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
Square Enix released a trailer for Final Fantasy XV: Episode Gladiolus at PAX East 2017
Square Enix unveiled the first trailer for Final Fantasy XV: Episode Gladiolus this morning as part of their “Nier: Automata X Final Fantasy XV” panel.
Episode Gladiolus will be the first character-driven expansion for Final Fantasy XV, and its set to launch later this month, March 28, for the PS4 and Xbox One. Players will get to undertake the “Trial of Gilgamesh” as they take control of Gladio in his quest for more power:
Final Fantasy XV: Episode Gladiolus is the first character-driven episode of DLC for Final Fantasy XV, the latest installment in the landmark Final Fantasy franchise. Players will experience brand-new gameplay, content, environments, enemies and more as they follow Noctis’s comrade, Gladiolus, on a journey away from his brothers in arms. Gilgamesh, one of the franchise’s fan-favorite characters, will also be making an appearance in the episode.
If you weren’t able to attend the “Nier: Automata X Final Fantasy XV” panel with Producer Haruyoshi Sawatari and Global Brand Manager Raio Mitsuno, you can catch a replay of it in the Twitch Videos for the PAX2 channel.
Posted in News, PS4, Xbox One
Tagged Final Fantasy XV, PAX East 2017
Weekly Warp-Up: PAX East 2017 Recap
No, that’s not a typo. Welcome to the Weekly Warp-Up, your weekly wrap-up of the biggest and the best articles posted at Warp Zoned this week…
Today’s the final day for the 2017 PAX East convention in Boston, but we’ve learned quite a bit about a wide variety of upcoming games so far.
Nintendo released a new trailer that detailed additional features and the revamped Battle Mode in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Telltale revealed the first screenshots, plot details, and vocal cast for Guardians of the Galaxy. And Sony brought a staggering 26 PS4 games to the PlayStation Booth.
Meanwhile, Square Enix unveiled a loaded $200 Collector’s Edition for Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age. And Bethesda unveiled two new Quake Champions trailers for Nyx the Champion and the “Blood Covenant” Arena.
Elsewhere on Warp Zoned, I shared 17 Random Thoughts About the Nintendo Switch (and its Launch Lineup) and discussed the accidental creation of Ms. Pac-Man in the latest Scientifically Proven Best Video Games of All Time essay.
More news from the past seven days, including plenty more from PAX East, can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in News
New Retail Releases: Danganronpa 1-2 Reload, Styx Shards of Darkness, Binding of Isaac Afterbirth+
Here’s what your local game retailer will be stocking their shelves with this week…
After making its North American debut on the Vita in 2014, NIS America will bring the Danganronpa franchise to the PS4 for the first time this week thanks to Danganronpa 1-2 Reload. The package will include the first two games in the series (Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc and Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair), and fans both new and old will get to experience the murderous machinations of Monokuma, the evil robotic bear at the center of the story.
If a murderous robotic bear isn’t bizarre enough for you, Nicalis will also launch The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+ for the Nintendo Switch this week. Developed by Edmund McMillen, one of the co-creators of Super Meat Boy, The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+ is a procedurally-generated shooter (with RPG elements) that forces Isaac to fight back against the monsters in his basement.
Finally this week, Focus Home Interactive and Cyanide Studio will bring Styx: Shards of Darkness to the PS4 and Xbox One. The medieval stealth sequel asks Styx to infiltrate the city of Korrangar to steal a scepter of “immense and indomitable power.”
That’s all for now, but we’ll be back later this week with an expanded look at the latest additions to the PlayStation Store, Xbox Games Store, and Nintendo eShop.
Posted in News, PS4, Switch, Xbox One
Tagged Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair, Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth
Square Enix unveils a $200 Collector’s Edition for Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age
If you’re at PAX East, you can swing by the Square Enix booth this weekend to try out a playable demo of Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age, which will be available for the PS4 on July 11. But the publisher also used the Boston-based convention to announce a Collector’s Edition for the upcoming remaster.
Priced at $199.99, and available exclusively through the Square Enix Online Store, the Collector’s Edition will include several interesting bonus items:
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age Collector’s Edition
- Exclusive “Judge Magisters” Mini Bust Set – Featuring busts of Judges Bergan, Drace, Gabranth, Ghis, and Zargabaath
- Official Soundtrack CD – Selection of soundtrack music from famed composer Hitoshi Sakimoto
- Set of Six Art Cards – Featuring Vaan, Ashe, Basch, Fran & Balthier, Penelo, and World of Ivalice
- Steelbook Packaging – Featuring exclusive art to the Collector’s Edition
- In-Game Digital Code – Unlocks the option to use the Official Soundtrack as background music
If the Collector’s Edition seems a bit too pricey, don’t worry, Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age will also be available in a Limited Edition ($49.99) that includes an exclusive Steelbook featuring artwork by Akihiko Yoshida and the in-game digital code to unlock the background music option for the Official Soundtrack. And the first printing of the Standard Edition (also $49.99) will include reversible cover artwork by Yoshida.
Finally, fans who pre-order the Digital Edition of Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age through the PlayStation Store will receive a PS4 Theme and four music tracks by Hitoshi Sakimoto.
Posted in News, PS4
Tagged Final Fantasy XII, PAX East 2017
Two new Quake Champions trailers reveal Nyx the Champion and “Blood Covenant” Arena
Bethesda always strides into Boston in the Spring to put on a big show at PAX East, and this year is no exception. All this weekend, the publisher will give congoers the chance to try out Quake Champions, their upcoming free-to-play arena shooter from id Software.
For those of us following along, the publisher has also unveiled a pair of new trailers for the game. The first focuses on one of the game’s Champions, the Fathom Agent known as Nyx:
Nyx (Fathom Agent)
Starting Health: 100
Starting Armor: 75
Speed: 270Active Ability — Ghost Walk: Using the Ghost Walk Active Ability moves Nyx into another dimension, instantly making her invisible and immune to damage. Players can use this ability to escape tough battles, maneuver unseen behind unsuspecting enemies, or even avoid damage from incoming projectiles. Re-materializing in the same spot as an enemy will result in an instant Ability Kill.
Passive Ability — Wall Jump: Nyx’s Passive Ability extends her mobility by allowing her to jump twice – once off the floor and another time off of a nearby wall. Wall Jump can help players traverse wide distances between heights or gain the upper hand in a showdown with foes by creating more space to aim and frag.
The second trailer introduces viewers to “Blood Covenant,” an Arena that’s based on Quake III Arena‘s signature map:
Arena: Blood Covenant
Based on one of the most beloved and played maps from Quake III Arena, The Camping Grounds (Q3DM6), Blood Covenant is a modern re-imagining of the legendary Arena. All the favorite sections remain, including the long Jump Pad to the Rocket Launcher, the Quad Damage spawn, the Railgun ledge, and the tightly spaced battles in the Pillars. However, new tricks and secrets await both veterans and new players alike, offering new ways to fight, move, and use Champions’ Active and Passive abilities.
Both trailers can be found after the break. And don’t forget, earlier this week, Bethesda announced that a Closed Beta for Quake Champions will be available soon. (more…)
Posted in News, PC
Tagged PAX East 2017, Quake Champions
Xbox Store Today: 2Dark, King of Fighters ’94, Table Top Racing World Tour, more
It’s Friday, so it’s time for another update to the Xbox Games Store…
First up, publisher Bigben Interactive and developer Gloomywood will bring 2Dark to the Xbox One. The retro-themed survival horror game was spearheaded by Frederick Raynal, the creator of the Alone in the Dark series. Like that series, 2Dark similarly follows a detective investigating supernatural forces that want to do bad things.
Xbox One owners who love retro gaming might also be interested in The King of Fighters ’94, another new addition to the Xbox Games Store today. One of SNK’s earliest fighting game efforts, The King of Fighters ’94 brought characters from Fatal Fury and Ikari Warriors into the fight for the first time.
Finally today, Playrise Digital will release Table Top Racing: World Tour for the Xbox One. The game features “fully tunable miniaturized racing cars,” 32 tracks, and several different single-player and multiplayer modes.
More information about all of these games (and a few other new releases) can be found after the break. (more…)
New trailer details additional features and revamped Battle Mode in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Nintendo has begun preparing fans for the April 28th launch of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe with the release of a brand new “Overview Trailer,” as well as more details about its new Battle Mode.
Every racer and course from the original Mario Kart 8 (including the content from both downloadable expansions) will be carried over to Deluxe, but the racing game’s Switch debut will also include five new characters (Inkling Girl, Inkling Boy, King Boo, Dry Bones, and Bowser Jr.), the ability to hold two items at once, returning items like the item-stealing Boo and jumping Feather, a Smart Steering control option, and five ways to play the revamped Battle Mode:
Battle Modes Available in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
- Renegade Roundup: Making its debut in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, this new mode has one team trying to capture the other and put them into jail before time runs out. The opposing team must try to escape and can break their own teammates out of prison by pressing a button under the jail cell.
- Balloon Battle: In this oldie but goodie, players earn points by popping balloons on the back of their opponents’ karts.
- Bob-Omb Blast: Originally seen in the Mario Kart: Double Dash!! game, this mode finds players throwing a barrage of Bob-Ombs at opponents.
- Coin Runners: By racing across the Battle course, players try to collect the most coins as possible in this fast and frenetic mode introduced in Mario Kart Wii.
- Shine Thief: Steal the coveted Shine Sprite and try to hold onto it for a 20 count in this classic multiplayer Battle mode.
And if you’re in Boston for this weekend’s PAX East convention, you’ll be able to try out a demo of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe if you visit Nintendo’s booth.
Posted in News, Switch
Tagged Mario Kart 8, PAX East 2017
The Video Game Canon – Ms. Pac-Man
Dig deeper into the Video Game Canon with a look at the accidental creation of Ms. Pac-Man. Here’s a teaser…
It’s easy to forget nowadays, but Ms. Pac-Man was actually created by accident. Like Doc Brown’s invention of time travel after a tumble from the toilet, Ms. Pac-Man was created when a group of game developers from MIT attempted to release an unauthorized sequel to Pac-Man known as “Crazy Otto.”
Before turning their sights on the biggest arcade game of the day, the development team, General Computer, first used their programming skills to create an “enhancement kit” for Atari’s Missile Command. Instead of creating their own game from scratch, the enhancement kit hooked into Atari’s code and altered it to provide a new gameplay experience. Essentially, General Computer created the first expansion pack.
Even though the enhancement kit required an original Missile Command cabinet, Atari later attempted to sue General Computer for copyright infringement. But rather than become mired in a protracted court case, the arcade giant and the enterprising college students reached a settlement. Atari would hire General Computer to design original arcade games so long as they agreed not to create any additional enhancement kits without the permission of the original game publisher. The developers quickly signed on, but first they took a nearly complete version of “Crazy Otto” to Midway, the North American distributor of Pac-Man.
Visit VideoGameCanon.com to continue reading this article and to explore the complete Top 1000.