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)
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Here’s the first trailer for Minecraft: Story Mode Season 2
Just before this year’s E3 Expo, Telltale announced the first episode from Minecraft: Story Mode Season 2 would be available on July 11. Today, the developer unveiled the first trailer for Episode 1: Hero in Residence (as well as Jesse’s heretofore unseen “rival”)…
Now that Jesse and the gang have vanquished the Wither Storm, saved the world, and become totally super famous heroes, life has gotten a bit more…complicated. With more responsibilities and less time for adventure, old friendships have started to fade — at least until Jesse’s hand gets stuck in a creepy gauntlet that belongs to an ancient underwater temple. Together with old pals and new comrades alike, Jesse embarks on a brand new journey filled with tough choices, good times, and at least one temperamental llama.
All five episodes from Minecraft: Story Mode Season 2 will be available to download for the PC, PS4, Xbox One, and mobile devices over the next few months. PS4 and Xbox One players will also get the chance to pick up the game in a retail disc version, which is set to launch this Fall.
Doomfist joins Overwatch’s PTR and he’ll available to all next week
After a ton of teasing and an almost unbearable wait, Blizzard officially added Doomfist to Overwatch‘s Public Test Region today. Everyone else will be able to play as the villainous character next week.
With his oversized right arm and a philosophy that demands combat, Doomfist is a formidable fighter. However, he doesn’t have the vocal prowess of Terry Crews, and that’s sure to be a letdown for some Overwatch players:
Doomfist
Doomfist’s cybernetics make him a highly-mobile, powerful frontline fighter. In addition to dealing ranged damage with his Hand Cannon, Doomfist can slam the ground, knock enemies into the air and off balance, or charge into the fray with his Rocket Punch. When facing a tightly packed group, Doomfist leaps out of view, then crashes down to earth with a spectacular Meteor Strike.Abilities
- Hand Cannon: Doomfist fires a short-range burst from the knuckles of his fist. Its ammunition is automatically regenerated over a short time.
- Seismic Slam: Doomfist leaps forward and smashes into the ground, knocking nearby enemies toward him.
- Rising Uppercut: Doomfist uppercuts enemies in front of him into the air.
- Rocket Punch: After charging up, Doomfist lunges forward and knocks an enemy back, dealing additional damage if they impact a wall.
- The Best Defense: Doomfist generates temporary personal shields when he deals ability damage.
- Meteor Strike: Doomfist leaps into the sky, then crashes to the ground, dealing significant damage.
Blizzard produced an animated introduction for Doomfist, and his “Origin Story” has been embedded above. You can also learn more about the character in a new “Developer Update” video featuring Game Director Jeff Kaplan, which is available after the break. The video breaks down Doomfist’s backstory, abilities, and an overall strategy for how best to use him. (more…)
Nintendo reveals new features, details, and a pre-release demo for Splatoon 2 in latest Nintendo Direct
Splatoon 2 was the subject of the latest Nintendo Direct presentation, and Nintendo delivered a ton of new details about their multiplayer ink shooter this morning. Check out the replay embedded above, or dive into this huge ocean of new information right here…
If you’re still on the fence about Splatoon 2, Nintendo confirmed that a one-day demo of the game will be available on July 15. The servers for a special pre-release Splatfest will be available from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM (Eastern Time), and it’ll pit fans of “Ice Cream” against “Cake” eaters. However, for veterans of the franchise, the sequel’s customization screens should feel fairly familiar, but several new options will be available:
- Custom Style: In Splatoon 2, Inklings can be customized to fit the player’s taste. Things like eye color, hair style, and skin tone can all be adjusted when creating a character. And this doesn’t even mention the fresh new gear like shirts, shoes, and hats that can also be equipped. Since two years have passed in the world of Inkopolis, many styles have been upgraded so no one is caught splatted in something that is “so 2015.”
- Galleria: To find all these hot new fashion trends, players just have to make their way to the Inkopolis Galleria. This row of popular gear and weapon shops is where all the cool kids and squids hang out. In Ye Olde Cloth Shoppe, a jellyfish named Jelfonzo will help players obtain T-shirts and jackets. A spider crab named Bisk runs the shoe shop Shella Fresh, while Flow the sea slug helps players at the headwear shop Headspace. Weapons can be picked up by stopping by Ammo Knights, run by the knowledgeable horseshoe crab Sheldon. And who doesn’t love food? Inklings can grab a bite at Crusty Sean’s dive to get more points and in-game currency from battles.
- Gear: Equipping gear in Splatoon 2 will give players special abilities. Each piece of gear has certain abilities, and there are even additional abilities that appear as players use the gear more and more in battle. By speaking to Murch, a sea urchin (naturally), players can freshen up their gear with abilities that reduce ink consumption or help them move faster – some will even decrease respawn time! There is a wide variety of abilities in the game, so selecting the right one to use could make or break the battle.
- Fresh Features: Some additional features coming to Splatoon 2 include a handy menu that lets players change the sensitivity of the controls separately for TV and Handheld mode, Amiibo functionality, and the ability to post drawings directly to social media. By tapping a Splatoon series Amiibo figure, players can save control settings, gear and weapon loadouts, and nicknames to any Splatoon Amiibo figure. New Splatoon series and legacy Splatoon Amiibo are all compatible with Splatoon 2 and can also reward players with exclusive gear when tapped.
While selecting weapons and gear might look the same, Nintendo is lining up a whole series of new weapons for Splatoon 2:
- Main Weapons: In Splatoon 2, weapons come in sets of three: a main weapon, a sub weapon and a special weapon. There are many different types of main weapons, from long-range weapons to short-range ones. Some new (wonderfully named) weapons introduced in Splatoon 2 include the Clash Blaster, Flingza Roller, Goo Tuber, and the Dapple Dualies.
- Sub Weapons: In addition to inking and attacking, many sub weapons will help players with other abilities, such as defending from attacks or revealing enemy positions. The new Autobomb, for example, will find an enemy and automatically follow them, while Toxic Mist, well, is exactly how it sounds! It fills the surrounding area with a poisonous mist, reducing the ink of opponents who dare step in its range, as well as making them move slower.
- Special Weapons: All the special weapons in Splatoon 2 are new! Some of the weapons making their debut are the Tenta Missiles, the Inkjet, the Sting Ray and the Baller, which lets players roll up walls in an explosive hamster ball. Special weapons can be used once a player’s special meter is filled.
Splatoon 2 will also include several new modes (which will be introduced by the game’s new house band, Off the Hook featuring Marina and Pearl) including the wave-based Salmon Run and the tournament-ready League Battles:
- Turf War: Turf War, which finds two teams of four battling to ink the most turf, makes its grand return in Splatoon 2. There are all kinds of different stages in the game, ranging from city streets, a sports club, an academy, and even a BMX track. Different stages have different environmental hazards, so players will have to work together to figure out the best strategy.
- Ranked Battles: Every two hours, the three Ranked Battle modes rotate, offering something new to play. The three modes are Splat Zones, which finds teams fighting for control of Splat Zones placed on the stage; Tower Control, a fast-and-frantic mode in which players ride a moving tower; and the chaotic fun of Rainmaker. By winning a Ranked Battle, players increase their rank in each mode. Ranked Battles can be played online. The modes in Ranked Battle can be played in local multiplayer in Private Battle.
- League Battles: League Battles allow players to form a team with friends, fight alongside them and battle their way to the top of the charts. There are two ways to join in these 4-on-4 battles: Players can enlist one other friend to form a pair and be matched with another pair, or connect with three friends to form a four-squid team. Once teams are created, players compete in Ranked Battle modes to aim for a top ranking.
- Salmon Run: This new local- and online-multiplayer mode to Splatoon 2 finds up to four players working together to defeat bosses and collect Power Eggs in a limited amount of time. Each match in Salmon Run lasts for three waves, with players having to collect a select number of Power Eggs to advance to the next wave – oh, and at least one player on the team has to stay alive. This last part might be tough since the stage is overrun by Salmonid enemies and giant bosses, each with their own weakness. Salmon Run is a frantic multiplayer mode that can be played locally with friends at anytime and is also available to play online at designated times, just like Splatfest.
Finally, Nintendo announced plans to support Splatoon 2 with an entire year of post-launch updates including new weapons (like the umbrella-shaped Brella), new gear, and additional stages. The first piece of bonus content will be tied to the Nintendo Switch Online app, which will be available for mobile devices on July 21. Within the app, players will be able to access “SplatNet 2,” a Splatoon 2-specific service to help players stay in touch with the game. According to Nintendo, SplatNet 2 displays information like “stage schedules, gear and stats, and even lets users view their lifetime inkage, a feature that shows how much turf a player has inked compared to real-world places.”
Splatoon 2 will be released exclusively for the Nintendo Switch on July 21.
Posted in News, Switch
Tagged Splatoon 2
Newest Agents of Mayhem trailer delivers “Magnum Sized Action” soundtracked by the Magnum PI theme
Volition has reached into their ‘stache and pulled out another Agents of Mayhem trailer… this time riffing on the cool cars and smooth moves of Tom Selleck’s Magnum PI.
The developer also delivered more details the open world game’s Q-like quartermaster, Gremlin, as well as a taste of what players can expect from its missions…
Agents of Mayhem’s vision of a futuristic Seoul is ruled by LEGION, but it can be taken back with the help of agents at MAYHEM’s base known as the ARK. Machining expert and resident engineer Gremlin runs the ARK’s R&D lab. Terminally positive, Gremlin engages her mischievous curiosity for all machines to create some of MAYHEM’s deadliest weapons, including the Gutterball Gun, which strikes down everything in its path with a barrage of giant electrified balls, and the Cabbit Bomb, which turns enemies into explosive Cabbits. Gremlin’s crazy weapons can be found hidden in caches around the city, and while her devices aren’t always the safest or well tested, they’re guaranteed to make a splash.
As agents battle Dr. Babylon and defeat his Lieutenants, LEGION’s hold on Seoul will weaken. Agents can locate and eliminate LEGION Patrols, destroy their supply trucks, rescue scientists taken hostage, or attack and capture one of LEGION’s major outposts and use the intel gained to pinpoint all of LEGION’s other nearby activities. Dr. Babylon won’t allow MAYHEM to carry on unchecked though; he’ll send troops to respond to attacks via Mole Machines, fortify his outposts with sniper nests, barricades, and mines, or counterattack in true evil style by dispatching one of his minions equipped with a Doomsday Weapon!
Agents of Mayhem will be released for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on August 15.
Posted in News, PC, PS4, Xbox One
Tagged Agents of Mayhem
Producer behind Netflix’s Castlevania series has begun work on an Assassin’s Creed animated series

An animated series based on Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse will make its Netflix debut this Friday, July 7. The Castlevania series was produced by Adi Shankar, and earlier today, he popped up on Facebook to announce his project… an animated series set within the world of Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed.
Unlike Castlevania, Shankar’s next series won’t be a direct adaptation, and will tell an original tale in the Assassin’s Creed universe:
I’m happy to let you guys know that I’ve selected my next project! I played the first edition of Assassin’s Creed the year I moved to Los Angeles to pursue my dream. At that moment I knew absolutely no one in the industry and could never have imagined that one day Ubisoft would ask me to take the world of Assassin’s Creed and create an original story set in it as an anime series. If anyone tells you not to follow your passion in life they are wrong.
As of now, there’s no release date for Shankar’s Assassin’s Creed series, but it’s probably still quite a ways out. And that’s because Shankar will next be shepherding the secibd season of Castlevania, which will be available on Netflix sometime in 2018.
Posted in Etcetera, News
Tagged Assassin's Creed
NIS America will bring Penny-Punching Princess to Switch, Vita in Spring 2018
It looks like Disgaea 5 Complete was just the start of NIS America’s relationship with the Nintendo Switch. The publisher, famous for their uniquely Japanese games, waltzed into this weekend’s Anime Expo and announced that Penny-Punching Princess will be released for Nintendo’s newest console (and the PS Vita) in Spring 2018.
The brawler RPG features an overhead view, and a very materialistic sense of combat:
In a world ruled by capitalism, cash is king!
Use the money you gather to bribe enemies to fight for you, activate deadly traps with your dough, and when all else fails, smash all that stand against you with your fists! Fight your way from nothing and amass treasures to take on the mighty Dragoloan Family and reclaim your kingdom!
NIS America also announced plans to release a special Limited Edition of the game for the Switch, and you can pre-order it now through the NIS America Online Store:
Penny-Punching Princess Limited Edition
- Copy of Penny-Punching Princess
- Royal Family Lapel Pins
- Sebastian and Coin Keychain
- Credit Card Shaped 2GB USB (with Official Soundtrack)
- Collector’s Gold Bar Box
The first trailer for Penny-Punching Princess is embedded above for your viewing pleasure, and a closer look at the Limited Edition can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in News, Switch, Vita
Tagged Penny-Punching Princess
PS Store This Week: SpeedRunners, Toby The Secret Mine, That’s You, more
Not even the 4th of July can stop Sony’s weekly PlayStation Store update. Though it did slow it down a bit…
But there’s nothing slow about SpeedRunners, the multiplayer runner from TinyBuild and DoubleDutch Games. And it’s now available to download for the PS4.
Also available to download this week is Toby: The Secret Mine, a shadowy puzzle platformer for the PS4 from Headup Games and Lukas Navratil. Players will join Toby on an adventure into the deep forest as he tries to rescue his friends and family from a mysterious kidnapper.
Finally this week, That’s You is a party game for the PS4 that turns your smartphone into a controller. That way, everyone can join in the fun with “tons of funny questions, texting games, and drawing challenges.”
You can learn more about all of these games (and the rest of this week’s new releases) after the break. (more…)
Zero Time Dilemma’s PS4 debut leads a packed announcement schedule from Aksys Games at Anime Expo 2017

The 2017 Anime Expo welcomed anime fans from around the globe to Los Angeles this weekend, and Aksys Games was there to announce a massive slate of upcoming games for release in 2017 and 2018.
The localization house started things off with confirmation that Zero Time Dilemma, the third game in the Zero Escape trilogy, will be released for the PS4 on August 18. The visual novel is currently available for the 3DS, Vita, and PC, but the PS4 re-release will be remastered with “impressive” high definition graphics. [Source]
Aksys is planning to bring several other visual novels to North America over the next year. During their Anime Expo panel, Aksys revealed a handful of such titles from Idea Factory including Psychedelica of the Black Butterfly, and Psychedelica of the Ashen Hawk. Both Psychedelica games are tangentially connected by haunted locales, and both will launch for the Vita in 2018. [Source]
The publisher will also team up with Idea Factory to bring 7 Scarlet to the Vita in 2018. 7 Scarlet features a story involving a mysterious town, a missing university student, and a search for the truth. [Source]
More ghostly tales will be told in Creeping Terror, a horror exploration game that’ll launch for the PC and 3DS this Fall. Players will travel through a haunted house, an old tunnel, and a shadowy cavern in search of a monster in Creeping Terror. [Source]
Players will also be in search of monsters in SG/ZH: School Girl/Zombie Hunter, a third-person shooter developed by D3 Publisher for the PS4. The goofy game follows five girls who attempt to save their school from a rampaging horde of zombies. [Source]
A different kind of “ghost” story is at the center of Jake Hunter Detective Story: Ghost of the Dusk. Developed by Arc System Works, Ghost of the Dusk is a hard-boiled detective story that’ll be released for the 3DS in North America in 2018. [Source]
Aksys announced plans to package together two games in the Code Realize franchise, Code Realize: Guardian of Rebirth and Code Realize: Future Blessings, as Code Realize: Bouquet of Rainbows. The bundle will be available for the PS4 next year. [Source]
Moving on (or rather, not moving on), the publisher will release Bad Apple Wars for the Vita on September 29. The visual novel takes place in a school (not surprising)… that’s located in Purgatory (whoa). Bad Apple Wars follows a battle for the soul of Purgatory between the Delinquent Team of Bad Apples and the Disciplinary Committee. [Source]
Under Night In-Birth, a 2D fighter from Arc System Works, will receive a major update this Fall with the release of Under Night In-Birth Exe: Late[st]. Set to be released for the PS3, PS4, and Vita, the Late[st] version of the game will include two new characters, Enkidu and Wagner, and a story-focused Chronicle Mode. [Source]
Finally, the craziest game on Aksys’s radar might be Drive Girls, which will be released for the Vita on August 11. In Drive Girls, players will control a team of superpowered girls who can turn into a fleet of speedy supercars. The girls will do battle with an invading alien force in a genre mashup that includes melee action and driving prowess. [Source]
That’s all for now, but new trailers for most of these games should be available online shortly.







