Most Recent: Articles

Blizzard: Diablo III is now a Spring release

Posted on February 12, 2012 by John Scalzo

After missing a late 2011 launch, Blizzard announced that Diablo III would be released in early 2012. It looks like that release date is also no more as Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime revealed that the game’s new launch window is Spring 2012. The devil must have made them do it!

The news emerged from Activision’s most recent quarterly conference call and is likely due to the extensive changes Blizzard wanted to make to the game after receiving feedback from the Diablo III beta. Here’s what Morhaime had to say about the delay:

Given the popularity of the Action/RPG genre and the keen interest in Diablo III, we expect this launch to be a big opportunity for Blizzard. We can also confirm that we are targeting a Q2 launch for Diablo III. We expect to announce more details about the release schedule in the coming weeks.

So it’s coming in the Spring now. And this time they really really mean it! I guess we’ll see.

Posted in News, PC | Tagged

Skyrim practically sweeps the 2012 IAAs with five awards

Posted on February 12, 2012 by John Scalzo

The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences handed out the Interactive Achievement Awards for the 15th consecutive year on February 9 and, not surprisingly, Bethesda’s The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim came away the big winner.

The RPG practically swept all of the major awards including Game of the Year, Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction, and Outstanding Achievement in Gameplay Engineering. It also took home RPG of the Year and Outstanding Achievement in Story.

Among the other winners, Portal 2 lead the way with three awards including Outstanding Achievement in Connectivity, Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition, and an Outstanding Character Performance for Wheatley. Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception also took home three awards, all for Naughty Dog’s continued mastery of game graphics.

You can find the full list of winners after the break, while all the nominated games are listed here. (more…)

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Weekly Warp-Up: Snow Day Edition

Posted on February 12, 2012 by John Scalzo

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…

Snow has finally blanketed the northeast! While I have to admit, I preferred the snowless Winter we were having, it is a bit comforting to look out my window and see a whole mess of the white stuff. And watching my dog turn into a giant, flying snowball when she runs around the yard is more fun than any video game.

Oh right, video games. The industry is in a sort of holding pattern this week as the Vita’s “First Edition” release date approaches. Gaming on the go might be a bit of a problem this week with all the snow, but I’m sure we’ll manage.

However, that’s not to say nothing happened this week. Hit the jump to read all about this week’s big stories thanks to the latest Weekly Warp-Up. (more…)

Posted in News |

LittleBigPlanet Karting confirmed, looks adorable

Posted on February 12, 2012 by Nicole Kline

Sackboy is about to take a step that seems very natural: directly into a kart to do some racing.

Sony has officially confirmed LittleBigPlanet Karting via their Twitter account. This announcement comes in the wake of the recent Destination PlayStation event. PlayStation LifeStyle also mentioned that the game would have a “Move compatible wheel” and be “3D capable.”

This is awesome news, especially considering the only kart racer on the PlayStation 3 is the tepid ModNation Racers. Could this be the start of an actual competitor to Mario Kart?

Posted in News, PS3 | Tagged

Battleship FPS announced (yes, really)

Posted on February 12, 2012 by Nicole Kline

Battleship is about to go from a board game to both a high-intensity, over the top movie, as well as a video game. Activision and Hasbro announced that the PS3 and Xbox 360 game will be developed by Double Helix Games. Magic Pockets is also working on “uniquely designed versions” for the 3DS, DS, and Wii.

Battleship will “follow elite demolitions specialist Cole Mathis as he clashes against an aquatic-based extraterrestrial peril in the sand and sea of the beautiful Hawaiian archipelago,” according to the press release. The game will combine first person shooter gameplay with naval strategy.

Mark Blecher, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Digital Media and Marketing at Hasbro, said, “With a Battleship videogame, we have an amazing opportunity to take our beloved property and give it a modern-day spin. The merging of tactical and action elements immerses players in an epic maritime conflict. Activision is completely up to the task of delivering a high-intensity thrill ride that’s perfectly suited for today’s console owners.”

Battleship the game will arrive alongside Battleship the movie (which will no doubt be accompanied by “Battleship the board game, now with aliens!”) this May.

Posted in 3DS, DS, News, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360 |

Star Trek pushed back to Q1 2013, Namco Bandai co-publishing

Posted on February 12, 2012 by Nicole Kline

The new Star Trek game is set to be released in early 2013, just in time for the May 17 release of the new Star Trek film. Paramount will be working with Namco Bandai, who will be co-publishing the game.

The game, which was revealed at last year’s E3, has an original story, which is being scripted by the writers and producers of the film, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, working with BAFTA award winner and God of War writer Marianne Krawczyk. Players will play cooperatively as Kirk and Spock in the same prequel universe created by J.J. Abrams 2009 film.

Star Trek is being developed by Digital Extremes and will be released on the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360. A Wii U version might also be in the cards as the press release also referenced the game’s release on “major consoles.”

Posted in News, PC, PS3, Xbox 360 | Tagged

Skylanders Giants goes big this Fall

Posted on February 12, 2012 by Nicole Kline

Activision has announced Skylanders Giants, sequel to 2011’s Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure.

The sequel will “feature close integration” with the online world Skylanders: Spyro’s Universe, and will also have “a variety of new characters, new challenges, a thrilling new story-driven adventure, and advanced integration across console, handheld, mobile and online.” It will have eight new collectible figures, characters that interact with the figures, new Skylanders, more arenas, and more gameplay options. The sequel also has compatibility with the original game.

Skylanders Giants is once again being developed by Toys For Bob and is scheduled to be out this fall for a “to be announced” set of platforms. The game will make its debut February 12th to the 15th at the North American International Toy Fair in booths 3151 and 3251 at the Javits Center in New York City.

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Mass Effect 3 “Reinstated” trailer shows off FemShep

Posted on February 12, 2012 by Nicole Kline

The new trailer for Mass Effect 3, entitled “Reinstated,” shows off lady Shepard in all her badass glory. The franchise’s fans have been asking for an official trailer featuring the gender-flipped Shepard and it’s finally here. This game just keeps looking better and better with every scene they release.

Mass Effect 3 will be out for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 on March 6. So until then, ponder if you’ll be taking enemies on as FemShep – or, you know, just regular old Shepard.

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