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
Rumor: Dead Space 4 canceled due to poor Dead Space 3 sales; EA denies it
Dead Space 3 has been available for exactly a month but, according to a source within EA that has spoken to VideoGamer.com, the game has sold so poorly that it may spell the end of the franchise.
The anonymous tipster states that because Dead Space 3 “failed to meet its sales targets,” Electronic Arts has dropped the axe on the already-in-development Dead Space 4. Furthermore, the report states that EA used the cancellation as a reason to close Visceral Montreal, which was doing pre-production work on Dead Space 4.
EA has yet to release official sales numbers for Dead Space 3, and likely won’t until their next quarterly financial report in May. For what it’s worth, a sequel to Dead Space 3 was probably part of the plan at some point due to the game’s cliffhanger ending.
When contacted by GameSpot, the publisher went one step beyond the usual “no comment” reply and officially denied the abandonment of the franchise and the cancellation of Dead Space 4. An EA spokesman said, “[The VideoGamer report is] patently false. While we have not released sales data for Dead Space 3, we are proud of the game and it continues to be an important IP to EA.”
Posted in News, PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Tagged Dead Space 3
Curt Schilling asks judge to throw out 38 Studios lawsuit
Curt Schilling, the former Boston Red Sox pitcher and founder of the now-defunct 38 Studios (and a future Hall of Famer, in my humble opinion), asked a judge yesterday to throw out a $75 million lawsuit against him. The lawsuit, filed by the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation, alleges that 38 Studio executives misled the agency in securing the taxpayer-gurranted loan. Schillings calls these allegations “implausible.”
On Friday, lawyers for Schilling filed documents asking Superior Judge Michael Silverstein to throw out the suit, which alleges fraud, racketeering and conspiracy. According to Schilling’s claim, he and the other executives “have repeatedly disclosed the company’s financial needs to [Rhode Island] Economic Development Corporation officials.”
“Given the EDC’s admissions concerning 38 Studios’ disclosures to the EDC’s executives, attorneys and financial advisor, it is impossible for the EDC simultaneously to claim that the 38 Studios defendants supposedly defrauded the EDC,” the filing says.
This news comes on the heels of the sale of Schilling’s famous “bloody sock,” which was auctioned off for $92,612.50 by Heritage Auctions last month to raise money to pay off the pitcher’s debts. 38 Studios was the creator of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning and was developing Project Copernicus, an unreleased MMO set in the Amalur unviverse, at the time of its bankruptcy.
[Source: Associated Press]
Posted in News, PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Tagged Amalur MMO, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning
First two Assassin’s Creed IV trailers from Ubisoft confirm all the rumors
Poor Ubisoft, their big Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag reveal was spoiled by a leak of the game’s debut trailer (which you can watch above in case you missed it) over the weekend.
The trailer confirms everything we thought we knew about the game. It’ll be released on October 29 for the PS3, Wii U, and Xbox 360 with PC, PS4 and other “next-generation console” versions coming later. We also know that the pirate rogue at the center of the story is Edward Kenway, Connor’s grandfather.
“With the new hero and new setting we are creating the boldest and most unique Assassin’s Creed game yet, while still respecting the pillars of the franchise that have made it such a fan favorite,” said Yves Guillemot, Chief Executive Officer at Ubisoft. “Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag is based on a true, harsh and exciting part of a legendary era and will thrill longtime fans and newcomers alike.”
But if you’re looking for something new, check out the game’s second trailer, “Edward Kenway, A Pirate Trained By Assassins,” after the break. (more…)
Avast ya land lubbers! Assassin’s Creed IV trailer leaks early
Some pirate shenanigans have been going on over the weekend, with Gaming Everything posting the debut trailer for Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag days earlier than its official release on Monday, March 4.
While the cinematic trailer does not show any actual gameplay footage, following in the path of every other entry in the series, it does hint at new characters and gameplay elements. Narrated by the notorious Edward Teach, AKA Blackbeard, the trailer shows the mysterious and charismatic sailor assassin Edward Kenway, father of Haytham Kenway and grandfather to Conner, the less-than-popular main character of Assassin’s Creed III. Kenway Senior, who has a bit of a Simon Belmont about him, looks very much the dashing pirate rogue with Blackbeard embellishing tales of his heroics. He also has a hint of Ezio Auditore’s charm, bedding a couple of nubile young wenches. As well as the assassin missions and an expansion of the well-received naval missions from the previous games, its looks as though Kenway will be swimming down to the ocean bed to find treasures amongst the wreckage of old ships.
The trailer names the release date as October 29th for current platforms, but states that it is “also coming on next-gen consoles.” Since there is no release date set for the PS4, and the Xbox 720 has not even being announced yet, it seems Ubisoft are casting their nets as wide as possible.
New Releases: Tomb Raider, SimCity, Castlevania: Mirror of Fate, More
Alright, after a few slow weeks, we’ve got a much more substantial list of new releases this week.
Leading the pack is Crystal Dynamics’ Tomb Raider reboot. The game travels back to Lara’s first adventure and looks to be more of a survival tale than a hunt for shiny babble #23. It’ll be available for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 and it definitely looks interesting.
Another interesting entry in this week’s new release list is SimCity. The last game in series, 2007’s SimCity Societies, made quite a few changes to the standard SimCity mechanic. SimCity, while not technically a “reboot,” will attempt to bring back the franchise’s familiar feel.
Also available this week this is Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate, the 3DS interquel set between Lords of Shadow and the upcoming Lords of Shadow 2. Namco Bandai will also bring Atelier Ayesha: The Alchemist of Dusk exclusively to the PS3 this week.
Finally, it’s time to play ball as MLB 13: The Show (PS3, Vita) and MLB 2K13 (PS3, Xbox 360) are ready to enter the batter’s box. Just 29 days until opening day.
A complete list of this week’s new releases can be found after the break. (more…)
Metro: Last Light rides into stores on May 14
With the first half of the THQ auction complete, many of the publisher’s former projects are being added to the 2013 calendar. And with today’s announcement from Deep Silver, it looks like Metro: Last Light will be the first one to make its way to stores.
The sequel to Metro 2033 will be released for the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 on May 14 (May 17 in Europe) in a special Limited Edition. THQ originally planned to ship the game this month, but Deep Silver plans to use the extra time to allow developer 4A Games a chance to make Last Light “even better.”
“The new release date is the ideal way to strike the balance between bringing the best out of Metro: Last Light and not keep the fans waiting longer than necessary,” said Dr. Klemens Kundratitz, CEO of Koch Media. “We won’t leave that time unexploited and will work closely together with 4A Games to make the game even better. It will receive all the attention it deserves.”
Deep Silver also purchased the rights to Saints Row 4 at the THQ auction, hopefully we learn more about that one soon.
Posted in News, PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Tagged Metro: Last Light
No update on CoD: Black Ops II DLC for Wii U
After its month of Xbox Live exclusivity, Treyarch today released the first Call of Duty: Black Ops II map pack, Revolution, on the PC and PS3. Priced at $14.99, the pack includes three new multiplayer maps, a new Zombies map, a new Zombies gametype, and a new gun.
Now the question becomes, when will the Revolution be televised on the Wii U?
Activision’s Community Manager, Dan Amrich, took up the question today during his weekly videocast, One of Swords TV. After hemming and hawing for a few minutes, Amrich confirmed, “I don’t know.”
However, he did promise that when Black Ops II’s DLC does get a Wii U release, the news will appear on his blog, One of Swords.
Posted in News, PC, PS3, Wii U
Tagged Call of Duty: Black Ops II
Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag officially announced
Yarr! Ubisoft has opened their treasure chest and confirmed that Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag will be the next game in the series. All we’ve got to go on right now is the official boxart seen to your right (click to enlarge), but check out the awesome Assassin insignia/Jolly Roger pirate flag.
Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag will be available for the PC, PS3, Wii U, and Xbox 360. Just like Assassin’s Creed III, the PS3 version of the game will include exclusive content. For Black Flag, Ubisoft is producing a PS3 version that includes “60 minutes of exclusive gameplay.”
It’s unknown if the game will be coming to the PS4 or the (soon-to-be-announced) Xbox 720, but I’d say it’s a fair bet. This is Ubisoft we’re talking about, after all.