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
- 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
Warp Zoned Presents
- Video Game Research Library
- 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)
- Shadow of the Colossus: An oral history – Design Room (2025)
Most Recent: News
Weekly Warp-Up: A Bad Week For The Legend of Zelda
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…
It wasn’t a great week for The Legend of Zelda franchise. First, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata came out and said that the Wall Street Journal on a Legend of Zelda Netflix series was incorrect. However, Iwata only said that the original rumor was wrong, not that a Legend of Zelda Netflix series wasn’t happening at all. So we can all hold on to that slim bit of hope as we slowly realize that a Legend of Zelda Netflix series isn’t actually in the works. Also this week, the next Zelda game, The Legend of Zelda Wii U, was postponed by Producer Eiji Aonuma. He and his team want to make “the ultimate Zelda game” and they will not be constrained by your pesky previously-announced release date. It should be released in 2016, but we don’t know for sure.
On the other hand, it was a good week for NetherRealm Studios. The developer once again flooded the newswire with new Mortal Kombat X information and we reported on all of it. A line of MKK action figures, bobbleheads, and plushes is planned, a “Shaolin” trailer gsave us our first look at Zombie Liu Kang, it’s television spot riffs on 1993’s “Mortal Monday” commercial, and a new Kombat Kast introduced gunslinger Erron Black as a playable character.
Also this week, the Warp Zoned staff filed a preview of PAX East-favorite 20XX, interviewed 20XX developer Chris King of Batterystaple Games, and asked a bunch of developers which games they’d like to see enshrined in the World Video Game Hall of Fame.
More news from the week that was can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in News
New Releases: MLB 15: The Show, Story of Seasons, Toukiden: Kiwami, More
Batter up! Opening Day is just a week away and Sony wants to make PlayStation owners are ready with the release of MLB 15: The Show on the PS3, PS4, and Vita. The franchise is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year and, with the demise of 2K’s Major League Baseball 2K series, its the only game in town when it comes to baseball simulations. The rest of this week’s lineup has a little bit of something for everyone.
XSEED will release Story of Seasons, which is technically the latest game in the farm-tastic Harvest Moon series, for the 3DS. XSEED recently acquired the publishing rights to the series from developer Marvelous, unfortunately, the rights to the Harvest Moon name remain with Natsume.
But speaking of distinctly Japanese franchises, Koei Tecmo will release Toukiden: Kiwami for the PS4 and Vita. The monster-hunting game is actually an expanded version of Toukiden: The Age of Demons, which was released last year solely for the Vita.
A pair of PC games will also be released this week as EA will launch the first Sims 4 expansion, The Sims 4: Get To Work. Get To Work lets you become a doctor, a detective, a scientist, or a shopkeeper in your quest for career fulfillment. Out There: Omega Edition, a space exploration sim, will also be released this week.
Finally, Square Enix has a pair of triple packs set for release. The Ultimate Action Triple Pack will be released for the PS3 and Xbox 360 and it’ll include Just Cuase 2, Sleeping Dogs, and Tomb Raider. Meanwhile, the Ultimate Stealth Triple Pack will also be released for the PS3 and Xbox 360, but it’ll contain Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Hitman: Absolution, and Thief.
Play ball!
Posted in 3DS, News, PC, PS3, PS4, Vita, Xbox 360
Tagged MLB 15: The Show, Story of Seasons, Toukiden: Kiwami
Mortal Kombat X Kombat Kast #7 includes first look at Erron Black, Liu Kang, Shinnok
NetherRealm’s Community Team hosted another Kombat Kast livestream today, and once again it was packed with all sorts of new information related to Mortal Kombat X. This time…
The developers gave us our first look at Erron Black. The cowboy character has had a decent run in the Mortal Kombat X comic book, and now he has been officially confirmed as a playable character. Like Clint Eastwood’s Man With No Name, who he is clearly modeled on, Erron Black is a gunslinger with a pair of revolvers and a surly attitude. Coincidentally, one of his variations is known as “Gunslinger,” which includes the Standoff Stance and multiple trick shots with his revolvers. Other variations include “Marksman” (Gains unique special attacks utilizing a Long Rifle) and “Outlaw” (Gains unique attacks utilizing a salvaged Tarkatan Arm Blade). Yes, it’s very possible that Erron Black stole Baraka’s arm and is using it as a sword. The Erron Black section of this Kombat Kast begins at 21 minutes in.
Fast forward to 35 minutes for an in-depth look at Liu Kang. Liu’s looking a little old here, but his variations help keep him young. “Dragon’s Fire” is most similar to the Liu Kang we know and love with Empowered Dragon Fireballs and a Flying Kick. “Flame Fist” switches out the Bicycle Kick for “bicycle punches” and gives Liu Kang the option of delivering heavier Shaolin Flame attacks. Finally, “Dualist” gives him the ability to switch between Light and Dark forms that heal or harm.
The third, and final, highlighted character of this Kombat Kast is Shinnok at 45 minutes in. Shinnok’s three variations include “Impostor” (he gains a Shang Tsung-like ability to steal an opponent’s Special Attack), “Bone Shaper” (gives him access to a variety of weapons made out of bone), and “Necromancer” (Shinnok gains control of a giant skinless arm).
Finally, the episode confirmed that players who can’t get the timing of a Fatality down will be able to earn Easy Fatalities so they can perform the finishers the franchise is famous for. Easy Fatalities can be unlocked at various points throughout the game, though players will be given three right from the start. Also, players who sign up for a WBPlay account will receive access to a free “Futuristic Raiden” skin. He looks like they yanked him out of Tron!
Mortal Kombat X will be released for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on April 14. A PS3/Xbox 360 version is also in the works and will be released sometime this Summer.
The Legend of Zelda Wii U won’t be released in 2015
Delays are nothing new for The Legend of Zelda series. Nearly every game in the franchise has missed its originally announced release date. Today, The Legend of Zelda Wii U joins their ranks as Producer Eiji Aonuma confirmed the game won’t be ready for a late 2015 launch. Speaking in a video message to fans, Aonuma said that “new ideas” and “new possibilities” have encouraged the development team to take their time and produce “the ultimate Zelda” instead of attempting to hit an arbitrary deadline.
Aonuma’s full statement can be found right here:
Since I declared at the Game Awards in December that the game would launch in 2015, the directors and the many members of the development team have been working hard developing the game. In these last three months, as the team has experienced first-hand the freedom of exploration that hasn’t existed in any Zelda game to date, we have discovered several new possibilities for this game.
As we have worked to turn these possibilities into reality, new ideas have continued to spring forth, and it now feels like we have the potential to create something that exceeds my own expectations. As I have watched our development progress, I have come to think that rather than work with meeting a specific schedule as our main objective, and releasing a game that reflects only what we can create within that scheduled time, I feel strongly that our focus should be to bring all these ideas to life in a way that will make Zelda on Wii U the best game it can possibly be.
So I must apologize to all of you who were expecting the game by year’s end, but we are no longer making a 2015 release our number one priority. Instead, our priority is to make it the ultimate and most complete Zelda game. I hope to use the added time to make a Zelda on Wii U that will reward you for your patience. So thank you for your continued support.
A new release date wasn’t announced, but it’s assumed The Legend of Zelda Wii U will be released in 2016. However, Nintendo also announced (via Twitter) that the game won’t be shown at this year’s E3 Expo. So who knows when we’ll get another look at the next Legend of Zelda game.
Posted in News, Wii U
Tagged E3 2015, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
MotoGP 15 will be available this Spring for PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360, and PC
Italian developer Milestone has announced they’re currently hard at work on MotoGP 15 with a release date planned for the Spring. The motorcycle racer will be available on current-generation consoles (PS4 and Xbox One), previous-generation consoles (PS3 and Xbox 360), and the PC.
As expected, MotoGP 15 will include all the teams, riders, and bikes from the 2015 season as well as several real events from the 2014 season. All of these bikes and riders will be customizable through the brand-new GP Credits Shop, which can be unlocked as you compete in any race mode. GP Credits can be used to customize “20 bike models, 40 different liveries, sponsors, leathers, boots, gloves, and three different motorhomes (Basic, Mid-Range and Top-Range) so your avatar can live in a manner befitting to their level of stardom.” A full-featured Helmet Editor will also be included. Milestone also plans to add an enhanced Career Mode and a Beat the Time time trial mode to MotoGP 15.
For your first look at the game, be sure to check out the MotoGP Announcement Trailer embedded above.
Mortal Kombat X TV spot goes back to the past to ask “Who’s Next?”
Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!
With just a few weeks to go until Mortal Kombat X‘s April 14th launch, NetherRealm Studios has unveiled the game’s full-length television commercial. It’s mostly comprised of footage we’ve seen before, but it’s interesting to see NetherRealm ask “Who’s Next?” by traveling back to the past.
First, you’ll notice that the soundtrack blares to life courtesy of System of a Down’s 2001 hit, “Chop Suey.” But what you might not notice is that the Mortal Kombat X spot is also a modern riff on the very first commercial used to sell the series. The crowd, the urban setting, even some of the camerawork, can all be linked back to the infamous “Mortal Monday” commercial that was used to promote the console release of Mortal Kombat in 1993.
Mortal Kombat X will be available for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on April 14. A mobile version for iOS and Android will also be released next month, and a version for PS3 and Xbox 360 owners will be available in the Summer.
Xbox Store Today: Forza Horizon 2 Presents Fast & Furious, Oddworld: New ‘N’ Tasty
Two games race their way onto the Xbox Games Store today…
Available for both the Xbox One and Xbox 360, Forza Horizon 2 Presents Fast & Furious is a standalone expansion to Forza Horizon 2 that includes racing action based on the Fast and the Furious franchise. Best of all, the game will be free from now until April 10 thanks to Universal Studios, which is using the game to promote Furious 7. After April 10, the game’s price will be $9.99.
Also available this week is Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee – New ‘N’ Tasty for the Xbox One. The New ‘N’ Tasty edition takes the original Oddworld game and adds in “improved, deeper gameplay” to a package that also includes enhanced graphics and audio.
More information about both games can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in News, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Tagged Forza Horizon 2 Presents Fast & Furious
Killer Instinct Ultra Edition owners can now download Hisako
Iron Galaxy has announced that Hisako, Killer Instinct‘s “ghost girl,” is now available to download for players who own the Season 2 Ultra Edition. Combo Breaker Pack players will have to wait until Thursday, April 2.
The character is heavily based on Japanese horror heavies such as The Ring‘s Samara, so if you’ve ever wanted to watch a ghost fight a dinosaur (Riptor), a cyborg (Fulgore), or a walking skeleton (Spinal), you can in the trailer embedded above.
And be sure to watch all the way to the end to get your first look at Killer Instinct’s next character, Cinder.
Posted in News, Xbox One
Tagged Killer Instinct