Warp Zoned Presents
Video Game Canon- 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
- Boss Fight Books to Get a New Look for Richard Moss’s “Age of Empires”
- GDC Awards: All the Winners from 1996 to Today
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Wins “Game of the Year” at 2025-2026 GDC Awards
Warp Zoned Presents
- Video Game Research Library
- We Pitched a Museum a 1993 Game Hint Line (And They Actually Said Yes) – Yarn Spinner (2026)
- The History Of The Word “Metroidvania” And How It Spread – A Critical Hit (2025)
- Creator of Hit Game Shovel Knight Is at a ‘Make or Break’ Moment – Bloomberg (2025)
- Shadow of the Colossus: An oral history – Design Room (2025)
- In 2005, games started rewiring our brains – The AV Club (2025)
Author: John Scalzo
New trailer reveals that Project Sonic will officially be known as Sonic Forces
Sega announced yesterday that this Fall’s mysterious “Project Sonic” will officially be known as Sonic Forces. Like the earlier teaser trailer, the title’s militaristic vibe is front and center in the first gameplay trailer, which shows Sonic speeding through a post-apocalyptic cityscape. The game’s impressive visuals were created using Sonic Team’s brand new “Hedgehog 2” engine.
Though Sonic Forces will feature a revamped graphical style, the game is also being designed to serve as a spiritual followup to Sonic Colors and Sonic Generations.
Sonic Forces will march into stores this Fall for the PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
Sonic Mania launch date dashes to Summer 2017 as Sega reveals “Flying Battery Zone” trailer
“Flying Battery Zone” made its debut in 1994’s Sonic & Knuckles, but we learned yesterday that a remixed version of the stage will also appear in the upcoming Sonic Mania. A trailer depicting Headcannon and PagodaWest’s new take on the stage was unveiled during Sega’s Sonic-themed SXSW Gaming presentation, and its been embedded above for easy viewing.
Unfortunately, Sega also confirmed that Sonic Mania won’t be released this Spring as originally planned. Instead, the side-scroller will now make its way to the PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One sometime in the Summer.
For Honor rises to the occasion as the best-selling game of February 2017
Ubisoft’s For Honor conquered all comers during its first month of availability, as The NPD Group declared it the best-selling game during February 2017. The multiplayer brawler faced some tough competition, but it emerged victorious on the retail battlefield, besting both Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (#2) and Grand Theft Auto V (#3).
The only other new release to crack last month’s top ten was Nioh, an action RPG developed by Team Ninja and published by Koei Tecmo.
But the overall retail health of the industry was on a downward swing in February. According to GamesIndustry.biz, hardware and software sales were down: “Total hardware sales amounted to $204 million, down 30% from last year. Console and portable software dropped 14% to $344.2 million, PC software fell 26% to just $25 million, while accessories fell 21% to $150.8 million. All told, industry sales took a 21% hit, declining from $918.7 million to $724 million.”
However, it seems likely that the successful launch of the Nintendo Switch (and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild) will change that trajectory in March.
The complete list of best-selling games from February 2017 can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in News, PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Tagged Battlefield 1, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, For Honor, Grand Theft Auto V, Madden NFL 17, NBA 2K17, Nioh, NPD, Overwatch, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Siege
Latest trailer for Quake Champions introduces us to Scalebearer the Galactic Warlord
Sometimes you just need to throw your weight around…
Bethesda Softworks has released a new trailer for Quake Champions, and this time they’ve shone a spotlight on Scalebearer the Galactic Warlord. Using his size to control the battlefield, Scalebearer can crash right through other Champions with his “Bull Rush” Active Ability or crush them under his feet with his “Heavyweight” Passive Ability:
Scalebearer (Galactic Warlord)
This warlord of the marauding Greiss plundered the technology of countless worlds to strengthen his armies. But defeat by a reclusive, phase-shifting race led to his exile. Obsessed with vengeance, he discovered their power source: an ancient shrine holding a seething sphere of liquid within. When at last he slaughtered its guardians and entered, the sphere consumed him – and he vanished. He awoke in the Dreamlands, a bizarre, brutal realm, transformed by arcane energy. Now he seeks a way back to the waking world to regain his command and wield his newfound might.Active Ability – Bull Rush: The galactic warlord’s active ability, Bull Rush, will let him charge head on against foes in Quake Champions, clobbering your opponents with full force.
Passive Ability – Heavyweight: Scarebearer’s Heavyweight passive allows him to use his extra weight to crush his enemies. Spot an enemy Champion approaching? A well timed rocket jump landing will crush opponents below your feet.
If you’re interested joining the Quake Champions Closed Beta, you can sign up for a chance to receive an invitation to test out the upcoming free-to-play PC game at Bethesda’s official website.
Posted in News, PC
Tagged Quake Champions
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered’s “Operation Shamrock & Awe” event
A little taste of the Emerald Isle invaded Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered this week, as Activision officially kicked off a new in-game event. The “Operation Shamrock & Awe” event began this past Tuesday, March 14, and it’ll end on Monday, April 3.
According to the Activision Games Blog, players who participate in “Operation Shamrock & Awe” will receive free Supply Drops, access to the remixed “Daybreak” map, seasonal Camos, and the chance to unlock Darren “Graves” Cosgrave as a playable character:
Free Supply Drops
So that pot of gold we mentioned? It’s actually emerald green, rectangular, and looks like a Supply Drop. That’s right, we’ve got themed Supply Drops throughout “Operation Shamrock & Awe,” and we’re making one available for free each week when you log in starting today through 12:01am PDT on April 3.“Downpour” Turns Into “Daybreak”
Besides being known for its long sightlines, mounted machine guns, and sneaky peripheral routes, “Downpour” is a map also known for its fierce weather. But a bit of luck has landed on your side as the clouds have parted and shed sunlight on this map. “Daybreak” is a free map, available only during “Operation Shamrock & Awe,” that turns “Downpour” upside down and replaces it with a lush, green countryside filled with St. Paddy’s decor and a rainbow, naturally.Free Seasonal Camos
“Daybreak” also comes with a nice bonus that you won’t have to catch a leprechaun to unlock. Complete the in-game challenges on the map and you can earn two exclusive St. Paddy’s-themed camos for your weapons: the Shamrockin’ “Folium” and the rainbowtized “Prism.” There are different challenges to unlock the camos for each of the weapon classes, but those challenges disappear when “Operation Shamrock & Awe” is over.Get Graves
As part of “Operation Shamrock & Awe,” three new themed collections will provide you with St. Patrick’s Day theme reticles, camos, calling cards, and emblems. Each set will also include a bounty for completing the set: assemble the “Luck” collection to earn a new character, “Leprechaun” rewards you with a Shillelagh melee weapon, and “Pot O’ Gold” gives you a unique calling card worth fightin’ for.But that’s not all. If you craft or unlock all three themed collections, you’ll also unlock Darren “Graves” Cosgrave as a playable character for the first time ever! That’s right, you can put the master of the Depot right into your loadout. However, he’s available for a limited time as part of “Operation Shamrock & Awe” which expires after April 2, so get busy!
A trailer for Modern Warfare Remastered’s “Operation Shamrock & Awe” event has been embedded above.
Posted in News, PC, PS4, Xbox One
Tagged Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare
Nintendo Download: Binding of Isaac Aftermath+, World of Goo, Picross 3D, more
The Switch’s lineup of games continues to grow with five new releases as part of today’s Nintendo Download.
First up, we’ve got Binding of Isaac Aftermath+, an action-packed dungeon-crawler from Nicalis and Edmund McMillen. The procedurally-generated roguelike includes “more than 11,000 unique room configurations” and “a nearly endless variety of enemies, items, challenges, and secrets.”
Also available to download this week is a trio of Wii and Wii U re-releases from Tomorrow Corporation. Switch owners will be able to pick up physics-based puzzler World of Goo, fireplace adventure Little Inferno, or “puzzle game for nerds” Human Resource Machine. And speaking of re-releases, SNK and Hamster Corporation will bring The King of Fighters ’94, the first game in the King of Fighters franchise, to the Switch.
Nintendo will also add Picross 3D, which was originally released for the DS in 2010, to the Wii U eShop.
You can learn more about all of these games (and a few other new releases) after the break. (more…)
Posted in 3DS, News, Switch, Wii U
Tagged The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth
Play as Sterling Archer (and sing “Danger Zone”) in Rock Band 4 right now
Archer‘s eighth season, the noir-tinged Archer: Dreamland, begins its big sleep on FXX on April 5th. But first, Harmonix is bringing the character to Rock Band 4 as part of the March Update.
Available to download now, Archer wouldn’t be Archer without getting the chance to belt out Kenny Loggins’s “Danger Zone.” Thankfully, Harmonix will also add the Top Gun anthem to the Rock Band 4 Music Store (priced at $1.99) today for the PS4 and Xbox One:
Bringing Archer into the Rock Band world presented a unique challenge for the art team. The Archer TV show is 2D animation with a cel-shaded style – completely different from the signature look of Rock Band. The team wanted to stay true to the Archer Style, so we created a custom cel-shader in Rock Band just for this character. The end result is an Archer that looks like he was pulled straight from TV and dropped on stage.
In another bit of cross-promotion, Harmonix also revealed (via Twitter) that a series of Mass Effect: Andromeda-themed items are now available to purchase from the Rock Shop. There’s Pathfinder Armor, guitars shaped like the Normandy and the Tempest, and more. Mass Effect: Andromeda will be released on March 21.
Posted in News, PS4, Xbox One
Tagged Rock Band 4
NetherRealm Studios introduces the public to Firestorm in new trailer for Injustice 2
In case you missed it, NetherRealm Studios recently unveiled Firestorm as the latest addition to Injustice 2‘s roster of playable characters in the latest episode of UpUpDownDown. Yesterday, the developer went a step further and unveiled an “Introduction Trailer” for the nuclear-powered superhero.
The trailer features a good look at Firestorm’s heavy use of projectiles, though the character is also able to augment his punches and kicks with fiery melee attacks.
Firestorm was introduced in the DC Comics Universe as the result of a nuclear accident in 1978. The accident fused together the minds of physicist Martin Stein and lab assistant Ronnie Raymond, forcing them to live together in a single body controlled by the “Firestorm Matrix.” The character’s Injustice 2 appearance will be based on a 2004 reboot of the character that paired Stein with the teenage Jason Rusch.
According to the game’s official website, NetherRealm will unveil Injustice 2’s next playable character a week from today on March 23.
Injustice 2 will be released for the PS4 and Xbox One on May 16.
Posted in News, PS4, Xbox One
Tagged Injustice 2