Valve launches Steam Greenlight to pick cream of indie game crop

Steam has developed a reputation as a haven for indie games like Super Meat Boy, so it's only fitting that store owner Valve has just launched a section to welcome more of those games into its tent. Greenlight lets small developers submit titles and have gamers vote as to whether or not the candidates should get space on Steam's virtual shelf. Pickier players don't have to see every game in contention; they can filter the list down to specific game types and platforms, and collections can narrow the selection to categories hand-picked by fans or publishers. No games have cleared Greenlight just yet, but it won't be long before the logjam becomes a flood -- between this and general apps, Steam is about to get a lot more crowded.

Filed under: Gaming, Software

Valve launches Steam Greenlight to pick cream of indie game crop originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 22:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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15 indie developers re-imagine Pong for iOS, hope to win Atari contract

As far as video games go, it doesn't get much simpler than Pong -- two paddles, one ball, no complications. A classic, to be sure, but definitely not the flashiest game when pitted against the average smartphone title -- maybe that's why Atari is asking indie developers to jazz it up. Yes, the Pong Indie Developer Challenge is in full swing, and Atari has pared down some 90-odd submissions to mere 15. Not familiar with the contest? Here's a quick refresh: Atari is looking for indie developers to re-imagine Pong for iOS as a fun, original, visually interesting and overtly marketable title. The stakes? Winners can score up to $100,000 and a publishing contract with Atari. Many of the semi-finalists' redesigns are as simple as adding multitouch gestures or bending the traditionally square playing field into a more circular court, but a few ambitious developers mixed it up with 3D playing fields, anthropomorphic paddles or augmented reality multiplayer. Check out Mashable's collection of contestant trailers at the link below for a look at the Pong of tomorrow. As for us? We're still pretty pleased with yesterday's model.

15 indie developers re-imagine Pong for iOS, hope to win Atari contract originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 17 Jun 2012 00:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Engadget Show 33: Indie Game: The Movie, Fifth Avenue Frogger and The Art of the Video Game

E3 is rapidly approaching, but why wait until then for some hot video game action? We've got a veritable electronic entertainment expo of Engadget Show goodness coming at you this month, including an interview with the directors of the award winning documentary, Indie Game: The Movie. We've also paid a visit to the Smithsonian to check out the museum's Art of the Video Game exhibit and took a look the insanely awesome Fifth Avenue Frogger arcade machine hack.

We've also got a look at the newly reborn Chinatown Fair arcade in Manhattan and E3 predictions with with Joystiq's Ben Gilbert. And, as always, we'll have the month's latest and greatest gadgets, including the Samsung Galaxy Nexus for Sprint, the HTC Evo 4G LTE, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 , the ASUS Transformer Pad TF300 and two new iCade creations. Can you handle all of that? Good! Check out the video after the break.

Gallery: The Engadget Show 33: Indie Game: The Movie, Fifth Avenue Frogger and The Art of the Video Game

Hosts: Tim Stevens, Brian Heater
Guests: James Swirsky, Lisanne Pajot, Ben Gilbert and Tyler DeAngelo
Producer: Rob Samala
Director: Michelle Stahl
Executive Producers: Brian Heater, Joshua Fruhlinger and Michael Rubens

Download the Show: The Engadget Show - 033 (HD) / The Engadget Show - 033 (iPod / iPhone / Zune formatted) / The Engadget Show - 033 (Small)

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Continue reading The Engadget Show 33: Indie Game: The Movie, Fifth Avenue Frogger and The Art of the Video Game

The Engadget Show 33: Indie Game: The Movie, Fifth Avenue Frogger and The Art of the Video Game originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 16:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Indie Game: The Movie: The Worldwide Release: June 12th

What, you didn't think those games appeared on Xbox Live through some act of magic, did you? No, they're the product of insanely small teams working insanely long hours, at the risk of their well-being, social lives and, in some cases, personal hygiene, in order to bring you a downloadable break from Call of Duty. Indie Game: The Movie is a beautifully shot, occasionally heartwarming and perpetually fascinating look at the intersection of art and technology currently being explored by indie game developers, focusing on the creators of Fez, Braid and Super Meat Boy.

We managed to get a sneak peak of the Sundance documentary, courtesy of filmmakers James Swirsky and Lisanne Pajot, who appeared on the most recent episode of the Engadget Show -- and now you can join in on the fun: the film is getting a worldwide web release on June 12th, by way of iTunes, Steam and the official movie site. If you can't wait until then, however, you can pre-order the movie now for $10 in the source link below.

Continue reading Indie Game: The Movie: The Worldwide Release: June 12th

Indie Game: The Movie: The Worldwide Release: June 12th originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 May 2012 07:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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