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
Weekly Warp-Up: This Is the End for the Wii U…
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…
My friends, this is the end. Nintendo announced that they’re officially ending production of the Wii U in the very near future. Was Nintendo’s strange tablet controller a slow-burning secret success or a disaster from the very start? That question will probably be argued over and pondered until the real end of time, but for know, I think we can all agree that the Wii U was an extremely interesting experiment and it hosted some incredible games.
We’re also nearing the end of the year, and that means a few annual traditions are circling back around:
- Black Friday is less than a week away and here’s a look at the game deals you’ll find at Toys R Us.
- The 2016 Game Awards will be handed out in early December, and Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End leads the way with eight nominations.
- Sony PlayStation Experience event will also be held in early December and they’ve announced which publishers and developers will be attending this year.
More news from the last seven days can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in News
New Retail Releases: Darksiders Warmastered, Dragon Ball Fusions, Stern Pinball, More
The “Fall Gaming Season” is almost at its end, so we’ve got just a handful of new releases coming to store shelves this week.
Since we’re so near the end, it’s fitting that the post-apocalyptic shenanigans of Darksiders: Warmastered Edition are front and center this week. Set to launch this week for the PS4 and Xbox One, the Warmastered Edition re-release from THQ Nordic will feature enhanced and remastered visuals for a new generation of consoles.
A few other games will also be available in stores this week including Stern Pinball Arcade, a compilation of the prolific manufacturer’s best tables for the PS4 and Xbox One. It’ll be joined by Dragon Ball: Fusions, a new RPG for the 3DS set in the anime’s universe; and Tower of Guns: Special Edition, a roguelike first person shooter for the PS4.
That’s it for now, but we’ll be back later this week with a full look at the latest additions to the PlayStation Store, Xbox Games Store, and Nintendo eShop.
Posted in 3DS, News, PS4, Xbox One
Tagged Darksiders
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard Collector’s Edition includes a severed finger and a music box
Have you ever purchased a Collector’s Edition for your favorite game and thought to yourself… “You know what this package is really missing? A severed finger!” Thankfully, Capcom has heard your pleas and partnered with GameStop to produce a Collector’s Edition for Resident Evil 7: Biohazard that’ll make all your dreams come true.
Priced at $180, the Resident Evil 7: Biohazard Collector’s Edition will include a 4GB USB Drive molded in the shape of a severed finger. The “Premium Packaging” will also contain a Music Box shaped like the Baker Mansion, a “Creepy Note” from one of the Mansion’s residents, and an “Exclusive Lithograph” showcasing the Baker family in all their mystique:
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard Collector’s Edition
- Resident Evil 7: Biohazard Game Disc in Exclusive Metal Case
- Mansion Music Box – Plays a Sample of “Aunt Rhody” with Accompanying LED Effects (8″ Tall).
- Exclusive Lithograph – Showcasing the Baker Family in All Their Mystique.
- Creepy Note – From One of the Mansion’s Residents.
- Dummy Finger 4GB USB Drive
- VHS Tape Box for Dummy Finger
The Resident Evil 7: Biohazard Collector’s Edition will be available for the PS4 and Xbox One on January 24, 2017.
Posted in News, PS4, Xbox One
Tagged Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
Commercial director Simon McQuoid will probably direct the next Mortal Kombat movie
Kevin Tancharoen directed two feature-length webseries based on the Mortal Kombat saga for Warner Bros. (2011’s Mortal Kombat: Legacy and 2013’s Mortal Kombat: Legacy II), but the studio has also spent the last five years trying to produce a third theatrical adaptation of the fighting franchise. And after all that time, it looks like they may have finally found their director.
According to Variety, Simon McQuoid is in discussions to direct the next Mortal Kombat movie, with Saw‘s James Wan serving as a producer. Lawrence Kasanoff, one of the driving forces behind 1995’s Mortal Kombat and 1997’s Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (and the upcoming Tetris movie), has signed on as an Executive Producer. No actors are currently connected to the third Mortal Kombat film, but Warner Bros. confirmed the film’s script will be written by rookie screenwriter Greg Russo.
Even if you’re a serious film buff, McQuoid’s name is probably something of a question mark. Until now, the filmmaker has worked exclusively in advertising, though Variety notes that his commercials have won multiple awards including a Grand Clio, a D&AD Pencil, and a GRANDY Award.
Posted in Etcetera, News, PS3, Xbox 360
Tagged Mortal Kombat
Xbox Store Today: Headlander, Bombing Busters, Wheels of Aurelia, more
I don’t know why, but games starring disembodied heads seem to be a perennial favorite of developers everywhere. I remember being absolutely baffled by Zombie Nation back in the 1980s, and Double Fine is continuing this weird and wacky tradition in 2016 with Headlander. Now available to download for the Xbox One, Headlander asks players to guide the universe’s last known human “through a hostile world of machines using a special helmet that allows you to dock into and take control of any robotic host body.”
Also available to download for the Xbox One today is Bombing Busters, an overhead action game that bears more than a slight resemblance to the Bomberman franchise.
Finally this week, Xbox One owners will be able to download Wheels of Aurelia, an “interactive fiction” adventure that takes place in the 1970s as Lella explores the roadways of the western coast of Italy.
More information about all of these games (and a few other new releases) can be found after the break. (more…)
Rumor: Pokemon Sun/Moon might be released for the Nintendo Switch as Pokemon Stars
Back when it was officially known as the NX, Pokemon Company CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara confirmed that at least one Pokemon game was in the works for Nintendo’s next console. A few weeks later, Nintendo pulled the curtain back on the Switch, a console/handheld hybrid that seems like the perfect device to deliver the on-the-go trading and battling the Pokemon franchise is known for.
Hold that thought, as a new rumor report on Eurogamer might possibly be pointing to a re-release of Pokemon Sun and Moon on the Switch.
The Pokemon Company routinely creates a third companion game to go with each pair of Pokemon games in the main series. Red and Blue lead to Yellow, Gold and Silver were joined by Crystal, Diamond and Pearl were enhanced with Platinum… you get the idea. But none of those games managed to jump platforms. If Eurogamer’s sources are correct, fans will be able to explore an enhanced version of Pokemon Sun and Moon, currently codenamed Pokemon Stars, on the Nintendo Switch sometime in 2017.
Said to be in development at Game Freak, Pokemon Stars will include a redone visual presentation and so much more:
Pokemon Stars’ development shouldn’t be seen as taking anything away from Sun and Moon’s launch – this is how all third entries in the Pokemon franchise are developed.
And there will be reason to play both: Pokemon will be tradable between Sun/Moon and Stars via the Pokemon Bank app. We’ve also heard suggestion there will be more creatures to collect in the Switch version, although not all of our sources could confirm this.
Expect the Switch version of Sun and Moon to feature the same map – the same routes and cities – and the same art style, although be built using separate, higher-resolution assets.
Nintendo will let us in on all their Switch secrets on January 12 during a special “Nintendo Switch Presentation 2017” livestream. If Pokemon Stars is in the works, and it is on track for a 2017 release, we’ll probably learn more about it then.
In the meantime, Pokemon Sun and Moon can be found on store shelves for the 3DS as of today.
Posted in 3DS, News, Switch
Tagged Pokemon Sun/Moon, Pokemon Switch
EA, 2K dominate October’s best-selling games list as Battlefield 1, Mafa III lead the way
More games get released in October than any other month (though November is probably close), so it shouldn’t be surprising that megapublishers like Electronic Arts and 2K Games nearly ran the table with the NPD Group’s monthly best-sellers report.
EA’s Battlefield 1 took the top spot, and the publisher placed three other games in the top ten including FIFA 17 (#4), Titanfall 2 (#9), and Madden NFL 17 (#10). 2K Games had an equally strong month, thanks to Mafia III making gamers an offer they couldn’t refuse (and the #2 spot on the list). It was followed by NBA 2K17 (#5), WWE 2K17 (#7), and Civilization VI (#8).
Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, NPD’s Sam Naji said that overall industry revenues were up 6% in October 2016, though hardware and accessories aren’t selling as well as they did a year ago.
The full Top 10 from October 2016 can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in News, PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Tagged Battlefield 1, Civilization VI, FIFA 17, Gears of War 4, Madden NFL 17, Mafia III, NBA 2K17, NPD, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, TitanFall 2, WWE 2K17
Play Overwatch for free on the PC, PS4, Xbox One during a “Free Weekend” starting today
Have you had the chance to play Overwatch yet? If not, then you’re in luck, Blizzard is offering the chance to try it out during a “Free Weekend” that begins today.
The “Free Weekend” officially kicks off at 2:00 PM (Eastern Time) today, and runs until 7:00 PM (Eastern Time) on Monday, November 21. Best of all, players will also get the chance to play as Overwatch’s newest character, Sombra. And if you enjoy your time with Overwatch and decide to purchase it, Blizzard has also said that all progress you make in the game during the “Free Weekend” will carry over to the full game.
More information about Overwatch’s “Free Weekend” can be found at PlayOverwatch.com.