Hothead's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy app coming this fall

Hothead Games is working on an interactive version of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy for iPhone and iPad, available this fall. This isn't an adaptation of the beloved series by Douglas Adams, mind you, but of the guide itself. Meaning, attorneys from Megadodo Publications -- the established publisher of the original guide -- should be sending a cease and desist letter through an interdimensional portal at any moment to stop the app's production. There are those who will argue that such a legal maneuver would be impossible, given the fictitious existence of the publisher, but we'd posit that such a tactic is merely improbable and, therefore, likely to happen.

The developers plan to take "the standard repository for all knowledge and wisdom" and make it available to the mostly harmless masses of Earth. We, at Joystiq, would like to warn all those reading that if humanity gets its hands on this device, it will accelerate the question to the answer of 42. Therefore, we advise nobody panic. Simply grab your towel and find the first alien you can with transport off this rock before the Vogon construction fleet shows up.*

*Yes, we understand that there is a correlation vs. causation debate to be had here, but would you rather argue the point or grab a drink at The Restaurant at the End of the Universe?

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Interactive Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Coming Soon for iPhone, iPad

This Release's Tags
42, App, App Store, iPad App, iPhone App, ipod touch, towel day, travel

VANCOUVER - August 10, 2011
Hothead Games today announced that an interactive edition of the beloved The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy will be released this fall for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy app is an authentic experience, allowing fans to feel like they're holding the device that Douglas Adams described over thirty years ago. Users can learn all about the importance of towels, vogons, Milliways, the Babel Fish, a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster, how to survive in space, and more, all in this friendly app.

"We really focused on taking existing Guide entries and presenting them in a new, interactive way," commented Joel DeYoung, Hothead Producer. "We have so much respect for the original that we had to stay true to the style of Douglas Adams, and deliver an app that feels familiar to fans, but updated for today's devices."
For more about the upcoming The Hichhiker's Guide to the Galaxy app, visit www.thenewhitchhikersguide.com

For more about Hothead Games, visit: www.hotheadgames.com

Reader Comments (28)

Let's just hope they do this the justice it deserves.

Is it wrong that this is the first thing to make me consider purchasing an i-product?

@baddates77

I wouldn't pay for an "app" under any circumstances but this ... this I would buy.

@baddates77
Not really, no. I still don't see the need for a tablet device in my life, but I REALLY want this.

Is it wrong I wanted this to be a graphical version of the game?

Or, "How to make money with Fanatic Nerds - based on a good book",

in order to make the author groan cry and yell in his grave:

"it was just a joke goddmit don´t take it too seriously like some acolytes, my book wasn´t a religion in order to have such devotion, it as a criticism of it!!!"

if, or course, that you believe in the afterlife and our atheist dead author indeed got the worse part and it actually exists.

Anyway, I think that Yathzee with his review of Portal 2 nailed the issue about how fans are able to ruin a work.

@Koming

Given Adams willingness to try and port the brand to basically every conceivable form of media, I think he would have likely tried to do something like this himself if he were still around.

I loved the books as a kid. I was thinking of re-reading them. Like most things I revisit from childhood it could go two ways:

1) See a whole different level to it that I couldn't see as a child.
2) Think the childhood me was stupid for ever liking it.

@FriedConsole

I've just re read the first one. The answer is 1.

Oooooh is all I can say

ANDROID PORT, PLEASE!

Seriously, they outnumber iThings at this point.

@MowDownJoe
I'm with you, it's silly to make something for iOS and not for android at this point.

Though it is worth noting that app sales for android are still way below those for iOS, despite the large install base.

@CaramelZappa

Yeah, install base does not equal sales. Based on that logic, every company should have been releasing more games for the Wii for years. They tried, because of the install base, and discovered that those games weren't profitable enough. Seems to be the same with iOs vs Android right now. Even people who have released apps/games for both devices report that iOs stuff sells better and is more profitable.

@MowDownJoe
Part of that big install base is people who got their Android phone for free. If you're not going to pay for a premium phone (iPhone or Android), you're also less likely to pay for games for it.

Might be worth it to get an ipad just for this since my itouch's screen is too small to do it justice. XD

Aww, I was hoping for an Android version.

As long as it's under $2, I'm sold.

I'm confused. I thought this already existed, but had just been renamed Wikipedia.

@TheOtherJames

http://xkcd.com/548/

@CaramelZappa
Came here to say exactly that

Will it come with a babelfish?

I'd like to see "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Tab".

Aw man. When I heard that Hothead was working on a Hitchhiker's Guide project, I was hoping it would be an actual game. :(

"Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so."

Holy Belgium!

Finally got around to listening to the radio series after all these years. Very froody stuff man.

Game or guide, I'm glad they're still doing something with the franchise! I just hope whoever is heading this project GETS the book's humor well enough to lead it in the right direciton. Here's to hoping.

@(Unverified)

Where's the edit feature when you need it?

Oh man, first congrats on the Adams-esque quality of the article. Brilliant, and second, oh my god. I can not wait. I grew up on Adams' work. The Guide, the BBC mini-series, the Text adventure, Dirk Gentley, The Meaning of Liff he defined my youth (where I sequed in to Pratchett a more nuanced version of the same style of story telling.) I love Adams and I think this would be wonderful and something he would for sure get behind. Given his activisim with animal rights and preservation of habitat and species I hope there's something tied to that with the product. It would be a nice homage.

Hothead's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy app coming this fall

Reader Comments (28)

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 4:05PM A British Nerd said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 4:08PM baddates77 said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 5:07PM arkweld said

Posted: Aug 13th 2011 5:58AM Demaar said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 4:09PM Gibbeynator said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 4:13PM Koming said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 5:04PM Courtney said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 4:13PM FriedConsole said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 5:44PM ironneko said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 4:18PM Twiztdclwn4life said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 4:20PM MowDownJoe said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 4:30PM CaramelZappa said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 5:08PM Courtney said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 8:42PM aristokrat said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 4:22PM Accessgranted said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 4:23PM macnbc said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 4:23PM Faceless Troll said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 4:35PM TheOtherJames said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 4:42PM CaramelZappa said

Posted: Aug 11th 2011 2:26AM Fantusta said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 5:15PM Trojan said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 5:25PM Joeybeast said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 5:47PM SushiGummy said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 5:54PM WhatIsThatThing said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 5:56PM GewurztraminerX said

Posted: Aug 10th 2011 9:40PM (Unverified) said

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Posted: Aug 10th 2011 10:04PM commonperson said

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