Games Toaster

Intel buys Dublin games firm Havok

Dublin games middleware company Havok is to be taken over by chip manufacturer Intel.

The deal will see the company that grew out of Trinity College become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Intel.

Havok’s software tools have been used on games such as BioShock, Harry Potter, Half Life 2, MotorStorm, and Second Life, and upcoming titles such as Halo 3, Alan Wake, and Indiana Jones (pictured above).

FULL STORY: Dublin gaming firm snapped up by Intel

Irish computer games websites

We've updated our links page, mostly containing links to Irish games websites.

It now includes Irish news/review games sites, community and LAN sites, Irish sites with games sections, games cafes/centres, game retailers in Ireland, local official console sites, and links to games companies based in Ireland. There's also a selection of international games sites.

Games Toaster's links section can be found here, or by using the link on the side bar.

To make a suggestion of a site we've missed, use the comments section below, or the 'email me' link on the side bar.

XNA games system showcased in Dublin

Irish developers were shown a demonstration  of Microsoft's cross platform XNA system at the Irish Microsoft Technologies Conference last week at Cineworld on Parnell Street in Dublin.

Robert Burke of Microsoft Ireland (pictured above with Martha Rotter of Microsoft Ireland) used PCs, Xbox 360, Guitar Hero and Wii controllers to demo the XNA tool set.

FULL STORY: Enn.ie

Kapooki Games feature on GD.ie

Kapooki Games is the focus of the latest feature article on Gamedevelopers.ie. The feature highlights the back-story of how the former Irish games developer went into liquidation in 2005, with debts of over 700,000 euro...

How a small start-up studio, located over a tattoo parlour in Dublin, went from being one of Ireland’s brightest game development hopes to another casualty of a ruthless industry. Pavel Barter reunites Dave Stafford, Shane Whelan, Gearoid Coughlan, and Ger Lawlor, of Kapooki Games. - gamedevelopers.ie

Dare to be Digital open day tomorrow

An open day for the student computer games competition, Dare to be Digital, will take place from midday tomorrow at the Digital Hub’s Digital Exchange in Dublin.

As Games Toaster reported last May prototypes will be constructed in Dublin this year, with 9 of the 10 weeks of the competition spent in Ireland.

“Rather than just sending one team to Scottish finals, we will be selecting six teams from the whole island of Ireland to be represented”, commented Michael Hallissy, of the Digital Hub back in May, “The six teams will take part in a mentoring and support program in Dublin during which they will build their game. Support will be provided by Irish and UK games companies. At the end of a nine-week support programme, they will then travel to the University of Abertay for the grand final”.

Last year at the international competition in Scotland, a Derry based team, Rule of Thumb, won in three categories – ‘Best Use of Technology’, 'Best Team Player', and team member McNicholas won ‘Best Artist’. For more details visit daretobedigitalireland.com.