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OUYA shipping to Kickstarter backers on March 28th
OUYA announced this afternoon that its Android-powered game console is shipping to Kickstarter backers starting on March 28th. The company took to its Kickstarter page to announce the news, which says, "Parts are in the factory and assembly lines are buzzing." When the console starts arriving to folks who supported the Kickstarter campaign -- wherein the company raised just over $8.5 million dollars -- there'll be a lengthy list of launch games (around 500 last we heard) and more on the way. Alongside news of the console's launch date for backers comes word that Portal creator Kim Swift is developing a "brand new, exclusive title" for the console, and Papo & Yo dev studio Minority Media is also stepping up with a new game. Both Tripwire Interactive and nWay are also bringing games to the OUYA, with the former working on two games and the latter working on one (action-RPG ChronoBlade). If that weren't enough, Journey developer Kellee Santiago was announced as the newest high profile OUYA employee, wherein she'll "lead developer relations." Santiago has a short history of high impact in the game industry, having helped create thatgamecompany (developers of Flow, Flower, and Journey) as well as leading an excellent TED Talk. She also appeared in this Engadget Show. Beyond working to entice devs to OUYA, Santiago said on Twitter that she'll still be making games. "I will still be making stuff, too, keepin' it real, don't worry," she wrote. And that's to say nothing of the console's future; company CEO Julie Uhrman told us at DICE 2013 that the OUYA will see annual hardware refreshes, akin to mobile phones. We've yet to get our hands on the device, but we've heard good things from developers who got their early units back in December. Should you wish to hear even more about the OUYA ahead of its late March launch, Uhrman is joining Engadget on-stage for our first ever Expand event in a few weeks -- snag your tickets right here!
Newell: Valve looking to make Portal or Half-Life movie with J.J. Abrams
During today's DICE keynote conversation between movie director J.J. Abrams and Valve co-founder Gabe Newell, the latter noted a collaboration he's looking forward to making a reality if possible."We're going to try and figure out if we can make a Half-Life movie or a Portal movie together," said Gabe Newell.The two sparred on storytelling methods in movies and film, and used scenes from each other's work to illustrate how player agency can augment storytelling, and how films can use "forced" foreshadowing to set up later events. According to the creative pair, they wanted to pursue this dialogue more seriously, and now hope to collaborate on a film based in some way on Half-Life or Portal.There are no details available beyond this brief announcement, likely because the process is still in its early stages.
GM launches API framework to let developers put wheels on apps
So far we've gotten a look at some Siri / OnStar canoodling here at CES 2013, and iHeartRadio flaunted its new GM liaison yesterday. But the automaker wants to let all comers in on the MyLink action, so it's just announced a new developer portal, SDK and forum for would-be in-vehicle app creators. The site will allow apps to be coded and gain approval "in a secure and controlled manner" with a helping hand from GM, so that users can purchase and download apps directly to the vehicle's infotainment system. New programs could join the aforementioned CES debuts, along with the likes of TuneIn, Slacker and The Weather Channel, where the General sees a need for vehicle-appropriate categories like fuel efficiency and driver safety. Or you could just, you know, keep your eyes on the road. Check the PR after the break for more.
Replica Portal gun signed by Valve and auctioned on Ebay for charity
The only thing better than donating to a worthy charity is donating to a worthy charity and getting a full-size replica Portal gun signed by the entire Valve team out of it. Warm fuzzies and a new toy.Valve signed a replica Portal gun for the Games Art and Music charity event in Florida, and now that the show is over, GAAM is auctioning it off on Ebay, with all of the funds benefiting Child's Play Charity. It's like helping two charities in one go.The Ebay auction started off strong, but because of some technical issues, it was reset and now needs to make up some ground to reach its previous peak. The auction ends tomorrow, December 28, at 10:37 a.m. PST. If you have a pure heart and an empty space on your mantel, this bidding war might be for you.
NYC Museum of Modern Art opens game collection with 14 classics, exhibiting in March 2013
Given the subject matter, this is usually where the author waxes philosophical about whether -- having been accepted by a major international museum -- games are indeed "art." We're gonna skip that needless exercise today and simply tell you that the New York City Museum of Modern Art is officiating its intake of 14 video game classics as the start of an ongoing gaming collection, set to go on display in March 2013 in the MoMA's Philip Johnson Architecture and Design Galleries -- the same galleries that house an original iPod and more. The games range from Buckner & Garcia inspiration Pac-Man to modern classic Portal, and even includes some lesser known gems (vib-ribbon, anyone?). The MoMA blog calls this initial selection just the "seedbed" for a chunkier collection of around 40 titles, all of which will be part of a "new category of artworks" at the iconic museum. Head below for the full first 14.
EVE Online coming to NYC's Museum of Modern Art
New York City's Museum of Modern Art is prepping a new video game exhibit for next year and has selected EVE Online to be one of the first 14 titles included. The sci-fi MMO will join the company of titles like Tetris, Portal, and The Sims starting in March 2013. While attendees will be able to play some of the titles in the gallery, Senior Curator Paola Antonelli said that the staff had to get creative with titles like EVE Online: "To convey their experience, we will work with players and designers to create guided tours of these alternate worlds so the visitor can begin to appreciate the extent and possibilities of the complex gameplay." Antonelli said that all of the selections were chosen "as outstanding examples of interaction design." The museum hopes to expand the exhibit to 40 titles in the near future.
Inflatable Portal 2 Personality Cores now available at ThinkGeek
ThinkGeek, purveyor of fine caffeinated gummy bears and assorted nerdicological sundries, has added inflatable Personality Cores to its already bustling assortment of officially licensed Portal 2 memorabilia.At $25 each, the spheres themselves measure about 12 inches in diameter and are made from "Non 7 phthalate PVC vinyl, CPSIA Standard," whatever that means. Test subjects can choose between "Wheatley" and "Spaaaaaaaaaace" color palettes, though neither sphere appears to be truly sentient and/or inherently evil either way. All we need now is an inflatable GlaDOS, and then maybe we won't have to be so alone at night.
TomTom unveils location based services, portal to help put developers on the map
Thanks to a certain fruit company and its cartographic woes, many folks are aware that TomTom provides mapping services to third-parties. Now the navigation company is offering cloud-based services like map display, routing, traffic and geocoding to all, alongside a developer portal with the tools to program them. That'll pit it against rivals like Nokia and Google in providing location data for fleet management, traffic planning or geolocation analysis apps, for instance. Naturally, there's a fee to be paid for all those goodies, but to get you hooked, the company's offering a 90 day free evaluation of its SDK and API. Need directions to the PR? Take the first left, then head after the break.
New Starz Play website and apps stream only to Cox customers, but you might not need them
Earlier this year Starz pulled its online content library back from Netflix and now it's relaunching the old Starz Play branded websites and apps (iOS and WiFi only for now, 3G and Android coming soon) for authenticated streaming, similar to HBO Go and Showtime Anytime. There's also an Encore Play site, and it plans to launch one for its Movieplex channel in the future. Currently, the services only support logins from Cox cable subscribers, but if you're not on that pay-TV provider you may not be missing out after all. Starz has already licensed its content to providers like Comcast for streaming through its Xfinity website and apps, deals which it tells The Hollywood Reporter cover about 70 percent of its customers. Like HBO and Showtime, this probably is not a prelude to offering its service beyond the tethers of cable and satellite, but as exec Ed Huguez puts it, "it is an expression of (Starz') brand and user interface." That likely only applies domestically however, as Starz also announced it's licensing its content to the cable-free HBO Nordic service, and one can see how building up its technology means it could serve up its own streams internationally some day. Even if you get Starz, if your provider is large enough to handle its own business when it comes to online services this probably won't affect you. However, for customers on smaller cable companies or in the future when deals get renegotiated, you may have another app to add to your drawer for TV Everywhere-style viewing.
Portal 2: Songs to Test By (Collectors Edition) out on Oct. 30
A four-disc set collecting your favorite ditties from Portal and Portal 2 is set to test how high your speakers go on October 30. In addition to all of the Portal 2 numbers, this physical collectors edition set (the collection is available digitally for free) will make available 13 songs from the original Portal for the first time ever. There's also a mini-comic bundled in called "Turret Lullaby" but you can read that online right now if you want.The full list of tunes is available after the break, including such favorites as Jonathan Coulton's "Still Alive" and "Want You Gone," plus the remaining songs composed at Valve.
Marissa Mayer planning to reveal her plans for Yahoo's turnaround tomorrow
The first "all hands" meeting of a CEO is always a time for high drama, so we're expecting big things tomorrow. New boss Marissa Mayer is telling employees about her plans to turn around the faded internet giant on Tuesday, with the same slides she used in closed-door board meetings in an act of "radical transparency." Yahoo's fortunes have been on the slide for a while, after Scott Thompson's scandal-ridden departure, patent clashes, security breaches and the sale of its Alibaba stake in order to spend $3.65 billion on quelling a shareholder revolution. A report from AllThingsD says that Mayer's likely to introduce progress and goal tracking as a measure of performance. The new system will run from the company as a whole right down to individual employees, something that she picked up from her tenure at Mountain View. The same report has revealed that Mayer's pushing to improve the consumer experience in its Homepage, Mail and Flickr offerings (amongst others) at the expense of advertising -- a move that'll win her plenty of fans used to the minimalist Google homepage.
Valve taunts us with prospect of official Portal 2 sentry turret replica (video)
A Holy Grail of gamer memorabilia is the Portal turret replica -- as much a tech toy as proof that you can sing "Want You Gone" from memory. It's already been coveted when made in small batches by fans, so you can imagine the hysteria when Valve Software itself posts a teaser video (found after the break) at its store's Facebook page showing what looks to be a near life-size, computer-linked version of Aperture Science's typical sentry from Portal 2, minus the laser targeting and live machine guns. After that, however, we're left to guess whether or not it's just a decoration for Valve's offices or a commercial product to buy alongside a Companion Cube plushie. We've asked Valve about providing more details in the near future and will let you know if the developer is any more talkative than its robot guards.
Challenge modes provide new teleportation options
The fine folks at Wowhead have discovered a tasty tidbit in the latest beta patch for those upset about the upcoming loss of the Have Group, Will Travel guild perk. It appears that completing a dungeon challenge mode on Gold will unlock an ability called Challenger's Path, enabling you to instantly teleport to that dungeon's entrance whenever you choose. Personally, I love this. I still use my Dimensional Ripper and Wormhole Generator to go hopping around the lands of the old expansions whenever I'm messing around with things, and being able to flit around Pandaria will be amazing as well. (Yes, there's a new Wormhole Generator for Pandaria, but it apparently only takes you to a random spot in the continent, which isn't as helpful.) For more details, port over to Wowhead News. It's open warfare between Alliance and Horde in Mists of Pandaria, World of Warcraft's next expansion. Jump into five new levels with new talents and class mechanics, try the new monk class, and create a pandaren character to ally with either Horde or Alliance. Look for expansion basics in our Mists FAQ, or dig into our spring press event coverage for more details!
Comcast, Scripps deal brings more internet streaming video on Xfinity TV
While some pay-TV providers are tied up in nasty battles with the studios that provide them content, Comcast and Scripps have just inked an agreement to bring the company's lifestyle programming to cable subscribers over the internet. As noted in the press release (embedded after the break) the multi-year deal brings HGTV, DIY Network, Food Network, Cooking Channel, Travel Channel and Great American Country to Comcast's TV Everywhere portal, via mobile (and "other" devices) and on Scripps websites. Probably not a minor element in the deal is the inclusion of support for Comcast's on the fly ad-insertion for VOD, which should push the efforts of both partners along, although potentially unskippable ads could be less viewer friendly.
Portal 2 Lego set reaches support goal, is off to review by 'Lego jury'
Congratulations, everyone: If you read our post about the prototype Portal 2 Lego set and threw your vote on Cuusoo to have it become reality, you've succeeded. Go get yourself an ice cream sundae, champ. You deserve it.The Portal-themed Lego set has received 10,000 votes of support on Lego's crowd-sourced idea incubator, Cuusoo, and is now off to be examined by the proper authorities. A "Lego jury" will review the idea, building concept models and testing them for playability, safety and fit with the Lego brand. Lego's Cuusoo quarterly review begins in September and will include the Portal set and any others that reach 10,000 votes. Reviews can, we should warn you, take several months.
Now NASA's thinking with portals (video)
Looks like playing games and watching sci-fi flicks didn't do the University of Iowa's Jack Scudder any harm. The NASA-funded researcher has been studying elusive magnetic portals connecting the Earth and Sun, and now he's figured out how to find them. The portals, also known as X-points in Scudder-speak, are born from the mingling of Earth's magnetic field with incoming solar winds. These astral connections create flux transfer events (we've got Doc Brown's attention) -- high-energy particle flows responsible for, among other things, the eerie twinkling of the polar auroras. Off the back of Scudder's data wizardry, NASA's planning the 2014 Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission (MMS), sending four craft into the void to observe the portals. Each spacebot is capable of locating them, and when one is found, inviting the others 'round for a study date. Taking a leaf from Scudder's book, Engadget researchers have tracked down a NASA video detailing the mission, located beyond the fold for your convenience.
This Portal Lego set is in testing phase, your vote can help it pass
You've played Portal and Portal 2, you've used the editor to build your own test chambers and you bought the replica portal gun. Your life is almost complete -- almost.All you need now is this Portal Lego set that's starting to gain traction on Cuusoo, Lego's crowd-sourcing platform that got the Minecraft set made. The Portal pitch includes GLaDOS' Chamber (complete with 12-inch-tall GLaDOS) and a Modular Testing Chamber complete with turrets, cubes, a portal gun and more accessories. Check out the specs and add your vote to the Portal Lego set right here, or check out this other, equally compelling idea.
Licensed Portal 2 turret replica to arrive later this year, leave ammo at home
If an enthusiast-built Portal 2 turret piques your interest, Gaming Heads' Valve-licensed miniature replica may very well force your wallet open. Modeled using Portal 2's in-game assets and cast in "high quality poly-stone," these mini-turrets aim to intimidate intruders with a motion activated light-up eye. In addition to the stoic and silent basic model, the company's offering an exclusive edition, which plays sounds and voice samples from the game. Only 1,100 of these hand-painted facsimiles will be produced (350 with sound, 750 without), but the company notes that other figures based on the adorable death machines are in the works. Pre-orders have already begun, so collectors will want to act fast -- provided they're ready to pony up $300-325, of course.
Valve announces Steam for Schools, helps teachers create educational Portal 2 levels
Who ever said being a scientific guinea pig couldn't be educational? With Steam for Schools, teachers can now use Portal 2's level editor to create lessons focused on boosting critical thinking, spatial reasoning and problem solving skills. Announced at the Games for Change festival in New York City, the educator edition of Steam comes with a free copy of Portal 2 and the Portal 2 Puzzle Maker. Students and teachers alike can use the tools to create puzzles, but distribution is handled by teachers alone. (That's right, kids -- no level sharing unless the teach says so.) An accompanying website serves as a gathering place for teachers to collaborate, and aims to provide sample lesson plans centered on science, technology, engineering and math. If you're an educator who can't wait to bring a Portal-assisted physics lesson to life, see the links below to sign up for the ongoing beta. Now if you'll excuse us, we're off to "study."
Wargaming.net to unify all its titles in a 'single MMO battle realm'
Wargaming.net has not one, not two, but three action MMOs in its portfolio. You've probably played World of Tanks, and World of Warplanes just recently transitioned from alpha to closed beta. The company is also working on World of Battleships as well as a portal to connect all three World War II titles and allow gamers to access them instantly. The service is called, er, Wargaming.net Service. Once it is deployed, players will receive unified Wargaming.net IDs "that will provide instant access to all games and services, as well as any partner or fan websites." The company's latest press release also mentions something called a "single MMO battle realm," where tank, warplane, and battleship clans will assist one another in their quest for world domination. [Source: Wargaming.net press release]