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
Square Enix’s Octopath Traveler was the best-selling game in July 2018
It would have been amusing if Square Enix’s Octopath Traveler took the #8 spot in The NPD Group’s monthly report of best-selling games (as reported by GamesIndustry.biz). But instead, the retro-styled RPG smashed expectations and landed in the top spot for the preceding four-week period. That means the publisher is likely less amused and more amazed.
Nintendo Switch exclusives dominated the list of best-selling games last month, with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (#3), The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (#5), Super Mario Odyssey (#7), and Mario Tennis Aces (#10) all cracking the top ten. The recent Switch launch of Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy (#9) also likely accounted for its rise in the rankings (the game is also available for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One).
The Switch was also the best-selling console in July, the first time that’s happened since December 2017.
You can find out how the rest of the top ten shook out, with a quick rundown of the remainder of July 2018’s best-selling games, after the break. (more…)
New Gameplay Trailer confirms Devil May Cry 5 will be released on March 8, 2019
Gamescom 2018 attendees got their first look at Devil May Cry 5, and Capcom unveiled a brand new Gameplay Trailer for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One action game during today’s special episode of Inside Xbox. In addition to the new video, the publisher also unveiled the game’s official release date… March 8, 2019.
As we saw during the E3 Trailer, players will take control of Nero in the upcoming game, but be sure to watch the new trailer all the way to the end for a quick glimpse at the game’s second playable character:
The threat of demonic power has returned to menace the world once again in Devil May Cry 5. The invasion begins when the seeds of a “demon tree” take root in Red Grave City. As this hellish incursion starts to take over the city, a young demon hunter Nero, arrives with his partner Nico in their “Devil May Cry” motorhome. Finding himself without the use of his right arm, Nero enlists Nico, a self-professed weapons artist, to design a variety of unique mechanical Devil Breaker arms to give him extra powers to take on evil demons such as the blood sucking flying Empusa and giant colossus enemy Goliath.
Devil May Cry 5 is currently playable at the Xbox booth at Gamescom 2018 (August 21-25), and Capcom will also bring it to PAX West next week (August 31-September 4) to give attendees in Seattle a chance to try out the demo as well.
Oh, and in case you missed it, that’s Dante on his flashy motorbike at the end there.
Posted in News, PC, PS4, Xbox One
Tagged Devil May Cry 5, Gamescom 2018, PAX West 2018
Supermassive Games returns to horror with The Dark Pictures Anthology
Supermassive Games released Until Dawn in 2015, and the narrative-horror adventure became one of the first times a slasher-style story was used in a game. Today, the developer announced at Gamescom that they’re going back to their horror roots with The Dark Pictures Anthology, a series of standalone games for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
Each game in the anthology well tell its own self-contained tale of horror, and the first will follow a group of aquatic adventurers in search of a shipwreck:
The Dark Pictures: Man of Medan chronicles the adventures of a group of friends in search of a mysterious World War II shipwreck, whose holiday diving trip turns sinister as a storm slowly envelops them. With survival their only concern, the player must take control of the five protagonists and traverse the terrors of the sea, both to uncover its mysteries, and to live to tell their tale.
“We are incredibly excited to announce the Dark Pictures Anthology and the first game in the series, Man of Medan,” said Pete Samuels, the CEO of Supermassive Games and Executive Producer of The Dark Pictures. “With each title being a standalone game, we have the opportunity to create a unique horror experience every time, with new stories, settings, characters and cast.
Samuels went on to add: “As a studio we have a passion to deliver powerful cinematic horror, and we can’t wait for players to experience these new games across PS4, Xbox, and PC. We have a great partner in Bandai Namco Entertainment and we look forward to working with them to help bring these terrifying tales to gamers everywhere.”
The Dark Pictures: Man of Medan will be released sometime in 2019. For now, the game’s first trailer has been embedded above.
Posted in News, PC, PS4, Xbox One
Tagged Gamescom 2018, The Dark Pictures: Man of Medan
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night’s launch pushed back to 2019; Vita version canceled
In a new Kickstarter update, Koji “IGA” Igarashi announced that Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night‘s PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One launch has been pushed back to 2019. Within that same update, Igarashi also confirmed the game is no longer in development for the Vita.
According to the developer, the delay is to “raise the quality level” of the game:
Our first announcement is that the game will now launch in 2019. The most important reason for this is to raise the quality level, especially after all the very valuable feedback from the Beta Backer Demo.
He went on to say that the Vita version of Bloodstained was canceled due to Sony’s plans to discontinue the handheld:
The second announcement is that the game will no longer launch on PlayStation Vita. This decision is largely due to Sony’s plans to discontinue the Vita console, ending production of physical copies and stopping certain online store support features.
It is extremely unfortunate, but as a result, we won’t be releasing the game on Vita. For the backers who have ordered the PS Vita version of the game, you will be able to choose another platform or request a refund.
You can see “IGA” deliver this message personally in the video embedded above.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice will be released on March 22, 2019; Collector’s Edition announced
Activision and From Software have announced that Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice will be released for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on March 22, 2019.
But first, fans looking to unleash their inner ninja will be able to try out a playable demo of the action-adventure game during this week’s Gamescom 2018. The demo will give players the chance to explore three core tenets of ninja combat:
- Sword Combat: The core combat in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is measured by an intense clash of steel. Players will take command of special Sword Arts to supplement their regular attacks, and tear down enemy defenses before sealing the final blow.
- Shinobi Prosthetic: Players can equip and switch between a variety of unique Prosthetic Tools to find the weakness of a formidable enemy. Additionally, tools such as the Grappling Hook can be utilized to bring an extra dimension to exploration and traversal throughout the world of the game.
- Resurrection: Used as an opportunity for a tactical retreat or to deceive an enemy and go on the counter-offensive, this new combat strategy allows players to resurrect on the spot, even after a hasty death.
In addition to confirming Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice’s launch date, Activision and From Software also unveiled a special Collector’s Edition for the game, which will include a the game disc in SteelBook packaging, a 7” Shinobi Statue, a Collectible Artbook, a Map, a Digital Soundtrack, and Three Sengoku Era Replica Game Coins.
A close-up of the Collector’s Edition has been embedded above.
Posted in News, PC, PS4, Xbox One
Tagged Gamescom 2018, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Sabotage Studio will bring The Messenger to PC, Switch on August 30
Sabotage Studio’s The Messenger wall jumped its way into our hearts when it was unveiled by publisher Devolver Digital back in January. The game’s unique combination of Ninja Gaiden-like platforming and MetroidVania-style level design was exciting, as was its stylish use of portals to transport players between 8-bit and 16-bit worlds.
As a demon army besieges his village, a young ninja ventures through a cursed world, to deliver a scroll paramount to his clan’s survival. What begins as a classic action platformer soon unravels into an expansive time-traveling adventure full of thrills, surprises, and humor.
Yesterday, the developer announced that The Messenger will be released for the PC and Switch on August 30. And to celebrate, they uploaded a brand new trailer that’s packed with ninja action, and which is currently embedded above.
Posted in News, PC, PS4
Tagged The Messenger
Burnout Paradise Remastered will be available for the PC on August 21
After racing onto the PS4 and Xbox One back in March, Electronic Arts and Criterion Games have announced that Burnout Paradise Remastered will make its way to the PC (via Origin) on August 21. However, if you’re a subscriber to EA’s Origin Access Premier service, you can download it right now:
The PC edition of Burnout Paradise Remastered is now available on Origin Access and Premier, and will be available for the rest of you Burners to buy on August 21st!
Thanks for your patience! Especially @Twitnewb74 :-)https://t.co/jxJaOi7ZOL pic.twitter.com/iDHtSidcFM
— Criterion Games (@CriterionGames) August 16, 2018
EA and Criterion also confirmed that players who previously purchased the original version of Burnout Paradise through the Origin Store will receive a 75% discount if they choose to upgrade to the Remastered re-release.
Posted in News, PC
Tagged Burnout Paradise
THQ Nordic acquires rights to the TimeSplitters franchise
THQ Nordic is doing that thing again where they buy up the rights to an old franchise. This time, the publisher has purchased the right to the TimeSplitters trilogy from Crytek.
All three games in the franchise (TimeSplitters, TimeSplitters 2, and TimeSplitters: Future Perfect) were originally developed by Free Radical Design, and THQ Nordic’s purchase is a homecoming of sorts for the series. Crytek originally acquired the rights to the franchise after purchasing the developer in 2009. They were then shut down by Crytek in 2014, and the majority of the staff went on to form the core of THQ Nordic’s Dambuster Studios.
Now that you’re all caught up, it’s tempting to wonder if this means that TimeSplitters 4 is on the way. THQ Nordic wasn’t ready to talk about the future, but they do have a habit of re-releasing classic games (like the Re-Mars-tered Edition of Red Faction: Guerrilla) and commissioning sequels (like Darksiders III) from the franchises they acquire:
TimeSplitters was largely considered as one of the most influential console games of the early 2000s. The three game series earned a large and passionate fan base thanks to its unique humour, art style, and pop culture references while encouraging customization and modification to give each person their own individual experience. TimeSplitters was originally created by the development studio Free Radical Design that later become Deep Silver Dambuster, part of the THQ Nordic group.
Finally, THQ Nordic also announced they’ve acquired the rights to Second Sight, another shooter produced by Free Radical in the early 2000s.
UPDATE: THQ Nordic’s Deep Silver label has confirmed that “forthcoming products” based on TimeSplitters and Second Sight are both currently in development. We don’t yet know if they’re sequels or remasters (or both), but hopefully we’ll learn more soon.