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MegaBots Raises $2.4M To Create League Of Human-Piloted, Giant Fighting Robots (techcrunch.com)

Posted by msmash on from the like-in-the-movies dept.

Remember MegaBots? The Kickstarter success story that was raising money last year to pilot fighting robot named Mk II. Labeling it as a contest for world supremacy, the co-founders challenged a Japanese team Suidobashi Industries to a duel with its Kuratas bot. (Which it accepted very gracefully). The idea was to utilize this octane-packed event to sell merchandise products. Here's an update: it worked. TechCrunch reports: Oakland, Calif. startup MegaBots Inc. has raised $2.4 million in seed funding to bring the robot-fighting stuff of manga and anime to a venue near you. According to MegaBots cofounders, Gui Cavalcanti, Matt Oehrlein, and Brinkley Warren, the startup aspires to follow in the footsteps of major sports associations like Formula 1 or UFC. With the seed funding, Warren said, MegaBots will be partnering with a law firm called Latham Watkins to help set up and roll out its league internationally, taking an approach similar to the Olympics. Specifically, MegaBots will be working with Latham Watkins Partner Christopher D. Brearton, who represents the International Olympic Committee, and has helped organized leagues and governing bodies in sports including the NBA, MLB, NFL and others.

34 of 52 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Wait... by HumanWiki · · Score: 2

    I saw this movie already...

    It was called Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots the movie...

    Oh wait, sorry... It was Real Steel...

    Long before that movie was RobotJox. Achilles!!!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

  2. This ends.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    This ends with one robot fist smashed completely through the cockpit of a rival and raspberry jam leaking everywhere.

    End of league.

    1. Re:This ends.... by alexhs · · Score: 4, Funny

      This ends with one robot fist smashed completely through the cockpit of a rival and raspberry jam leaking everywhere.

      There's only one man who would dare give me the raspberry.
      Lone Starr!

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  3. Host Country by Verdatum · · Score: 1
    "MegaBots is evaluating potential host countries and working with governments that may be interested in and willing to host such an event, and future tournaments."

    We all know it's gonna be in Dubai. There is no way this won't be in Dubai.

    1. Re:Host Country by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 2

      it can be in the usa we just need more H1B's so we can get the people that we need!

    2. Re:Host Country by myowntrueself · · Score: 1

      "MegaBots is evaluating potential host countries and working with governments that may be interested in and willing to host such an event, and future tournaments."

      We all know it's gonna be in Dubai. There is no way this won't be in Dubai.

      It would be so wrong to build up a good sweat piloting a battling robot and not be able to have a good cold beer afterwards.

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    3. Re:Host Country by JazzLad · · Score: 1

      Looks like you're spending too much time on Slashdot, Kettle.

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  4. but... by Lead+Butthead · · Score: 1

    they don't look anything like Gundam...

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    1. Re:but... by H3lldr0p · · Score: 1

      of course not. Gundams were for war, this is for entertainment!

      Besides, once shown that it can be done, the military can't be all that far behind. Especially if it can be shown that one person piloting the robot can take on several others at the same time. Think of the cost savings!

    2. Re:but... by Tablizer · · Score: 1

      they don't look anything like Gundam...

      Indeed, wrong font, for one.

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    3. Re:but... by He+Who+Has+No+Name · · Score: 2

      The core goal of 'Mechs is to pack a lot of firepower into an easily transportable package that requires a single pilot and can traverse ground like infantry.

      Tanks are good - on Earth. When you suddenly have to force project across multiple planets, sometimes with hostile LZs from deorbital burns, and occasionally into completely unknown environments, 'Mechs suddenly have a lot of useful qualities as an overall warfighting system.

      Once the technology matures to tie them into a pilot's nervous system for balance and direct neural control - and we are NOT that far off, really - they'll be highly effective as shock weapons and expeditionary warfighting platforms.

    4. Re:but... by BlueStrat · · Score: 1

      I see your mega bot and raise you a guided bomb.

      There's little difference between a 'megabot' sort of ideal tactical/battlefield situation and that of most any modern armored/mechanized forces. Gaining air superiority is imperative prior to deploying armored forces in numbers on the modern battlefield, or else risk losing them to missiles/bombs and other air-to-surface/anti-armor enemy weapon systems

      The main thing I see these type of mechanized individual armored battle vehicles adding are agility compared to tracked/wheeled battle vehicles, and infantry force multiplication, particularly if it can also carry 100kg-200kg of supplies or more and be made cheap enough to deploy in large numbers so that infantry units have the option to have 3 or 4 soldiers out of a 12-man combat unit deploy with these ambulatory mechanized infantry combat units for enhanced combat support and supply logistics (carrying more ammo/supplies into battle and carrying wounded out to be picked up) as well as their usefulness as a weapons/sensors/comms platform.

      Strat

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    5. Re:but... by Coren22 · · Score: 1

      To be fair, I totally expected the loaders from Aliens. I figured at that price, that would be about all that could be built.

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      APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
  5. Third's a charm by mwvdlee · · Score: 3, Informative

    Link three, the last link in the article, is the one that contains actual information.

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  6. kind of cool by phantomfive · · Score: 3, Informative

    Here's a video of the thing in action. Kind of a cool hack, but I can't imagine full-scale combat with these things being anything but dull.

    The Japanese version seems more agile, but......

    --
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  7. potential host countries by OzPeter · · Score: 1

    From TFA

    MegaBots is evaluating potential host countries and working with governments that may be interested in and willing to host such an event, and future tournaments.

    Translation: Looking for the place with the least restrictive laws and minimal requirements for liability insurance.

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    1. Re:potential host countries by zlives · · Score: 1

      well its a california based company so... yeah not the US

    2. Re:potential host countries by myowntrueself · · Score: 1

      well its a california based company so... yeah not the US

      Not Canada. Not anywhere in Europe. Probably not South America nor middle east. Most likely East Asia. Though Mongolia could be good, battling it out in the open air on the wide open steppe.

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      In the free world the media isn't government run; the government is media run.
    3. Re:potential host countries by stealth_finger · · Score: 1

      From TFA

      MegaBots is evaluating potential host countries and working with governments that may be interested in and willing to host such an event, and future tournaments.

      Translation: Looking for the place with the least restrictive laws and minimal requirements for liability insurance.

      Somalia?

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  8. One Must Fall 2097 by Sowelu · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The game that taught me how the sound of banging two spoons together, slowed way down, sounds like one robot punching another in the face.

    1. Re:One Must Fall 2097 by U2xhc2hkb3QgU3Vja3M · · Score: 1

      There was also a robot fight in Space Quest III, Nuke'm Duke'm.

  9. Re:Wait... by OzPeter · · Score: 2

    But don't forget the SyFi channel's Robot Combat League

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  10. the arms... no didn't RTFA by zlives · · Score: 1

    so... whats mounted on the arms and is it legal in california?
    also who has the insurance contract and when was the first fight... the blurb makes it sound like it has been successfully accomplished "Here's an update: it worked."

  11. No overlord comment? by deadwill69 · · Score: 1

    What? No "I welcome our new fighting robot overlords!" In spite of all the goodness new management is bring, man the crowd is slow sometimes. Maybe they'll put lasers on them too!

  12. Now get back to work! by Thud457 · · Score: 2

    No, this seems like a good place to remind people that "The agriculture ministry is not in charge of Gundam."

    --

    the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

  13. The reason they are partnering with a law firm by SuperKendall · · Score: 1

    To handle the suits from all of the families of the deceased spectators from misaimed turbo-lasers and the like.

    Not that it's stop me from watching mind you. Just saying it's probably the first venue you may want to consider tickets with an obstructed view as a plus.

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    1. Re:The reason they are partnering with a law firm by myowntrueself · · Score: 1

      To handle the suits from all of the families of the deceased spectators from misaimed turbo-lasers and the like.

      Not that it's stop me from watching mind you. Just saying it's probably the first venue you may want to consider tickets with an obstructed view as a plus.

      LRM's will be banned, they can only use SRM's so problem solved!

      --
      In the free world the media isn't government run; the government is media run.
  14. Like tanks, but worse by coldsalmon · · Score: 1

    I wonder if the rules will specify that the robots have to be anthropomorphic. If not, it seems a lot more sensible to just build one of the "human-piloted fighting robots" that we've been using for 100 years: a tank. Human-shaped fighting robots have the big disadvantage of being top-heavy and dependent on relatively small, delicate legs with complicated joints. Of course, that problem could also be solved by making a super-cool scorpion robot...

  15. Re:Wait... by He+Who+Has+No+Name · · Score: 2

    Microsoft owns the video game license to BattleTech, and Topps owns the tabletop side of the franchise.

    Neither is anywhere near as likely to sue as Harmony Fucking Gold (may they be tentacle-fucked in Hell).

  16. Re:Wait... by brantondaveperson · · Score: 1

    Nah mate, they were remote control. You're thinking of Robot Jox.

  17. Re:Great. Repurposed Forklift components as 'robot by Iamthecheese · · Score: 1

    Pics or it didn't happen. Edit: found it It's pretty much what it says on the tin.

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  18. 2020 Olympics by Ferocitus · · Score: 1

    That's chicken feed compared to what will be spent on bots and holograms for the 2020 Olympic opening ceremony.

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  19. Re:FTFY by stealth_finger · · Score: 1

    They're fucking giant robots. Of course you're gonna need lawyers.

    I thought they would use cardboard cutouts for target practice but that's a much better idea!

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  20. Re:Just like my Chinese cartoons by Coren22 · · Score: 1

    Do the Chinese also product Gundam style shows? I thought it was only the Japanese that did that.

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    APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?