Warp Zoned Presents
Video Game Canon- Jordan Minor’s “Boss Fight Books: Super Mario Galaxy” is Now Available for Pre-Order
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- 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
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
BioWare co-founder comments on Mass Effect 3 backlash, hints at new ending DLC
Developers at BioWare can’t stop talking about Mass Effect 3 and the fan backlash concerning the ending. They preface each new comment with some variation of “we’ll talk about it later” and then they proceed to talk about it right now in that diplomatic PR-speak that artists and entertainers use when they’ve screwed up: “I’m sorry, the team was great, I’m sorry, everybody else seems to like it, I’m sorry…”
The latest person to join the backlash bandwagon is BioWare co-founder Dr. Ray Muzyka, who took to the BioWare Blog to praise the development team, crow about the very positive critical response, and to again admit that answers to fan complaints are coming in “a timely way.”
But Muzyka also spoke about BioWare’s post-release plans for Mass Effect 3 including “a number of game content initiatives that will help answer the questions [of the ending], providing more clarity for those seeking further closure to their journey.” While he didn’t come right out and say it, it seems likely that a “new ending” DLC pack is in the works as these content initiatives will join several additional Mass Effect 3 expansions the team was already developing. The developer promised that more information about these content initiatives will be revealed in April.
The BioWare General Manager also confirmed that the Mass Effect franchise will continue with “new full games” in the series. So let’s hope the launch of Mass Effect 4 (or whatever it’s called) goes much smoother.
Muzyka closed by thanking fans for their feedback and, once again, tried to assure them “we are listening.”
Posted in News, PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Tagged Mass Effect 3, Mass Effect: Andromeda
First Walking Dead trailer, pricing details shamble into focus
After months of teasing, Telltale Games is finally ready to satisfy the hunger of gamers everywhere looking for details about The Walking Dead. The first episode of the five-part series will be available for the PC, Mac, iOS, PlayStation Network, and Xbox Live Arcade. PSN, XBLA, and iPod/iPad owners will be able to purchase it for $5 (or the Microsoft-approved equivalent) while PC/Mac players will have to pre-purchase the entire series for $24.99.
However, those that pre-order the PC game before it’s release will receive a 10% discount and be entered into a contest to become a character in the game. According to Telltale, “they will be modeled as a human survivor before being killed and then returned to life as a ravenous zombie.” Kick ass!
In addition to a release window, pricing information, and the first trailer, Telltale has also released a story synopsis:
An untold story following convicted criminal Lee Everett; a man given a second chance at life in a world gone to hell. With danger around every corner, protecting an orphaned girl named Clementine may offer him redemption in a world of true horror.
Dan Connors, Telltale’s co-founder and CEO is understandably excited: “This trailer really shows off how our artists have managed to take the 2D art style of the comic books and create a 3D world allowing fans to truly interact with Robert Kirkman’s world for the very first time. We hope that fans will like what they see and be excited by the chance to join the cast of the game; we promise they’ll die horribly!”
That better be a promise, Mr. Connors!
BioWare cancels Dragon Age II expansion, asks for fan feedback on franchise’s future
Dragon Age II was released more than a year ago and while many players were disappointed in the new direction the series took, the adventures of Hawke still had plenty of fans. However, it looks it wasn’t enough as Executive Producer Mark Darrah has confirmed (via Twitter) that an expansion for the game, titled Dragon Age II: Exalted March, was recently canceled.
Afterwords, Darrah ventured into the BioWare Forums (a scary place nowadays) and revealed a little more about the future of the franchise. According to the developer, Dragon Age II won’t be completely forgotten as BioWare will try to complete Hawke’s tale in a future game.
He also confirmed that the Dragon Age team will be listening very closely to fan feedback and incorporating it into Dragon Age III:
We’ll be attending a number of conventions and gatherings, including PAX East in April. The most valuable thing we can get out of those meetings is to hear from you on those same topics – what does Dragon Age mean to you, and where would you like to see it go? We’re excited to hear what you have to say!
Interesting. Was this the plan all along or did the Mass Effect 3 backlash rewrite BioWare’s entire culture?
Posted in News, PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Tagged Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Disney brings Brave to consoles, DS, PC this Summer
Pixar’s next movie, Brave, opens on June 22. As you’d expect for one of the Summer’s biggest blockbusters, it’ll receive a tie-in game published by Disney Interactive.
Brave will be available for the DS, PC, PS3, Wii, and Xbox 360 sometime this Summer (probably in early June). The game asks players to “run, jump and battle their way through the rugged landscape of mythical and mysterious Scotland” as the movie’s main character, Merida:
A third person action-adventure, Brave: The Video Game expands the tale beyond the movie’s storyline. Gamers can play as Merida, an expert archer and heroine, and in the console versions, players can also play as other entertaining characters from the film. In addition, they will be able to go on quests through a magical world and solve puzzles to uncover secrets.
If that doesn’t convince you to give Brave a shot, how about this: the PC, PS3, Wii, and Xbox 360 versions will include a Bear Mode where you, yes, play as a bear.
EA killing online multiplayer for Burnout Revenge, EA MMA, others
Electronic Arts has announced another round of online multiplayer server shutdowns. As always, the publisher claims that these games are played by less than 1% of all players who play EA games online.
Notable among this batch is EA Sports MMA, both for how recent it is (it was released less than 18 months ago) and because of the fact that it required an Online Pass for its multiplayer mode.
I suppose it can debated whether EA has to right to shut down a for-pay multiplayer server, but for now, here’s the rest of the server shutdowns:
- Boom Blox: Bash Party (Wii)
- Burnout Revenge (Xbox 360)
- Create (PC, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360)
- EA Sports Active 2.0 (PS3, Wii, Xbox 360)
- EA Sports Active NFL Training Camp (Wii)
- EA SPorts MMA (PS3, Xbox 360)
- FIFA Soccer 10 (PSP, Wii)
- The Godfather II (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
- Need For Speed: ProStreet (PS3, Xbox 360)
- The Saboteur: The Midnight Club (PS3, Xbox 360)
- Spare Parts (PS3, Xbox 360)
All of the games in the above list will go offline on April 13, 2012.
FTC complaint filed against EA over “terrible” Mass Effect 3 ending
This has got to stop!
“El_Spiko,” a user on the BioWare Forums, has informed the community that he has filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission against Electronic Arts over the “terrible” ending of Mass Effect 3.
He wrote (any spelling errors were in the original post):
“After reading through the list of promises about the ending of the game they made in their advertising campaign and PR interviews, it was clear that the product we got did not live up to any of those claims. This thread has a great compilation of their claims.
Clearly, none fo these were represented in the ending. If anyone else wishes to file a complaint (the more there are the more likely the FTC will take action) just go to FTC.gov and fill out a complaint form in the Consumer Protection section.
This is not somethign I was happy to do, but after the terrible ending that was in no way the product that had been advertised to me and the lack of any kind of response from Bioware/EA to address this, I felt it was one of my only recourses. I’ll be returning my copy of the game before the end of my 30 day return policy if the ending still hasn’t been addressed by then.”
For the love of Shepard, please do not follow this guy’s lead and complain to the FTC about Mass Effect 3. It will only waste their time and the tax dollars of the American public.
The FTC’s mission is as follows: “To prevent business practices that are anticompetitive or deceptive or unfair to consumers.” No where in there does the Commission promise that you’ll like the product you buy. Just that you won’t be deceived before you purchase it. And EA never “promised” a great ending to Mass Effect 3. They may have hyped it up, but thanks to the legal concept of “puffery,” this kind of hype is allowed and expected.
I’d quote the end of Billy Madison here (you know the line), but really, what’s the point?
[Source: Gamepur]
Posted in News, PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Tagged Mass Effect 3
New Releases: Kid Icarus Uprising, Ninja Gaiden 3, RE Operation Raccoon City, More
It’s taken more than 20 years, but Pit is finally back in Kid Icarus: Uprising for the 3DS. Hallelujah! (Cause he’s an angel, get it?).
Also available this week is Team Ninja’s Ninja Gaiden 3 for the PS3 and Xbox 360. It’s the first game in the series without input from former studio head Tomonobu Itagaki and it comes with a sweet Dead or Alive 5 demo.
Rounding out the rest of the new releases is Capcom’s multiplayer shooter, Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City (PS3, Xbox 360); From Software’s next Armored Core, Armored Core V (PS3, Xbox 360); and Konami’s compilation of the second and third Silent Hill games, the Silent Hill HD Collection (PS3, Xbox 360).
A complete list of this week’s new releases, including a Kinect game starring Pixar’s greatest characters, can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in 3DS, DS, News, PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Tagged Armored Core V, Kid Icarus: Uprising, Ninja Gaiden 3, Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City, Silent Hill HD Collection
Portal 2 wins “Best Game” at 2012 BAFTAs
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts handed out the 2012 BAFTA Video Game Awards in merry old England last night. And like most other award shows this year, Portal 2 came away with “Best Game” honors. Valve’s teleporting sequel also won the “Design” and Story” awards.
Other big winners include Batman: Arkham City (winner of the the “Action” award and a “Performer” award for Mark Hamill’s role as The Joker), LittleBigPlanet 2 (which took home the “Family” and “Game Innovation” awards), and Battlefield 3 (which won the “Online – Multiplayer” and “Audio Achievement” awards). Battlefield 3 was also selected by fans as the winner of this year’s GAME Award, which is sponsored by the British retailer. But with all their financial troubles, this might be the last GAME Award ever awarded.
Hit the jump for the complete list of winners. (more…)