Hasbro
Latest
Hasbro's experimental Nexus-powered robot toy hands-on at Google I/O (video)
Are you ready to welcome our experimental toy robot overlords? They're adorable, and they're taking no prisoners here at Google I/O. Hasbro and Google are collaborating to bring these little critters to life by docking a Nexus S brain to an exoskeleton-like body containing a battery, a Bluetooth radio and a bunch servomotors (the kind you find in RC models). The battery powers the dock and provides additional juice to the phone which in turn controls the servos via Bluetooth. Where things get interesting is that these toy robots don't just act based on a set of rules programmed into the Nexus S, but actually react to their environment (using the handset's sensors, front-facing camera, and touchscreen) and communicate with Google's cloud services over WiFi (for facial and object recognition) in order to enhance their behavior. Shake them and they get dizzy, rub their display and they get happy / angry, show them a Decepticon card and they cower away. They will also take a picture of you, decide if you are friend or foe, and respond accordingly. Predictably, Hasbro is sticking with gender stereotypes by providing basic male and female "personalities," complete with accessorized docks. Check out these experimental creatures in our gallery and hit the break for our hands-on video. Just don't go in expecting a price and release -- it's prototype cuteness only for now. %Gallery-123276%
'Family Game Night 4: The Game Show' got bored with board games
The crazy thing is: Yahtzee played with a giant rubber bawl and bowling pins, instead of the traditional cup and dice, is actually a better idea for a video game -- especially one compatible with Kinect and PlayStation Move. The crazier thing is: The Family Game Night 4 video game includes fewer than half of the minigames featured in the Family Game Night television game show on which it's based. You can't even begin to imagine how "Operation Relay" is going to work in your living room -- you just have to wait for the EA Hasbro division's next sequel. Family Game Night 4: The Game Show will be released this fall for Wii, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, and features support for motion control on all three platforms. It includes five minigames adapted from The Hub channel's Family Game Night game show, including "Bop-It Boptagon," "Connect 4 Basketball," "Scrabble Flash," "Sorry! Sliders" and "Yahtzee Bowling." [Image credit: Hub Television Networks]
The Hasbro My3D is out, but the AP says stick with 2D for now
The Associated Press has gotten a hands-on look at the Hasbro My3D, the 3D-goggle accessory for the iPhone that the toy company originally announced in November. The final price of the device is US$35, but as AP points out, it's more of a curiosity rather than a device someone will use for the long run -- much like its predecessors, the stereoscope and the View-Master. After purchasing the My3D, you can download free (for now) apps that can be used with the device. Some of them, such as Sharks, require an iPhone 4, since the My3D takes advantage of the gyroscope. The AP does confirm that the 3D images are side-by-side stereoscopic images, which the reporter says looked a bit pixelated on her iPhone 3GS. For now, the review suggests to save the $35 and spend it elsewhere. But, if you're really clamoring for a Hasbro My3D, they are a Target exclusive until June.
Hasbro's My3D to turn iPhones into glorified ViewMasters starting Sunday
It's about time the ViewMaster got an upgrade. What's that? It's not a ViewMaster? Well, you could have fooled us, but either way, the thing's finally going on sale exclusively at Target April 3rd, and everywhere else starting in June. As you might have already heard, Hasbro's intro into the crowded 3D arena, simply titled My3D, does take a card from the old ViewMaster deck, but instead of enlisting cardboard discs, this thing uses your iPhone or iPod touch to bring you 3D entertainment. If your kid's not already hooked on 3D, the $35 viewer could be a decent starter -- then again, for $35 you could take yourself out to a nice lunch, give the rug rat a cardboard box, and call it a day. Full PR after the break.
The MMO Report: Guilds, crafting, and craft beer edition
It's St. Patrick's day, and what better time to discuss craft beers on The MMO Report than today? Mind you, for those of you who don't imbibe frosty adult beverages, there's also a huge serving of corned MMO news, and the lilting smell of cabbage you're picking up... is probably coming from the mailbag. Shall we move on to the tasty news of the week? Let's! First up, Casey jumps straight on to the Guild Wars 2 news that many have been buzzing about this week: professions! Next up, it's Star Wars: The Old Republic's trailer made of completely delicious in-game footage, as well as the ongoing rush to get guilds set up before launch. Casey zooms straight into Jagex's partnership with Hasbro to create the upcoming Transformers MMO for the West, and he notes that Free Realms on PS3 will probably be just as popular as it is on PC. Casey also takes a moment to note the Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XIV server downtime and asks anyone who can to please donate to help those in Japan. Moving on from there, it's a look into the ever-enlightening mailbag, where this week Casey is both praised and derided for his choice in beers and we are treated to another dose of photoshop magic. Finally, it is revealed that G4TV landed an exclusive fly-over of Perfect World International's new area, Dragon Mountain. As always, you can catch this week's episode behind the break, or every Thursday on G4TV.
Transformers MMO to become a reality
The time has come for Autobots and Decepticons to roll out into the MMO world! As of this morning, we've heard news that Hasbro has entered into a contract agreement with Jagex (most commonly known for its popular free-to-play title, RuneScape) to develop a brand-new game based on the incredibly popular Transformers IP. While details on just what players can expect from the Transformers MMO are still scarce at this point, the release states that the developers are aiming to launch the game sometime in 2012. Will this also be a free-to-play title, considering Jagex's experience? Will this be geared more toward children than adults? Will we be able to build our own super-awesome Transformers or just play as iconic characters? At this point it's all up in the air, but rest assured we'll keep our ears open for more news.
Transformers MMO taking form at RuneScape dev
UK-based Jagex is hopeful that it has the touch to make a successful Transformers MMO outside of Japan. The developer of browser-based fantasy MMO RuneScape has worked out a deal with Hasbro which will see its game released in North America, Europe, Latin America, Australia and New Zealand sometime in 2012. There's little to go on beyond Jagex CEO Mark Gerard's promise that the title will be "dynamic and action-packed" -- and no word if it'll be based on the classic G1 Transformers or any of its subsequent iterations (or even the Bayformers). Asia is getting its own, separate Transformers MMO from China's NetDragon. It's slated to roll out there this year.
Boggle is free for iOS devices today on App Store
There's nothing mind-boggling about it: Boggle for iOS devices is free today, as part of EA Mobile's weeklong dollar deals promotion -- except this one's F-R-E-E. It's a no-brainer, really.
Hasbro hops on the 3D bandwagon with Transformers Cine-Mask 3D glasses
Have any kids that want to see Transformers: Dark of the Moon this summer? Then you'll likely want plan on adding $10 to the cost of each ticket, as Hasbro has come up with the ingenious idea to produce these Transformers Cine-Mask 3D glasses and sell 'em in stores before the movie's release. Available in Optimus Prime and Bumblebee versions, the masks each envelop a standard set of RealD 3D glasses, which makes them suitable the majority of theaters out there and, of course, other 3D movies as well. And, no, there's no adult sizes available -- you'll have to stick with your Oakley, Gucci, or Calvin Klein glasses.
Monopoly Live adds a nagging, money counting computer to the Hasbro classic
Once again, technology might have just sucked the fun out of a beloved (or at least tolerated) past-time. Hasbro's refresh of Monopoly -- Monopoly Live -- includes a ten-inch tower that sits in the center of the board, keeping an eye on it via IR technology. This bad boy rolls the dice, counts the money, and makes sure you don't nudge your thimble someplace it shouldn't be. Of course, the game's basics remain intact: domination of your friends and loved ones with skill and greed -- although we fail to see how kids are to properly learn about capitalism when they no longer have the ability to cheat. Coming soon for $50.
Transformers: War for Cybertron 2 confirmed for 2012
Transformers: War for Cybertron was surprisingly ... well, good. In fact, it was so good that there are plans for a follow-up. "This is the most highly-rated, critical success of any game that's had the Hasbro brand yet," Mark Blecher, SVP and General Manager of Digital Media & Gaming, said during an investors call earlier this week, according to IGN. "We're looking forward to a sequel in 2012." The 2012 date makes it likely to be a different game than the previously-teased release for 2011. Considering Activision's penchant for annualized franchises, we're not particularly surprised. [Thanks, Shockwave!]
Roll out! Transformers Online going worldwide
Ever since hearing the news that NetDragon was working on an MMO adaptation of the robotastic Transformers franchise, fans have wondered what it would entail and where it would be launched. While we don't have any more info on the former, Hasbro recently announced that the game would be hitting multiple countries across the world, including China and Korea. During the Hasbro Investor Day, the company announced the future for the franchise, which includes the upcoming movie, a new theme park ride, and, yes, the MMO. TFW2005 reports that Hasbro confirmed a worldwide rollout for the title: "The upcoming Transformers Massively Multiplaying Online Game WILL get ported to other countries as well. YAY!!!" NetDragon is based in China and handles a number of MMO properties, including Heroes of Might and Magic Online, Dungeon Keeper Online and a new version of Ultima Online. [Thanks Max!]
Hasbro making 3D goggles for iPhone
The whole 3D movement may now have officially jumped the shark with the introduction of the My3D from Hasbro. The idea of sitting in front of the living room TV and wearing a pair of goofy glasses in order to see an artificial reproduction of the real world is bad enough, but we really can't see many people going for My3D. Think of the US$30 My3D as a 21st century answer to the old View-Masters that many of us had as kids. Instead of slipping a disc with seven pairs of color transparencies into a slot, the My3D has a slot that can hold an iPhone or iPod touch. Viewing content in 3D will require custom content available through apps that you buy on the App Store. It's not clear if the 3D content will take the form of View-Master-style side-by-side stereoscopic images or more modern digital 3D with polarized lenses in the device. Given the relatively low cost, it's probably the former. The Hasbro My3D is currently set to go on sale next spring with content available from DreamWorks, Discovery, Sony, and IMAX among others.
Hasbro's $30 My3D goggle accessory brings 3D to iPhone, iPod touch
Truth be told, it's exactly what the world needed. More 3D gimmickry... on the iPhone and iPod touch, no less. With over 125 million of those two devices in circulation, Hasbro's betting that a new accessory will have a greater-than-average chance at taking off next Spring, with the My3D goggles set to put the View back in ViewMaster. Purportedly, the toy firm is expected to fully reveal the device to investors later today, with it being "aimed at both children and adults" and offering a 3D viewing experience on games, virtual travel, augmented reality apps and entertainment content. The device itself resembles a set of binoculars, and just as the aforementioned ViewMaster, there's a slot where you place your iPod touch or iPhone. Users will have to browse the App Store for compatible My3D content, with some of it to be offered up gratis. We're guessing more than a few curious consumers will bite at just $30, but how hard would it have been to get this thing onto store shelves next month? A holiday opportunity missed, Hasbro. [Thanks, Bill]
Daily Show solves video game violence issue, saves Family Game Night
Okay, so maybe you were waiting to learn about this critically important Supreme Court video game case until you could hear The Daily Show's take on it. And yes, for that, you should be deeply ashamed. But here it is -- just after the break! In the clip, correspondent John Hodgman solves the violent video game problem through flattery, clever marketing and generous application of Ira Glass.
Monopoly Streets dev diary brings the city to life
EA recently dropped a developer diary for its customizable, modern take on Hasbro's landlord-centric board game, Monopoly Streets. If you, like us, were curious how one goes about putting a fresh spin on a game first printed during the F.D.R. administration, you may want to check it out below.
Hasbro working on The Old Republic action figures for 2012
If you're anything like the other billion Star Wars fans in the world, then you most likely harbor a deep-rooted affection for the action figures (NOT dolls!) that became synonymous with the film experience. Ever since Kenner started the toy line in 1977 (and Hasbro after that), kids and grownups alike have decorated their bedrooms, offices and private sanctuaries with hard plastic likenesses of Luke, Leia and Chewie. Star Wars action figures have not been confined to just the movies; sets such as Evolutions, Clone Wars, and Shadows of the Empire have all received their own lines. To have action figures made meant that you had "arrived" in Star Wars fame, which is why The Old Republic fans should rejoice to know that their as-of-yet unreleased MMO will become immortalized in Hasbro's lineup. TTH reports that Hasbro's Derryl DePriest confirmed TOR action figures are in the works for the 2012 roster. DePriest said on ForceCast.net, "We're going to have to work in some of those great characters." Just which TOR characters will be made into dolls, er, ACTION FIGURES is anyone's guess at the moment, but there are already several possibilities in the characters we know from the cinematic trailers and the Holonet.
Yahtzee HD now on iPad, please don't scream 'yahtzee!' in public
When's the last time you saw another person? A real human being? You see, we're stuck here. Inside the internet. And short of Facebook profile pics and, well, some questionable adult sites (is foot crushing really a thing?) we haven't seen anyone in years. That's why it's so great to see EA bringing another Hasbro classic to yet another digital platform, with its release of Yahtzee HD for iPad. It's just like Yahtzee for real life, except made entirely of ones and zeroes. Miss the tactile feeling of rolling dice out of a plastic cup? Travis Boatman, Vice President of Worldwide Studios for EA Mobile, says that "rolling the dice across the iPad's expansive screen is addicting." Cursed with an army of digi-friends and no meat-based friends, like we are? Use Facebook Connect "to issue friendly challenges and post high scores." All yours for the asking price of $5. %Gallery-101866%
Transformers MMO primed for 2011 release in Asia
The Transformers license, much like the car-shaped robots contained within, is adapting into a new form: an MMO game. NetDragon, a Chinese online game developer also responsible for the "new" Ultima Online, has worked out a deal with Hasbro to develop an MMO based on the Robots in Disguise, due next year. Unfortunately, pretty much the only detail announced about this game is that it's "expected to officially roll-out in 2011 in China as well as other select markets in Asia, MENA and Russia/CIS." If you're an American and were already dreaming about building a custom carbot avatar and giving your friends metal high fives, sorry! Why make a Transformers game for Asian markets? "As a brand and a cultural icon," NetDragon Chairman and Executive Director Liu Dejian said, "Transformers is already a household name in China, and we are extremely honored to be able to join hands with Hasbro to bring the excitement and fanaticism of Transformers into the online gaming sector." A household name in China! Who knew ... besides, apparently, every household in China. [Image: Nakatomi Inc.]
Net Dragon announces development of Transformers MMO
It's certainly not a new idea -- the concept of a Transformers MMO is one that's attractive to a lot of fans. It looks like those fans will be getting their wish -- Chinese game developer Net Dragon has entered a licensing agreement with Hasbro to produce that very thing. The news is very recent, of course, but we have a few important details. The game is scheduled to launch in 2011, and will be available in "China and Asia, including Russia, the CIS member states, the Middle East and North Africa region." There's no word on release in other areas, but we'll keep our eyes open for more news. For the time being, you can check out the press release on the Net Dragon site (English translation). [via Kotaku]
