Table Pong at CES2019

A comeback for Pong?

And at CES?

Tyler Trent's Legacy Will Go On with New Book

According to the twenty-year-old sports writer, suffering from a rare bone cancer, "Three months ago, doctors gave me three months to live…but, by the grace of God and the generosity of Colts' owner Jim Irsay, here I am."

We lost Tyler Trent this week.

This young man is beloved by the Purdue football team and staff, as well as the university and surrounding community. But it was only this past fall that Tyler Trent's harrowing story rocketed out of Indiana and into the national spotlight when he boldly predicted that Purdue would defeat Ohio State.

On October 19, 2018, an ESPN interviewer asked Tyler about the future, presumably inquiring about his cancer prognosis. But Tyler's response focused instead on the next day when his Boilermakers would face the seemingly invincible Ohio State Buckeyes.

"The immediate future in my mind? Purdue beats Ohio State."

The ESPN video of Trent's story and subsequent prediction went viral, being viewed more than 20 million times on the internet. https://goo.gl/s4fgsW

Though he was virtually alone in making this call, the next day his Boilermakers soundly defeated the Buckeyes, 49-20…and miraculously, he was well enough to experience the historic moment in person, even offering a short post-game speech in the rowdy Purdue locker room after the game.

Tyler had never worn a Purdue jersey or helmet on the field, but he had become a key member of the team.

This game provided the underlying metaphor of Trent's book, THE UPSET: Life, Sports, Death, and the Legacy in Between. Scheduled to release March, 2019 (Core Media Group, 260 pages, $24.99), the book features a Foreword by Trent's friend and ESPN anchor, Scott Van Pelt, as well as endorsements from many influencers in the world of sports and media.

Tyler Trent has had this kind of impact.

THE UPSET: Life, Sports, Death, and the Legacy in Between can be pre-ordered online beginning Dec. 28 at www.tylertrentbook.com.

A portion of every purchase on this website will be donated to cancer research in Tyler Trent's name…and to help families facing cancer.

"Most people never see their legacy come to pass while they are still alive," Tyler's dad, Tony Trent, said. "We would love for Tyler to tell his story and reach his goal for cancer research, supporting families who are battling cancer."

Tyler and his family's dream is to raise at least one million dollars to help defeat this horrible disease.

Excerpt from The Upset:

Every night, until I felt I had grown out of it, my mom would sing the lyrics to "You Are My Sunshine" as she tucked me into bed. Her sweet voice lifted my spirits. Every time. I didn't realize until sometime later how much these few, seemingly happy stanzas would impact me in such a lasting way.

The first three lines are filled with such joy, so much so that it's easy to somehow sing right past the tragic potential of pain tagged onto the end…

Please don't take my sunshine away.

When Mom sang to me, never in her wildest dreams—or even her most graphic nightmares—did she ever imagine that her "sunshine" might actually be taken away. But when I was fifteen years old, our family began living life in the last line of the song—in a place where a terminal illness threatened the very joy of life itself.

To all people in this world—including you—who face everything that makes us suffer these fears of both the known and unknown found in cancer or in any of the other infinite difficulties of life—our family has joined your ranks. You are not alone. Together, we are the broken. We are the suffering.

We are the upset.

Atari Making a Big 'Play' at E3

Off all the games and manufacturers at E3, it's amazing that Atari still stands out.

E3 2018 has concluded, leaving us with dozens — if not hundreds — of games to anxiously await throughout the remainder of 2018 and beyond.

Atari®, one of the world's most recognized publishers and producers of interactive entertainment, took to the show this year to showcase another impressive line-up of multi-platform video game titles — from reimagined revivals of beloved Atari hits to new takes on current popular franchises and completely original titles.

For those that couldn’t make the show, Atari has released today all-new assets for their E3 2018 line-up. We invite you to view, download and share these assets and new information on the following Atari titles straight from E3 2018:

Tempest 4000™ (Xbox One, PS4, PC) - Developed by Llamasoft and legendary game designer Jeff Minter, Tempest 4000 is an action-packed arcade shooter that remains faithful to the original, while adding exciting new features and gorgeous 4K graphics. Tempest 4000 is set to energize your platform of choice this summer!
 
RollerCoaster Tycoon® Adventures (Nintendo Switch) - Atari’s first Nintendo Switch game is an all-new entry in one of the best-selling franchises in PC gaming history, designed from the ground up to take full advantage of Nintendo’s unique portable console. Whether on-the-go or at home, adventure awaits in the theme park of your dreams!
 
RollerCoaster Tycoon Joyride™ (PS4/PSVR) - Atari’s first virtual reality title finally lets players fully experience what it's like to be a customer in one of their own theme parks. Hop in, strap up and experience a thrill ride like never before!
 
Transit City Touch™ (iOS, Android) - As an all-new city-building and transit-management simulation game, Transit City Touch allows you to grow and advance your city by creating, refining and upgrading your infrastructure. Open packs of cards to find rare and epic items such as towering skyscrapers, new buildings, transit stations, vehicles and more.
 
Atari® Flashback Classics (Nintendo Switch) - Experience the excitement of 150 of the greatest Atari arcade hits of all time – including Centipede®, Asteroids®, Missile Command® and Yars’ Revenge® – on the Nintendo Switch!
 
Night Driver™ (iOS, Android) - Go full throttle in this fast-paced endless driver that honors the classic and offers a re-imagined update to the legendary racing genre hit.

 
Atari® Flashback Classics Volume 3 (Xbox One, PS4) - The latest remastered collection of 50 fan-favorite Atari platform and classic arcade titles is headed to current-gen consoles with HD support, online functionality and leaderboards!
 
RollerCoaster Tycoon® Touch™ (iOS, Android) - The incredibly popular mobile title that lets you build and manage your very own theme park continues to get better. With major content updates and new features added every few weeks, it’s no surprise that RollerCoaster Tycoon Touch is frequently at the top of the respective app stores!

LEGO Unveils Life Size Danica Patrick

It's Danica's last race.

LEGO Systems, Inc. actually surprised sports icon Danica Patrick with a custom built life-size model, featuring her racing firesuit and helmet, as an early retirement gift. A team of nine designers and Master Builders spent nearly 200 hours designing and building the likeness. Featuring 13 different colors, the model is built from 14,819 LEGO® bricks. The gift was presented to Ms. Patrick as a surprise in the midst of pre-race media activities in New York City.

"Ms. Patrick is a true builder. From her earliest days as a young go-kart racer, she built her idea to be a challenger in kart racing into reality through patience, persistence and determination, assembling a stellar career lap-by-lap and mile-by-mile. She is a phenomenal role model for all builders, particularly girls," said Michael McNally, senior director brand relations, LEGO Systems. "For 60 years, the LEGO brick has inspired children to realize their dreams, so we thought it fitting to celebrate Ms. Patrick's career during the exciting week leading up to her final race in Indianapolis by challenging our LEGO Master Builders to create a model in her likeness."

One of the most recognizable professional athletes in the world, Danica Patrick joined the mainstream ranks by going against the current, immersing herself and succeeding in the male-dominated world of professional motorsports.

As she broke barriers and set records on the track, Patrick made a name for herself off the track as well. She was named to TIME Magazine's "100 Most Influential People" list, has graced the covers of ESPN: The Magazine, Sports Illustrated and TV Guide, and was featured in pictorials in the 2008 and 2009 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. She has also appeared in a record-setting 14 Super Bowl commercials.

As a child, Danica Patrick tried a little bit of everything, from cheerleading to choir, T-ball, volleyball, basketball, track, tumbling and band. While she had a variety of interests, one thing stood out above the rest: her passion for racing. Patrick developed an interest in the sport after her parents bought her a go-kart when she was 10 years old. What began as a fun way for her family to spend more time together quickly blossomed into a career that would carry Patrick far from her childhood home in Roscoe, Illinois.

After racing at various levels in different racecars, Patrick burst onto the national scene in May 2005 when she stunned the world by leading 19 laps and finishing fourth in her first Indianapolis 500. With that performance, she became the first woman to lead laps and score a top-five finish in the historic race. Three years later, in April 2008, Patrick made history once again as she became the first woman to win a major-league open-wheel race in a North American series with her victory in the IndyCar Series Indy Japan 300 at the Twin Ring Motegi oval in Japan.

In February 2013, as Patrick transitioned to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, she made headlines around the world with her record-setting performance in the 55th Daytona 500 race at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. She became the first woman to win a NASCAR Cup Series pole when she set the fastest time in qualifying for the Daytona 500 and then finished in eighth place, the highest finishing position ever for a woman in the "Great American Race."

As Patrick's NASCAR Cup Series career progressed, she continued to rewrite the history books. She broke the record for most top-10 finishes of any female in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2015 and holds the new mark with a total of seven top-10s to her credit. In May 2016, Patrick became a three-time winner of the Monster Energy Fan Vote for the Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race. She is the lone repeat winner of the vote in the event's history.

In November 2017, Patrick announced that she would end her racing career with the "Danica Double" by competing in two marquee events that were cornerstones of her career: the Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500.

New Tennis Video Game Coming in 2018

That barren wasteland of tennis video games will get some company in 2018.

Bigben and Breakpoint are pleased to announce Tennis World Tour, the new standard for tennis games, due for release in 2018 on consoles and PC.

In order to make the best possible game and match players' expectations, the studio has brought in an experienced team which has worked on the "Top Spin" license.

Pierre André, Game Designer on Tennis World Tour and former Producer on "Top Spin 4": "For years we've wanted to create a new tennis game, a spiritual successor to "Top Spin 4". Technical evolutions now mean we can create the ultra-realistic simulation that we've been dreaming of."

Benoît Clerc, Director of Video Games at Bigben: "We are proud to give to all tennis fans a game worthy of their enthusiasm. The level of quality, wealth of content and game mechanics will ensure Tennis World Tour is one of the best sport simulations on the market."

This desire to provide a faithful tennis simulation translates into demanding gameplay during rally, a wide range of playing styles and a strategic preparation that influences the course of each match.

In addition to that, Tennis World Tour lets you experience the career of a professional: more than 30 playable tennis stars including Roger Federer, Gaël Monfils, Angelique Kerber, Garbiñe Muguruza and many more.

More information about the game will be provided during Gamescom 2017.