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
Gears of War 3 carves out 3 million in sales
Microsoft has drawn first blood in the cutthroat competition for “biggest game of the fall” by announcing that Gears of War 3 sold three million copies worldwide in its first week of availability. Available in three different (and pricey) packages, a $59.99 standard edition, a $79.99 Limited Edition and a $149.99 Epic Edition, Gears of War 3 has also pushed the franchise’s total monetary take past one billion dollars. That could buy a lot of chainsaws.
“Gears of War was the first killer app for Xbox 360, and the series has continued to contribute directly to the overall success of the platform ever since,” said Microsoft Corporate Vice President Phil Spencer. “Gears of War 3 kicked off the biggest Christmas period in Xbox history, setting the standard for the kind of amazing, action-packed experiences gamers should expect on Xbox 360 this year.”
Three million sounds pretty impressive until you remember that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 will sell close to eleventyjillion copies.
Posted in News, Xbox 360
Tagged Gears of War 3
WB working on new Mortal Kombat movie for 2013
WB Games is having a practically “flawless” year and it looks like it’ll only get better with the announcement that a third Mortal Kombat movie is in development.
The currently untitled film will begin production next year under the watchful eye of director Kevin Tancharoen and writer Oren Uziel. If you’ll recall, Tancharoen was responsible for the gritty Mortal Kombat: Rebirth short film, which spawned this year’s Mortal Kombat: Legacy webseries. While Legacy was a mostly faithful retelling of the Mortal Kombat mythos, the new film will offer a more “realistic take” on the franchise when its released in 2013.
In addition to the new film, New Line Cinema President Toby Emmerich and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment President Kevin Tsujihara believe that the next game in the series (the currently untitled Mortal Kombat 10) will launch alongside the movie in 2013.
[Source: Los Angeles Times]
Posted in Etcetera, News, PS3, Xbox 360
Tagged Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat X, Mortal Kombat: Legacy
This Week’s Nintendo Download: Zelda Four Swords (for free), Super Mario Land 2
After weeks of weak offerings, Nintendo has finally pushed out an amazingly impressive Nintendo Download.
The big news is that The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords – Anniversary Edition is now available on the 3DS eShop and DSiWare Shop. But the bigger news is that the game can be downloaded for free from now until February 20, 2012 in honor of the franchise’s 25th anniversary.
Also available this week on the 3DS eShop is Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins. Mario took a huge step forward in the handheld space with this game, which also introduced Wario to the world. It’s available for the nice price of $3.99 (though it’s not as nice as free).
In case either of these games don’t interest you, three more games were added to the various download services today: puzzlers EscapeVektor: Chapter 1 (WiiWare) and Crystal Caverns of Amon-Ra (DSiWare) and the Pong-like Bugs ‘N’ Balls (DSiWare).
Posted in 3DS, DS, News, Wii
Tagged Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
Yakuza: Dead Souls trademarked by Sega
I don’t think I’m telling you anything you don’t know if I say that zombies are everywhere nowadays. Zombies in World War II. Zombies in the Pentagon. Zombies in Anarctica. Zombies on the Moon. And that’s just the Call of Duty series. So it’s understandable if you’re sick of the undead. But what about zombies versus Japanese gangsters?
Umm… yes please!
Sega has filed a trademark application for Yakuza: Dead Souls with the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (the European Union’s version of the US Patent and Trademark Office). While the application doesn’t give any specifics about the game, I think it’s safe to assume its the Western localization of Yakuza: Of the End, the aforementioned game featuring Japanese gangsters battling it out a zombie horde.
Like I said, while zombies might be a tad overexposed lately, the idea behind Yakuza: Dead Souls gets a big thumbs up from me.
Posted in News, PS3
Tagged Yakuza: Dead Souls
Syndicate receives February 21 release date, new trailer
Even though it was first revealed a few weeks back, EA’s Syndicate reboot has been (not so secretly) in development at Starbreeze for several years. But while EA took their sweet time to show it to the public, they’re not wasting any time to announce a release date: February 21, 2012. Yup, the Syndicate reboot will go from announcement to store shelves in less than six months.
To go along with a cofirmed release date, EA has unveiled the debut trailer for Syndicate and it is chock full of the inventive gunplay and creative melee combat that has become Starbreeze’s signature.
The trailer also reveals a Syndicate pre-order incentive known as “The Executive Package.” Players who pre-buy this game will get the full Donald Trump treatment including “solid gold versions of all loadout guns, golden dart vision, and the executive gold Syndicate logos during co-op missions.”
New Zelda: Skyward Sword story details introduce Goddess Sword, Zelda’s father, more
Regardless of how much the fan’s ask for it, Nintendo has never elaborated much on the Legend of Zelda timeline. But as the publisher reveals more story details about The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, the beginnings of the Zelda saga are starting to finally come into focus.
Set in a time before the Master Sword existed, Skyward Sword begins in Skyloft, just before the major bird-flying competition. Zelda and Link are school friends and while she’s no longer a princess, she is Principal Gaepora’s daughter.
Link’s nemesis at school (and in the bird-flying competition) is named Groose (I guess Maverick and Iceman were busy). However, he soon leaves the bully behind when he meets Fi, the spirit of the Goddess Sword. Fi’s guidance will eventually lead Link to witness (or maybe even cause) the creation of the fabled Master Sword.
Do you got all that? Now tell us how all the rest of the games fit together Nintendo. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword will be available in stores on November 20.
Posted in News, Wii
Tagged The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
L.A. Noire cracks the PC case on November 8
After a painstaking investigation, I have discovered when Rockstar Games will release the PC version of L.A. Noire. OK, it was actually announced for all the world in a press release. Guess I better turn in my badge and my gun.
Scheduled for release on November 8, the PC version of L.A. Noire has been dubbed “The Complete Edition” due to an infusion of all five DLC cases. Previously available on the PSN and Xbox Live Marketplace, there’s the “Nicholson Electroplating” Arson case, “Reefer Madness” Vice case, “The Consul’s Car” Traffic case, “The Naked City” Vice case and “A Slip of the Tongue” Traffic case.
“The Complete Edition” will also include that staple of 1950s cinema, stereoscopic 3D support, to make L.A. Noire stand out even more.
Finally, Rockstar has released the System Specifications for L.A. Noire, which you can find after the break. (more…)
Posted in News, PC
Tagged L.A. Noire
XBLA Today: RE Code Veronica HD, Worms Ultimate Mayhem, MLB Bobbleheads, Mercury
Just like yesterday’s PlayStation Store update, Capcom has added a high definition update of Resident Evil: Code Veronica X to the Xbox Live Marketplace today. The zombie adventure will be joined by a trio of new Xbox Live Arcade releases: Worms: Ultimate Mayhem, MLB Bobblehead Battle and Mercury Hg.
More information on those three titles can be found right here.
Worms: Ultimate Mayhem
Worms: Ultimate Mayhem is the definitive 3D Worms game! Load your weapons and experience a whole new dimension in destructive turn-based cartoon action! Taking the game into 3D creates all-new strategic and gameplay possibilities. With over 80 single-player missions and challenges, Xbox Live multiplayer for up to 4 players, 5 multi-player modes, unprecedented customization of both worms and weapons, and fully destructible environments, it’s bursting with anarchic mayhem. Battle and puzzle your way through all of the missions from both Worms 3D and Worms 4: Mayhem – it’s essentially two games in one, and is the ultimate 3D Worms™ collection. (1200 Microsoft Points/$15)
MLB Bobblehead Battle
Knock a curveball out of the ballpark with MLB Bobblehead Battle! This MLB bobblehead challenge features all of your favorite teams and players with a unique twist – it’s entirely focused on batting! Create customized fields with various obstacles such as walls and slopes while outsmarting your opponent with a dynamic card system that allows customization of players and more. (800 Microsoft Points/$10)
Mercury Hg
Mercury is back, all new and in HD! Explore 60 levels of tilting tension, color it, split it and watch the levels pulse to the beat of your own music. Can you attain the top position on the leaderboards and have the world race against your ghost? With the help of the ghost replays shave split seconds off your time and achieve higher scores. Discover the 20 bonus elements and 10 challenges as you explore the world of Mercury Hg. (400 Microsoft Points/$5)
Posted in News, Xbox 360
Tagged Resident Evil: Code Veronica