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
- With Grand Theft Auto 6 poised to take over the world, I reached out to Jack Thompson and it did not go well – PC Gamer (2026)
- Vib-Ribbon: An oral history – Design Room (2026)
- How a Second-Grade Teacher Revived a Beloved Video Game – The New York Times (2026)
- Spore: An oral history – Design Room (2026)
- Diablo IV PC Cooled With Real Human Blood Is Still Going Strong Two Years Later, Says Guy Who Won It – Aftermath (2026)
Most Recent: PC
Michel Ancel is possibly teasing a Beyond Good & Evil prequel on Instagram
Even though we’ve only glimpsed the barest scraps of information about Beyond Good & Evil 2 since its unveiling all the way back in 2008, the game has never really gone away. And as recently as this past Summer, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said the sequel is still on the way.
Earlier this morning, developer Michel Ancel teased Beyond Good & Evil 2 once again with a post on Instagram of concept art featuring a young Uncle Pey’j, Jade’s mentor/sidekick from the original Beyond Good & Evil. Does that mean the sequel is acually a prequel? It’s still too early to tell, but at least we know that Ancel is still thinking about the game.
Ubisoft France also posted a link to the image on their Twitter account, lending some legitimacy to the belief that this is “official” concept art and not just something Ancel whipped up in his spare time.
It’s rumored that Beyond Good & Evil 2 will be announced for Nintendo’s NX console in the coming weeks, but it’s probably a tad too early to speculate about that. You can find Ancel’s Beyond Good & Evil 2 tease after the break. (more…)
Developer Campo Santo will produce a Firewatch movie adaptation with Good Universe
The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that Campo Santo has teamed up with Good Universe, a film production company responsible for Neighbors, Don’t Breathe, and The Night Before, to create a film adaptation of Firewatch.
Released earlier this year for the PC and PS4 (and earlier this month for the Xbox One), Firewatch is a first-person exploration game that takes place in the Wyoming wilderness in the 1980s. Armed only with a two-way radio, players must solve a mystery involving “mysterious occurrences and a shadowy figure” with the help of Delilah, his supervisor.
“When we met Good Universe we were floored by how they recognize, cultivate and produce incredible stories. It’s rare you meet another group that shares so many of your values and makes the process of creating things even more exciting. We can’t wait to see what we make together,” said Sean Vanaman, Campo Santo’s founder.
Obviously, it’s still very early in the process, so it’s unknown when Firewatch’s film adaptation will be released.
Max Brooks is writing an “Official” Minecraft novel for Mojang
There are lots of novels based on Minecraft on the shelves at your local bookstore, but Mojang has announced they’ve partnered with Max Brooks to produce a series of official novels based on the blockbuster game.
Brooks is best known as the author of World War Z, an “Oral History of the Zombie War” that was recently adapted into a movie starring Brad Pitt. But Brooks is also the author of The Harlem Hellfighters (which features many of the same events and people as this Fall’s Battlefield 1) and The Zombie Survival Guide. He’s also the son of legendary parodist Mel Brooks and Oscar-winning actress Anne Bancroft.
The first novel will be titled Minecraft: The Island, and according to Mojang Blog, readers should expect “cuboid Robinson Crusoe, but madder: a hero stranded in an unfamiliar land, with unfamiliar rules, learning to survive against tremendous odds.”
“I’m very excited to be part of this new venture,” Brooks said. “Finally I can justify all those hours I’ve spent playing Minecraft.”
“From our first meeting with Max, we knew he would be a perfect fit for our first foray into novels based on Minecraft,” said Lydia Winters, the Brand Director at Mojang. “His enthusiasm and understanding of all things related to the game bring out the sense of wonder and possibility that so many players love about Minecraft… ourselves included.”
We don’t know when Minecraft: The Island will be released, but we do know it’ll be published by Del Rey Books.
Kickstart This! Z’Isle
There are so many ambitious games on Kickstarter right now, and I seem to have missed them all while being snowed under with non-gaming related work (and because I have literally just finished Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, my September obsession). But fear not, dear readers, for I shall be covering them all in the very near future!
There are five projects live at the moment that I absolutely adore for very different reasons. Ultra Captain is a fun-filled space ship manager. Magicland is hopping onto the AR wagon with a game that blends Pokemon Go and Spore. ARC Continuum is a third-person sci-fi shooter set in an epic, rich new world where you have the power to manipulate time. There is also Sulphur Nimbus, an acid-induced flying game featuring a multi-coloured hippogriff, which is possibly a first for any game.
Right now, though, it’s time to enter the zombie-infested world of Z’Isle, a tactical turn-based cyclepunk rpg. Yes, you read that right, cyclepunk!
Bike weapons at the ready! (more…)
Playtonic digs up a cameo for Shovel Knight in Yooka-Laylee
Playtonic plans to pack their upcoming 3D platformer, Yooka-Laylee, with a ton of quirky and colorful characters. In addition to the original characters Playtonic is creating for the game, Yooka-Laylee will also feature a guest appearance by the one and only Shovel Knight! You can get your first peek at the chivalrous character in Yooka-Laylee’s latest trailer, which has been embedded above. It’ll also give fans a chance to reintroduce themselves to the villainous Capital B, the cunning Trowzer, and many others…
- Capital B – Cunning bizzness executive Capital B is the CEO of diabolical corporation Hivory towers, which has recently joined forces with ingenious tech firm Quack Corp. Together, they’re about to launch their most devious scheme yet: To absorb all of the world’s books and take over the world!
- Trowzer – The serpent salesman claims to be the most skilled and knowledgeable character in the game, though Laylee suspects he’s little more than a dodgy dealer. During their adventure, Yooka and Laylee can purchase advanced manoeuvres from Trowzer’s travelling moves shop.
- Dr. Quack – The former partner of Dr. Puzz, Quack’s increasingly wild experiments lead him down the path of corruption. Now fully clad in a not-so-hi-tech “biosuit,” the “good” doctor uses his scientific expertise to power up Hivory Towers’ Corplet employees
- Dr. Puzz – A hapless scientist who’s experience more than her share of tentacle – erm “technical” issues, Dr. Puzz will use her D.N.Ray to transform Yooka and Laylee into a plethora of crazy critters and help them on their adventure.
Yooka-Laylee will be released for the PC, PS4, Wii U, and Xbox One in Early 2017.
New Retail Releases: Forza Horizon 3, FIFA 17, Yo-Kai Watch 2, More
Soccer players (excuse me, footballers), racecar drivers, invisible Japanese spirits, a sneaker-wearing hedgehog, bloodthirsty aliens, and even bloodthirstier zombies highlight this week’s new release roundup…
FIFA 17 will be available in stores this week for the PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. In addition to a series of graphical upgrades and gameplay tweaks, the latest soccer simulation from EA Sports adds “The Journey,” a story-based single-player mode where players take control a teenager trying to make it in the Premier League.
Also new this week is Microsoft’s latest racing sim, Forza Horizon 3. The PC and Xbox One game recreates Australia as a playground for open-world racing, which players can dive into with more than 350 cars.
Away from the fast cars and furious footballers, Nintendo and Level-5 will release Yo-Kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits and Yo-Kai Watch 2: Fleshy Souls. The creature-collecting games will include hundreds of new Yo-Kai, invisible spirits believed to exist out in the world. But with the game’s Yo-Kai Watch, players can see these supernatural creatures, and capture them.
Keeping with the otherworldly theme, 2K Games will bring XCOM 2 to the PS4 and Xbox One this week. After debuting on the PC earlier this year, the publisher is expanding the strategy game’s reach to new-generation consoles… and not a moment too soon. The alien invaders have enslaved humanity in the sequel and it’s up to players to guide the XCOM to victory against a foe that’s taken control of the Earth.
While the enemies of Dead Rising 2 are a bit dumber than a race of hyper-advanced aliens, they’re no less dangerous. Available this week for the PS4 and Xbox One, Dead Rising 2 was originally released for the PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2010, but the re-release will still put a ravenous horde of undead between motocross racer Chuck Greene and the anti-zombie cure he needs for his daughter.
Hopefully, Chuck can avoid those zombies using Sonic-like speed, but a Blue Blur will be busy with Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice, which will be released this week for the 3DS.
Finally this week, Microsoft is cramming a free copy of Minecraft in with their newest Xbox One S 500GB Console Bundle. So if you’re interested in picking up an Xbox One S, and you love Minecraft, it’s a fairly good deal.
Posted in 3DS, News, PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Tagged Dead Rising 2, FIFA 17, Forza Horizon 3, Minecraft, Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice, XCOM 2, Yo-Kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits/Fleshy Souls
No Man’s Sky Review: Lost in Space
Before rendering our verdict on No Man’s Sky, we wanted to get as far away as possible from the controversy and chaos surrounding the game’s launch. This allowed us to experience all that the game offers, and gave us more time to contemplate the developer’s vision. I haven’t completed No Man’s Sky, and honestly, I haven’t even come close. When Hello Games announced that this game would be epic in size and scope, they certainly weren’t kidding
This review will hone in on all the traditional beats (story, controls, graphics, audio, etc), but No Man’s Sky is all about exploration and discovery, and it’s unlikely that anyone will duplicate my own personal experiences with the game. If you’ve played No Man’s Sky, your stories will certainly differ, but in the end, my goal is to give you a good idea of the vast, immeasurable universe that Hello Games created. (more…)
Posted in PC, PS4, Reviews, Top Story
Tagged No Man's Sky
Doom’s “Free Update 3” adds Deathmatch, Private Matches, and Custom Matches
Doom‘s third “Free Update” is now available and players of the game’s multiplayer mode will finally get the chance to compete in a free-for-all Deathmatch. The inclusion of Deathmatch in the original Doom is one of the things that put the 1993 shooter on the map, so it’s great to finally see it added to this year’s reboot.
“Free Update 3” will also add an option to create Private Matches in multiplayer, as well as Custom Matches that’ll allow players to adjust “the modes, maps, length of play time and other match settings.”
To celebrate these changes, id Software has unveiled a new trailer for Doom, and kicked off a Double XP Weekend for multiplayer players. The Double XP Weekend begins today and will run until Monday, September 26, at 12:00 PM (Eastern Time).
Posted in News, PC, PS4, Xbox One
Tagged Doom (2016)