Hasta La Gadget!

This week we saw Ouya gain support from OnLive, the online game streaming service, and now the company has found another ally in the gaming industry. Ouya has taken to its Kickstarter page to announce that it has partnered with Square Enix, with the developer intending to bring Final Fantasy III to the Android-based console when it eventually launches. Ouya say that this is the first time gamers outside of Japan will be able to play Final Fantasy III on a television via a console.

Square Enix will be going back and polishing up Final Fnatasy III as well, tuning it for the NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor inside the Ouya and promising “high-definition graphics.” The game made the jump to iOS devices back in March, offering the same graphical improvements plus sequences that would be exclusive to the mobile version of the game. It’s among the more expensive iOS games at $15.99, and from the sounds of things it will be a paid option on Ouya as well.

Ouya did confirm, however, that a free demo would be available to try for curious gamers. The announcement comes not long after Ouya received support from OnLive. That company detailed how it would bring an Ouya compatible app to the console at launch, allowing gamers to access hundreds of streaming games with an affordable subscription, as well 30 minute demos of the latest games.

The Ouya Kickstarter project still has 8 days left to go, but the console has already amassed $5.8 million in funding, shattering its intended $950,000 goal. A little over 45,000 backers have funded the project, and close to 40,000 Ouya consoles have been snapped up by backers. Costing $99, Ouya promises a wealth of free games plus an “open” platform that runs on Android. The console will be powered by NVIDIA’s quad-core Tegra 3 processor and will ship with a customized controller reminiscent of what’s used by other consoles.

[via Eurogamer]

Final Fantasy III coming to Ouya is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

We already had a feeling that Microsoft was planning to roll out a limited edition Xbox 360 bundle to go along with November’s release of Halo 4, but this weekend the bundle got an official reveal at the San Diego Comic-Con. Like most of the other limited edition consoles we’ve seen come and go throughout the years, this bundle features some snazzy artwork on the console itself and the controllers, but you’ll also be paying a premium price if you want one. Hit the jump for all the details.

So, here’s everything you’ll be getting in this Halo 4 limited edition Xbox 360 bundle: one 320GB console, two wireless controllers, a wired headset, a copy of Halo 4, and a set of download codes for Halo 4-themed avatar items and in-game DLC. The console and controllers come decked out in Halo 4 artwork and blue LEDs to match the overall color scheme of the set, so if you want an Xbox 360 that stands out from the sea of other consoles out there, this is probably the bundle for you.

Admission to this show is not cheap, however, with Microsoft giving this bundle a price point of $399.99. If you like the look but don’t like dropping $400 all in one go, you might want to consider picking up a standalone Halo 4 wireless controller, which are being released on October 21 and will only set you back $59.99. As you can see in the image above (and the gallery below), the design of the standalone controller differs quite a bit from that of the controller included in the bundle, but Microsoft says that both will feature blue LEDs surrounding the guide button. The bundle itself releases the same day that Halo 4 hits shelves – November 6 – and is available for pre-order right now, so get to saving!

[via Joystiq]

Halo 4 Xbox 360 bundle becomes official is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

This week the Android-based HDTV connected gaming device known as OUYA has blasted past its initial Kickstarter goal straight into the news media’s eye for up-and-coming powerhouses in the mobile universe. As such, each time they send out an update as large as what they’ve just pushed, it’s time to pay attention. Today’s update includes their first meeting with NVIDIA on how the quad-core Tegra 3 processor plays into this whole fabulous situation.

The folks at OUYA have let it be known that NVIDIA has thus far been “incredible” in their support and in the help they’ve given the team in getting off the ground with developing the console for the future of Android gaming. They’ll continue working side-by-side as NVIDIA always does with great hardware manufacturers and software developers aiming for greatness with their Tegra chipset.

The OUYA team has acknowledged the fact that they’ll need to address the issue with their current controller in that it’s not going to work too great with color-blind users. They’ve noted that they’re now considering an Ethernet port for the device. They’ve let it be known that they’re still working on both discovery and curation.

And of course they’ve brought on an update about the future of games on the console, showing off some support from the indy game makers at Meteor – they’ve made a soon to be released game by the name of Hawken, as seen here:

Finally, they’ve assured the developers out there looking to get into OUYA with contributions via Kickstarter in the short term that they’ll be adding additional rewards in the near future since the current set of rewards has dried up entirely! They’ve suggested that they might release the software build for the device earlier than the device itself, that they could release the innards of the device to contributing developers before the actual device is released, and have noted that they’re very open to suggestions, of course.

Have a peek at our timeline of Ouya stories below, and let us know if you’re thinking about purchasing the $99 beast of an Android device when it comes out some time soon!

OUYA begins talks with NVIDIA and pledges more rewards for investors is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Rockstar announced Grand Theft Auto V back in October 2011, but there’s still a long way to go until the final version of the game is ready. The company has released two new screenshots today that should give you an idea of the generic visual aesthetic and setting of the game. The game doesn’t look like a radical departure from 2008’s Grand Theft Auto IV, but does seem to have undergone a graphical polish to bring it up to date with modern titles.

When asked how the game was coming along, Rockstar responded, “We are very busy working on the game! Everything is going well, but the game is a huge project. We should have more information and some new assets for you soon.” Rockstar’s games often encounter long stretches of time before new information is released, something one user questioned the company about.

Rockstar responded with the following: “We are sorry if you find this frustrating, but please understand, we don’t do this because we ‘don’t care about our fans’ ‘don’t respect our fans’ ‘hate GTA fans etc’ – precisely the opposite! We do it because we want to make sure we only release 100 per cent correct information, and because we want to keep plenty back for the actual game release so there are still lots of surprises when you play it.” The company finished by saying that there wasn’t much more to show than the trailer that was released back in November.

Grand Theft Auto V is set in the fictional Los Santos area of San Andreas. The game will take cues from modern day Los Angeles, and while not much information surrounding the game has been released, Rockstar has confirmed that GTA5 will feature a “Crews” multiplayer implementation. That feature is also found in Max Payne 3, with Crews created in one game able to be carried across to the other.

[via NowGamer]

Rockstar teases Grand Theft Auto V with two new screenshots is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Rovio has announced that it will be bringing the Angry Birds Trilogy to the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and the Nintendo 3DS. The company dropped some hints previously that it would be bringing the popular games from mobile devices to consoles, and now Rovio has said it will bring upgraded versions of the games to three consoles. There’s no word on when the Trilogy will be officially released, but the company is current working on enhancing the games.

Rovio’s Executive Vice President of Games, Petri Järvilehto, says the team reworked all the games for HDTVs and consoles: “There are new cinematics, extras and other entertaining content. In addition all of the existing material has been uprezzed and re-treated for the high-resolution and big screen.” Backgrounds have also been animated, and there are several lighting modes as well.

Angry Birds, Angry Birds Season, and Angry Birds Rio will be sold on one disc (or cartridge in the 3DS’ case), although there’s no mention of Angry Birds Space, or if the Trilogy will include the extra free levels found on iOS and Android. The company says that there are those with consoles perfectly content with a “casual” gaming experience, and that’s exactly who Rovio is targeting with this release.

The games will also support Kinect, PlayStation Move, and StreetPass. There’s no firm release date, but Rovio says it should be available to purchase in time for the all important holiday season.

[via IGN]

Angry Birds Trilogy coming to Xbox 360, PS3, and 3DS is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.