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May

PSA: Google+ Games Will Disappear June 30, Google Play Games To Blame

Posted by Bertel King, Jr. in Google, News

Those of you who like your games served fresh while you peruse the day's social updates might want to sit down. Google+ Games will shut down on June 30, taking users' game data with it. But social gamers aren't aren't entirely without hope. Some developers will designate new destination sites for their games, and a few games already have alternative links set up.

In-game payments inside any of the games that are set to disappear will have to be used up before June 30 arrives. There will be no refunds. Sucks, but that's the way the cookie crumbles. Anyone who wants to chew out a particular developer can pick out their name from the list below:

Why is Google shutting down its first attempt at social gaming?

May

Rovio Gives Up, Creates 'Rovio Stars' Publishing Initiative To See If You Guys Have Any Good Games It Can Milk

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Games, News

For years, Rovio lived on Angry Birds and nothing else. Then it tried to get you to love Alex. Then it gave the piggies a shot. Finally, Rovio went back to doing what it does best: throwing birds and cashing out. The demand for new games hasn't stopped, though. So what's a mega-giant corporation that's stuck in a creative rut to do? Crowd source, of course. Introducing Rovio Stars.

Rovio Stars is more than a little like the Fox Searchlight for games (but not quite like Steam Greenlight). The company is promising would-be gaming legends "world-class marketing and PR" for developers with great properties, and "expert game teams" to "[turn] your game into a blockbuster."

To get on Rovio's radar, you can apply by sending in screenshots or a gameplay video of your title and a description of what makes it so great.

May

Bluestacks Announces GamePop, A Free Gaming Console With A Monthly Subscription That Plays Mobile Games On Your TV

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Games, News

Guys, stop talking about the Ouya for a second. Bluestacks has a different console it would like you to pay attention to: GamePop. The company that has previously worked on interoperability between Android software and other platforms, is now launching a console of its own. The hardware—including a console and physical controller—will be entirely free for people who pre-order. The catch? You have to pay for a subscription to play games.

The entire package will come with one console and one physical controller, though you'll also be able to use your smartphone as a controller as well. If you pre-order by in May (which you can do starting now) the service will cost $6.99 per month and the hardware will be free.

May

What We Can Learn From The Google I/O Session Schedule: Tons Of Gaming, Lower Latency Audio, Next-Gen Google TV, And More!

Posted by Ron Amadeo in News

We are gearing up for I/O here at AP, and with the release of the I/O Sessions schedule, we've got an even clearer idea of what Google has in store for us.

Google I/O is a traditionally developer-oriented conference, but it's also always been a huge source of news about upcoming products. I/O is the one time of year when Googlers are allowed to show off their projects, so there's lots of news out there; you've just got to pay attention.

Didn't get a ticket to I/O? No problem! You can still join the geek party and watch all the action live (or not live, whatever) on YouTube.

Apr

Xbox SmartGlass App Updated With Support For Tablets Larger Than 7", Always-On State

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Applications, News

A few months ago, Microsoft announced the SmartGlass app for Xbox, a companion application that allows you to navigate and control your console from your phone or, up until recently, 7" tablets. Now, version 1.5 has rolled out that adds support for larger slates. Including 10" devices like the Nexus 10, which is kind of great.

On a larger tablet, the UI actually doesn't look much different from the interface on the TV itself, so it's extremely intuitive. Also, this update brings an always-on state, so your device won't shut off while you're using the companion app. SmartGlass is free on the Play Store and the update is available immediately.

Mar

Ouya Hitting The Retail Scene On June 4th For $99, Will Be Available From Amazon, Best Buy, And More

Posted by Cameron Summerson in News, Ouya

We've watched this project grow from a once-unfunded Kickstarter campaign to a highly-anticipated beast of a gaming console. If you've been kicking yourself over the last several months for not getting behind the Kickstarter campaign and are counting the days until you can grab this Android-powered box-o-fun from a retail shop, the day is drawing near. According to tonight's announcement from GDC, the device will hit shelves in virtual and physical stores across the country on June 4th.

As promised, the built-for-gaming rig will hit the scene for $99 at outlets like Amazon (where it's already available for pre-order), Best Buy, GameStop, Target, and of course, on Ouya's site.

Mar

MakerBot And OUYA Team Up To Let You 3D Print Your Own Console Case

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Games, News

We don't get to talk much about 3D printing here at Android Police because it's not a technology that's terribly mobile-focused (nor is it even that commonplace yet), but suffice to say, it's amazing. While this may not be about making prosthetic body parts, vehicles, or bikinis, MakerBot and OUYA are partnering to allow users to print their own enclosures for the hackable console. This may be the coolest way to customize a game system yet.

Console customization isn't anything new to hardcore gamers. There have been kits, accessories, and tools to make your hardware your own for ages.

Mar

Disney And Imangi Studios Release Temple Run: Oz To The Play Store, Make The Wizard Work For His Treasure

Posted by Cody Toombs in Games, News

Love 'em or hate 'em, successful franchises will keep coming back. This is especially true when they make for great movie crossovers like Temple Run: Brave and Angry Birds Star Wars. And now, the returning champion of endless runners is back with a new entry, Temple Run: Oz. This is, of course, a mash-up with Disney's new movie Oz the Great and Powerful, opening in theaters on March 8th.

Disney and Imangi Studios take us on a tour of the Yellow Brick Road where great peril is around every corner. You are in control of Oz as he runs, jumps, and slides to avoid obstacles while staying ahead of the Wicked Witch's flying baboons.

Feb

Ouya Create Contest Winners Announced: Laser-Breathing Dinosaurs, 8-Bit Zombies, And Sharing Controllers

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Games, News, Roundups

Last Updated: May 13th, 2013

Last week, we took a look at the nominees for Ouya's 10-day developer competition, Create. Today, we have the winners! These game devs will receive some undisclosed amount of money (out of a pot of $45,000) and almost certainly end up on the launch version of the Ouya console. So, what are they? Well, let's break them down by category.

"Pop Your Eyes Out" Award: Pipnis

We covered this one in our roundup last week, though we're at a loss to explain how it didn't win the "Best Couch with Friends" Award. This is the game that requires two players to share a single controller.

Feb

Wikipad Announces 7" Gaming Tablet For $249, Company Discusses Cancelled 10" Version

Posted by Eric Ravenscraft in Accessories, News

One of these days, we're finally going to figure this whole buttons problem for Android devices. While touchscreens are great, the tactile feeling of physical controls will always have its appeal. Some solutions are better than others, but maybe the Wikipad can find the sweet spot. The tablet comes with an attached set of game controls that can be removed, leaving the player with a regular 7" Tegra 3 tablet. The entire unit costs $250.