News
19 CommentsValve unveils Steam Trading Cards for players to earn and trade for rewards
By Dave Tach on May 15, 2013 05.15.13
Valve unveiled a beta program for Steam Trading Cards today, which users can earn, trade and cash in for rewards, according to a press release from the company. Participating players will earn game-specific trading cards and turn them in for rewards like game badges, profile backgrounds, emoticons, coupons and more through the Steam Trading Cards program. "Up to half" a game's card set will be available from playing the game. The other half is "earned through your collecting prowess." Players who "craft" their cards into game badges, which appear on user profiles, can also "level up" their badges by collecting the set of cards again. Games supporting the Steam Trading Cards at its beta launch include Don't Starve, Dota 2, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Team Fortress 2, Portal 2...
News
2 CommentsPacific Rim coming as a downloadable multiplatform fighting game adaption
By Jenna Pitcher on May 06, 2013 05.06.13
WWE and UFC video game developer Yuke's and mobile game developer Jump Games will develop and publish a downloadable multiplatform fighting game and a mobile game, respectively, based on upcoming science fiction movie Pacific Rim. Alleged screenshots of the Yuke's-developed title, depicting battles between mechs and monsters in mid-Pacific Ocean environments, were recently posted online by Imgur user "sangreal." The screenshots also feature mech against mech, and monster versus monster fights, as well as a character customization screenshot with a leveling up option. In an agreement with Legendary Pictures, both studios will develop Pacific Rim games for a worldwide audience. Yuke's will develop a game for Windows PC and consoles, while the developer of mobile games such as Total...
Deals
8 CommentsTomb Raider and Quantum Conundrum bundled for $29.99 on PSN this weekend
By Dave Tach on Apr 26, 2013 04.26.13
A $29.99 downloadable bundle of Tomb Raider and Quantum Conundrum for PlayStation 3 is available this weekend through the PlayStation Network, according to a post on the PlayStation Blog by Megan Marie, community manager at Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics. The 50 percent off sale is available in the U.S. PlayStation Store, as well as those in Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Chile and Argentina. The Tomb Raider Digital Edition bundle includes the full game, the Shantytown multiplayer map pack, three outfits in the Tomb Raider Outfit Pack and three weapons from Hitman: Absolution, which is also published by Square Enix. The PlayStation Store listing also reveals that the purchase includes Quantum Conundrum, Airtight Games' first-person puzzle game from Kim Swift, Portal's lead designer. ...
Deals
2 CommentsPortal series gets deep discounts in this weekend's Steam sale
By Dave Tach on Apr 19, 2013 04.19.13
Valve's Portal series of teleporting first-person puzzle games is on sale this weekend, offering 75 percent discounts on multiple games and bundles through Sunday, April 21, according to a listing on Steam. The most recent entry in the series, Portal 2, is on sale for $4.99 (regularly $19.99). You can also buy two copies of Portal 2 for $8.74 (regularly $34.98) and send the extra copy to a friend to team up for the game's multiplayer component. For $6.24 (regularly $24.98), you can buy the Portal Bundle, which includes Portal and Portal 2. Even Portal 2 - The Final Hours, a digital book chronicling the game's development, is on sale for $0.49 (regularly $1.99). Each game is compatible with Windows and Mac and supports Steam Play, meaning buyers get copies for both platforms.
Culture
6 CommentsPortal fan makes a fully 3D printable GLaDOS ceiling lamp
By Emily Gera on Mar 27, 2013 03.27.13
With the help of a 3D printer, one Portal fan created a life-size GLaDOS robotic arm ceiling lamp. Instructions on how to create the lamp are available on the Instructibles website, where a user named Dragonator also describes his struggles in developing the project. Initially the lamp instructional was intended to offer a look at how to build a 3D printable GLaDOS arm lamp that could also move; however, as of now the designer is still experimenting with how to get the arm to move without the electronics overheating. He states he is also continuing to modify the lamp as he finds small issues in parts of the base of the structure. "To make this lamp you will need a printer that is comfortable printing with a lot of support material. The design isn't supportless and is quite hard to...
Sony selling DeNA shares to Nomura Securities
By Megan Farokhmanesh on Mar 04, 2013 03.04.13
Sony will sell all of the shares it currently owns in mobile portal and online game provider DeNA to Nomura Securities, Reuters reports. According to Sony's statement, the company expects to gain 40.9 billion yen ($437 million) in operating income in the fourth quarter of the fiscal year. The sale is the latest in a financial roller coaster for Sony, which began last year. In June 2012, the company considered selling its New York City headquarters to soften an annual loss of $5.7 million. In February, Sony disclosed a third quarter loss for $115 million, followed by the sale of its Osaki office building in Tokyo for $1.2 billion as an effort "to strengthen its corporate structure."
Deals
21 CommentsMicrosoft discounting over 60 Xbox 360 games in the Xbox Live Ultimate Game Sale
By Dave Tach on Feb 22, 2013 02.22.13
Microsoft will kick off its Xbox Live Ultimate Game Sale next Tuesday, Feb. 26, offering discounts of up to 80 percent on over 60 Xbox 360 Games on Demand, according to a post on Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb's blog. The sale will last through Monday, March 4. Major Nelson will reveal each day's deals, which are available to both Xbox Live Gold and Silver members, through his Twitter account. Games set to be discounted include: Assassin's Creed Assassin's Creed 2 Batman: Arkham Asylum Batman: Arkham City BioShock Borderlands Borderlands 2 Call of Juarez Call of Duty 2 Call of Duty 3 Call of Duty: Black Ops Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 C...
News
26 CommentsHalf-Life and Portal movies in early idea stages, J.J. Abrams says
By Michael McWhertor on Feb 06, 2013 02.06.13
"It's as real as anything in Hollywood ever gets," Abrams said of the just-announced plans to develop movies based on Portal and Half-Life. "Which is that we are really talking to Valve, we are going to be bringing on a writer, we have a lot of very interesting ideas." "And both a Portal and Half-Life movie are things I want to see," Abrams said. "We're also aware of the cautionary tales of movies that became games and vice versa. Our goal here to is to treat the world Valve has created in both these properties like anyone would a book or some great story that comes from a pitch or original script — just to treat it with the respect they treat their games and their players with." Valve co-founder and president Gabe Newell has expressed apprehension in the past about making movies...
News
8 CommentsSteam crafted to ensure unique, personalized entertainment experiences, says Newell
By Alexa Ray Corriea on Jan 11, 2013 01.11.13
Valve is committed to supporting a Steam ecosystem in which indie games and AAA titles are distributed side-by-side, with customers given a broad range of choices and driving decisions regarding the inclusion of content, Gabe Newell said in the most recent episode of The Nerdist Podcast. In response to a question sent from screenplay writer Wil Wheaton, Newell said that Valve suspected this distribution model would assemble itself the way it has and does not want to push it in any given direction. "I thought that it would broaden the choices that customers would have and increase the reach that creators would have, but we also didn't want to steer it," he explained. "We tried to keep from putting our thumb on the scale because there is a risk of biasing [customer choices]. "If...
News
16 CommentsPacific Rim will feature a toned down GlaDOS
By Megan Farokhmanesh on Jan 05, 2013 01.05.13
Director Guillermo del Toro cast Ellen McLain, the voice of Portal's robotic villain, as Pacific Rim's AI in homage to GlaDOS, but the film will feature a slightly less distinctive filter, the Toronto Sun reports. McLain's voice has been filtered to sound similar to both Portal games. Although del Toro wanted her voice in the trailer to be "full-on GlaDOS," the filter used in-film doesn't produce nearly as strong of a resemblance. Del Toro approached Valve for permission to use the voice of GlaDOS, telling them "there's no AI I'd rather have than GlaDOS." "I wanted very much to have her, because I'm a big Portal fan," del Toro said. "But just as a wink. She's not cake obsessed. She's not out to destroy humanity." GlaDOS made her debut as the AI in Pacific Rim's first trailer, which...
