Thursday December 6th, 2012 @ DNA Lounge!

At Ümloud!, rocking out is serious business, especially for people across the US and Canada who come to the event. To help, we’ve locked in the date so you can plan ahead. All of us at Ümloud! hope you can join us in Child’s Play Charity‘s mission to help children and their families around the world and here at home.

DNA Lounge will again be the home of the most unique Rock Band event in the world. Our friends at Harmonix will be there to make Ümloud! a rocking success. Seriously, everyone awesome is going to be there: This means you!

As long as you’re following this blog, our Facebook Page, or Twitter, you’ll be kept up to date with the latest details!

We hope to see you at this year’s event! If you have any questions or feedback to us from prior events, contact us: info@umloud.org

Meet our new Community Manager

We’re also proud to announce the newest member of the Ümloud! team: Krista Hauser! As our Community Manager she’ll be the community voice of Ümloud!, keeping you up to date with the with all the exciting news!

The AV Society is at it again and posted the full pre show!

Check out interviews from A+D of Bootie, Mad Catz, Harmonix, Telltale Games, Ümloud! staffers, and many more as they set the stage for Ümloud! 2011′s performances.

Your hosts for the pre-show were:

• Jon Carnage ( Destructoid )
• Wesley Ruscher ( Destructoid )
• Rob Roberts ( Orange Lounge Radio )

We like to thank all the people who made the pre show and broadcasting all band performances for Ümloud! 2011:

• The AV Society
• GameSpot
• USTREAM
• DNA Lounge
• All our guests, sponsors and hostsThe Ümloud! 2011 Pre Show
• Everyone who donated to Ümloud!

Ümloud! presents every band performance of 2011!

The embed above is the full playlist of all the bands, but you can individually view and embed each performance. You can also look at the Band Roster for each video and band photos by the official Ümloud! 2011 photographer: Bob Lopez.

Special thanks goes to The AV Society. Not only did they contribute their services to produce and broadcast the show with GameSpot and USTREAM, but The AV Society took the time to edit down and post 1080p versions of each band performance. All of us at Ümloud! are extremely grateful that we can show these performances to the public for years to come.

These videos are on the official Ümloud! YouTube channel, which includes a donation button to Ümloud!/Child's Play on each page. If you share the videos, please make sure to note that they can donate right off the YouTube page!

$26,523.85+
Thank you!!!

This is our biggest check ever to Child’s Play! More than double of last year’s $11k and well beyond 2009′s $7k. There are a lot of people who made this possible. Our performers, volunteers, sponsors, staff, vendors, over 700 attendees, 2,100 viewers of the broadcast, and everyone who’s contributed to that big number. Ümloud! is the platform for the gaming community to come together to support children and their families around the world. You did not disappoint this year!

Make this number even bigger by donating!
We’re still accepting donations for our 2011 fiscal year. 

Image: Brian Bilek.

Band & Event Photos

Band photography by Bob Lopez is now available!

There are quite a few photos to share from our photographers:

• Bob Lopez (Ümloud! Band Photographer)
• Brian Bilek
• Noel Holmes
• The Ümloud! Flickr Pool

If you have photos to share, make sure to tag them as “umloud2011″ and “umloud”!

Band Videos

The broadcast crew The AV Society is working hard to edit and upload all of the videos in full 1080p HD. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to be notified of new videos. We’ll also have Area5‘s video for Destructo Pwnies up soon!

Each band page will have links to the images and videos in the next few days, preserving the performances in one central location. Bands will be e-mailed once videos and images are up.

Looking to the Future

Ümloud! has many plans for the next year with the main event and beyond! We’ll also be expanding our year-round staff positions to our organization. Stay tuned to this blog, @Umloud, and our Facebook page as we make more announcements!

Happy Holidays!

From all of us at Ümloud!, have a wonderful, safe, and happy holiday!

San Francisco to Host Biggest Annual Video Game Charity Event featuring Rock Band™ 3 at DNA Lounge on December 8, 2011 to Benefit Child’s Play

San Francisco, are you ready to ROCK?!!!

On Thursday, December 8, Ümloud!, San Francisco’s biggest annual non-profit gaming fundraiser for Child’s Play, once again takes the stage with Rock Band 3 at the DNA Lounge for a fun filled evening that draws video game fans and supporters together to rock out for a great cause. In its third year, Ümloud! 2011 promises to be the biggest and best show so far! All of the proceeds earned will go directly to support children’s hospitals around the world via Child’s Play charity.

Ümloud! will deliver a truly memorable evening filled with gamers from all walks of life – both as participants as well as spectators. Staying true to the music-game that brought everyone together, Rock Band 3, attendees will once again see over 30 bands comprised of the best aspiring rockers test their singing, music and performance skills on stage through some of the best rock songs spanning the eras.

In addition to seeing the performances, Ümloud! attendees will have the opportunity to further support the cause via the evening’s silent auction, contributing via an on-site donation box, as well as entering the raffle where they can win great prizes – games, peripherals, Tshirts, etc.! This year’s Ümloud! is global so online viewers will be able to show their support through making pledges and participating in auctions exclusive to the remote audience.

WHO:                   Video Game Fans and Industry Professionals

WHAT:                 Ümloud! 2011 – 3rd annual fundraiser that benefits Child’s Play

WHEN:                 Thursday, December 8

Pre-show starts at 6:30 [Media are encouraged to attend/participate as Umloud! spokespersons will be available for interviews and offer sneak peak of what’s to come during the show. Video can be made available for broadcast needs.]

Show doors open to public at 7PM: Tickets are $10/per person to enter

WHERE:               DNA Lounge (375 Eleventh Street, San Francisco, CA 94103, (415) 626-1409)

*Must be 18+older to attend details can be found at: http://www.dnalounge.com/

ADDITIONAL:     Ümloud! 2011 has secured tremendous support from the video game industry from partners and sponsors including:

Mad Catz: Premier Sponsor
Harmonix: Sponsor
ONE PR Studio: Gold Sponsor
Gamespot: Exclusive Partner for live global streaming
The AV Society: in conjunction with Gamespot, partner for live global streaming
TriplePoint: Sponsor
Raffle Giveaway Contributors: Namco Bandai, Square Enix, Sega, Capcom, and XSEED.
… and more!

For all things Ümloud!, check out the new  www.umloud.org, and don’t forget to sign up to be a sponsor today. Become a fan of Ümloud! on Facebook and follow Ümloud! on Twitter.

# # #

About Child’s Play Charity

Since 2003, over 100,000 gamers worldwide have banded together through Child’s Play, a community based charity grown and nurtured from the game culture and industry. Over $6.7 million dollars in donations of toys, games, books and cash for sick kids in children’s hospitals across North America and the world have been collected since our inception.

This year, Child’s Play Charity has continued expanding across the country and the globe. With almost 70 partner hospitals and more arriving every month, you can be sure to find one from the map above that needs your help! You can choose to purchase requested items from their online retailer wish lists, or make a cash donation that helps out Child’s Play hospitals everywhere. When gamers give back, it makes a difference!

About Ümloud!

Ümloud! is the annual “Rock Band Night for Child’s Play” fundraiser held in San Francisco, California organized by local video game veterans Chris Kohler (Wired.com), Joe Markert (Gamehelper), and John “Seg” Seggerson (Telltale Games). All with proceeds going to Child’s Play Charity which is the ‘gamers charity’ started by Penny Arcade’s Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik that provides toys and games to children’s hospitals around the world, including Oakland Children’s Hospital.

Ümloud! Media Contact:

Kjell Vistad | Laura Casey
ONE PR Studio (for Umloud!)
kjell@oneprstudio.com | laura@oneprstudio.com
510-893-3271

GameSpot to Provide Live VIDEO Stream for Upcoming Ümloud! Gaming Charity Event

Leading Gaming Website Partners to Provide Global Live Streaming of Rock Band™ 3 Bash in San Francisco on December 8, 2011 to Benefit Child’s Play

San Francisco, California — December  6, 2011 — Ümloud!, San Francisco’s biggest annual non-profit gaming fundraiser for Child’s Play, today announced that it will feature live global video streaming thanks to a new partnership with the popular gaming website GameSpot in coordination with The AV Society. When the event rocks at the DNA Lounge at 6:30PM PST on Thursday, December 8, gamers around the world will be able to tune in to www.GameSpot.com or www.Umloud.org to watch the onstage shenanigans live from the venue. Attendees of the show can donate through bidding in the silent auction, jumping in on the raffle, or simply contributing via an on-site donation box, while online viewers will be able to show their support through making pledges and participating in auctions exclusive to the online audience. All of the proceeds earned will go directly to support children’s hospitals around the world via Child’s Play charity.

“The Umloud! event is one of the most creative ways we have seen for the community to support kids’ charities and provide games and toys for families in need,” said John Davison, VP of Programming, GameSpot. “We can all appreciate the huge impact that this kind of help can have, and as a parent myself I know first hand the joy that video games can bring to children.”

The evening of December 8, gamers from all walks of life in the San Francisco/Bay Area will come together to rock and roll all night and help a worthy cause. At Ümloud! attendees and streaming viewers will see and hear over 30 bands perform Rock Band at DNA Lounge, one of San Francisco’s hottest live music venues. They will also be able to play Rock Band 3 for Child’s Play, a ‘gamers charity’ started by Penny Arcade’s Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik that provides toys and games to children’s hospitals around the world, including Oakland Children’s Hospital.

“Thanks to our friends at GameSpot, gamers around the world will be able to not only support Child’s Play but will get a great Rock Band charity concert experience live from anywhere,” said Ümloud! co-founder John “Seg” Seggerson. “Every crazy moment will be streamed on GameSpot as we present a great show for fans around the world, all for the benefit of Child’s Play and its partnered hospitals.”

Ümloud! co-founders and gaming industry veterans Chris Kohler (Wired.com), Joe Markert (Gamehelper), and John “Seg” Seggerson (Telltale Games) will lead the night of onstage mayhem at DNA Lounge. The event will feature a massive stage decked out with the latest Rock Band 3 gear and a huge set list of songs to choose from to make your stage debut, all provided by the game’s developer Harmonix^® Music Systems. And let’s not forget the loot-tastic silent auction and a raffle chock full of sweet gaming, tech, music, and pop-culture booty!

For all things Ümloud!, check out the new teaser site www.umloud.org, and don’t forget to sign up to be a sponsor today. Become a fan of Ümloud! on Facebook and follow Ümloud! on Twitter.

# # #

About Child’s Play Charity:

Since 2003, over 100,000 gamers worldwide have banded together through Child’s Play, a community based charity grown and nurtured from the game culture and industry. Over $6.7 million dollars in donations of toys, games, books and cash for sick kids in children’s hospitals across North America and the world have been collected since our inception.

This year, Child’s Play Charity has continued expanding across the country and the globe. With almost 70 partner hospitals and more arriving every month, you can be sure to find one from the map above that needs your help! You can choose to purchase requested items from their online retailer wish lists, or make a cash donation that helps out Child’s Play hospitals everywhere. When gamers give back, it makes a difference!

About Ümloud!:

Ümloud! is the annual “Rock Band Night for Child’s Play” fundraiser held in San Francisco, California, organized by local video game veterans with proceeds going to Child’s Play Charity. Visit www.umloud.org to sign your Rock Band bandmates up for time on the DNA Lounge main stage!

About GameSpot:

GameSpot’s (www.GameSpot.com) expert editorial team provides more than a million daily visitors with comprehensive, engaging and unbiased game information for console, PC, and portable platforms. The site was named the most influential video game media site in America in 2011 by EEDAR (Electronic Entertainment Design and Research). It’s award-winning coverage includes previews and reviews on the hottest titles, breaking news, live Web casts, online tournaments, game downloads, videos, guides, hints and more. GameSpot also has one of the most active online gaming communities fueled by a free, innovative social networking service that makes it easy and fun for gamers to interact with like-minded enthusiasts. The GameSpot family includes GameFAQs, Game Rankings and GameSpot Trax, the industry’s premier real-time market intelligence tool. GameSpot is a property of CBS Interactive. GameSpot is available online, on mobile phones and on the iPad.

Follow GameSpot on Facebook and Twitter 

About The AV Society:

The AV Society is an independent group of production and creative specialists who bring the excitement of live events to new audiences in the comfort of their own homes, over the Internet.  Live events streamed by The AV Society team enter the homes of tens of thousands of new attendees, raising the bar for attendance of performances, festivals and press events, extending the event’s reach.  The AV Society offers planning and execution with experienced consultation from beginning to project end, including a number of strategies to increase the value of the live stream to event sponsors, in some cases increasing the profitability of the event.  Content creation and development for television and film also round out the group’s offerings.  The team has gathered from all walks of the entertainment industry with a heavy focus on Video Game Entertainment Industry experience and calls the historic “Record Plant” in Sausalito CA its home.  For more information, visit http://www.theavsociety.com

Ümloud! Media Contact: GameSpot Media Contact:
Kjell Vistad | Laura Casey Justin O’Kelly
ONE PR Studio (for Umloud!) Director of Communications
kjell@oneprstudio.com | laura@oneprstudio.com justin.okelly@cbsinteractive.com
510-893-3271 415-344-2515

Due to the unprecedented demand of band packages this year, the band package we normally sell at the silent auction is now an eBay auction! This is your LAST chance to be in a band for Ümloud! The bidding ends at Monday November 28 @ 3:45pm PST!

The package itself is the same band package type we sold for $150 a few weeks ago (in under four hours!). This includes performing one song on the Ümloud! stage, the gift bags, photos & videos, and everything! The only difference is that it’s up as an eBay auction, and it’s the last one!

If you’re going to go for the auction, be prepared! You will have 24 hours after the auction ends to have your band’s name, song choice, band image, and band members into the Ümloud! website.

Bid high, bid often, and see you in two weeks at Ümloud!!

MAD CATZ® STEPS UP TO THE MIC FOR CHILD’S PLAY AS PREMIERE SPONSOR OF THIS YEAR’S ÜMLOUD!

Global Provider of Innovative Interactive Entertainment Products Partners With Rock Band™3 Bash for Child’s Play in San Francisco on December 8, 2011

San Francisco, California — November 18, 2011 — Ümloud!, San Francisco’s biggest and most awesome annual non-profit gaming fundraiser for Child’s Play, will take place at DNA Lounge on December 8, 2011. This year, the non-profit group is proud to announce that Mad Catz Interactive Inc. has secured the Premiere sponsorship role. As the Premiere sponsor Mad Catz has signed on to sponsor the production costs of Ümloud!, ensuring that each and every gamers’ donations can go directly to support children’s hospitals around the world via Child’s Play charity.

“Ümloud is an inspiring event which through it’s support of the Child’s Play charity, makes a real difference to the lives of sick children across the world.” said Darren Richardson, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. “We are proud to support such a deserving cause and look forward to joining gamers this coming December for a night of Rock Band fundraising which promises to be like no other!”

As Premiere sponsor, Mad Catz is the leading donator and supporter of the Child’s Play charity event, Ümloud! Mad Catz plan to rock out in style, with their very own house band performing, as well as promising a host of surprises for many of the lucky attendees.

“We’re very excited to work with Mad Catz in making Ümloud! 2011 the biggest, baddest Rock Band charity concert in the world!” said Ümloud! co-founder John “Seg” Seggerson. “Having such an esteemed partner will allow us to create a spectacular show that will draw an amazing gaming crowd, all for the benefit of Child’s Play and its partnered hospitals around the world.”

On December 8, 2011, gamers in the San Francisco area will come together to rock all night and help a worthy cause. At Ümloud! you’ll hear over 30 bands perform Rock Band at DNA Lounge, one of San Francisco’s hottest live music venues, and play Rock Band™3 for Child’s Play, a ‘gamers charity’ started by Penny Arcade’s Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik that provides toys and games to children’s hospitals around the world, including Oakland Children’s Hospital.

Gaming industry veterans Chris Kohler (Wired.com), Joe Markert (Gamehelper), and John “Seg” Seggerson (Telltale Games) will lead the night of shenanigans at DNA Lounge. The event will feature a massive stage decked out with the latest Rock Band™3 gear and a huge set list of songs to choose from to make your stage debut, all provided by the game’s developer Harmonix® Music Systems. And let’s not forget the loot-tastic silent auction and a raffle chock full of sweet gaming, tech, music and pop-culture booty!

For all things Ümloud!, check out the new teaser site www.umloud.org, and don’t forget to sign up to be a sponsor today. Become a fan of Ümloud! on Facebook and follow Ümloud! on Twitter.

# # #

About Child’s Play Charity:
Since 2003, over 100,000 gamers worldwide have banded together through Child’s Play, a community based charity grown and nurtured from the game culture and industry. Over $6.7 million dollars in donations of toys, games, books and cash for sick kids in children’s hospitals across North America and the world have been collected since our inception.

This year, Child’s Play Charity has continued expanding across the country and the globe. With almost 70 partner hospitals and more arriving every month, you can be sure to find one from the map above that needs your help! You can choose to purchase requested items from their online retailer wish lists, or make a cash donation that helps out Child’s Play hospitals everywhere. When gamers give back, it makes a difference!

About Ümloud!:
Ümloud! is the annual “Rock Band Night for Child’s Play” fundraiser held in San Francisco, California, organized by local video game veterans with proceeds going to Child’s Play Charity. Visit www.umloud.org to sign your Rock Band bandmates up for time on the DNA Lounge main stage!

About Mad Catz:
Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. (AMEX/TSX: MCZ) is a global provider of innovative interactive entertainment products marketed primarily under its Mad Catz® (casual gaming), Cyborg™ (pro gaming), Tritton® (gaming audio), Saitek® (simulation), and Eclipse™ (home and office) brands. Mad Catz also develops flight simulation software through its internal ThunderHawk Studios™; operates flight simulation centers under its Saitek brand; operates a videogame content website under its GameShark® brand; publishes games under its Mad Catz brand; and distributes games and videogame products for third parties. Mad Catz distributes its products through most leading retailers offering interactive entertainment products and has offices in North America, Europe and Asia. For additional information please go to www.madcatz.com.

Ümloud! Media Contact:
Kjell Vistad | Laura Casey
ONE PR Studio (for Umloud!)
kjell@oneprstudio.com | laura@oneprstudio.com
510-893-3271

Mad Catz Communications:
Alex Verrey
Global PR and Communications Manager
averrey@madcatz.com or +44 (0) 1908 336 538

Thursday December 8th, 2011
@ DNA Lounge!

At Ümloud!, rocking out is serious business, especially for people across the US and Canada who come to the event. To help, we’ve locked in the date so you can plan ahead. All of us at Ümloud! hope you can join us in Child’s Play Charity‘s mission to help children and their families around the world and here at home.

Our friends at Harmonix will be there to make Ümloud! a rocking success. DNA Lounge will again be the home of the most unique Rock Band event in the world. Seriously, everyone awesome is going to be there: This means you!

As long as you’re following this blog, our Facebook Page, or Twitter, you’ll know all the details this fall. You can even add the Facebook Event and mark your calendar!

We hope to see you at this year’s event! If you have any questions or feedback to us from prior events, contact us: info@umloud.org

Sponsorships

We’re also proud to announce the newest member of the Ümloud! team: Marcello Lagosh! As our Director of Corporate Relations, he’ll help you create a sponsorship package that shows the world your brand’s commitment to helping children and their families in their time of need.

Contact sponsors@umloud.org to talk to Marcello about how you can help make Ümloud! happen!

Some highlights, selected by Tyler.

Herr Nihil @ Ümloud! 2010

Want to see all of them? Go to this year’s roster of bands! Each band’s page contains a link to Tyler’s photos.

Tyler Winegarner has done a wonderful job with more bands this year. All of us at Ümloud! are extremely grateful for his time and hard work in making Ümloud! 2010 a wonderful success!

Today we announce a number. It’s a bigger number than last year. Hopefully you can handle it:

$11,146.28+

For this and much more, we thank each and every one of you.

To the core staff, the volunteers, our sponsors, prize donators, DNA Lounge, the wonderful bands, and the over 650 who came to the event: Each of you have made this event possible. Your efforts provide support for thousands of children and their families around the world in moments where support is needed the most. We are proud to see an increase of donations where charitable giving decreased around the world. This is the number that will be written on a check and mailed off to Child’s Play Charity, showing that all of you are wonderfully awesome.

Wondering what that + is for? That’s because we always accept donations. If you didn’t make it to the event or want to contribute more, please make a donation. If you’re planning on selling items via eBay, you can also donate 10% to 100% of the final sale price to Ümloud! directly via the Mission Fish program.

We plan on selling the Ümloud! t-shirts after the holidays. We’ll have more details later.

Photos by Tyler Winegarner Photography and videos by Dawnrunner Productions of the event are being edited. There’s a lot of awesome to handle and they’re working tirelessly to get them to you!

The board members (Chris, Uncle Ed, Joe, & Seg) thank you all for making Ümloud! 2010 bigger and better this year! Follow us on this blog, Twitter (@Umloud), and on Facebook for more news later next year, including the date for the 2011 event.

Update: Last year’s event, Ümloud! 2009, raised $7,000 for Child’s Play Charity.

Ümloud! 2010 has come to a close, following a year of planning and one short night of straight-up rocking.

We’ll be telling you a lot more later about the bands that blew us away and the amount that we were able to raise for Child’s Play Charity this year. For now, all of us at Ümloud!, bleary-eyed but quite happy, just want to thank you. You blew away our expectations again. Bands like “Are You There, God? It’s Me, Zilla” (above) went all-out this year with costumes and choreography unlike any other Rock Band event.

As a friend of mine said that night, “It’s like a full-on concert created with Rock Band 3.” That it was. And it’s all thanks to you, who worked so hard to make a huge impact with your five minutes on stage. We’re excited to work with you all again in 2011, and promise to work even harder to make Ümloud! the best it can be.

Holy crap, Ümloud! is tonight!

Can you believe it? It’s already here! And we’ve still got last-minute prizes to share with you. We’ll have three (3) of the amazing Disney Epic Mickey loot bags that you see above — two in our raffle, and one in the Silent Auction.

If you win one of them, you’ll get a copy of Epic Mickey signed by creator Warren Spector, a commemorative E-Ticket (also signed), an Oswald the Lucky Rabbit shirt and overcoat, an Epic Mickey pin, a paintbrush ballpoint pen and a Steamboat Willie plush. And it all comes in a lovely Epic Mickey tote bag.

Disney fans will lose their minds over the very prospect of owning such a bag full of delights! With prizes like this, how can you NOT afford to come to Ümloud? Get down to DNA Lounge tonight, Thursday December 9, at 7 PM to rock out and win prizes!

Here’s our art director Karen Chu, modeling the final run of the official Ümloud! T-shirt!

With a stylish design by Karen herself (flipped in the image above since she took the photo in a mirror), you will be proud to sport this classy tee on the job or while grocery shopping or whatever.

These were provided to Ümloud! at reduced cost by the wonderful people at T-Shirt Charity, and we are passing the savings on to you! These amazing, high-quality Gildan tees will be sold at Ümloud! on December 9 for the low, low price of just $15 each.

At that price, how can you not buy out our entire stock? We’ll see you at Ümloud on Thursday, and remember: It is okay to be the guy that wears the shirt of the show to the show.

So far here at Prize of the Day HQ, we’ve been showing you items that will be in the Raffle. Here’s one that we’ll put in our Silent Auction.

The good people at Tecmo Koei America have sent over this box of awesomeness, filled with many of the company’s recent games for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Nintendo DS. Here’s the complete list of the contents:

• One copy each (PS3/Xbox 360) of Quantum Theory
• One copy each (PS3/Xbox 360) of Fist of the North Star: Ken’s Rage
• One copy each (PS3/Xbox 360) of Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce
• One copy of Ninja Gaiden ∑ 2 Collector’s Edition (PS3)
• One copy of Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword (Nintendo DS)
• One copy of AGAIN (Nintendo DS)
• One copy of DEAD OR ALIVE 4 (Xbox 360)
• One talking Fist of the North Star alarm clock (Japanese import)
• One Fist of the North Star: Ken’s Rage collectible art book autographed by Hisashi Koinuma – Producer
• Three Dynasty Warriors mini-figures

Wow, right? It’s well over $400 worth of games and prizes, and if you bid on it in our Silent Auction it could be yours. Come win this at Ümloud! on December 9, this Thursday, at DNA Lounge in San Francisco!

Did you know that all of the prizes at Ümloud! are currently listed on our site? Go spend some time and browse them at your leisure.

Jamil Moledina is a great friend of Ümloud! and a ubiquitous presence in the games business, having headed up Game Developers Conference, Game Developer magazine and now one of the top men at EA Partners. But he’s also a science fiction writer, and we are pleased to be giving away five signed copies of his debut novel Tearing the Sky.

From the book’s official site:

360,000 years into the future, human beings become a civilization of knowledge, equality among Organics and Sentients, and mastery over galactic matter and energy. Yet Stanford student Kale Eritrus can’t choose a major, obsesses about solitary hobbies, and fumbles through conversations with the opposite sex. However, his universe comes to a sudden halt when he discovers that their ultimate civilization is about to be shattered by the final act of the Big Bang: the Big Crunch.

With nothing to hold him back, Kale takes the two women he can’t choose between on an expedition to find out what’s going on. What they uncover on their galaxies-spanning adventure will fundamentally alter what it means to be human, and the depths to which they will descend for what they know in their bones is right.

Get your copy in the Ümloud! raffle on December 9!

“Give us more info about Ümloud! prizes,” you said. Here is all you have asked for.

The Prizes section of the Ümloud! website is now online, bearing detailed information about each and every prize currently in our possession. All of our current Raffle and Silent Auction items are detailed, from Halo Reach reviewers kits to the adorable Harry Potter Pygmy Puff plush shown above.

We’re still tweaking the look of the Prizes page, and we’re still adding prizes every day between now and December 9! But now you can go check out many of the awesome items that we’ll have for you at the show. Go!

Check out the Prizes section!

In addition to the many, many piles full of brand new videogames and swag that you’ll be able to win in our increasingly awesome Silent Auction and Raffle, it just wouldn’t be Ümloud! unless there were also a bunch of retro games pulled from my collection.

In case you’ve always wanted an Atari 2600, this is your night. One of the prizes in our Raffle will be this lovely Atari 2600 Junior (sort of like 1986′s version of the PS3 Slim) with a whole array of games like Pac-Man and Warlords. You’ll probably need to go buy some cables to get it to work, but it does have a power adapter. So you got that going for you if you choose to take this home.

In addition to the 2600, there’s a Nintendo Entertainment System and games, a Sega Genesis and Sega CD, and other assorted old stuff! So come to Ümloud! and take this away, because we don’t need it! And if you don’t like old games, you can choose from the other 95% of prizes, which are new, untouched and high-definition.

See you on December 9! Right? We will see you, right? <3 xoxo

You’ve read all about them. You’ve seen them play at Ümloud! 2009. Now get ready for an exclusive behind-the-music look at your Headliner Band: Broasis.

The amazing video production company Area 5 worked their asses off to produce this mockumentary video all about Broasis, as part of the prize package awarded to the winners of the Headliner Band auction.

In the video, we meet the members of this fictitious band and find out all about their backstories and addictions, from evil girlfriends to delicious, dangerous beverages.

(Look for a very special cameo from yours truly.)

Area 5 is a phenomenal organization made up of extraordinary talent, and they spent time they could have used to make money donating their efforts to our cause. All of us at Ümloud! would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Matt Chandronait, Ryan O’Donnell, Jason Bertrand, Cesar Quintero and Rick Curnutte.

Catch Broasis at the big show on December 9!

All this week at Ümloud, we’re hyping up some of the big prizes that we’ll have to give away at our event on December 9.

We received a very generous and space-filling donation from our good friend Dan Amrich, Activision’s One of Swords. Dan went all over the halls of Activision collecting Guitar Hero and DJ Hero swag for us to give away in our raffle, and here’s just some of what he came up with:

• Six copies of DJ Hero 2! with turntables!
• Two copies each of Guitar Hero World Tour, Guitar Hero 5 and Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock with guitars!
• Tons of Hero shirts, hats and jackets!

So even if you prefer Guitar Hero to Rock Band, there’s good reason to show up, rock out, and help us raise funds for Child’s Play at Ümloud!

Oh hi! We’re only one week away from Ümloud! Can you believe it?

Over the next 7 days, we’re going to do our best to entice you to come by showing you some of the amazing prizes we’re going to be giving away in our Silent Auction and Raffle.

First, we would like to thank the good people at Warner Bros. Interactive and Fortyseven Communications for hooking us up with a huge pile of awesome Super Scribblenauts limited-edition merch. The Maxwell Rooster Hat was one of the favorite prizes last year and we’ve gone all-out again for 2010.

Three lucky raffle winners will get a Super Scribblenauts prize pack featuring the acclaimed Nintendo DS game, the limited-edition and truly adorable Maxwell vinyl doll, plus some more swag like buttons, paper masks, posters and refrigerator adjective magnets.

But you can only win if you come to Ümloud! on Thursday, December 9!

Much like our signed Pac-Man auction — which closed at a whopping $600.02! — we’re raising some more cash this week with a signed copy of Shadow of the Colossus.

I had dinner with Fumito Ueda this past April, and told him all about what we were trying to do. He signed and dated the game — in quite nice style! — right in front of me. So you know this is for reals.

The auction will end a little after noon Pacific on November 29, so you have some time to sell off all of your other possessions to raise money.

If you don’t win, don’t despair; just come to Ümloud! on December 9 where we will have even more awesome swag like this in our raffle and silent auction. And it’s all for charity!

Look at this guy, with this prize he won! Look how happy he is! He probably donated like $20 to charity for the raffle tickets that won him this toy.

“But Chris,” you ask, “How could I possibly turn all of these toys, old games, and other assorted swag in my videogame company’s PR closets into cash for Child’s Play? It doesn’t seem possible!”

It is totally possible — with Ümloud!

On Thursday, December 9, we’re putting on the biggest, loudest Child’s Play charity event the Bay Area has ever seen. We’re heading to DNA Lounge to play Rock Band 3 on the big stage with all the lights, sound, bells and whistles and cowbells of a real rock concert.

But we’re also giving away lots of great prizes, and we want your donations. Those old review copies collecting dust, those leftover E3 lanyards — all of it is like gold to Ümloud! attendees.

Here are the general categories of prizes we’re looking for:

Silent Auction: These are big one-of-a-kind items or prize packages themed around a certain game or product. We will let people place bids on these throughout the night, and the highest bidder takes it home. Example from last year: Mega Man 9 box and fan-made Lego sculpture.

Raffle: These are big awesome prizes too. We will sell raffle tickets at the event and draw numbers all night. Example from last year: Signed Final Fantasy concert CDs.

Swag table: Everything else! Budget games, action figures, magazines, books, anything. Everyone who comes to Ümloud! and makes a $10 donation at the door gets something off this table, and we sell the rest later in the night at bargain prices!

We’ll also be putting together Swag Bags for those who play in bands on stage. This is a great opportunity to distribute postcards, stickers, redeemable game codes for your title, things like that!

If you donate some prizes, we’ll put a logo and link on our website. And we’ll be happy to promote your prizes on the Ümloud! blog, Facebook and Twitter and add you as our friend or follower, too.

tl;dr: We need everything. We will turn everything into money for children’s hospitals.

How Can You Help?

Email us: chris@umloud.org, karen@umloud.org

Here at Ümloud, we want you to have awesome things. Donating to charity is great and all, but isn’t it better when in exchange for your generosity, you get to play Rock Band 3 up on stage at an amazing music venue?

Or, in this case, own a signed copy of Pac-Man?

Last April, I went to Japan to ring in the 30th year of my life on the planet. As it happened, somebody else was celebrating his 30th birthday around that time — Pac-Man. So I went over to Namco Bandai’s head office and talked to Toru Iwatani, the creator of one of the world’s most important videogames.

And while I was there, I bought a beautiful condition copy of Pac-Man at Mandarake Galaxy, one of Tokyo’s best collectible-game stores. And I had Iwatani put his signature on it. Proof is in the photo above — that’s him in the Bandai Namco lobby standing next to an original Puck-Man machine, holding the game.

And for the next week, we’re auctioning it off on eBay, with 100% of the proceeds going to support Ümloud!

This is a great way to help us out even if you can’t make it to the show on December 9.

The auction ends on November 17! Don’t miss out! Add this one-of-a-kind game to your collection!

And remember, Ümloud! is registered with eBay GivingWorks, which means that you can donate all or part of the proceeds from your auctions to us automatically!

You may have noticed that our Headliner Band auction closed at over $750. We’d like to thank those very generous folks who won the auction. You’ll be hearing all about them and their band very soon!

If you didn’t get the Headliner Band gig, don’t worry — watch this space, because we’ll be selling Ultimate Band passes very soon! And remember, you can pre-order your entry tickets right now for $10 each.

It’s almost Ümloud! time again, and boy, do we have big plans this year.

Last year, dozens of you amazing people took the stage at DNA Lounge to fulfill your every musical fantasy, and we were absolutely blown away by the results. You had incredible costumes, amazing energy and a flair for the dramatic. You were rock stars.

This year, we’re going to do something great for one generous band.

Right now on eBay, you can bid to be the Headliner Band of Ümloud! 2010. What’s that mean? Full details are on the eBay listing and the Headliner Band page, but here’s the long and short of it: We will do everything we can, above and beyond the call of duty, to give you the VIP rock star treatment when you perform.

That means a two-song set list — which nobody else will be able to do. That means first picks of songs, before all the Ultimate Bands. Karen will create you a logo and a poster. You’ll make a mockumentary video with the folks from Area 5. You’ll have a VIP table at DNA Lounge all night, and a complimentary bottle of premium booze (if you’re all 21).

And more. Way more.

Go bid on the auction. It closes October 28!

If you don’t want to bid, but still want to be an Ultimate Band, we’ll start selling those passes on November 1, once the auction’s over. If you just want to pre-order your Ümloud! tickets, those are on sale now.

Keep an eye on this blog over the next month and a half for more announcements, prizes, auction items and everything Ümloud!

The Ümloud! donation button is now operational! We accept donations all throughout the year, so don’t be shy! Donations are collected through Google Checkout, which offers an alternative to PayPal in contributing to Child’s Play.

While I have your attention, remember that Ümloud! 2010 will take place on Thursday December 9 at DNA Lounge.

To all of you who met us at PAX East last weekend: Welcome to Ümloud! I’ll be posting materials and recordings from the “Organizing a Child’s Play Fundraiser” panel once I get the audio in a few weeks. I’ll make a video with the slides, and you’ll get to hear my ‘sexy IRS’ voice again.

Let’s do it… One! More! Time!

In December 2009, you helped us rock out for Child’s Play at the first annual Ümloud! The show was a smashing success: With your help, we raised $7000 for children’s hospitals and had an amazing time doing it. Your bands took the stage and rocked the house.

Time to do it again. We’ve signed the contract and it’s official: Ümloud! 2010 will take place on Thursday, December 9, 2010. Once again, we’ll be working with the good people at DNA Lounge in downtown San Francisco to let you live out your rock star fantasies for a great cause.

We listened to your concerns. You wanted an event later in the week. Thursday is the new Friday, or so it’s been said.

In the coming months, we’ll be revealing new details about Ümloud! 2010. We’ve got some great plans that you’re going to want to be a part of. Just keep following this blog to get the latest updates, fresh from the delicious source.

You can also befriend Ümloud! on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

And if you want to help us make this year’s show the best it can be, then contact sponsors@umloud.org.

See you in December, and talk to you soon!

Hey wow! It’s a video that recaps all the highlights of Ümloud!

Didn’t make it to the show? Want to relive your favorite moments? Now you can, thanks to the tireless work of Tracy Peterson at One Two Many Productions.

Yes, it was this awesome. And Ümloud! 2010 will be bigger, better, and more bad-ass.

Make sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or on this blog’s RSS feed for news about this year’s event!

Thank you, thank you, thank you to each and every one of you who donated, sponsored, played, or otherwise just showed up to make Ümloud! 2009 an incredible success.

We hit the DNA Lounge hard and rocked it all night. Our on-site partners at DNA, Tekamaki, Heatwave, Tyler Winegarner Photography, One Two Many, Reverb and Harmonix all worked in concert to give our hundreds of attendees a professional-quality show that I think exceeded everyone’s expectations.

You know now that Ümloud! 2010 is going to be incredible.

Many videos of our generous, talented Ultimate Bands are currently available on YouTube. Some of our favorites: Ironheade, real-life Lego Rock Band, Daylight Savings Crime.

DNA Lounge is streaming the audio webcast of the show via MP3 for the next two weeks, so listen (and grab the MP3s if you want) while the getting is good!

Many photos are popping up on Flickr. The best so far are from volunteer Brian Haberer, who took the amazing shot above.

If you were in an Ultimate Band, we’ll be putting you in touch with photographer Tyler Winegarner about those glamour shots that he took of you before and during your big performance.

Now, the big question: How much did we raise for Child’s Play? We are happy to say that we will be giving over $6,000 to the charity. We’ll have a final figure once we do all the math, but for now we’re blown away by the numbers.

We’ll be back soon with more videos, music, and notes from Ümloud! Thank you once again for coming to support us. This is only the beginning!

Hey, remember that awesome somewhat controversial tentacley sexy cover art that the Muramasa: The Demon Blade team made for Play magazine?

Remember how they put it on a T-shirt? Oh, you already guessed, you’re so smart: We have one of these tees, courtesy I Am 8-Bit, in the Ümloud! raffle.

It’s in men’s size S.

To make up for this, practically every other T-shirt at Ümloud will be in XL, aka Journalist Size.