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)
Most Recent: News
Leaked Wii 2 presentation showcases new controller
More Wii 2 rumors have escaped into the wild, this time courtesy of a YouTube video titled “Private Presentation of “Project Cafe” by a Video Games Editor.”
The video features a slideshow presentation of production drawings for the Wii 2’s controller and the system itself. The anonymous video game editor also claims that the Wii 2/Project Cafe console itself is actually visible at the 15 second mark. Circled in red, it’s sitting on the table below the screen. However, this could be any piece of computer equipment as it’s never clearly shown.
But the real highlight of the video is supposed confirmation of the Wii 2 controller, complete with that six-inch touchscreen. The controller closely resembles an Xbox 360/GameCube hybrid with a screen slapped into the center of it. And if the six-inch screen measurement is accurate, it will make even the original Xbox controller look tiny in comparison.
Of course, the entire clip is of a very poor quality and creating a similar looking video as a hoax wouldn’t be difficult at all. I’d take this rumor with a huge grain of salt and wouldn’t consider it confirmation of anything just yet.
Netflix on video game consoles is the leading bandwidth usage in America
Independent researcher Sandvine has concluded that Netflix accounts for more downstream and overall bandwidth usage than all other sources, at 29.7 and 24.71 percent, respectively. Of all devices, video game consoles account for nearly two thirds of that figure, making Netflix usage on consoles alone accounting for 19.7% of all downstream usage. That’s bigger than the next highest usage – web pages.
The PlayStation 3 leads the pack in that figure, responsible for 30.57%. The Xbox 360 comes next, representing 24.94%, followed by PCs at 19.55%, while the Wii, with the highest install base of current gen consoles, comes in last with only 10.75%. Looks like someone may have been right about that whole closet/living room dichotomy.
One thing is for certain: game consoles are usurping cable providers. With the 3DS getting Netflix a later date and Sony’s NGP probably to do the same, expect this trend to continue in the future.
MC Lars’ b-side collection 21 Concepts (featuring the Bayonetta song) now available
Nerdcore rapper extraordinaire, MC Lars, has released a new b-sides compilation today: 21 Concepts (But a Hit Ain’t One). The album is available in trusty compact disc format as well as digitally at leading online retailers such as Amazon and iTunes.
Sadly the album doesn’t contain the song titled “21 Concepts (But a Hit Ain’t One).” That track, which features an awesome sample of the “Type A” music from the Game Boy version of Tetris (which was itself just a reworking of the Russian folk song “Korobeiniki”), can be found on MC Lars’ first full-length disc, The Graduate. As you can tell, it was also the inspiration for the album’s cover (which actually features the correct width of a Tetris column, impressive Lars!).
However, it does contain the song “Reaping Beauty,” which was inspired by Platinum Games’ Bayonetta. MC Lars (along with special guests Beefy, Random and Tina Root) rap about Bayonetta’s killing skills and her resemblence to Tina Fey. Check out the full video for the song after the break. (more…)
Deus Ex viral marketing: Sarif Industries testimonials
Sarif Industries has helped these people achieve better lives, and they can help you, too. In one of the creepiest viral marketing videos I’ve seen for a game, we get a little taste of the transhumanist themes of the upcoming Deus Ex: Human Revolution.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution launches on PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 on August 23. In the meantime, check out our exclusive interview with Game Director Jean-Francois Dugas.
Posted in News, PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Tagged Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Rune Factory: Tides of Destiny coming this year to PS3, Wii; more details at E3
With so many RPG series’ going portable, it’s great to see one coming to new home consoles. Rune Factory: Tides of Destiny, released as Rune Factory: Oceans in Japan, will be released on the PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii in North America later this year. The first official details will be unveiled during E3 from June 7th to 9th.
This marks the first Rune Factory title (and Harvest Moon affiliated game, for that matter) to be released on the PlayStation 3. As it’s also coming for Wii, the game will have full PlayStation Move compatibility. In addition to three titles on the DS, Rune Factory: Frontier was released on the Wii in 2009.
I had no idea if this game was going to get an English release and I’m particularly overjoyed to see it coming. The original Rune Factory was one of my first and favorite Nintendo DS titles, so let’s hope this one doesn’t disappoint. You can check out the Japanese website, with some cool music, here. Also, be on the lookout for Harvest Moon: A Tale of Two Towns coming this summer to Nintendo DS and 3DS.
Posted in News, PS3, Wii
Tagged E3 2011, Rune Factory: Tides of Destiny
Phil Harrison joins Gakai’s Advisory Board
Having already made PlayStation literally a household name, Phil Harrison is now looking to cement the legacy of a new platform: Gakai. Harrison will be joining the cloud-based streaming game service’s Advisory Board, in order to help them to “disrupt the way games are discovered and enjoyed by players worldwide.” Also joining him will be Robin Kaminsky, former EVP at Activision who helped the juggernaut publisher broaden its portfolio with titles like Guitar Hero and Call of Duty.
“Gaikai combines an excellent technology, an innovative business model with an equally impressive team of smart people,” said Harrison. “I look forward to contributing to the advisory board and helping the company realize its vision of the future of digital entertainment through the cloud.”
If Ken Kutaragi is the father of the PlayStation, Phil Harrison is like its cool British cousin who taught it how to drive stick and talk to girls. Since leaving Sony Computer Entertainment in 2008, Harrison had a brief stint at Atari. Let’s hope he finds success in his new endeavor.
Posted in News
Crysis 2 Retaliation map pack out today
Crysis 2’s first chunk of DLC, bringing Transit, Shipyard, Park Avenue, and Compound to all multiplayer playlists, is available today for 800 MS Points on Xbox 360 and $9.99 on PC. The PlayStation 3 will get this content once the PlayStation Store comes back up at a later date. The single player may not have been my cup of tea, but I might be giving this new pack a shot in my multiplayer rotation now that it’s open season on the PSN.
You can watch the DLC trailer here.
Xperia Play launches on May 26, priced at $200, requires two-year contract
Sony Ericsson and Verizon Wireless have announced that the Xperia Play, the so-called “PlayStation Phone,” will finally be available on May 26.
The phone itself will be priced at $199.99. In addition, Verizon plans to require shoppers to signup for a two-year contract (which starts at $70 a month) if they wish to purchase the first PlayStation Certified phone.
Verizon will have more than 50 games available to download through their VCast on launch day with seven coming pre-installed on the phone:
- Asphalt 6: Adrenaline
- Bruce Lee Dragon Warrior
- Crash Bandicoot
- Madden NFL 11
- The Sims 3
- Star Battalion
- Tetris
Verizon will open pre-orders for the Xperia Play through their website, VerizonWireless.com, strating Thursday, May 19.