It seems that the pieces for Google’s rumored set-top box are beginning to fall into place. According to a report from Pando Daily, the search giant has purchased Santa Clara-based game developer Green Throttle Games for an undisclosed sum.
An acquisition was speculated last November when Green Throttle Games unexpectedly pulled its game store app, Android Arena, from the Play Store, but Google didn’t confirm until today that it had acquired the company’s talent and assets.
Launched in 2012 by two Palm employees and gaming industry veteran Charles Huang of Guitar Hero fame, Green Throttle Games’ focus was primarily on peripherals. The company sold a custom controller, the Atlas, which connected to an Android game store app via Bluetooth. One of the technology’s differentiating features was the ability to connect up to four controllers to one device; Android’s Bluetooth implementation normally only allows one device of each type to connect.
If Google intends to launch a set-top box, it has its work cut out for it. Amazon, which is allegedly preparing to release a console of its own, purchased software developer Double Helix in February. Apple is also rumored to release a refreshed Apple TV with Time Warner Cable integration as soon as this April.
Could a Nexus TV be in our future? We’ll probably have to wait until Google I/O on June 25 to find out.
Hmm, I could see them taking a Snapdragon 800 or even a Tegra 4, 2 GB of ram, 16GB of storage, WIFI and Bluetooth, in a box not much bigger than a chromecast, and with green throttle’s tech, sync 4 controllers to it for $150 or so. Maybe cheaper now that costs are coming down. Hook that directly into an HDMI port like the chromecast and game on.
You could even sell a cheaper version similar to a chromecast with storage and use a phone or tablet’s processing power to run it.
This could get interesting.
What if you could chrome cast your phone to your screen, connect four controllers to it and play some video games, or switch it to tv mode watch some good ol cable, or maybe some netflix or youtube. I want that in my gs6
As a former Logitech Revue user I have to say Google TV wasn’t great but had promise. Their biggest problem is getting apps onto the TV because there was no effective way to control/play them. This sounds like it would fill one of the largest problems I had.
However as a cord cutter I would now want to see it fully featured without the need for cable pass through.
If a Nexus TV really is in the works, Google would have to do something drastically different from its previous Google TV efforts. Either provide a lot more live content or a really great experience that would knock it out of the park.
And no beta experience like they did with the Chromecast during its launch. They actually need to provide a good amount of content immediately.
Amazing
Is amazing the new first?
You must be new to the site. Welcome. Meet KleenDroid
been here a while, but unfortunately I’ve noticed its catching on to other sites.
What would be amazing is and android stick from Google that turns your TV into a tablet that you could use it like a tablet and phone with a keyboard controller with built in mic, for web, calls, apps, widgets, games. Would rather have a Google android stick than a chromecast. The third party ones are pretty bad.
I agree.