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
Pyre announced by Supergiant Games… and it’ll be playable at PAX East 2016
Supergiant Games will return to PAX East this weekend with their third game, Pyre. Set to be released in 2017 for the PC and PS4, Pyre is a party-based RPG that combines “expressive decision-making on the world map with fast, action-packed confrontations against rival groups.”
Supergiant is attempting to build another unique and interesting world for Pyre, and a small glimpse at that world can be seen in the trailer embedded above. The developer also a bit more ato say bout the mystery at the heart of the story on their official website:
The Story So Far: At the beginning of the game, your luck has almost run out when several masked wanderers find you and revive you from the brink. With your help, they seek to learn the truth about the Rites, a secretive competition through which the worthiest exiles can return home, absolved of their transgressions. As you journey across the Downside in the wanderers’ custom blackwagon, you’ll meet a variety of characters of all shapes and sizes, and learn what’s in store for each of them should they prevail in the Rites. Your actions will determine who returns to glory, and who remains in exile to the end of their days.
As with Bastion and Transistor, Pyre will feature original music written by Darren Korb, with vocals performed by Korb and Ashley Barrett. A video for “In the Flood,” the song featured in the trailer, can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in News, PC, PS4
Tagged PAX East 2016, Pyre
Get Ready… a Street Fighter V trailer for Guile appears
Yesterday, Capcom gave us the lowdown on Guile’s upcoming appearance in Street Fighter V. Today, the publisher is back for Round 2, and to deliver a brand new trailer starring everyone’s flattopped fighter. Watch as Guile lays a Sonic Smackdown on his opponent with a Sonic Blade attack and a Sonic Hurricane finisher.
And don’t forget, because the Zenny (real money) Shop still isn’t ready, Guile will be a free download for all Street Fighter V players when he’s released later this month.
Posted in News, PC, PS4
Tagged Street Fighter V
The Walking Dead: Michonne’s final episode will be available on April 26
Telltale’s The Walking Dead: Michonne miniseries will come to an end next week with the launch of its final episode, “What We Deserve.” The developer has also released a new trailer recapping the second episode, “Give No Shelter.” Needless to say, it is filled to the brim with spoilers. But if you’re ready to continue Michonne’s story, the third episode will offer plenty of thrills and more tough choices:
In “What We Deserve,” feeling the weight of choices both recent and long ago, Michonne tries to protect an innocent family… but Norma and the vengeful Monroe crew are closing in. As reality shatters and the ghosts of the daughters she abandoned demand to be heard, your choices will determine who lives, who dies, and what redemption really means in a world gone to hell.
The Walking Dead: Michonne Episode 3 – “What We Deserve” will be available to download for the PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and mobile devices (iOS and Android) on April 26.
Get your revenge in Mafia III on October 7
2K Games is heading down to N’awlins (excuse me, New Bordeaux) this October to treat PC, PS4, and Xbox One owners to the blood-soaked tale of revenge at the center of Mafia III. Set in the swingin’ sixties, a new Story Trailer for the game gives us another glimpse into Lincoln Clay’s war on the organized crime families that ruined his life:
Mafia III is set in the open world of 1968 New Bordeaux, a reimagined version of New Orleans bustling with activity and complete with era-inspired cars, fashion and music. After years of combat in Vietnam, Lincoln Clay knows this truth: family isn’t who you’re born with, it’s who you die for. Now, back home in New Bordeaux, Lincoln is set on escaping his criminal past. But when his surrogate family, the black mob, is betrayed and wiped out by the Italian Mafia, Lincoln builds a new family from the ashes of the old and blazes a path of military-grade revenge through those responsible. Intense gun fights, visceral hand-to-hand combat, white-knuckle driving, hard choices and street smarts will all be required to survive the mean streets of New Bordeaux. But with the right crew, it’s possible to make it to the top of the city’s underworld.
Mafia III is in development at Hangar 13, and the developer plans to release a number of downloadable add-ons and expansions for the game after its launch. A Season Pass will be available, and a special Deluxe Edition (priced at $79.99) will bundle together the main game and the Season Pass. A Collector’s Edition (Retail Price: $149.99) is also in the works, and it’ll include the main game, the Season Pass, the original game score on vinyl, a collectible art book, art prints, and more. Everyone who pre-orders any version of Mafia III will receive the Family Kick-Back Pack, which will contain three exclusive vehicles and weapons.
“Mafia III introduces a true open world, rich with its own criminal ecosystems to the franchise, while still upholding the strong narrative storytelling and immersive setting that the previous Mafia games are known for,” said Haden Blackman, Studio Head and Creative Director at Hangar 13. “New Bordeaux in 1968 provides a unique and powerful backdrop for our hard-boiled story of crime, betrayal, loyalty and revenge.”
Developers from Hangar 13 will travel to Boston this weekend for the annual PAX East convention. The Saturday panel, “Defining a New Era of Organized Crime,” will explore how the team brought the franchise into the modern day and what it was like creating a new protagonist to take on the Italian mob.
Mafia III will be available for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on October 7.
Street Fighter V’s April update will add Guile to the game later this month
Better stock up on hair gel, Guile is coming to Street Fighter V later this month.
Because the Zenny (real money) Shop still isn’t ready, Guile will be a free download for all Street Fighter V players when he’s released. However, players who haven’t purchased the Season Pass will lose access to the character once the shop goes live later this Spring. Guile’s Air Force Base Stage will also be available to download using Street Fighter V’s in-game currency.
You can check out Guile’s new look at the Capcom-Unity blog, and an overview of his hair-raising new moves can be found right here:
About Guile
In Street Fighter V, Guile retains his ability to dominate both the ground and air with his solid normal attacks and special moves, such as Sonic Boom and Somersault Kick. He also now has the ability to enter a crouch walk state called Faultless Move which allows him to keep his charge while moving forward, giving him even more options in his kit to keep his opponents in line. Guile is a great choice for those of you who are looking for a charge character who can easily control the pace of the match.V-Skill: Sonic Blade
Guile spins up sonic energy to create a Sonic Blade which acts as a stationary projectile that can also juice up his Sonic Booms. Sonic Blade can really help Guile pressure opponents on their wake-up or help him win projectile battles as it increases Sonic Boom durability!V-Trigger: Solid Puncher
Guile powers up and tosses out continuous Sonic Booms! Each button throws a Sonic Boom at a different speed, so mixing up between buttons can create interesting Sonic Boom sequences. Depending on the sequence used, this can act as a great combo extender, be used to overwhelm opponents or easily push his opponents to the corner.Critical Art: Sonic Hurricane
Guile’s most devastating attack, the Sonic Hurricane! Guile powers up and hits his opponent with a massive, multi-hit Sonic Boom. This Critical Art receives a damage and range boost while his V-Trigger is active.
Capcom also plans to implement a system to punish players who frequently disconnect during online matches as part of Street Fighter V’s April update. According to the publisher, players who disconnect early will be locked out of the game’s matchmaking service for a period of time, so habitual Rage Quitters will lose their ability to play online.
Posted in News, PC, PS4
Tagged Street Fighter V
World of Warcraft: Legion expansion will launch on August 30
Blizzard has announced that World of Warcraft‘s sixth expansion, Legion, will be available on August 30. In addition to an increased level cap, Legion will add a number of new features and options to World of Warcraft:
- New Hero Class: Demon Hunter — Unleash the demon within as an all-new melee hero class gifted with preternatural mobility—and the ability to metamorphose into hellish new forms.
- New Feature: Artifact Weapons — Smite the Legion with class-specific weapons of lore. Unlock abilities and traits, and customize your weapon to suit your needs.
- New Continent: The Broken Isles — Discover the fate of a lost night elf civilization, confront twisted fragments of the Emerald Nightmare, and hunt agents of the Legion in all-new zones. Forge your own path through the Broken Isles as you explore content that dynamically scales to your level.
- Boost to Level 100 — Come fully prepared to battle the Legion with a level-100 character boost, and fight alongside your friends in this epic new chapter of World of Warcraft.
- New Feature: Class Hall — Gather with fellow members of your class and unite followers of your order—including iconic characters from Warcraft lore—to carry out missions at your command.
- New PvP Honor System — Fight for fame, glory, and a range of new PvP-specific powers as you face the opposing faction in Arenas and Battlegrounds.
Naturally, Legion also adds a significant new chapter to the long-running MMO’s lore:
In this expansion chronicling the events following Warlords of Draenor, all hellfire breaks loose when the warlock Gul’dan, betrayer of the orcs and twisted servant of the Burning Legion, unleashes a demonic invasion force upon Azeroth unlike any the Horde and the Alliance have ever faced. To save their world from annihilation, heroes must unlock the mysteries of the mythic Broken Isles, master powerful Artifact weapons, and strike a forbidden pact with the Demon Hunters of the Illidari—vengeful disciples of the dreaded Illidan Stormrage.
Set to be released in a Standard Edition, a Digital Deluxe Edition, and a retail-only Collector’s Edition, players who pre-order World of Warcraft: Legion through WoWLegion.com will receive early access to the Demon Hunter class and the ability to boost one character up to level 100.
Posted in News, PC
Tagged World of Warcraft
GameStop launches GameTrust publishing label
GameStop dipped their toe into the game publishing waters a few months ago when they revealed plans to publish Insomniac’s Song of the Deep this Summer. But now, the retailer has decided to take a plunge into the deep end and announced the formation of the GameTrust publishing label.
As of right now, GameTrust doesn’t have any plans to compete with the Activisions and EAs of the world. Instead, they’ll work with developers to create smaller games that’ll be available exclusively within GameStop’s 6,900 stores and through digital storefronts. GameTrust is also positioning themselves as a hand-off publishing partner, and said they won’t be involved in the “creative process.”
“We’re looking at smaller games and launching them at times of the year where we stay away from that massive fourth quarter craziness,” said Mark Stanley, GameStop’s Vice President of Internal Development.
In addition to Song of the Deep, GameTrust confirmed they’ll publish new games from three independent developers in the near future. The title themselves will be announced at a later date, but for now, GameTrust is happy to say they’re currently working with Ready At Dawn (The Order: 1886), Frozenbyte (the Trine franchise), and Tequila Works (Deadlight).
More publishing partnerships for GameTrust will be announced at a later date.
Posted in News
Insomniac announces two more VR titles and a release date for Edge of Nowhere
Insomniac Games is making a big move into virtual reality titles this year. During a special media event last week, the developer revealed two new VR games, both of which will be available exclusively for the Oculus Rift by the end of the year.
In Feral Rites (Release Date: Fall 2016), players will take control of a shapeshifting brawler, who has returned to the mystical island of his birth to avenge his father’s death:
Feral Rites is a VR adventure-brawler set on a mystical island. Avenge the death of your father by brawling your way through harrowing missions and quests. Immerse yourself exploring unique areas of the island from under the jungle canopy to ruined temples while mastering new abilities — including the power to transform into a feral beast. Witness the brutality of savage violence all around you.
Also in development is The Unspoken (Release Date: November 2016), a first-person spellcasting game where players compete in an “urban magic fight club”:
Learn the secret art of spellcasting. Veteran developer Insomniac Games presents The Unspoken—an Oculus Touch‐enabled VR action game that pulls players into a hidden world of spellcasting and magicians’ duels. Manipulate the environment around you with the powerful arcane forces that flow through your fingertips, summon unfathomable monstrosities with your bare hands, and rise up through the ranks of an urban magic fight club.
More details and screenshots for both games can be found at Insomniac’s website (Feral Rites and The Unspoken) and a pair of teaser trailers can be found after the break. Both games will also be playable at this year’s E3 Expo.
Insomniac also has a third VR title in development, the Lovecraftian Edge of Nowhere, and we now know it’ll be released on June 6. (more…)
Posted in News, PC
Tagged E3 2016, Edge of Nowhere, The Unspoken