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'Child's Play' trailer shows Chucky controlling smart homes and drones
A reboot of the Child's Play franchise will hit theaters this summer and while we already had a good idea killer toy Chucky would be more of a robot with AI capabilities this time around, the latest trailer provides further confirmation he'll be able to control smart homes. Terrifying.
'Child's Play' reboot trailer suggests Chucky is now a killer robot
It's not completely impossible that robots could turn against us, so it's no surprise killer robot movies have been popular for decades. The fear is real. We could be about to add another flick to the canon, as the new trailer for the Child's Play reboot suggests. Plot details haven't been confirmed yet, so it's not totally certain this Chucky is a robot, but there's enough to back up rumors it's a defective doll "whose programming code was hacked so that he has no limitations to learning and also violence."
GameChanger brings virtual worlds to the kids who need it most
I was standing in a makeshift room at NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital with a couple dozen people. Some of them were young children battling cancer, others were family and friends there to spend time with them. There was a handful of hospital staff. Spread out across the room were a young woman unknowingly about to get a scholarship, a social worker who had paid for a child's cable bill so that he could have some comfort in his last few weeks of life and team members of a charity who had brought everyone there so that sick children could have a little bit of fun for a few hours. It was an event that was both solemn and uplifting, and it was all centered around video games.
Child’s Play is giving joy and gaming carts to more children’s hospitals
If you're at a children's hospital next year, the chances of seeing one of the Gamers Outreach Foundation's (GOF) signature Go Karts are pretty high. The all-in-one rolling gaming rigs have proved quite popular in the 25 facilities that currently have them. Now Child's Play, one of gaming's longest-running philanthropies, wants to help GOF founder Zach Wigal realize his dream of comforting as many hospitalized kids as possible through video games. "I think this is the start of us making a very serious push into having Go Karts in every [children's] hospital in the US," Wigal told Engadget. And with roughly 273 children's hospitals in the US, closing the gap is far from impossible.
The charity that wants video game karts in every hospital
In many ways, Jonathan Watson is like other 11-year-olds. He does his homework, dreams of becoming a doctor and plays video games when he can. Depending on the day, his favorite is either Minecraft or The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Unlike most kids his age, though, Jonathan is at the hospital every three weeks for blood transfusions -- a procedure that can take up to six hours at a time. When I visited him at Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan, he wasn't slaying dragons or building a pixelated fortress; he was replaying the opening levels of Rayman Legends on a kart that had just been wheeled in. The kart was donated by a local Eagle Scout who raised funds through the Gamers Outreach Foundation (GO), a nationwide charity that puts medical-grade gaming equipment in hospitals around the country. The "GO Kart" Jonathan was using included everything needed to play video games: a modest Samsung television, an Xbox 360 (though any console will fit) and a pair of gamepads. The kit itself is hardly revolutionary, but anyone who's schlepped their gear to a LAN party can appreciate the simplicity of this rolling, self-contained setup. At Mott and 19 other hospitals around the country, they're the most popular "toy" available. And when you're a kid with a medical condition like Watson's, it's easy to see why.
'Desert Bus' video game charity kicks off its 10th year
It's a big moment for video game charities: Desert Bus for Hope has launched its 10th annual campaign. As is their custom, the volunteer team will play the Desert Bus mini game from Penn & Teller's Smoke and Mirrors for as long as they can in the name of the Child's Play hospital charity. This year, they're aiming for at least 111 hours -- the more money you donate, the longer they drive on that incredibly boring virtual road between Tucson and Las Vegas. And this year, there are quite a few reasons to check in beyond the usual on-camera antics.
Watch people play 'Desert Bus' for days in the name of charity
Penn & Teller's Desert Bus mini game is legendary for its tongue-in-cheek monotony (you drive 8 hours to score a single point), but it's also a force for good: the Desert Bus for Hope campaign has raised $2.4 million for the Child's Play hospital charity over the years. Well, the volunteer group is at it again with the just-launched Desert Bus 9... and this may be one of its most ambitious fundraising efforts yet. The team is planning to stream live gameplay from the notorious Sega Genesis title for as long as donations allow, which could be quite a while when last year's effort lasted for 158 hours -- that's nearly a full week. If you like the idea of an epic video game endurance test helping a noble cause, tune in below and consider sending some cash to Desert Bus for Hope at the source link. [Image credit: Andrew Ferguson]
Humble Bundle game sales now coming weekly, starting with Bastion
Who would've thought that letting consumers pay what they think is fair for quality games would prove popular? That's the concept behind Humble Bundle, and so far, it's been rather good to developers and charities alike. Now, deals from the company are set to get a whole lot more frequent, as it's just announced weekly game sales that'll supplement the monthly bundle offers. You'll find a new game from Humble Bundle go up for sale each Tuesday, and to kick things off, the company is starting with Bastion, an RPG from Supergiant Games. Just $1 nets you a Steam key to the game, but if common decency isn't enough of a reason to pay more, you'll find bonus content and merchandise up for grabs, too. This week's charities include the EFF and Child's Play, but you've only got seven days to act before another game takes its place. Best start checking it out, and you can start with a demo of Bastion after the break.
Mass Effect moaners kinda get their own way as people power strikes again
SPOILERS. Who can't name a beloved TV series that didn't end the way you wanted? BSG? Lost? Sapphire and Steel? Blake's Seven? Quantum Leap? The Sopranos? All of which ended either with tear-inducing bum-notes or confusing conclusions that caused furious head scratching. Despite that, the traditional reaction is to say "Well, I didn't enjoy that, but I respect the writer's artistic decision." Not so for gamers who felt short-changed by the intentionally devastating conclusion to Mass Effect 3. Fans of the game poured their outrage online, developer BioWare saying that the feedback it had received was "incredibly painful." A fan campaign that raised $80,000 in under a fortnight for Child's Play was enough to make the team behind the title concede defeat against the geo-political disruptor that is the internet with a cause. The company is now devoting all of its efforts to producing an "extended cut" DLC for the summer, but fans expecting a fourth ending where they can watch Commander Shepard on a sun-lounger, margarita in hand had better start complaining now -- the new content will only offer more depth and an extended epilogue to those tragic scenes you've already witnessed. SPOILERS END
Desert Bus classic gets an iOS port, for charity's sake; AaAaAA!!! coming too
Penn and Teller's Smoke and Mirrors is one of the weirdest cult titles in all of video gaming -- it's an old game for Sega CD that was more of a prank than anything else. While it did teach you to do a few tricks, the most famous minigame in the entire package is called Desert Bus, a weird little game that's designed to more or less accurately replicate a bus trip between Tucson and Las Vegas. In other words, you need to drive a bus along a highway at 45 mph for about eight hours, at which time you get a point, and can opt to drive back for another one. It's silly and kind of mean and very strange -- all the things you expect from Penn and Teller. Every year around this time, a group of folks actually plays this game, streaming it live on the Internet for charity, and this year they're going one step further: the title's actually been released as a port for iOS, and all profits from the game itself will go straight back to Child's Play, a group that helps put video games in hospitals for sick and recovering children to play. I don't actually recommend buying the title for anything but charity: the bus lists to one side as you play, so you literally have to "drive" for eight hours if you want to beat the game. But it's only a buck for a universal version, and since all of the proceeds go to a good cause, I recommend it anyway. In other, more traditional port news, the really excellent but strangely titled AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAA!!! - A Reckless Disregard for Gravity is also getting an iOS port -- and yes, that is its name. The game has you falling through space, trying to hit various objects and miss others, and it was a whole lot of fun when it came out on the PC a couple of years ago. There will be new features and content, but the developer hasn't announced a release date yet, so stay tuned. AaAaAA!!!, as it's called in shorthand, has a weird title but is a lot of fun, so we'll keep an eye out for it on iOS.
Humble Indie Bundle 3 announced, includes Cogs, VVVVVV, And Yet It Moves
The Humble Indie Bundle is back at it again, offering five new indie gaming titles for one low choose-your-own price. This time around, they've got Crayon Physics Deluxe, 3D puzzler Cogs, the excellent retro platformer VVVVVV, Hammerfight, and the award-winning puzzler/platformer And Yet It Moves. They're all solid games designed by talented indie artists, together in this one bundle. As before, the price is pay-what-you-will -- while there's a suggested value of $50, you can donate whatever you like, and you can split your donation any way you want, giving the money direction to the developers, or donating it to either the EFF or Child's Play nonprofits. You even get Steam codes from the purchase, so it'll be as if you picked up the games from Steam, even if you give the money to a charity. You just plain won't find a better gaming deal on the Internet than this one -- the Humble Indie Bundle is always a very generous proposition, and the fact that all the games are Mac (and Windows and Linux) compatible is an added bonus for us Mac users.
Enter to win a ticket to BlizzCon 2011 by donating to Child's Play
If you missed your chance to purchase a ticket to BlizzCon 2011 last month, there's still a way to get yourself in the door if you're feeling charitable. Looking For Group: BlizzCon, a networking site for organizing groups and meetups at BlizzCon 2011, is giving away one ticket to a random member of its website who makes a charitable donation to Child's Play. Child's Play, if you don't recall, is a charity created by the authors of Penny Arcade to give toys and games to kids in children's hospitals. To enter, all you have to do is join LFG: BlizzCon (it's free) and make a donation to Child's Play by June 30, 2011, at 11:59 p.m. CST. The donation can be for any amount, small or large. To read the complete rules on how to donate for the contest, check out the official contest page.
Portal gun to be auctioned off for Child's Play charity
The Portal gun. If you've been alive over the past year and change, you know exactly what we're talking about. We can safely say our lives were changed after spending a few good minutes with Harrison Krix's handmade replica in 2009, and soon you'll have the golden opportunity to know exactly what we mean. Krix has constructed a new Portal gun, one that's arguably more bodacious than ever, and there's only one way to get it: outbid the Bro Montana next to you on December 7th. A Child's Play Charity event auction will be held on that fateful day in Seattle, and it'll be the one and only opportunity to have the pink slip transferred to you. Of course, monies received from the auction will benefit Child's Play (a gaming industry charity dedicated to improving the lives of children with toys and games in a network of over 60 hospitals worldwide), and the bragging rights afforded to the winner will be fairly epic in scope. Head on past the break for a video of what's up for grabs.
Child's Play surpasses $1 million goal
In what is altruism at its most sublime, Child's Play organizers announced that the charity has raised nearly 36,000 rupees in 2008, which at the current exchange rate equals more than a million dollars – all to help sick children in need of both fun and games. While not discounting the impact of tedious school bus excursions, the milestone owes much thanks to the recent Child's Play Charity Dinner Auction in Seattle, which took in an impressive $200,000 over the course of the evening. It warms our hearts when gamers can put down their guns and spread a little cheer for a good cause. Bravo.
Ensemble auctions off signed 'Age of ...' series for Child's Play -- free global shipping
We got a little note today from Ensemble Studios, best known for the Age of Empires series and currently creating Halo Wars, stating that the company created an auction on eBay with all proceeds going to Child's Play. The auction involves everything you see above (essentially the whole Age of series), signed by the Ensemble development team. Estimated value is $300 and as of this writing the bidding was at $280. You guys can push that up -- it's for charity!We spoke with Ensemble Studio's Producer Brian Lemon to find out why the company decided to do this. He explained that the studio already donated something similar to the Child's Play auction which occurred in Seattle, but wanted to give its fans around the world a more public opportunity to win the package. To show its commitment, Ensemble made worldwide shipping of the bundle free. A nice idea for a good cause.
Rad keyblade auction also benefits Child's Play
We love helping sick kids as much as the next staff of surly bloggers, but even our moral compass is being tested by this eBay listing for an incredible Keyblade replica. We'd like to say the best part is that 35% [Update: In their FAQ, the seller says 100%] of the funds raised are going to Child's Play. But alas, we're pretty sure that the best part is the above video from the listing that features one of our favorite things: Cosplayers who've just lost the game of Chicken they've been playing with e-infamy and insanity and have ended up splattered all over the internet. Happy holidays, kids.Of all the images the video, we're especially terrified of Pikachu holding a sword. Because, you see, even if you're properly grounded and insulated against electricity -- he's still got a sword.[Thanks everyone who sent this in.]
Selfless crazies play Desert Bus for charity
The guys behind LoadingReadyRun have a very unique way of contributing to this year's Child's Play charity: they're playing one of the worst games of all time.Desert Bus is one of several mini-games included in the never-officially-released Sega CD game Penn and Teller's Smoke and Mirrors. The Desert Bus mini-game challenges players to drive Penn and Teller's tour bus from Tuscon, Arizona to Las Vegas, Nevada... in real time... and at a maximum speed of 45 mph.It's a task that takes 8 hours to complete, and earns players one point in the game. The task can be completed back and forth as many times as the players can stomach, each time earning one point. The LoadingReadyRun team has pledged that the more money they receive, the longer they will sit and endure this painful, painful game. Over $1,000 USD have already been donated, which guarantees the masochists at least 64 hours of play-time. To see just how crazy they are, check out the gameplay footage after the break.[Thanks, Graham]
Fifth annual Child's Play charity drive begins
Child's Play organizers have announced that the annual charity drive is now underway. The drive was first launched some five years ago by Penny Arcade masterminds Gabe and Tycho as a fundraiser for the Seattle Children's Hospital, and has since grown to become a global hub of good will for those in need, while simultaneously demonstrating that gamers by and large are not the anti-social jerkwads the media would make them out to be. Those interested in contributing to the drive, which now includes hospitals in more than 25 states and five countries, can easily donate items though purchases made via Amazon, and officials note that the tax deductible gifts will be sent directly to those hospitals in need. In addition, the annual Child's Play Fundraider Dinner is scheduled to take place on December 11 at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Seattle, and will as always include both a silent and live auction, with all proceeds going towards the charity.
God of War-themed PSP rules Mt. Olympus
We really wish this wasn't an eBay auction item, but it's still incredibly cool nonetheless -- and 15% of the final sale goes to Child's Play, so we don't feel that guilty featuring it. Anyway, this is an actual modded PSP which, beyond the accoutrements, was painted in an "18-step process" and then tarnished to match Kratos' armor. Currently the system is up to $590 so it's inching to the combined cost of four PSPs; but it's the labor, detail and charity aspect that make it a nice deal.Beyond the paint job, the unit also features red LEDs in the shoulder buttons which stay lit through playing and charging time. The modder says he used Sony's premium rechargeable power pack so the accent lighting didn't hurt the battery life. Beyond that there's a bunch of hand sculpted elements so that it fits "comfortably in the hands." It also comes with a second faceplate which mimics Kratos' tattoos. Certainly a nice piece of art and an obvious, albeit nerdy, conversation piece. [Via PSP Fanboy]%Gallery-5171%
Wil Shipley appears in Penny Arcade
Wil Shipley, he of the Delicious Generation's namesake, appears in yesterday's Penny Arcade comic, as a guy hopefully waiting in the iPhone line. (Little does he know that they'll have plenty there even after he makes his way to the front.)The appearance came out of last year's Child's Play auction, in which Shipley donated a nice amount of money to charity for the privilege of appearing in a PA strip. On his blog, he says that he originally planned to have his iPhone held for him (along with PA Gabe's), but that turned out to be a no go with Apple, so they did actually stand in line together. And PA isn't the only place he's been seen standing in line-- Wil also got featured in the Seattle Times as an iPhone linewaiter. And finally, for those of you who appreciate a little blue (as in NSFW) humor, the guys from PA even did a special version of the strip just for Wil-- maybe all of this iPhone line fame is starting to go to the guy's head.
