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InstantAction out of action

Browser-based gaming company formerly known as GarageGames calls it quits; Torque middleware engine support to continue.

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InstantAction's efforts to elevate the quality of Web browser-based gaming have come to an end. Today, the company previously known as GarageGames announced that it would be shutting down its operations, with its eponymous online gaming portal already offline. However, InstantAction plans to continue supporting its proprietary game engine Torque as it searches for a buyer.

InstantAction's Tribes successor Legion was among the portal's offerings.
InstantAction's Tribes successor Legion was among the portal's offerings.

"Today, InstantAction informed employees that it will be winding down operations," Torque game engine operations director Eric Preisz wrote on the company's official blog. "While we are shutting down the InstantAction.com website and Instant Jam game, Torquepowered.com will continue to operate while InstantAction explores opportunities with potential buyers for Torque. We thank all of our past and current customers for their support."

InstantAction last snatched headlines in April, when it announced a new online distribution service that allows for embedding games nearly anywhere on the Internet, including blogs and social networking sites. As with streaming video, users can jump into a game instantly, instead of spending time downloading the software. However, games still must meet case-by-case minimum hardware specifications.

The Oregon-based developer's InstantAction online gaming portal launched in 2007 with the promise of delivering console-quality gaming through an Internet Web browser. The portal played home to a number of titles, including Cyclomite, from Bungie Studios founder Alex Seropian's Wideload Shorts.

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