games

Dark truth about Ouya debut: Retail wins, Kickstarter loses

It should be a great day for Ouya, the tiny Android-powered gaming console that netted $8.5 million in Kickstarter funding and quickly sold out during its debut appearance at U.S. retailers Tuesday. But not all Ouya enthusiasts are smiling.

Some early adopters who donated to Ouya on Kickstarter months ago are still waiting for their console after being told they would get it before it hit retail. While some did receive their Ouya as promised (albeit perhaps a bit late), a "small subset" (according to Ouya's PR) did not.

Thousands of comments regarding Ouya on Kickstarter and other colloqui indicate that the number of people who didn't get their Ouya might be larger than a "small subset."

Saints Row 4 banned from Australia over 'sexual violence'

Saints Row 4, the latest console and PC title from developer Volition in the action-adventure open world game, has become the first to be banned from sale in Australia.

The game was sent to the Australian Government's Classification Board, which determines ratings on video games, in May, the organization said in a statement (PDF) on Tuesday. According to that statement, the Board rated the game RC, or Refused Classification, meaning it cannot be sold in Australia. The game's content was deemed too adult-oriented.

"In the Board's opinion, Saints Row 4, includes interactive, visual depictions of implied … Read more

Ouya launches for $99; already sold out on Amazon, GameStop

Ouya, the open-source game console that became a massive hit on Kickstarter, has officially launched to the public. And already, it's unavailable in a few online stores.

As expected, the $99.99 console hit the market on Tuesday at Best Buy, GameStop, and Target. The Android-based console is also available at Amazon. However, as of this writing, Ouya is already sold out on Amazon and GameStop. It is still available online at Best Buy and Target.

The Ouya console doesn't have the firepower of its competitors, like the upcoming Xbox One and PlayStation 4. But thanks to its … Read more

iOS and Android to get Xbox and Microsoft PC games?

Microsoft's Xbox and PC games may be coming to Apple's iPhone and Android devices sometime this year, according to a report by Nikkei via Reuters.

The tech giant is allegedly working on a licensing deal with Japanese mobile game maker KLab to bring its games to other smartphone platforms, according to Reuters. One of the first games said to be released is Age of Empires, which reportedly will be free and available on iOS and Android smartphones by the end of this year.

While Microsoft's Windows Phone has access to dozens of Xbox and PC games, both … Read more

Play Pac-Man as a first-person horror game

You are caught in a dark maze full of glowing orbs. You're hungry and only the orbs can feed your insatiable appetite. But at each turn, danger lurks. Merciless ghosts haunt your every move. This is the story of Pac-Man.

Freelance game developer Tom Davies has converted Pac-Man into a first-person shooter gaming experience that mines the darker side of the classic. FPS-Man is free to play on gaming site Kongregate.… Read more

iPhone case? Game controller? It's both, and it's back

With game controller support headed to iOS 7 in just a few months, the lineup of third-party hardware is already starting to take shape.

The latest: the Flipside, an iPhone case that can expand out to add buttons and controls for games. It's also got solar cells that can recharge the case itself.

If this looks and sounds familiar, it's because the same product was pitched on Kickstarter in December though was halted before it could be completed. Nonetheless it raised a little more than $8,000 of its $135,000 funding goal. Things are different this time, … Read more

Instagram adds 15-second videos

CNET Update shares 173-second videos:

In this episode of Update:

- Feel relieved over Microsoft's reversal of the Xbox One used-games policy.

- Find your filter with Instagram's new video-sharing feature.

- Check out the first Android-powered camera with an interchangeable lens.

- Compare the Galaxy S4 spinoffs: S4 Mini, S4 Active and S4 Zoom.

- Learn how to pronounce Ativ, the brand for Samsung's Windows 8 products.

CNET Update delivers the tech news you need in under three minutes. Watch Bridget Carey every afternoon for a breakdown of the big stories, hot devices, new apps, and … Read more

The 404 1,288: Where we put our toys on ice (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Tostilocos: Tijuana street food hits the mainstream.

- Sixteen San Diego Comic-Con exclusives that have the Internet talking.

- Microsoft pulls a 180, reverses Xbox One always-on DRM and used games policy.

- Microsoft on Xbox One reversal: Dude, E3 held us up.

- "Sound City" is a documentary directed by Dave Grohl about the fabled eponymous recording studio in Van Nuys, Calif.

Episode 1,288

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Episode 42: Torture testing the Samsung Galaxy S4

It's safe to say that our expectations of the GoPro Mountain Games, and the entirety of Vail, Colorado, were greatly exceeded. If the gorgeous weather, cobblestone streets, and bouldering world championships weren't enough to generate permasmiles, the Rocky Mountains provide a perfect environment for the Always On crew to do their thing. In fact, many of us around the office have determined that the land-locked, rectangular-shaped state of Colorado wields enough awesomeness to give Hawaii a run for its money.

Unfortunately, we also had extremely high expectations for the Samsung Galaxy S4, based on the performance of its … Read more