Joystiq

Xbox One's live TV features coming to North America first, everyone else later

Mike Schramm — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:30:00 EST

Microsoft has announced that the live TV features coming to its newly revealed Xbox One will first be available in North America, and then will then transition into other regions after that. In a press release from the company, Microsoft noted that "live TV with Kinect Navigation, live TV with OneGuide, Trending, and NFL on Xbox" will all roll out in the US "at launch," but was "anticipating global scale over time."

Microsoft also said that the Xbox One will require a separate cable box, specifying "at launch," so it's possible that the console maker has other plans to deliver television content. The Xbox One is set for release later on this year, and Microsoft has not yet revealed a price.

Continue reading Xbox One's live TV features coming to North America first, everyone else later

Xbox One's live TV features coming to North America first, everyone else later originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 21 May 2013 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Xbox Entertainment Studios working on original 'interactive' TV

JC Fletcher — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 10:00:00 EST

Microsoft's new "Xbox Entertainment Studios" in Los Angeles is making a variety of "entertainment" different from what you might expect Microsoft to produce for Xbox: television programming. "Interactive" TV, but TV nonetheless.

The studio is spearheaded by president of entertainment and digital media Nancy Tellem, who also oversees live events on Xbox - like the Elections 2012 hub and similar "interactive" presentations for the Grammys and the (upcoming) Oscars. XES will work to create original interactive content for Xbox (and other devices).

While the new studio creates programming, Microsoft also plans to add more channels of other companies' programming, to the tune of 40 new TV and entertainment apps this year.

Xbox Entertainment Studios working on original 'interactive' TV originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 12 Feb 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Brett Ratner buddies up with Zynga on Farmville animated series

David Hinkle — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 19:15:00 EST

If you think the the absence of Brett Ratner is the only thing holding Farmville back from becoming a truly exciting cross-platform brand, then you're probably Brett Ratner. The brash bad boy director of Rush Hour fame is adapting Zynga's game for television. Ratner will serve as executive producer on the half-hour animated series, aided by Canadian television production firm Six Eleven Media.

"FarmVille is one of the most exciting brands out there today and its cross-platform opportunities are endless," Ratner said in a statement to the Wall Street Journal. "I am thrilled to be expanding the brand with existing fans and also engaging a whole new audience."

Zynga is no stranger to cross-promotion, having already struck up a deal with Hasbro to produce a line of board games based on its properties last year, one of which was - you guessed it - Farmville. Zynga also just reported a $209.4 million loss for 2012, subsequently shutting down three of its games, including CityVille 2.

Brett Ratner buddies up with Zynga on Farmville animated series originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Feb 2013 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Fallout trademark covers a TV show in an apocalyptic paradise

Jessica Conditt — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 21:45:00 EST

Bethesda may be looking toward the future of its franchises, trademarking the Fallout brand for the purposes of using it in "entertainment services in the nature of an on-going television program set in a post-nuclear apocalyptic world," according to a USPTO listing. We thought Desperate Housewives had the "reality we would never want to live in" genre covered, but the more, the merrier.

Fallout forum member Conor Murton posted about the trademark today and Bethesda has yet to comment on the listing. Bethesda could simply be protecting its franchise, or it could have more active plans.

Fallout trademark covers a TV show in an apocalyptic paradise originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Jan 2013 21:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Report: G4 to become the Esquire channel

Jordan Mallory — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 22:30:00 EST

Cable network G4 will be rebranded as the Esquire channel, acquiring the magazine's name and branding sometime in the early part of next year, The Hollywood Reporter, uhm, reports. The deal has been finalized between G4-owner NBCUniversal and Esquire-owner Hearst Corporation, according to The Hollywood Reporter's sources, and production of new content aimed at a "metrosexual" male audience is said to be underway.

While the channel's new content will feature some gaming-oriented material, subjects such as fashion, cooking and travel will also be covered in an attempt to capture a more sophisticated male audience. As X-Play and Attack of the Show have already been cancelled, we doubt any of G4's late gaming content will be resurrected in the channel's new form. We are, however, looking forward to finding out how to recreate Nathan Drake's designer look for an off-the-rack price.

Report: G4 to become the Esquire channel originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 08 Dec 2012 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Microsoft Soho hiring producer to develop 'interactive TV experiences'

Jessica Conditt — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 20:00:00 EST

Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment Business studio in Soho is seeking a television producer to "develop and deliver a number of new TV projects" using Xbox Live and Kinect, a LinkedIn want ad reads.

"Soho Productions is pushing the boundaries of Kinect and Xbox Live to bring a new line of interactive television experiences to the world," the ad continues. "Working with leading global entertainment partners, we are creating experiences that are not bound by the traditional definitions of television or gaming. Experiences where watching and participating are inseparable that will delight and enrich the lives of people everywhere."

As the console landscape alters to highlight mainstream entertainment services, such as music and streaming television and movies, Microsoft appears to be making a major grab for the potential of a broader audience. Microsoft is rumored to be working on a set-top box called Xbox TV, and the Spartan Ops Halo 4 series is an ambitious, serialized endeavor - a television producer would fit nicely within the system the company may be cultivating.

We can't wait for the first episode of The Master Chief Comedy Hour (Now better with Kinect!).

Microsoft Soho hiring producer to develop 'interactive TV experiences' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 03 Dec 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Walking Dead TV show's Norman Reedus is Daryl in the FPS

Jessica Conditt — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 16:30:00 EST

Terminal Reality's The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct is a first-person shooter based on AMC's television series, which is of course based on The Walking Dead comic series from Robert Kirkman. It's the first new-media extrapolation to be based on something based on The Walking Dead, rather than on the graphic novel itself, which is probably a smart move when a game directly from the comic has already proven extremely successful.

All that said, Survival Instinct integrates AMC's TV show directly, grabbing Norman Reedus, the actor who plays Daryl Dixon, to voice the main protagonist.

"Norman is super-cool, generous, and a real joy to work with," writes Terminal Reality Creative Director Drew Haworth. "And man, does that guy deliver! He gets the scene, the line, and what you're going for instantly and then doubles down on it, effortlessly 'Darylizing' lines for maximum punch. He's the kind of actor that really makes writers look good."

From our own experience with the TV show, we have to agree with that last statement. No one on The Walking Dead nails "looking dramatically at another cast member, in silence, for five whole minutes" quite like Reedus.

The Walking Dead TV show's Norman Reedus is Daryl in the FPS originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 02 Dec 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Wii U picks up Amazon Instant Video, YouTube apps

Jessica Conditt — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 12:00:00 EST

The Wii U's complete TVii service is set to launch in December, but some of the programs within it are already dropping onto the console. Netflix hit on launch day (with a rocky, yet resolved start), and now YouTube and Amazon Instant Video are on the Wii U.

With the YouTube app, videos can stream up to 1080p on the television, while the video details stay on the Wii Pad. Browsing uses the Pad's on-screen keyboard. Amazon Instant uses the same browsing method and can stream video directly on the Wii Pad. Both apps are free to download directly from the Wii U menu.

Happy viewing!

Wii U picks up Amazon Instant Video, YouTube apps originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Nov 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Fox is developing a Battlefield: Bad Company TV show

David Hinkle — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 19:30:00 EST

An hourlong show following the foul-mouthed chaps from EA's Battlefield: Bad Company is currently in the works at Fox. John Eisendrath of Alias fame is handling writer duties and will serve as executive producer alongside Doug Robinson from studio Happy Madison, and Patrick Bach and Patrick O'Brien from EA.

The adaptation of Battlefield: Bad Company will follow four soldiers transitioning from military life to the private sector, Deadline reports. Their old commanding officer apparently used them to propel the agenda of a shadow unit within the government and now wants them dead to cover his own involvement because that is exactly what the game was about.

Fox is developing a Battlefield: Bad Company TV show originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 08 Oct 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Get under your desks: Syfy debuts 'Nuclear Family' on Xbox 360

Jessica Conditt — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 00:45:00 EST

Xbox 360 is getting some explosive exclusive content on October 1 with Syfy Digital's third original series, Nuclear Family. Nuclear Family follows a family in a post-apocalyptic world as they struggle to survive and find their missing child, who was lost in the "mysterious mega-explosion." The whole plot sounds a bit like The Warriors and Revolution's long-lost love child.

All 20 episodes of Nuclear Family will launch on Xbox 360 exclusively via the Syfy app, followed by a simultaneous release on Syfy.com, Hulu, VOD, the Syfy mobile app and Roku on October 15.

Get under your desks: Syfy debuts 'Nuclear Family' on Xbox 360 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 28 Sep 2012 00:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

New York Times: Steam Big Picture public beta starts Monday

Jordan Mallory — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 21:00:00 EST

Last August, we found out that Steam's Big Picture interface would be moving into its beta phase "soon," but we never expected it would be, like, soon. It is Valve after all, and we never figured that Big Picture's public beta would happen in our lifetimes, let alone on Monday, September 10, like the New York Times says.

For those of you who haven't been following this song's bouncing ball, allow us to refresh your memory: Steam's Big Picture interface is a custom UI designed specifically to make Valve's all-encompassing digital storefront more user-friendly on televisions. It's being designed with controller-based navigation in mind and would represent Valve's first formal step into the living room. Whether Monday's testing is truly public or invitation based like its Community beta remains to be seen.

New York Times: Steam Big Picture public beta starts Monday originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 08 Sep 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

VIZ Media launching subscription-based 'Neon Alley' anime channel on consoles this fall

Jordan Mallory — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 21:00:00 EST

VIZ Media, the localization company responsible for bringing Bleach, Naruto and all things Rumiko Takahashi stateside, has announced that it will be launching a 24-hour anime network called Neon Alley on consoles this fall.

Which consoles will actually receive Neon Alley remains to be seen, as the press release (found after the break) does not list specifics. The $6.99 a month service will not be an on-demand streaming app, but rather an actual television channel with a schedule and everything. All content will be uncensored, in HD when possible, but always dubbed in English, which could be good or bad depending on your personal anime sensibilities.

The channel will broadcast advertisements, despite the subscription fee, though VIZ says those ads will be "limited" and help keep the monthly cost below 10 dollars. Announced programming includes Naruto Shippuden, Inuyasha: The Final Act, Death Note and quite a few others, as well as original programming.

Continue reading VIZ Media launching subscription-based 'Neon Alley' anime channel on consoles this fall

VIZ Media launching subscription-based 'Neon Alley' anime channel on consoles this fall originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 30 Jun 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Here's Max Payne 3's TV commercial

Jordan Mallory — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 13:30:00 EST

The official Max Payne 3 television commercial debuted last night during the Lakers v. Spurs game on ESPN last night, and it's chock full of all the Max Payne-y things you'd expect - slow motion bullets, slow motion jumping, slow motion ladies, etc.

It's a little sad that the game is billed as "from the makers of Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption," considering that the original Max Payne predates both GTA3 and the entire Red Dead franchise. Then again, a modern 18 year old gamer would only have been seven years old when the series originally debuted in 2001, so we can't really blame Rockstar for playing to its target demographic's familiarities. Kids these days with their Macintosh computers and their Fiat 500s.

Here's Max Payne 3's TV commercial originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 21 Apr 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

XBL getting Crackle, CinemaNow apps

Jordan Mallory — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:30:00 EST

If Netflix, YouTube, Hulu Plus and the Zune marketplace haven't been enough to satiate your unquenchable thirst for all things cinematic, perhaps two more apps will help quell the raging torrent in your soul. Crackle, a free service, has a somewhat limited and eccentric selection of movies and television shows to choose from, although they do have a rather impressive selection of classic anime like Ah! My Goddess and Galaxy Express 999.

Best Buy's CinemaNow ecosystem has more new releases to choose from, but its services require cash money. It's unclear whether all of the content on these two services will be available through the respective apps, or if some content will be restricted, like the YouTube and Hulu Plus apps. If our calculations are correct, Xbox Live only needs 2 more movie apps and 4 more internet radio apps before it becomes self aware.

XBL getting Crackle, CinemaNow apps originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Neal Tiles steps down as president of G4, Adam Stotsky takes over

Mike Schramm — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 21:45:00 EST

Neal Tiles, formerly president of the G4 television network, stepped down earlier today, and parent company NBCUniversal has announced that Adam Stotsky will take his place. Stotsky is a former president of marketing at NBC, but now will head up the entire G4 network, overseeing everything from programming to publicity and digital operations.

Stotsky is the first big appointment by recently appointed NBCU president Bonnie Hammer, who picked up oversight of G4 and E! last year when Comcast merged with NBC Universal. We don't know exactly what Stotsky plans to put on the schedule at G4 going forward, but if he's taking any cues from his predecessor, it's probably lots more Cheaters and Cops.

[Thanks, Ethan!]

Neal Tiles steps down as president of G4, Adam Stotsky takes over originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 21:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Bloomberg: Microsoft to create its own TV programming for Xbox Live

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:00:00 EST

Microsoft's streaming television service in the US is still in its infancy, but the company reportedly has plans to greatly expand it in the coming months, even introducing its own programming. Bloomberg reports that Microsoft is currently on the hunt for a television exec to handle said original programming, with two ex-NBC suits named as potential candidates (Marc Graboff and Jess Gaspin).

No details are given on what kind of content the company might provide, though the report says it will be paired with the already existing streaming offerings. Microsoft already dips its toe into original programming via the Xbox Live Dashboard (Major's Minute, Xbox 101, etc.), and hosts partners for promotional tie-in videos (IGN) alongside streaming services like Crackle, HBO Go, and the Zune Marketplace. The company also worked in the past with NBC on the network "MSNBC," though Microsoft later exited the partnership. The Redmond, WA-based company isn't offering any comment at this time regarding the report.

Bloomberg: Microsoft to create its own TV programming for Xbox Live originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

MS: 42% of US XBL Gold members watch average of 1hr of video content a day

David Hinkle — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EST

With Hulu Plus, Netflix and Zune on the Xbox 360, now more than ever the console is becoming a bastion for those looking to digest video content. During a preview of the upcoming Fall Dashboard update for Xbox Live, I spoke with senior product manager of Xbox Live entertainment, Terry Farrell, and asked him for some hard data.

"42 percent of Xbox Live Gold members in the U.S. are watching an average of an hour of television and movies on their Xbox, every single day," Farrell said. Each month, that adds up to "more than 30 hours of digitally distributed television and movies." Farrell also revealed that over the last year, Xbox Live has seen three times the use of video content on the Xbox 360 console, spread across Netflix, Hulu Plus and Microsoft's Zune rental service.

With the new Fall Dashboard update, Microsoft is looking to make it easier to present this video content, both through use of Bing search (which works via the controller and Kinect) and what the company hopes is a more intuitive and navigable user interface. Also, YouTube.

MS: 42% of US XBL Gold members watch average of 1hr of video content a day originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 09 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

'Slavery the Game' revealed as a viral ad for Dutch TV history series

Mike Schramm — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 20:45:00 EST

Last weekend, we posted about a website featuring something called "Slavery the Game," which seemed to be a viral ad for a fake video game. It turns out the grim, weird site was a viral ad, but not for a video game. Rather, it's a project put together by a Dutch public television network named NTR, designed to promote an upcoming series talking about "the European and Dutch involvement in trans-Atlantic slavery."

There's more explanation in this YouTube video, in which one of the researchers behind the series explains that the goal of the project was to raise awareness in the Netherlands about the historical issue of slavery, and "create attention" about the issue. He also says that the American media "reacted much heavier" to the trailer, "because the topic of slavery has had much more attention."

So it sounds like a culture clash of sorts, with a message meant for Netherlands viewers sneaking out to a much larger, and somewhat more sensitive, audience. The NTR series is set to start up on Dutch TV later on this month, and there is even a "children's version" of the series, called "De Slavernij Junior" starting at the same time.

[Thanks, Jim N]

'Slavery the Game' revealed as a viral ad for Dutch TV history series originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Sep 2011 20:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Uncharted 3 gets its own Spike TV special, contestants needed

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 14:30:00 EST

Do you take breaks from long sessions with Uncharted 2 to wonder why you're so, so good at it? Perhaps your other hobbies include "being an on-air presence" and "having perfectly coiffed hair?" Then you're a shoo-in to participate in Spike TV's upcoming television "special" dedicated to this November's Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception.

According to a listing that seeks show participants, you must be available in early October for taping, be a fan of adventure, or a "video game enthusiast," a "puzzle solver," or a "risk taker." Presumably, risk-taking adventurers with a taste for video games will be given first priority.

In order to prove your worthiness for inclusion, shoot an email to Spike with a "link to a video, picture or paragraph explaining why you are the ultimate Uncharted fan who deserves to be featured on the show." And no, scaling the Spike TV corporate building and making your way to the company head's office undetected is not a good way to prove yourself, regardless of the theme.

Uncharted 3 gets its own Spike TV special, contestants needed originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 31 Aug 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Rumor: Xbox LIVE Diamond TV service to be announced at E3

Ben Gilbert — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 13:40:00 EST

With E3 set to kick off in less than 48 hours, rumors are once again flying about Microsoft's press conference news. A report at WinRumors pins Microsoft as revealing an Xbox Live-based streaming television service in the US, previously rumored to be codenamed "Orapa" (after a diamond mining town in Botswana, Africa). Further, the report suggests that the codename has been changed into something more fitting, given its eponymy: "Diamond." And no, not that Microsoft product named Diamond.

"Microsoft is currently in last minute negotiations to secure the necessary agreements in time," WinRumors' anonymous source added. The source details "Diamond" as a facsimile of the UK's SkyTV player currently offered on Xbox 360, though no specific networks are named, and adds that the service will likely come with a monthly subscription fee.

Microsoft previously indicated its intentions to get into streaming television on the Xbox 360, but has never made any major moves. The company flirted with a Conan O'Brien deal in 2010, but the plans eventually fizzled. If "Diamond" really does exist, though, we're sure to hear about it tomorrow morning during Microsoft's E3 2011 presser.

Rumor: Xbox LIVE Diamond TV service to be announced at E3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 05 Jun 2011 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Microsoft's E3 2011 briefing will air live on Spike

Griffin McElroy — Mon, 16 May 2011 17:30:00 EST

During every E3, the internet is thrown into a full-blown panic as it desperately searches for a stable livestream of the Big Three's press conferences. This year, Spike will make this task far less intimidating for those who want to watch Microsoft's briefing. Tthe network has announced that it will air the Xbox 360-centric show live at 12:30 pm PT on Monday, June 6.

Of course, we'll be breaking out the most important announcements of the show here on our humble gaming news blog -- but sometimes, our words can't capture the magic of the events that unfold on that stage. For instance: Kudo's Magic Foot Dance.

Microsoft's E3 2011 briefing will air live on Spike originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 16 May 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Ubisoft launching film studio focused on game adaptations

Griffin McElroy — Mon, 02 May 2011 14:30:00 EST

Ubisoft's got its finger in a number of cinematic pies, including the founding of its own CGI studio and the acquisition of special effects company Hybride -- now, the publisher can add its very own film studio to its ... pie safe, we guess. Variety reports the company opened up a division named Ubisoft Motion Pictures in Paris, which will be headed by former EuropaCorp CEO Jean-Julien Baronnet, and will focus on adapting Ubisoft's franchises into films and TV shows.

You guys realize what this means, right? We mean, it's pretty obvious. Given the success of last year's Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time movie, they're going to follow it up with a television miniseries based on Smurfs Dance Party. Like, duh.

Ubisoft launching film studio focused on game adaptations originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 02 May 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Wipeout: In the Zone trailer will brutalize your Avatar

Griffin McElroy — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 22:00:00 EST

We're not sure we understand the appeal of Activision's upcoming, Kinect-equipped TV adaptation, Wipeout: In the Zone. The trailer after the jump should explain our hesitation -- see, self-inflicted trauma is hilarious, but not when inflicted on lifeless, unfeeling Avatars.

Continue reading Wipeout: In the Zone trailer will brutalize your Avatar

Wipeout: In the Zone trailer will brutalize your Avatar originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 23 Apr 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Fallon gets his 'Adult Female Face' blown away during 3DS demo on Late Night

Griffin McElroy — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST

We expected Jimmy Fallon to flip out during Reggie Fils-Aime's 3DS demonstration during last night's episode of Late Night. We expected the audience to get a kick out of the device's AR functionality. However, we did not expect the 3DS to swap Fallon's gender on live national television. Priceless.

Continue reading Fallon gets his 'Adult Female Face' blown away during 3DS demo on Late Night

Fallon gets his 'Adult Female Face' blown away during 3DS demo on Late Night originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 26 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Conan plays life-sized Angry Birds with Ikea furniture

Griffin McElroy — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 15:35:00 EST

We've been jonesing to see a life-size version of Angry Birds since Neil Patrick Harris teased us with his chicken catapult during the VGAs. Yesterday on Conan, we got our wish -- not with real-life poultry, mind you, but with bird-shaped balls and really unstable Ikea furniture.

Continue reading Conan plays life-sized Angry Birds with Ikea furniture

Conan plays life-sized Angry Birds with Ikea furniture originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 15:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Kinect Hacks: The futuristic, unloseable remote

Griffin McElroy — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 21:30:00 EST

If your loveseat sustains itself on a diet of channel changers, Harishankar Narayanan's Kinect hack is right up your alley: Using the peripheral and a Universal Infrared Receiver Transmitter, any ol' couch potato can turn their body into a remote that's virtually impossible to misplace.

Continue reading Kinect Hacks: The futuristic, unloseable remote

Kinect Hacks: The futuristic, unloseable remote originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 13 Feb 2011 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

GT Academy competition to be featured in Speed Network reality show

Mike Schramm — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 21:00:00 EST

Not only are the best Gran Turismo 5 players getting a chance to be professional racecar drivers, but they're gonna be on the teevee, too! The competition, which started up this month, is turning into a reality show on the Speed Network next year. When the finals start up in March of 2011, the last 32 contestants and their travels and travails will be filmed for the show as they go through the last of the contest and the race training process.

It's not mentioned whether or not the contestants will have to perform stunts on a desert island, live in a house together while under the watch of cameras 24/7, or give roses to each other but we'll just assume, since it's a reality show, that all of those things will happen. We also wonder which contestant will be the plucky, charismatic racer that eventually becomes a D-level celebrity.

GT Academy competition to be featured in Speed Network reality show originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 18 Dec 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Best Buy bundling PS3 with Bravia 3DTVs, and slashing prices

Griffin McElroy — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 19:30:00 EST

A Best Buy employee and Sony spokesperson Kevin Butler (both of which shall henceforth colloquially referred to as "Best Butler") recently appeared an a new PS3 ad announcing a pretty sound deal for you 3D-seekers out there. The retailer is currently offering a trio of bundles featuring Bravia HDTVs and 160GB PlayStation 3s, equipped with Gran Turismo 5 and Grown Ups on Blu-ray. Two of these bundles feature televisions that are 3D-ready, while all of the bundles knock over $1,100 off the combined prices of the products therein. That's not bad for a retailer that isn't, you know, Amazon.

Click past the jump to see what the three bundles offer, and to see the ever-giggle-inducing Best Butler shill his employer's wares.

Continue reading Best Buy bundling PS3 with Bravia 3DTVs, and slashing prices

Best Buy bundling PS3 with Bravia 3DTVs, and slashing prices originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

G4 signs three-year exclusive deal for E3 TV rights

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 17:30:00 EST

Television network G4 announced today that it has signed a three-year deal to be the official broadcaster of E3. The partnership between the network and the mega-convention's organizer, the ESA, extends a relationship the two have renewed annually for the past several years, relieving G4 of having to ask the awkward "wanna go steady (again)" question for a time.

The Comcast-owned network's multi-year agreement gives G4 access to "uninterrupted press conference coverage" and all the other flare you'd expect from the moving-picture medium. All you DirecTV subscribers, of course, will have to head over to a friend's house to watch the coverage, since the satellite TV company recently dropped the network -- or you could just join on us these little ol' internets for our own extensive E3 coverage with written words.

G4 signs three-year exclusive deal for E3 TV rights originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Reuters: Microsoft in talks to bring subscription TV, networks to Xbox Live

Griffin McElroy — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 14:00:00 EST

We heard some buzz back in April about Microsoft execs considering the addition of a "television channel" to Xbox Live, allowing subscribers to view reruns and original programming for an additional buck or two per month. Today, Reuters reports that a pair of unnamed insiders has claimed Microsoft has held meetings with various media companies to discuss licensing of television programs to be streamed through such an application.

These talks, according to the sources, have been productive (though the launch of an Xbox Live TV service could be as far as a year out) and have included the potential to add interactive elements into shows viewed through the console and a "content silos" option, so that users could select entire networks (e.g., HBO or Showtime) to subscribe to. We'd definitely want to see an AMC channel, so we could get our Breaking Bad Mad Men Walking Dead on. Oh! And TBS -- for Conan. In fact, we could totally get down with an "all the awesome shows that they don't have on Hulu for some reason" channel.

Reuters: Microsoft in talks to bring subscription TV, networks to Xbox Live originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Trade in six games at Future Shop tomorrow, get a 32-inch LCD TV

Griffin McElroy — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 21:00:00 EST

Well, here's another reason for us to be jealous of our up-north cohorts -- for tomorrow only, Canadian tech retailer Future Shop is letting shoppers trade in six Wii, 360 or PS3 games for a 32-inch Dynex LCD TV, which normally retails for $300, which is absolutely crazy.

Continue reading Trade in six games at Future Shop tomorrow, get a 32-inch LCD TV

Trade in six games at Future Shop tomorrow, get a 32-inch LCD TV originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 28 Nov 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Will Wright's 'Bar Karma' TV show formally announced

David Hinkle — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 17:20:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Will Wright and ex-Nickelodeon president Albie Hecht have teamed up with Current TV to create a new show -- this much we knew. Now we know what it's called: Bar Karma.

According to the announcement, the series will put viewers "in control via an online application," which runs on technology created by Wright, called "Current TV's Creation Studios." Through this app, users (who register via the site) weigh in on "a rough outline" for the week's show and are able to contribute "storylines, plots and have direct communication with the production team." Viewers browse and merge ideas, voting on final proposals, before the production team turns the audience's vision into a 30-minute episode.

"We will be taking our cues from the viewers, working with them and then quickly producing high quality, original content," said Hecht. "This is truly a paradigm-changing project that will showcase the creativity of the general public in shaping a television series." Bar Karma is set to premiere sometime in early 2011.

Will Wright's 'Bar Karma' TV show formally announced originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Oct 2010 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Ben Heck getting his own show beginning September 13

Ben Gilbert — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 01:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Notorious modder Ben Heckendorn (aka "Ben Heck") is taking on a new challenge -- turn a show about modding into entertainment. The press release detailing his new show says it'll be starting on September 13 and we're told it'll be hosted on both element14 (its sponsor) as well as internet TV channel Revision3.

The show's premiere episode will see Heck mod a game controller "for an avid gamer with a serious disability," with subsequent shows to be released every other week. And though we're not sure if he'd be interested, if Heck could figure out a solution to our colorblind issues with certain games, he'll hold a spot in our hearts forever. Head below the fold to see the show's first trailer.

Continue reading Ben Heck getting his own show beginning September 13

Ben Heck getting his own show beginning September 13 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 11 Sep 2010 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

UK gets first all-gaming television channel, Ginx TV

Griffin McElroy — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 05:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Ginx TV, a media company responsible for the production of the casual-oriented Gameface program, announced earlier today that it would soon have its own video game-centric television station in the UK. Ginx CEO Michiel Bakker explained during the Edinburgh Interactive conference, "video gaming is the only massively mainstream entertainment genre without a dedicated channel. My ambition here, is to do for gaming what MTV did for music."

If we understand Bakker's sentiment correctly, then that means we can look forward to a few good years of video game coverage, and then an endless parade of terrible reality shows starring terrible people doing terrible things. Wonderful!

Continue reading UK gets first all-gaming television channel, Ginx TV

UK gets first all-gaming television channel, Ginx TV originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 27 Aug 2010 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Metroid: Other M ads focus on nostalgia, overacting

JC Fletcher — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 10:54:00 EST

A recent Metroid: Other M trailer promoted the game by taking us through the series' history. A Japanese TV commercial ties the game to the past even more directly, showing the original NES game morphing into Other M gameplay footage. The ad even goes so far as to declare this "a Famicom game with the latest technology," a tagline that also came up several times in the last Iwata Asks interview.

Meanwhile, the American commercial focuses on the "other M," as in: melodrama -- total melodrama. See the beautiful slow-motion, live-action TV spot unfold just below the Japanese ad after the break.

Continue reading Metroid: Other M ads focus on nostalgia, overacting

Metroid: Other M ads focus on nostalgia, overacting originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 20 Aug 2010 10:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Will Wright's Current TV show shooting pilot this week

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 10:20:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Will Wright and his Stupid Fun Club have a handful of projects in the works -- this much we know. And today, one of those projects became a bit more official: a television show for Current TV. According to a Current TV representative, Wright is working on "an original show" for the network. The pilot is being filmed this week just across the East River in Brooklyn (if you also happen to be in Manhattan).

The show is presumably the not so well-guarded project that was detailed earlier this year, "The Creation Project," which reportedly relies on user-created storylines. (Wright has at least one more TV project in the pipeline.) We invite you to tell your own stories from the set photos seen in the gallery below.

Gallery: Will Wright's Current TV project (on set)

Will Wright's Current TV show shooting pilot this week originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 20 Aug 2010 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Sony patents multiplayer stereoscopic system

Mike Schramm — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Seeing two images to create a 3D picture is so earlier this year -- Sony has been working on a patent that sends two images from one video screen to two different people, allowing for two players to see different images on the same screen. Each player would need their own set of glasses (which would each pull off the right frames), which would then come with earphones for separate audio feeds, too.

You'd need a special 3D television to do it, but there are all kinds of cool applications -- one person in your house could watch a movie while the other plays games, or you could do local split-screen multiplayer without actually splitting the screen (as seen in the diagram above). The patent even allows for more than two players, and there's even an implementation that would actually send two images each to two players, creating separate 3D views for both viewers. Both patents were filed a year ago, and have just come to light now. As 3D televisions become more common, we'll have to see if Sony brings an actual implementation of this tech to the consumer market.

Sony patents multiplayer stereoscopic system originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 20 Jul 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Study: TV and games linked to attention problems in school

Mike Schramm — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 05:30:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

[Image credit: dospaz]

A new study conducted by researchers at Iowa State University recently found that viewing television and playing video games were both associated with greater attention problems among young children. The study, which appeared in Pedatrics recently, followed the television and video game usage habits of 1300 "middle childhood" subjects, connected those up with "teacher-reported attention problems," and found that increased exposure to both television and video games was associated with attention issues.

The study doesn't mention that there's a casual relationship here, only that the two were "associated." A separate part of the study involved 210 "late adolescent/early adult participants" who provided self reports on both issues, and also found that some connection existed between the two. This study follows up on previous group research from the same university, but the researchers admit that much more research is needed before clear conclusions can be drawn.

Thanks, Will!

Study: TV and games linked to attention problems in school originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 05:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

PBS to air 90-minute Video Games Live performance

Griffin McElroy — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

If you've yet to experience the profound orchestral magic of the Tommy Tallarico-fronted musical outfit Video Games Live, you'll soon have the opportunity to do so from the safety and comfort of your own home. The group recently announced it will perform a 90-minute special for PBS, which will debut July 31, and then air on various PBS affiliates across the country throughout August. We suggest contacting your local affiliate to find out if the special will come to your neck of the woods.

If you're planning on tuning in, you can check out the trailer posted after the jump to see what you're in for, or read this press release to see what games the orchestra will be sampling during its performance. We don't see Gitaroo Man on said list, but we're hoping that's just an unfortunate omission on behalf of the copywriter.

Continue reading PBS to air 90-minute Video Games Live performance

PBS to air 90-minute Video Games Live performance originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 06 Jun 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Red Dead Redemption machinima film airing on Fox this Saturday

Richard Mitchell — Wed, 26 May 2010 07:00:00 EST

This Saturday at midnight (ET), Fox will air a 30-minute short film made from Red Dead Redemption. That's right -- this film was created using in-game assets. And it's not just any old basement machinima -- it's been directed by John Hillcoat (The Road) and, according to Rockstar's description, "reimagines" protagonist John Marston's, uh, redemption, as he pursues that prickly Bill Williamson.

Sounds interesting enough -- just so long as it doesn't interrupt MADtv. That's still on, right?

Red Dead Redemption machinima film airing on Fox this Saturday originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 26 May 2010 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments