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
Nintendo reiterates that The Legend of Zelda Wii U will be their focus at E3 2016
I’ve got bad news for everyone who was hoping that Nintendo’s “All Zelda, All the Time” mantra for this year’s E3 Expo was just a prelude to a brain-busting slew of surprises. In an announcement today, the consolemaker reiterated that The Legend of Zelda Wii U will be the only playable demo available at their booth.
“At E3 this year, we’re treating people to an immersive Zelda experience,” said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “By giving attendees extended hands-on time with this remarkable game, they’ll be able to get a much deeper understanding of something new for the franchise.”
Nintendo is even eschewing their traditional E3 Digital Event for a special Treehouse Live broadcast, that’ll focus entirely on Zelda Wii U. Scheduled to begin on Tuesday, June 14, at 12:00 Noon (Eastern Time), the special stream will be the world’s first “in-depth” look at the game, and fans are encouraged to tune in through Nintendo.com, YouTube, and Twitch.
While this news is disappointing for fans who wanted to learn more about the NX, Nintendo wants to send one lucky fan to the E3 Expo to play Zelda Wii U on the show floor. All you have to do is send a tweet to @NintendoAmerica about what the Zelda franchise means to you using the hashtags #MyZeldaLegends and #NintendoSweepstakes by May 10. The winning fan will also be able to invite a guest because it’s dangerous to go alone.
The Legend of Zelda Wii U will be released sometime next year for the Wii U and the NX.
Posted in News, Switch, Wii U
Tagged E3 2016, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Doom’s Launch Trailer is here because its launch is just a week away
Bethesda and id Software will resurrect the Doom franchise next week with their many-years-in-the-making reboot. Simply titled Doom, the companies are promising a return to the fast action and brutal gore the series made famous back in 1993-1994.
So strap your eyeballs in for a trip back in time with the newly released Launch Trailer, and be sure to rock out to its fantastic new version of “At Doom’s Gate,” the classic background music from E1M1. Also, keep your eyes peeled for a split-second recreation of the original game’s iconic cover art.
Doom will be released for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on May 13.
Posted in News, PC, PS4, Xbox One
Tagged Doom (2016)
World Video Game Hall of Fame Class of 2016 announced: Legend of Zelda, GTA3, Sonic, Space Invaders, Oregon Trail, The Sims
The votes have been tallied and the results are in, the Strong Museum is ready to announce the induction committee’s selections for the World Video Game Hall of Fame Class of 2016.
This year’s shortlist includes many well-known names, but only six were able to secure the support of the committee, which weighed each title on its ability to appeal to an international cross-section of players, longevity in the eyes of the public, iconic status, and influence on the industry as a whole.
After much thought and deliberation, the committee chose to honor the following games with induction into the the World Video Game Hall of Fame:
- Grand Theft Auto III, Rockstar’s operatic open world crime saga.
- The Legend of Zelda, Link’s inaugural adventure and one of the first open world RPGs.
- The Oregon Trail, a revolutionary educational game that also taught a whole generation of kids about dysentery and cholera.
- The Sims, Will Wright’s “virtual dollhouse” is one of the most popular PC games of all time.
- Sonic the Hedgehog, Sega’s blue blur starred in several classic side-scrollers and served as a foil to Mario in the 90s.
- Space Invaders, the originator of the iconic “Invader” design and one of the first space shooters.
The World Video Game Hall of Fame was established in 2015, and this year’s class will stand alongside last year’s class, Tetris, Super Mario Bros., Pong, Doom, World of Warcraft, and Pac-Man, as some of the best that video gaming has to offer.
A few days ago, I attempted to play oddsmaker for this year’s finalists, and I’m happy to say that I pegged three of this year’s inductees as “Sure Things” and two more as “Coin Flips.”
Nine other games, Elite, Final Fantasy, John Madden Football, Minecraft, Nurburgring, Pokemon Red/Blue, Sid Meier’s Civilization, Street Fighter II, and Tomb Raider, came up short during the induction process. But all of them will get another chance next year, and the Hall of Fame is already accepting nominations for their Class of 2017.
The World Video Game Hall of Fame’s Class of 2016 will be on permanent view in the Strong Museum’s “eGameRevolution” exhibit. And congratulations to all designers and developers who helped bring each of them to life.
Posted in News, PS2, Retro
Tagged Grand Theft Auto III, Space Invaders, The Legend of Zelda, World Video Game Hall of Fame
Titanfall developer Respawn is working on a Star Wars game for EA
Electronic Arts is extremely happy with how well Star Wars: Battlefront has sold, so the megapublisher is doubling down on that galaxy far, far away this Star Wars Day by forming another partnership with Respawn to develop a brand new Star Wars game.
Best known for Titanfall, and its upcoming sequel, Respawn is also home to a second squad of developers lead by God of War III Director Stig Asmussen. His team will work with EA to produce the currently-untitled third-person action-adventure game. Obviously, no release date has been announced, so assume that Star Wars: Respawn is at least a year away.
In addition to Respawn’s new project, EA is also working with their internal studios at Visceral and Motive to produce another Star Wars action-adventure. Widely expected to be a “Young Han Solo” game, EA confirmed we’ll learn more it “soon.”
Posted in News
Tagged Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Star Wars: Visceral
Xbox Store Today: Superhot, The Park, Battleborn
Team Superhot is turning up the heat on the Xbox Games Store this week with Superhot, their unique puzzle-shooter hybrid. Superhot’s puzzle-shooter mechanics are hidden behind minimalist graphics and short levels, but players who are willing to dig deep into the game’s oddball nature will find a very interesting new way to play a first person shooter… “Time Moves Only When You Move.”
Microsoft is promoting independent games like Superhot all this month during their frst-ever ID@Xbox Game Fest. In addition to discounts on a number of ID@Xbox titles, Xbox One owners will be able to pick up new games like this week’s other ID@Xbox Game Fest title, The Park. In The Park, players will take control of a parent searching for their lost child in a dilapidated amusement park… you know what, I’m just going to stop right there before I summon a murderous clown or something.
Finally this week, big budget gaming gets its due with the release of Battleborn, Gearbox’s brand new “Hero Shooter.” Starring a diverse collection of “Badasses,” players will romp through Battleborn’s single-player and multiplayer modes to take on a mysterious evil for control of the universe’s very last star.
More information about all three of these games can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in News, Xbox One
Tagged Battleborn, Superhot
Battleborn, Neverending Nightmares, Shadow Complex Remastered, more added to PS Store
Gearbox Software wants to take players on a trip to a galaxy far, far away this week… but it’s not the one you’re thinking of. Their “Hero Shooter,” Battleborn, is now available to download for the PS4 through the PlayStation Store. Players will be able to choose from more than 25 unique “Badasses” as they battle a madman for control of the last star in both single-player and cooperative multiplayer modes.
Also new to the PlayStation Store this week is Neverending Nightmares, a psychological horror game, with an Edward Gorey-inspired art style, that’s available as a Cross-Buy purchase on both the PS4 and PS Vita.
Finally this week, PS4 players will get the chance to reach back into the past to play some of the greatest games of yesteryear on their new-generation console. These classics include Shadow Complex Remastered, a modern-day “MetroidVania” from Chair Entertainment; and The King of Fighters 2000, the latest PS2-On-PS4 re-release.
More information on all of these games can be found after the break. And, as always, a complete rundown of this week’s new game add-ons and discounts (including a big “Star Wars Day/May the 4th Be With You” sale) is available at the PlayStation Blog. (more…)
Posted in News, PS4, Vita
Tagged Battleborn, Neverending Nightmares, Shadow Complex
Go on “New Adventures” in the latest Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer
WB Games wants in on the Star Wars Day shenanigans, so they released a brand spanking new trailer for Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens this afternoon.
The latest trailer for Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens gives us a glimpse at the “New Adventures” not seen in the blockbuster film… including Han and Chewie’s Rathtar hunt, Poe Dameron’s rescue of Admiral Ackbar, and the story behind C-3PO’s red arm. Altogether, the game will include six “New Adventures,” all with new dialogue from the cast of the film:
- Rathtar Hunting – Follows Han Solo and Chewbacca’s voyage to capture the ravenous Rathtars.
- Lor San Tekka’s Return – Uncovers secrets behind Lor San Tekka’s journey to the Jakku Village.
- Poe to the Rescue – Details Poe Dameron’s daring rescue mission to save Admiral Ackbar.
- Crimson Corsair – Explores how the notorious Outer Rim pirate, the Crimson Corsair, foiled the plans of the First Order.
- Trouble Over Taul – Follows the events leading up C-3PO’s acquisition of his new red arm.
- Ottegan Assault – Reveals a puzzle piece to how the Resistance and the First Order find Lor San Tekka on Jakku.
It would actually be quicker to list who’s not returning to The Force Awakens, as practically the entire cast will record new dialogue for the game. But where’s the fun in that? Especially when WB Games somehow got Harrison Ford to mutter “Wookiee Cookies” into a microphone. And even little BB-8 has some new things to say… pay close attention to the droid’s chirps during the Admiral Ackbar rescue in the new trailer.
The full voice cast scheduled to appear in Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens includes:
- Harrison Ford as Han Solo
- Carrie Fisher as Leia Organa
- Daisy Ridley as Rey
- John Boyega as Finn
- Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron
- Adam Driver as Kylo Ren
- Anthony Daniels as C-3PO
- Domhnall Gleeson as General Hux
- Gwendoline Christie as Captain Phasma
- Lupita Nyong’o as Maz Kanata
- Max Von Sydow as Lor San Tekka
Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be released on June 28 for the 3DS, PC, PS3, PS4, Vita, Wii U, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.
Fallout 4: Far Harbor gets a new trailer and a May 19 release date
Bethesda announced this morning that Fallout 4‘s Far Harbor expansion will be available on May 19. The publisher likes to refer to the Far Harbor expansion as “the largest landmass for an add-on” they’ve ever produced, and they’ve packed it with places to go and things to fight including new faction quests, settlements, lethal creatures, dungeons, and higher-level armor and weapons.
Bethesda is also looking to explore the spookier corners of the Fallout 4 universe with Far Harbor, and a new trailer definitely seems inspired by H.P. Lovecraft, Stephen King, and John Carpenter:
In Far Harbor, a new case from Valentine’s Detective Agency leads you on a search for a young woman and a secret colony of synths. Travel off the coast of Maine to the mysterious island of Far Harbor, where higher levels of radiation have created a more feral world. Navigate through the growing conflict between the synths, the Children of Atom, and the local townspeople. Will you work towards bringing peace to Far Harbor, and at what cost?
Far Harbor will be available to download for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One as part of the Fallout 4 Season Pass or as a standalone expansion for $24.99.