Warp Zoned Presents
Video Game Canon- Jordan Minor’s “Boss Fight Books: Super Mario Galaxy” is Now Available for Pre-Order
- 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
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
CoD Black Ops Escalation map pack PC release set for June 3; “coming soon” to PS3
Activision has confirmed that the second Call of Duty: Black Ops map pack, Escalation, will be made available to PC gamers on June 3, exactly a month after it was added to the Xbox Live Marketplace. Priced at $15, the pack includes four maps: “Zoo,” “Convoy,” “Hotel” and “Stockpile.”
Also available in the Escalation pack is the awesome “Call of the Dead” (check out the trailer above), an expanded Zombies map that stars Sarah Michelle Gellar, Danny “Machete” Trejo, Robert Englund and the Godfather of all Zombies himself, George Romero.
PS3 owners who are itching to get their hands on the map pack won’t have much longer to wait as Activision promies that it’s “coming soon” to the PlayStation Store.
Posted in News, PC, PS3
Tagged Call of Duty: Black Ops
Chucky gets lucky on PC, consoles this Fall
I could never understand why someone would be afraid of a murderous doll. Once you realize its evil, just drop kick it across the room. Bam! No more Chucky! Yet, the cute little doll with the soul of a serial killer starred in five movies, and this Fall, he’ll take center stage in his own video game.
Developed by Tik Games, Chucky is in development for “console and PC digital distribution platforms.” Players will don the sneakers and overalls of the killer doll in an original storyline that “extend[s] his gory legacy” and features the “stealth and guile” Chucky is known for.
“We’re proud to be able to bring a fan-favorite movie character, such as Chucky, to gaming platforms,” said Alex Tikhman, Co-Founder and Vice President of Publishing for TikGames. “Fans have been asking for a Chucky game for years and, soon, gamers around the world will be able to enjoy highly-entertaining, interactive, downright gory experiences with this brand.”
I thought Tikhman was joking, but apparently there really has been a huge outcry for a Chucky game.
Lego Harry Potter: Years 5-7 comes to every console this holiday
When WB Games announced the title of the first Lego Harry Potter as Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4, you know that a followup was inevitable. And now, on the cusp of the final movie, the publisher has officially announced Lego Harry Potter: Years 5-7.
The game has been scheduled for release this holiday season, presumably alongside the Blu-ray/DVD release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II. As you might expect from a Harry Potter game, it’s in development for every platform imaginable: 3DS, DS, PC, PS3, PSP, Wii, Xbox 360 and Sony’s Next Generation Portable (NGP).
Once again developed by TT Games, Lego Harry Potter: Years 5-7 will feature all the magic found in The Boy Who Lived’s last years at Hogwarts:
Based on the last three Harry Potter books and final four films, Lego Harry Potter: Years 5-7 takes players through Harry Potter’s heroic adventures in the Muggle and wizarding worlds. From Privet Drive in Little Whinging to Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade and Hogwarts – plus new locations including Grimmauld Place, the Ministry of Magic, and Godric’s Hollow – players will encounter new faces, new challenges and new magic, preparing them for the ultimate face-off against Lord Voldemort.
Valve is skipping E3 2011
Were you hoping that Valve would use E3 2011 to provide more news about Portal 2 DLC or Half-Life: Episode 3? Or perhaps you were holding out hope for a surprise announcement of Left 4 Dead 3?
Well, you can forget it.
The developer sent out an email today detailing their E3 plans. And in two short sentences, they confirmed they have no E3 plans because they won’t be attending the big show. The message reads in full:
Lots of folks have mailed asking about appointment times, etc., with Valve.
Well, we are not showing any titles at this year’s show. So no appointment is needed.
Yar’s Revenge Review: Float Like a Shameless Copy, Sting Like Sin & Punishment
Back when video games were played using a wood-paneled console on a wood-paneled TV (which you bought by driving to the store in your wood-paneled car), Yars’ Revenge was one of the most popular games available on the Atari 2600. While Yars’ Revenge was eventually overshadowed by other titles in the ensuing 30 years of gaming, Atari has decided to resurrect their once great game as a PC/XBLA game now titled Yar’s Revenge. (more…)
Posted in PC, Reviews, Top Story, Xbox 360
Tagged Yar's Revenge
Modern Warfare 3 official site reporting for duty
Activision has launched the official website for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 at CallofDuty.com/mw3. The website is rather sparsely populated at the moment, but you can view the four teaser trailers that Infinity Ward released a few days ago.
Aside from the teasers, there’s also something interesting in the site’s footer: the Sledgehammer Games logo. I believe this is the first public acknowledgement that Sledgehammer Games lent a hand to the development of Modern Warfare 3.
These little bits of information are fun and all, but hopefully Activision has a big Call of Duty reveal coming soon.
Posted in News, PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Tagged Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Netflix on video game consoles is the leading bandwidth usage in America
Independent researcher Sandvine has concluded that Netflix accounts for more downstream and overall bandwidth usage than all other sources, at 29.7 and 24.71 percent, respectively. Of all devices, video game consoles account for nearly two thirds of that figure, making Netflix usage on consoles alone accounting for 19.7% of all downstream usage. That’s bigger than the next highest usage – web pages.
The PlayStation 3 leads the pack in that figure, responsible for 30.57%. The Xbox 360 comes next, representing 24.94%, followed by PCs at 19.55%, while the Wii, with the highest install base of current gen consoles, comes in last with only 10.75%. Looks like someone may have been right about that whole closet/living room dichotomy.
One thing is for certain: game consoles are usurping cable providers. With the 3DS getting Netflix a later date and Sony’s NGP probably to do the same, expect this trend to continue in the future.
Deus Ex viral marketing: Sarif Industries testimonials
Sarif Industries has helped these people achieve better lives, and they can help you, too. In one of the creepiest viral marketing videos I’ve seen for a game, we get a little taste of the transhumanist themes of the upcoming Deus Ex: Human Revolution.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution launches on PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 on August 23. In the meantime, check out our exclusive interview with Game Director Jean-Francois Dugas.
Posted in News, PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Tagged Deus Ex: Human Revolution