torque-game-engine posts

October 2010 saw the shutdown of InstantAction.com, the streaming/embed game publisher. However the company's Torque engine game business stayed operational while it tried to find a new owner. Today it was announced that new owners have indeed been found and the Torque game engine business will continue under the game company's original name GarageGames. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The newly revived GarageGames is now owned by Graham Software Development and will continue to support and update the many Torque game engine and development tools. The company has also lowered the price of all of its tools to just $99 each for a limited time. In a post on the company's web site its mentioned that the company will remain in Las Vegas and is currently hiring.

InstantAction.com, the heavily hyped browser based PC game service, is shutting its doors. In a post on the Torquepowered.com message board (owned by InstantAction) its director of operations Eric Preize stated, "Today, InstantAction informed employees that it will be winding down operations." It's currently unknown how many people are affected by the shut down of the company which had offices in Portland, Oregon and in Las Vegas.

InstantAction.com was formed in 2007 as a subsidiary of from the now former GarageGames as a web-based PC game site with a number of original 3D titles that ran in a browser. In 2009, Louis Castle, the founder of Westwood Games, came on board as the company's new CEO. Under his leadership InstantAction.com's business model switched to support games that are embedded to web sites like Flash-based videos. It released two games that used that technology (The Secret of Monkey Island Special Edition and its own game Instant Jam) before today's announcement.

The company, whose parent is internet conglomerate IAC, has continued to support and develop GarageGames' Torque game development tool business throughout these changes to its business models. In his message today Preize stated, "Torquepowered.com will continue to operate while InstantAction explores opportunities with potential buyers for Torque." Last month Hi-Rez Studios purchased the Tribes game rights from InstantAction.com for an undisclosed amount.

[Via Gamasutra]

It's perhaps the single biggest web data base for game mods and now Moddb.com has begun the process to pick the best mods for 2008 in their seventh annual awards. From now until Jan. 16 people will be asked to nominate their favorite mods released in 2008 as well as their favorite upcoming mods. After that the voting will begin and last until Feb. 1. The winners will be announced at the end of February.

Winners won't just get bragging rights either. A number of sponsors have donated prizes to the winners in various categories. The winning Best Mod Team in both the Editor's Choice and Players categories will get the big prize; a full Torque Game Engine Advanced license from GarageGames (valued at $295 for an indie game or $14.95 for commercial use) along with a whole suite of other game development tools.