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
- 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
Modder discovers “offline mode” for SimCity
The SimCity debacle reared its ugly head again today and it continues to look bad for EA.
The latest Godzilla stomp on EA’s city simulation is the news that a modder has discovered an offline “debug mode” that bypasses the always-online requirement of the game. EA has always maintained that their servers provide constant computational support to SimCity players, but this debug mode paints the always-online requirement as little more than a backdoor DRM scheme.
This backs up a recent anonymous tip reported by Rock, Paper, Shotgun that claims SimCity doesn’t require an Internet connection.
“The servers are not handling any of the computation done to simulate the city you are playing. They are still acting as servers, doing some amount of computation to route messages of various types between both players and cities. As well, they’re doing cloud storage of save games, interfacing with Origin, and all of that. But for the game itself? No, they’re not doing anything. I have no idea why they’re claiming otherwise.”
However this brouhaha resolves itself, I think EA’s mayoral aspirations are over.
[Source: Destructoid]
Dead Space 3 slices up the competition in February 2013 NPD report
Do you remember that rumor about Dead Space 3‘s poor sales? Yeah… apparently that was a load of space garbage. The action horror title was officially crowned the best-selling retail game of February 2013 by retail tracking firm The NPD Group.
New releases Crysis 3, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, and the troubled launch of Aliens: Colonial Marines also landed spots in the top ten.
Here’s the complete list of the top ten best-selling games in February 2013:
1. Dead Space 3 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
2. Call of Duty: Black Ops II (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U, PC)
3. Crysis 3 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
4. NBA 2K13 (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, Wii U, PSP, PC)
5. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (PS3, Xbox 360)
6. Aliens: Colonial Marines 2013 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
7. Just Dance 4 (Wii, Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U)
8. Far Cry 3 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
9. Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time (PS3, Vita)
10. Madden NFL 13 (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, Vita, Wii U)
Posted in News, PC, PS3, PSP, Vita, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360
Tagged Aliens: Colonial Marines, Call of Duty: Black Ops II, Crysis 3, Dead Space 3, Far Cry 3, Just Dance 4, Madden NFL 13, NBA 2K13, NPD, Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time
Gearbox will show Borderlands 2’s sixth character class at PAX East
Gearbox Software has officially released the trailer for Borderlands 2‘s sixth character and confirmed the melee brawler will make his debut at this year’s PAX East convention.
The reveal will happen during this year’s Gearbox Software panel, which is scheduled for Sunday, March 24 at 12:30 PM. The developer will also talk about the upcoming level cap increase in Borderlands 2 and more “huge exclusives and massive surprises.”
Posted in News, PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Tagged Borderlands 2, PAX East 2013
Nintendo Download: Lego City Undercover, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, more
This week’s Nintendo Download should really be referred to as “next week’s Nintendo Download” as most of the new addition to the 3DS/Wii U’s download services won’t be available until March 19.
That’s when Lego City Undercover and Need For Speed: Most Wanted U will make their Wii U debut. That’s also when Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate and The Croods: Prehistoric Party! will be released for the Wii U and the 3DS. Next week will also see the release of the next Wii U Virtual Console game, Punch-Out!! Featuring Mr. Dream, on Wednesday, March 20.
So what’s available today? On the 3DS eShop, there’s Mega Man III, Rayman Origins, and Reel Fishing 3D Paradise; and on the DSiWare Shop there’s Forgotten Legions and Goony.
More details about this week’s new games and next week’s releases can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in News
Tagged 3DS, DS, Lego City Undercover, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, Need For Speed: Most Wanted, Wii U
Sniper Elite 3 targets a 2014 release on PC, PS3, Xbox 360, next-gen platforms
After the strong success of Sniper Elite V2, its sold 1.1 million copies since it’s April 2012 release, 505 Games has announced that Sniper Elite 3 will be released in 2014. Rebellion will once again handle the game’s development.
“Sniper Elite V2 has been a great success for us and we are thrilled to partner with Rebellion on Sniper Elite 3,” said Ian Howe, president, 505 Games North America. “Fans can look forward to the same heart-pounding action they have come to expect from a Sniper Elite game as well as refined and new features that will blow them away.”
Sniper Elite 3 hopes to follow in V2’s successful footsteps when it comes to the PC, PS3, Xbox 360, and next-generation consoles in 2014.
Nuketown 2025 goes free as CoD: Black Ops II adds customization packs on Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 version of Call of Duty: Black Ops II is getting more personalized as Treyarch has added several customization packs to the game’s downloadable offerings.
- Personalization Packs will let players loadout with a themed weapon camo, reticle, and Calling Card.
- The Extra Slots Pack gives players more media storage capacity.
- Flags of the World Calling Cards adds flags to your Calling Card choices.
If you’d prefer not to spend any money, the Treyarch team has also made the “Nuketown 2025” map free for all Xbox 360 players. The map was previously only available to those who pre-ordered the game or purchased the Care Package edition. The “Nuketown Zombies” map is also available for all, but it’ll set you back 400 Microsoft Points ($5).
More details on all of the new DLC can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in News, Xbox 360
Tagged Call of Duty: Black Ops II
Disc version of Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition set for April 30 release
Now this is an unexpected surprise.
Microsoft has announced that a retail disc version of Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition will be released on April 30. The game will carry the same $19.99 price as the Xbox Live Arcade version and will work with the same Skin Packs and Title Updates as its downloadable brother.
The disc version will include all of the content from the eight Title Updates released for the game so far as well as the upcoming ninth Title Update, which will contain The End, the Ender Dragon, and a variety of other additions and tweaks.
Play as the Empress’s assassin in Dishonored: The Knife of Dunwall DLC
Bethesda and Arkane Studios have just announced “The Knife of Dunwall,” the second downloadable expansion for Dishonored. Available on April 16, The Knife of Dunwall allows players to control Daud, the assassin who murdered the Empress at the start of the game:
After assassinating the Empress, and forever changing the fate of Dunwall, you embark on a search for redemption. The Outsider reveals the key to your atonement, but who—or what—is Delilah? Accompanied by the Whalers, your loyal band of mercenary assassins, your search will take you through never-before-seen districts of Dunwall as you face off against new and terrible foes. Employ a unique arsenal of new weapons and powers that enhance Dishonored’s dynamic combat, mobility and stealth systems. In the struggle to hang onto the last shred of your humanity, the choices you make will ultimately determine your fate.
Dishonored: The Knife of Dunwall has been priced at $9.99 (1200 Microsoft Points) and will be available to download from Steam, the PlayStation Store, or the Xbox Live Marketplace.
Posted in News, PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Tagged Dishonored