Warp Zoned Presents
Video Game Canon- Jordan Minor’s “Boss Fight Books: Super Mario Galaxy” is Now Available for Pre-Order
- Angry Birds, Dragon Quest, FIFA Soccer, and Silent Hill are the World Video Game Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026
- 2025 GOTY Scoreboard: In Progress
- BAFTA Games Awards: All the Winners from 2003 to Today
- Clair Obscur Completes the Sweep by Winning “Best Game” at 2025-2026 BAFTA Games Awards
Warp Zoned Presents
- Video Game Research Library
- With Grand Theft Auto 6 poised to take over the world, I reached out to Jack Thompson and it did not go well – PC Gamer (2026)
- Vib-Ribbon: An oral history – Design Room (2026)
- How a Second-Grade Teacher Revived a Beloved Video Game – The New York Times (2026)
- Spore: An oral history – Design Room (2026)
- Diablo IV PC Cooled With Real Human Blood Is Still Going Strong Two Years Later, Says Guy Who Won It – Aftermath (2026)
Author: John Scalzo
The Michael Bay commercial for Need For Speed: The Run is directed by Michael Bay
EA gave Michael Bay the chance to cut a commercial for Need For Speed: The Run because… well, why the hell not? Bay is known for making movies with fast cars, fast (and scantily clad) women, and lots of explosions; and that’s just what we get in this trailer. There’s also plenty of slow motion, a few car crashes (also in slow motion), and a rousing score (while main character Jack punches out a cop in slowmotion). Yup, this is a Michael Bay-directed trailer all right.
Need For Speed: The Run will be available in stores on November 15.
Posted in News, PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Tagged Need For Speed: The Run
Original Zelda game coming to 3DS; Majora’s Mask remake still being considered
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is just a few weeks away, but Nintendo plans to keep the Zelda train rolling with an original 3DS game (that’s not a sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, which features an actual Zelda train) and possibly a Majora’s Mask remake.
Speaking to Portugese game site MyGames, series Producer Eiji Aonuma revealed that pre-production work on the next Zelda game, which will be a totally original tale for the 3DS, has begun:
“We are already preparing a new game, a game in the series for the Nintendo 3DS, but don’t think that it is a direct sequel to the Zelda titles released on DS. We are talking about a new game, but it takes much of what has been done on previous handhelds.”
And what about Majora’s Mask? Aonuma had this to say about a 3DS remake of the divisive N64 entry in the series:
“It’s something I’m asked about often and I assure you that it is something I’ve spoken to Miyamoto about. But recently we released The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D as a remake. We are considering the idea, but it didn’t seem right to launch a remake one after another, so the next Zelda game on 3DS will be original.”
[Thanks to Nintendo Everything for the translation]
Posted in 3DS, News
Tagged The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Konami releasing 3 Silent Hill games in first 3 months of 2012
The Wintertime is already cold and dark and a little scary, but Konami plans to make it downright terrifying next year. Over the first three months of 2012, the publisher plans to release three new games in the Silent Hill series.
Konami plans to ease us into their Silent Hill marathon with the release of the Silent Hill HD Collection on January 24. The PS3/Xbox 360 package collects Silent Hill 2 and Silent Hill 3 together and gives them an HD makeover for the first time.
In February, the terror goes portable as Silent Hill: Book of Memories comes to the Vita. Sony’s next handheld is scheduled for a February 22 launch in the US, so consider this one a launch title.
Finally, the Vatra Games-developed Silent Hill: Downpour will be released for the PS3 and Xbox 360 in March.
And they say Christmas Halloween comes but once a year.
Posted in News, PS3, Vita, Xbox 360
Tagged Silent Hill HD Collection, Silent Hill: Book of Memories, Silent Hill: Downpour
Next Alan Wake coming to XBLA, won’t be “Alan Wake 2”
With the announcement that “the next Alan Wake” game would make an appearance at the 2011 Spike TV Video Game Awards, gamers got quite excited that they’d get a glimpse at Alan Wake 2. It looks like that won’t be the case as Remedy has revealed the next Alan Wake game will actually be a standalone Xbox Live Arcade title:
Fans, Alan Wake returns through Xbox Live Arcade! Follow GameInformer.com on Monday for the first screenshot, and the 2011 Spike VGAs, December 10th, for more information on this Epic Adventure. Are you ready to become the Champion of Light?
While Remedy isn’t referring to the game as Alan Wake 2, they are doing their best to reassure fans that it’ll live up to the original. Rememdy CEO Markus Maki posted the following statement on the game’s official forum:
“If you’re thinking about this in terms of some kind of a, I don’t know, super simplified ‘we still use the name but changed everything about it’ version of Alan Wake, let me just say that this is not the case. That’s all I’m gonna say.”
So, no Alan Wake Kart Racing then?
Posted in News, Xbox 360
Tagged Alan Wake's American Nightmare
Everyone else is doing it: Google “Do a barrel roll” now!
This has been spreading like wildfire throughout the entire Internet all day, so it’s likely you’ve already seen it. But it’s also a neat little Easter egg, so here goes…
Go to Google and search for “Do a barrel roll.” And if you need a link, here’s a link: “Do a barrel roll.” Now sit back and watch the fun (provided you’re not using Internet Explorer, the trick doesn’t work in IE).
Metal Gear Solid: Rising, Alan Wake 2, new BioWare game to premiere at 2011 Spike TV VGAs
The tribe has spoken. Actually, Spike TV has spoken, and they’ve revealed that “Survivor” creator Mark Burnett will produce the 2011 Spike TV Video Game Awards. This year’s VGAs will be held on Saturday, December 10 at 8 PM (Eastern Time) and broadcast live on Spike TV, MTV2, and online.
“I am so excited to be working with Spike on the VGAs,” said Mark Burnett. “I have teenage boys so video games are already a part of my life. They kick my butt in [Call of Duty: Black Ops] on a regular basis, but now are letting me win in hopes of seeing some of the world premieres before the show. We are going to have a lot of fun.”
And speaking of world premieres, Spike TV has revealed that this year’s world premiere slate will include Metal Gear Solid: Rising (with a special introduction by Hideo Kojima), Alan Wake 2, and “a new project and new studio from BioWare.” We know BioWare is hard at work on Dragon Age III, but Spike TV is being secretive about the specific game for now.
Finally, the TV channel has announced the nominees for two categories, Game of the Year and Most Anticipated Game. They’re available after the break. (more…)
Posted in News, PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Tagged Alan Wake's American Nightmare, Metal Gear Solid: Rising
Rainbow 6: Patriots terrorizes Game Informer’s December issue
Game Informer has revealed that the cover of their December issue will belong to Tom Clancy’s Rainbow 6: Patriots, the first new game in the Rainbow 6 series since 2008’s Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Vegas 2. But don’t get too excited just yet, the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 game won’t be released until 2013.
“Terrorism has evolved, and so has Rainbow 6,” said Creative Director David Sears. “In Rainbow 6: Patriots, all the team play, tactics, and realism that fans of the series love have been coupled with an exciting new narrative direction. This adds an unprecedented level of humanity that will make Rainbow 6: Patriots an extremely tense and immersive experience.”
Patriots will be developed by Ubisoft Montreal and will take the series into the realm of domestic terrorism for the first time (the “exciting new narrative direction” Sears was talking about). This time, the Rainbow team will be searching for the True Patriots, a militia organization that wants to “behead corporate America” and overthrow the U.S. government.
The word “controversial” is used multiple times in Game Informer’s December issue tease. Yet, the game’s story seems to be taking many of its cues from Timothy McVeigh and the 1994 Oklahoma City bombing. McVeigh even referred to himself as a “patriot” after his arrest.
It’ll be interesting to see if Tom Clancy’s Rainbow 6: Patriots is a “ripped from the headlines” adaptation of that terrorist act or if it’ll pull a “24” and use the homegrown terrorist militia angle as a lead-in to something bigger.
Posted in News, PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Tagged Tom Clancy's Rainbow 6: Patriots
Nintendo Download: 1950s Lawn Mower Kids, Balloon Kid, more
It’s Thursday, so Nintendo has updated their trio of download services with a new smattering of games that are all about the kids:
1950s Lawn Mower Kids (DSiWare) – Help Tom, Nancy and Tim mow lawns among UFOs, people, dogs, ducks, cats and birds. Avoid mowing down flower beds or crashing into tables and angry animals.
Balloon Kid (3DS eShop) – Save your brother from peril by floating through eight different stages as you follow his trail of balloons. Test your piloting skills to avoid enemies, or let go of your balloons to face enemies on the ground.
Gnomz (WiiWare) – Welcome to the world of Gnomz, an exciting new arcade fighter for the WiiWare service. Battle in 25 action-packed arenas and discover magical power-ups, flying elephants, rainbows and glowing reindeer.
House M.D. – Episode 4: Crashed (DSiWare) – Dr. Gregory House and his elite diagnostic team race against the clock to unravel a new medical mystery. An aging reality- TV host seems to care less about his own health than his fame and reputation. Track down the correct diagnosis by interviewing and examining the patient, running lab tests, searching locations and even performing surgery.
More information on all of these games can be found within the Nintendo Download weekly newsletter.