Warp Zoned Presents
Video Game Canon- Angry Birds, Dragon Quest, FIFA Soccer, and Silent Hill are the World Video Game Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026
- 2025 GOTY Scoreboard: In Progress
- 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”
Warp Zoned Presents
- Video Game Research Library
- How a Second-Grade Teacher Revived a Beloved Video Game – The New York Times (2026)
- Spore: An oral history – Design Room (2026)
- 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)
Author: John Scalzo
PSN Today: Crysis 3 beta, GTA Vice City, Hitman HD Trilogy, more
It’s another big week for the PlayStation Store as Sony and Electronic Arts have added a Crysis 3 open beta to the PSN. The beta is available to download for free by all PS3 owners from now until February 12. The digital download version can also now be pre-ordered through the PS Store, so you can be sure you’ve got it first thing on February 19.
Also available this week is Square Enix’s Hitman HD Trilogy. The up-rezzed versions of Agent 47’s second, third, and fourth games are available as separate PSN downloads or as one combined bundle.
Going back in time a bit, this week also sees the addition of a trio of games that were previously available as disc-only releases including Platinum’s Bayonetta, Konami’s Zone of the Enders HD Collection, and Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (that one’s a PS2 Classic).
There’s even that’s new to the PlayStation Store this week. You can read all about them after the break. And don’t forget to visit the PlayStation Blog for a list of this week’s new game add-ons. (more…)
Posted in News, PS3, Vita
Tagged Bayonetta, Crysis 3, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Hitman HD Trilogy
Penny Arcade’s On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 4 coming this Spring
It’s been a long-time coming, but Zeboyd Games has announced that we’ll finally get a chance to play Penny Arcade’s On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 4 this Spring. The final game in the four-part series will be available for the PC and Xbox Live Indie Games and Zeboyd promises it’ll be “the largest Precipice of Darkness game yet!”
You can find the first screenshots of Rain-Slick 4 at the game’s official website and an in-depth interview with Zeboyd’s Robert Boyd and Bill Stiernberg at IGN lays out even more details about the RPG event of the year. For example, we now know that Rain-Slick 4 will carry the same $4.99/400 Microsoft Points price as Episode 3.
Are you ready to punch the final ancient god in the face? I hope so, because it won’t be long now.
Posted in News, PC, Xbox 360
Tagged Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 4
Crytek plans to release first Homefront 2 details soon; release date delay likely
Crytek’s purchase of the Homefront franchise hasn’t impacted the development of Homefront 2. In fact, Crytek UK General Manager Nick Button-Brown confirmed (in an interview with VG247) that executives within the company want to unveil a more revealing look at Homefront 2 sooner rather than later. But, Button-Brown also confirmed that the title might be delayed due to Crytek’s desire to create the best game possible:
“Crytek’s focus is fairly similar to THQ’s -namely to make the best game possible. So this will not have too much impact on the development itself. However, we might change the release date that we haven’t announced, and move this to another release date we won’t announce yet either.”
THQ originally revealed Homefront 2’s existence (and Crytek’s involvement with the sequel) back in September 2011. At that point, the game had a late 2013/early 2014 release date. But due to THQ’s financial problems and the title’s eventual acquisition by Crytek, it’s now best to think of Homefront 2 as a “when it’s done” game.
What in God (of War)’s name is Sony Game Day 2013?
Sony recently posted the cryptic video above on their YouTube Channel. The video is promoting something called “Game Day 2013,” which takes place on February 1, 2013 (that’s this Friday!).
During the video’s short 16 second runtime, we get a glimpse of a Greek woman in a very traditional dress being covered in ashes and then a quick shot of an eye that most likely belongs to Kratos.
I’ve cracked your code, Sony! This has something to do with God of War! But if you want specifics, you’re going to have to wait until Friday.
Posted in News, PS3
Tagged God of War: Ascension
Crytek USA opens in Austin with “core” of Vigil Games
Crytek is expanding yet again. Days after purchasing the rights to the Homefront series for Crytek UK (the former Free Radical Design), the German company has opened the doors to their first North American branch, Crytek USA.
Crytek USA will be located in Austin, Texas and, according to Gamasutra, will include the “core” of Vigil Games among its new employees. Vigil Games was the only internal THQ studio not to find a buyer in last week’s auction.
The studio will be headed up by David Adams, one of Vigil’s co-founders. Crytek didn’t announce an initial project for their North American branch, but CEO Cevat Yerli did say, “We are extremely excited about the work that we will be undertaking from our strategic new location in Austin.”
Posted in News
Here’s what Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition’s Update 8 will include
According to Microsoft, Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition‘s Title Update 8 is “upon us.” It’s coming soon, obviously, but the “when” of the update is still a bit hazy. However, the “what” has been finalized.
So hit the jump if you’re just itching to know what Title Update 8 will include. (more…)
Madden NFL 13 picks the Ravens as the winner of Super Bowl XLVII
The football Nostradamus that is EA Sports’ annual Simulation Bowl has made its pick for Super Bowl XLVII and it’s the Baltimore Ravens. Using a copy of Madden NFL 13 running on an Xbox 360, the simulated game features Ravens narrowly defeating the San Francisco 49ers 27 to 24.
The simulation started slowly with both teams only managing a field goal apiece after the first quarter. The 49ers shot ahead 10-3 in the second quarter with a Frank Gore touchdown, but a Torrey Smith catch and a Ray Rice run put the Ravens up 17-10 at halftime.
The simulation was knotted up again near end of regulation after Joe Flacco tossed a TD to Anquan Boldin and the 49ers answered with another Frank Gore run and a Colin Kaepernick to Vernon Davis throw. But the simulation ended thanks to a field goal from rookie kicker Justin Tucker and an Ed Reed interception to put the 49ers away for good.
Joe Flacco was named the MVP of the Super Bowl simulation for his 19 of 27 completion rate, 260 yards, and two touchdowns.
EA Sports and their Madden NFL Super Bowl Simulation correctly picked last year’s winner (the Giants over the Patriots) and is 7-2 since they first began picking winners in 2004. We’ll see if they move up to 8-2 this Sunday.
Star Wars director J.J. Abrams, Valve’s Gabe Newell to speak at DICE 2013 keynote
The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences has announced their keynote speakers for the 2013 DICE Summit and it’s a coupling of mega proportions.
Fresh off his coronation as the director of Star Wars Episode VII, J.J. Abrams will join Valve’s Gabe Newell to talk about the best way to tell a story in their talk entitled, “Storytelling Across Platforms: Who Benefits Most, the Audience or the Player?”
Gabe Newell will have a big role at this year’s DICE Summit as he’ll be honored as the Hall of Fame inductee at the 2013 DICE Awards as well as leading his own solo talk on February 7, “A View on Next Steps.” Newell will discuss the future of Steam, their Big Picture initiative, and the company’s other plans.
“From TV to film and now award-winning mobile apps, there’s no question that J.J. has his finger on the pulse of the entertainment industry, and we’re thrilled to welcome him and our 2013 Hall of Fame inductee, Gabe Newell , to the DICE stage,” said Martin Rae , president, Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences. “J.J. thoughtfully weaves together suspense, action, emotion, and fun into every one of his projects – elements every game developer aspires to capture as well. Each year, the DICE Summit sets the tone for the year ahead in games and adding J.J. and Gabe’s shared insights is a natural fit as we see all forms of entertainment converge.”
The DICE Summit begins on February 5 in Las Vegas at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. Abrams and Newell will take the stage for their monumental talk the next night.
Posted in News