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Viva Pinata Into The Pixel Piece Fetches Big Bucks
Posted by Michael McWhertor at 11:20 AM on February 9, 2008
The Into The Pixel art showcase at DICE featured plenty of wonderful artwork from beloved games like God of War, Metal Gear Solid, Half-Life 2 and Rayman's Raving Rabbids, each up for auction. The piece that looked to grab the biggest bucks was the Viva PInata digital painting seen above, which closed at $US 1400. The winner? None other than Epic Games' Mark Rein, who hovered near the bidding sheet like a hungry wolf until the auction closed, growling at anyone who attempted to outbid him. My choice? It would've been the Team Fortress 2 piece seen after the jump.
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Want to get digital copies for yourself? They're available for download at the official Into The Pixel web site.

Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
Telly_Vision
Posted 4:59 PM 16/2/08
@mikomichan: Not surprising - Rare's Lead Artist mentioned looking at Aztec and Aboriginal art when concepting what the pinatas should look like in that 'behind the scenes' thing they wrote.
Telly_Vision
mikomichan
Posted 4:59 PM 16/2/08
@CRUNK: for some reason, Viva PiƱata reminded me of the Aztec
mikomichan
CRUNK
Posted 4:59 PM 16/2/08
Man that TV show is Lame/boring. When I was a kid Xmen was King of kids TV.
Anyone else confused by the pinata show? THEY LIVE, to be Bashed to Death for the sweet candy that is their life blood. Whats this teaching kids? that Your blood is candy? Viva pinata is creating a race of super bad taste in TV Super Vampires! Im getting my gun and if any kids show up asking for candy Im letting them have it. Man,, this is October all over again.
CRUNK
StupidDufus
Posted 4:59 PM 16/2/08
I saw the Viva Pinata piece at E3 '07 and will say it caught my eye most out of all the other entries.
StupidDufus
magically_delicious
Posted 4:59 PM 16/2/08
These are absolutely gorgeous. It was nice of Rein to run up the bidding on that painting and support an artist.
magically_delicious
Toprem
Posted 4:59 PM 16/2/08
The site really needs real high res versions of those, some of those are totally sweet but too small for wallpapers.
@chemical_eng_mx: Werd, I think I like that one the most.
Toprem
Soriya
Posted 4:59 PM 16/2/08
Damn, I would love both of those. Especially the Viva Pinata one.
Soriya
chemical_eng_mx
Posted 4:59 PM 16/2/08
Love the American McGee's Grimm one
chemical_eng_mx
Sedeas
Posted 4:59 PM 16/2/08
What isn't mentioned in the post is that there was a bidding war going between Mark Rein and the Cliffy B. Hilarious. I was Academy staff at Dice. Still here, actually. Heh, Rein wanted me to take the bidding sheet early.
Sedeas
Wuffles
Posted 4:59 PM 16/2/08
Damn, I would have loved the Viva Pinata one. One of the liveliest illustrations I've seen in a while. Such a great game too.
Wuffles
Nexus6
Posted 4:59 PM 16/2/08
@MURDERFACE: Art makes me happy so i'd much rather spend paper on something that represents the expression of the imagination.
Nexus6
MURDERFACE
Posted 4:59 PM 16/2/08
Those are nice but i would not spend that much on art i would be much happier with the money.
MURDERFACE
CaptainBuzzKill
Posted 4:59 PM 16/2/08
That Viva Pinata one is mind blowing. If I had Mark Rein money I probably would have dropped a couple G's on it if I had to. And I don't even like that game.
Have you guys seen some of the stuff in the Mass Effect art book? Some of that stuff is gorgeous and could have easily competed.
CaptainBuzzKill
Shindokie: Kotaku's Whore
Posted 4:59 PM 16/2/08
@Kirbytheslayer: is dancing: That is what i was going to say. Can't you take your time so i can post things before you :/
Shindokie: Kotaku's Whore
Dark-Dx
Posted 4:59 PM 16/2/08
Where's the metal gear one?? I want it. Damn it.
Dark-Dx
Kirbytheslayer: is dancing
Posted 4:59 PM 16/2/08
@Kirbytheslayer: is dancing: Actually, I'll say this: The Lair one is fantastic. It's better than the game. It's even my new wallpaper.
Kirbytheslayer: is dancing
Chopsticks
Posted 4:59 PM 16/2/08
Though I've never played Dewey's Adventure and know absolutely nothing about it, I really like that artwork.
Chopsticks
Stormrider
Posted 4:59 PM 16/2/08
Viva Pinata is a great game with great art that doesn't get the credit it deserves from people because it was marketed as a 'kid's game'.
Stormrider
Kirbytheslayer: is dancing
Posted 4:59 PM 16/2/08
There's nothing to say.
Those are really, really awesome.
Kirbytheslayer: is dancing
Jamaces
Posted 4:59 PM 16/2/08
damn i would of gone for the viva pinata and probably would of gone higher than $1400 for it.
but hey im a fan of the game which got me into the show.
Jamaces
TedTheShred
Posted 4:59 PM 16/2/08
I got all three of the Orange Box lithograms, including the TF2 one above.
Decided my place needed a little culture.
TedTheShred
Zeouterlimits
Posted 4:59 PM 16/2/08
Wow, nice works...
Zeouterlimits