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: PC
Otherside Entertainment officially announces System Shock 3
It’s hard to get too excited over the official announcement for Otherside’s System Shock 3 project after “hackers” outed the game a week ago. But any news is good news, and here’s what we know now that the game is officially in the works:
- Paul Neurath, a lead developer on System Shock and System Shock 2, is a key member of the Otherside team.
- Nate Wells, a senior artist on System Shock 2, will return for the three-quel.
- Robb Waters, the lead concept artist on both System Shock games, will create a “next generation” look for antagonist AI SHODAN.
- Speaking of SHODAN, Terri Brosius will once again give a voice to the character in System Shock 3.
- Finally, System Shock 3 is currently “in the early concept stages” and we don’t yet know when it’ll be released or what platforms it’s in development for.
It’s pretty bare bones at the moment, but fans are encouraged to visit OthersideTease.com to learn more about System Shock 3 and to hear a special message from SHODAN herself.
Posted in News, PC
Tagged System Shock 3
Unravel will yarn bomb your heart on February 9, 2016
Watch Yarny save a baby bird!
Watch Yarny use a crane to smash through a stone wall!
Watch Yarny ride a bicycle like a pro!
The latest trailer for Coldwood’s Unravel is packed with adorable imagery starring gaming’s newest star, Yarny. But it’s the final title card that’ll likely garner the most excitement from gamers, and that’s because it includes Unravel’s official release date: February 9, 2016. But in case you’ve missed all the Unravel excitement, here’s how Coldwood is trying to sell their game to the public:
Unravel is a game all about overcoming obstacles, both big and small. Using Yarny’s small thread and big heart, players will traverse through the breath-taking, lush environments of Northern Scandinavia in this unique physics-based puzzle platformer. Some challenges are simple, like using Yarny’s thread to swing across a gap, or rappel down a tree. But others are more complex, and players will need to use Yarny’s thread in clever and creative ways to find the path forward. Whatever the case, no feat is too big for Yarny. Along the way, unlock a heartfelt story about love and longing, and the ties that bind, with Yarny as the red thread that runs through it all.
“Gaming is a powerful platform, able to inspire players and touch their hearts. With Unravel, we’re hoping to do just that,” says Martin Sahlin, Creative Director at Coldwood. “Yarny’s quest is to mend broken bonds and the yarn represents the love and connection between people. Along the way, we’ll test your cleverness with environment-based puzzles inspired by our home in Northern Sweden.”
Unravel will be priced at $19.99 when it’s released for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One next year.
Lionhead has pushed the Fable Legends open beta back to Spring 2016
Microsoft first announced Fable Legends all the way back in 2013. The 4v1 adventure has been slowly creeping towards completion ever since and the publisher’s current plan was to release an open beta for the game before the end of the year. However, development difficulties have forced a change to that plan as it looks like the Fable Legends open beta will now be released in Spring 2016.
Creative Director David Eckelberry explained some of the challenges his team has faced in a post on the game’s official website:
Fable Legends is coming together well and it’s a lot of fun. But we think that we can make it even better. So we’ve decided to extend our closed beta to continue to listen to feedback from our players and add features and polish that will make a real difference. This means Fable Legends won’t release into open beta this holiday as previously announced. We realise this may be disappointing for those of you not currently playing, so we wanted to tell you why.
To be honest, we didn’t anticipate just how big Fable Legends is becoming. It’s simply the most ambitious game we’ve ever created at Lionhead. We’ve built a unique and innovative multiplayer experience combining RPG and RTS gameplay which allows you to play, and use your gear seamlessly, across Xbox One and Windows 10. On top of this, we’ve built a beautiful new world full of grand stories and adventures. And it’s taking more time than we thought.
Fable fans interested in joining the closed beta on the PC or Xbox One can submit an application at FableLegends.com. According to Eckelberry, more than 100,000 new invitations will be sent out over the next few weeks.
Posted in News, PC, Xbox One
Tagged Fable Legends
Minecraft: Story Mode’s fourth episode will be released on December 22
Get ready to put some cookies and milk, Telltale Games has announced they’ll be dropping down your chimney to deliver the fourth episode of Minecraft: Story Mode for the PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and mobile devices on December 22 (Vita and Wii U versions are also in the works). If you’ve been playing along with the first three episodes, here’s what shenanigans you can expect to get up to in A Block and a Hard Place:
In Episode Four, with the fearsome Wither Storm more dangerous than ever, Jesse, Reuben, and the crew discover there is one thing that can destroy the command block at the heart of the monster – but they’ll need to brave the perils of the Farlands to find it. As uneasy allies and ailing friends threaten to tear the group apart, can they defeat the Wither Storm in their final battle? And what sacrifices must be made to succeed? Find out in Episode Four’s epic “Wither Storm Finale” that will turn the page on one chapter, before adventures may begin anew…
According to Telltale, Minecraft: Story Mode’s fifth episode will be released sometime in early 2016.
CoD: Black Ops III, Fallout 4, SW: Battlefront lead November 2015’s best-selling games
Not surprisingly, a trio of shooters took the top three spots in the NPD Group’s recounting of November 2015’s best-selling games.
Call of Duty: Black Ops III scored another big win for Activision (and the Black Ops sub-series) with its claim on the top spot. It was followed by Fallout 4 at #2 and Star Wars: Battlefront at #3. With shooters holding on to the top of the list, sports games looked in for the next four places… Madden NFL 16 (#4), NBA 2K16 (#5), FIFA 16 (#6), and Need For Speed (#7). What? I’m sure someone, somewhere, thinks of illegal street racing as a sport.
The final three spots in the NPD’s November 2015 list include repeat appearances from Halo 5: Guardians (#8) and Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate (#9), along with a strong Black Firday-assisted performance from Just Dance 2016 (#10).
Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, NPD’s Liam Callahan confirmed that the PS4 and Xbox One are having a monster Fall: “After 25 months, the combined sales for the PS4 and the Xbox One are 47% higher than the combined sales for 25 months of PS3 and Xbox 360 hardware sales.”
You can find the NPD’s November 2015 top ten in handy list format after the break. (more…)
Posted in News, PC, PS3, PS4, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Tagged Assassin's Creed: Syndicate, Call of Duty: Black Ops III, Fallout 4, FIFA 16, Halo 5: Guardians, Just Dance 2016, Madden NFL 16, NBA 2K16, Need For Speed, NPD, Star Wars: Battlefront
Final Fantasy VI coming to Steam next week
I was just lamenting how there were so many remakes and ports of games in the Final Fantasy series, but how I didn’t have a good way to play Final Fantasy VI. But now I can’t complain anymore, because on December 16th, Final Fantasy VI will be launching on Steam! “Veteran character designer Kazuko Shibuya has painstakingly recreated the graphics, bringing the world of Final Fantasy VI to your PC for the very first time!” exclaims the YouTube page.
Not only that, but the remake of the 1994 classic will even have Steam Achievements as well as those Trading Cards everyone loves. So clear your calendar for next Wednesday – it’s time to fight the Empire again. (Not that Empire – you’ll be able to get reacquainted with them the next day at 7:00 PM.)
Posted in News, PC
Tagged Final Fantasy VI
Bethesda opens studio in Montreal to work on “bleeding-edge of RPG development”
Hot off the monumental success of Fallout 4, Bethesda has founded a new settlement in the wilds of Canada with the opening of a brand new studio in Montreal. Bethesda Game Studios Montreal will be lead by Yves Lachance (Fallout Shelter) and currently has a core team of 40 people. However, Bethesda has announced plans to expand the studio, and is currently recruiting developers to work on “the bleeding-edge of RPG development for the PC and consoles.”
“We’ve worked with some very talented developers in Montreal for a long time, and decided it was time to open a studio there,” said Todd Howard, Game Director and Executive Producer at Bethesda Game Studios. “It’s exciting to think about the new games we’ll be building together.”
Bethesda’s many successes definitely give the team a few options for their first project. They could be spearheading one of Fallout 4’s upcoming expansions, working on a New Vegas-style spinoff, or maybe even doing pre-production work on the all-but-confirmed Elder Scrolls VI. Let us know what you think Bethesda Game Studios Montreal is working on in the comments below.
Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India and Russia have been delayed into 2016
Ubisoft’s side-scrolling Assassin’s Creed Chronicles series has suffered another setback as the release dates of Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India and Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: Russia have been pushed back into 2016. Originally scheduled to launch before the end of the year, Ubisoft will now release Chronicles: India on January 12 and Chronicles: Russia on February 9.
Both games, along with Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: China, will also be packaged together in a special “Trilogy” bundle on February 9. A digital download will be available for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One, while a retail disc will be released for the PS4 and Xbox One. Ubisoft also plans to release the “Trilogy” bundle for the Vita on April 5.
If you’re not familiar with the Assassin’s Creed Chronicles series, Ubisoft had this to say about both titles:
The second episode, Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India, throws players into the tension between the Sikh Empire and the East India Company in 1841. When a Master Templar arrives with a mysterious item that used to belong to the Assassin Order, Arbaaz Mir must discover why the Templar has come, steal back the item and protect his friends and his lover.
The final episode, Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: Russia, takes place in 1918 when Assassin Nikolai Orelov must complete one last mission for the Assassin Order before he can leave with his family. His mission: infiltrate the house where the Tsar’s family is being held by the Bolsheviks and steal an artifact that has been fought over by Assassins and Templars for centuries. While too late to save the Tsar’s entire family, he manages to save the princess, Anastasia, whom he must protect as he escapes the Templars with her and the artifact in tow.
Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India and Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: Russia will both be priced at $9.99 apiece. Unsurprisingly, the “Trilogy” bundle will be priced at $29.99.