fitting to launch a small, free retro game portal dubbed "Titanfall Arcade" to promote its upcoming FPS, starting with an Asteroids clone. The browser-based flash game plays exactly like it sounds: After dropping a titan into a flat black space setting, players point with their cursors to shoot the classic outlines of space debris, racking up a high score after firing off charged beam shots. The game makes for a fun little excursion while your boss is looking away, to be sure. The other two Titanfall Arcade games that will be available to play sometime in the near future are spoofs on Missile Command and Centipede, the former sounding all too appropriate for a mech to be involved in. Titanfall launches next week on Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PC. [Image: Respawn Entertainment]
Blade Kitten to get long-lost Episode 2 DLC on Steam [update]
Years after its initial release, Krome Studios' episodic side-scrolling platformer Blade Kitten could soon see a resolution to its cliffhanger ending via a DLC expansion, according to an announcement posted this week on the game's Facebook page. Blade Kitten's developers recently reclaimed all of its assets from publisher Atari, clearing a forthcoming launch for the game's completed but unreleased Episode 2 DLC. "It's already on Steam, we just need them to transfer the app ID to us so we can add the episode 2 DLC," reads a Facebook comment from the official Blade Kitten account. "It's a little bit complicated but not a huge hurdle." Blade Kitten's developers also plan to pursue a DLC release for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game, pending the expansion's successful launch on Steam. A release date for Blade Kitten's Episode 2 DLC has not been announced. Update: Krome co-founder Steve Stamatiadis tells Joystiq he'd like for his studio to take control over the Blade Kitten app released across various marketplaces, so it could release the five levels contained within Episode 2 as DLC. "That way people wouldn't need to buy the game again and play through it all to get to finally finish the story," Stamatiadis said. "That side of things is pretty much going to come down to Microsoft, Sony, and Valve and their storefronts."
Internet Archive starts preserving classic game consoles on the web
Many gamers won't load a console emulator for much more than a brief nostalgia kick. The Internet Archive has loftier goals, however. It's expanding its Historical Software Collection to include the free-to-play Console Living Room beta, which recreates classic '70s and '80s systems on the web for the sake of the historical record. The initial library includes hundreds of games for the Astrocade, Atari 2600, Atari 7800, ColecoVision and Magnavox Odyssey. There are gaps in the catalog, and sound isn't working; the CLR isn't yet a match for a conventional software emulator, let alone the real thing. The Internet Archive promises to address both problems in the near future, though, and it shouldn't be long before its collection delivers a complete vintage gaming experience... minus the old-fashioned tube TV.
Time's history of video game consoles stirs up memories, rivalries
Picking your trench in the console wars used to be a much simpler affair. You could go with Nintendo and their pair of Italian plumbers, or you could side with Sega and their totally radical hedgehog with an attitude. It's been a while since that rivalry really mattered, but this installment of Time's look back at the first four generations of gaming consoles stirred it right back up. Let's go, Sega Genesis nerds! Fight me in real life! Just kidding, we're all friends now. Besides, I was always jealous of you all getting to play Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Time's next installment in the series is due Thursday, December 26, which should be plenty of time for PlayStation fans to finish a batch of popcorn and reminisce on their console of choice's decade of domination.
Atari 2600 excavation documentary exclusive to Xbox in 2014
An upcoming documentary focused on the video game industry crash of 1983 and the subsequent burial of thousands of unsold Atari cartridges will launch exclusively on Xbox in 2014, Microsoft announced this week. Canadian film production company Fuel Industries plans to head up an excavation of a New Mexico landfill for the documentary, aiming to uncover a derelict batch of Atari hardware and software that the company crushed and encased in concrete more than 30 years ago. The landfill reportedly entombs unsold copies of infamous Atari-licensed releases like E.T. and Pac-Man, among other critically-panned games that led to Atari's closure and sale to Commodore International in 1984. Fuel Entertainment's film will be the first in a series of Xbox-exclusive documentaries launching in 2014 through Microsoft's new media company Lightbox. Microsoft has enlisted the help of producers Simon Chinn (Searching for Sugar Man, Man on Wire) and Jonathan Chinn (FX's 30 Days and PBS's American High) to handle series production. X-Men 2 writer Zak Penn will direct the Atari documentary, which begins shooting in January.
