Warp Zoned Presents
Video Game Canon- Jordan Minor’s “Boss Fight Books: Super Mario Galaxy” is Now Available for Pre-Order
- 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
Warp Zoned Presents
- Video Game Research Library
- With Grand Theft Auto 6 poised to take over the world, I reached out to Jack Thompson and it did not go well – PC Gamer (2026)
- Vib-Ribbon: An oral history – Design Room (2026)
- How a Second-Grade Teacher Revived a Beloved Video Game – The New York Times (2026)
- Spore: An oral history – Design Room (2026)
- Diablo IV PC Cooled With Real Human Blood Is Still Going Strong Two Years Later, Says Guy Who Won It – Aftermath (2026)
Author: John Scalzo
XBLA Today: Field Goal Contest, Prize Driver, Reaction Rally
Microsoft has used the final Xbox Live Arcade Wednesday of the year to add the second wave of “Kinect Sports Gems” to their game download service. Today’s new releases include:
Field Goal Contest – A field goal kicking “sim” perfect for your living room.
Prize Driver – A golf game where players compete for the longest drive.
Reaction Rally – Tennis practice where players have to return multiple tennis balls at once.
Each of today’s releases in the “Kinect Sports Gems” series have been priced at 240 Microsoft Points ($3) apiece.
Guerrilla Games is gearing up for their biggest year since original Killzone was released
Guerrilla Games has made quite the name for themselves since Killzone was released in 2004. Originally derided as the PS2’s answer to the Halo series, two ambitious sequels and a well-regarded PSP spinoff have made Guerrilla one of SCEA’s most important internal studios.
But Guerrilla doesn’t have any desire to rest on their laurels. The developer’s Community Editor, Victor Zuylen, told the PlayStation Blog that he expects 2013 to be a big year the company:
2013 is gearing up to be another big year for Guerrilla – quite possibly the biggest since we released the original Killzone way back in 2004. We’ll have more details for you at a future date, but until then we hope you share a wonderful holiday with your loved ones, and we’ll see you in 2013.
So what could he be talking about? Guerrilla does have another handheld Killzone game in development at their Cambridge studio, but something tells me they’re thinking “bigger” than that. Hopefully we’ll find out soon.
Dead Space 3 demo coming January 22; Xbox 360 owners can get it a week early
Dead Space 3 will be available for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 on February 5. But if you want to give the first co-op entry in the series a tryout before you buy it, you’ll be happy to know that EA is adding a demo to the Xbox Live Marketplace and PlayStation Network on January 22. And if you own an Xbox 360, you can download it a week early (on January 15) by signing up for early access to the demo at demo.DeadSpace.com.
In the demo, players will be thrust into deep space terror when unwilling hero – Isaac Clarke – and all-new co-op companion – Sergeant John Carver – crash land on Tau Volantis, an unforgiving ice planet teeming with Necromorphs.
If you need a refreshed course on the entire Dead Space saga, be sure to check out the “Story So Far” trailer that EA released yesterday.
Posted in News, PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Tagged Dead Space 3
Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z confirmed for release on PS3, Xbox 360
Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z finally has a home. The wild Spark Unlimited/Team Ninja/Keiji Inafune’s Comcept collaboration was announced at this year’s Tokyo Game Show for “Consoles.” Today, thanks to a series of job postings on the developer’s official website, we’ve learned that it’s coming to the PS3 and Xbox 360.
Here’s what Spark said to the prospective employees interested in joining the Yaiba team: “Spark is looking for an experienced Senior Designer to join us in making a breakout hit called ‘Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z’. This is an opportunity for you to have a hand in creating a bold new take on 3rd Person slasher with Horror elements for the PS3 and Xbox 360.”
Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z is currently on track for a 2013 release.
Posted in News, PS3, Xbox 360
Tagged Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z
All I want for Christmas is some new GTA5 screenshots
Rockstar Games is feeling a bit festive today. They’ve released five new screenshots from Grand Theft Auto V featuring Franklin and his dog, a shark that’s about to go Jaws on a swimmer, a submersible, a pair of jet planes, and all three of the game’s playable characters.
Hit the jump to get a look at all five screenshots and don’t forget that Grand Theft Auto V will be available for the PS3 and Xbox 360 next Spring. (more…)
Posted in News, PS3, Xbox 360
Tagged Grand Theft Auto V
Calvin Johnson defies Madden Curse, sets single-season receiving record
The Madden Curse targets some players (for example, Peyton Hillis in 2011), while leaving others alone. But this year, cover athlete Calvin Johnson laughed in the face of the Madden Curse after setting the single-season receiving record… and there’s still one game to go!
Johnson, who is a Wide Reciever for the Detroit Lions, pulled in 225 receiving yards yesterday against the Atlanta Falcons. This brought his season total up to 1,892 yards, surpassing Jerry Rice’s previous record of 1,848 in 1995. Interestingly enough, Rice appeared on the cover of Madden rival All-Pro Football 2K8 in 2007.
Congratulations Calvin, but with one game left to play, Madden NFL 13 could still claim a victim for the Curse. So be careful!
Weekly Warp-Up: Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow
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…
The snow is finally falling in the Northeast and it looks like it’ll be a white Christmas after all. That also means that the Warp Zoned offices are shutting down for a few days so we can be of good cheer. So enjoy your holidays and your family and your friends and your cookies and your presents. I’m hoping to find ZombiU under the tree, but that one might be better suited for Easter…
Oh, and before you go, check out our final Kickstart This! of the year, which actually doesn’t include any Christmas-themed games.
Also, the Mayans were wrong, so we’ve got plenty of news articles for you to check out after the break. (more…)
Posted in News
Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII begins “The Final Journey” in this trailer
Lightning is sporting a new look in the latest trailer for Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII. Hmm… black leather… dark sunglasses… wielding a big sword… fighting a demon…
Lightning is Blade!
OK, maybe not. But check out the trailer and be on the lookout for Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII’s release on the PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2013.
Posted in News, PS3, Xbox 360
Tagged Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII