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: PS4
New Kingdom Hearts III trailer brings back Hercules and Mount Olympus
We still don’t have any idea when Kingdom Hearts III will be released, but Square Enix has released a brand new trailer for the action RPG ahead of this year’s E3 Expo. The Gameplay Trailer brings back the world of Hercules, as Sora battles the Heartless on Mount Olympus:
In this action-packed trailer, Sora, Donald Duck, and Goofy help Hercules battle various forms of Heartless on Mount Olympus through gorgeous visuals and gameplay. Fans will see Sora in a new form, which allows him to perform special powerful solo and joint attacks on his enemies. A new glimpse into the game’s storyline reveals a reunion with Disney villains Hades, Maleficent, and Pete as they discuss the location of a mysterious item while Sora is faced with a dilemma in an effort to bring back an old friend.
Kingdom Hearts III is currently in development for the PS4 and Xbox One, and Square Enix also promised that another new trailer for the game would be unveiled at the D23 Expo on July 15.
Posted in News, PS4, Xbox One
Tagged E3 2017, Kingdom Hearts III
Bethesda’s Doom VFR puts the [censored] in virtual reality sometime this year
Bethesda and id Software are delivering another dose of Doom later this year, but not in the way you’d expect. Doom VFR will launch sometime before the end of the year exclusively as a virtual reality experience for the HTC Vive and PS4’s PlayStation VR:
Available for PlayStation VR and Vive platforms, this Doom adventure will bathe you in virtual carnage. Developed by id Software, the studio that pioneered the first-person shooter genre and modern VR, Doom VFR brings the fast-paced, brutal gameplay fans of the series love to virtual reality. Immerse yourself in the UAC facility on Mars and the depths of Hell, as your skills are put to the test through intense combat and challenging puzzle-solving. Play as a cybernetic survivor who is activated by the UAC to fight the demon invasion, maintain order, and prevent catastrophic failure at the Mars facility. Lay waste to an army of demonic foes as you explore and interact with the outlandish world of Doom from an entirely new perspective.
Set shortly after the demonic invasion on the UAC’s Martian research facility, you are the last known human survivor – until your death. Under a top-secret UAC operational contingency protocol, your consciousness is transferred to an artificial brain matrix. Your designated purpose: restore operational stability and use any means necessary to stop the onslaught of demons.
Even if they’re not ready to make the virtual reality leap yet, I’m sure longtime Doom fans appreciate the addition of the “F” in Doom VFR.
Dragon Ball Fighter Z is a 2D fighter from Arc System Works and it’s coming in Early 2018
A new Dragon Ball is one of the last things most people expected to see at Microsoft’s E3 Press Conference. But there it was… Dragon Ball Fighter Z… a new 2D fighting game from Bandai Namco and Arc System Works:
Dragon Ball Fighter Z gives fans of all skill levels the opportunity to feel like their favorite Dragon Ball character. Featuring 3 vs 3 battle mechanics, new and seasoned players are sure to experience the epic scope of Dragon Ball as they select their three-character team to take into battle. The game also encourages players to train and master more than one fighter and style, delivering richer gameplay and motivation to take down the competition.
“The Dragon Ball franchise is tailor suited for the fighting game genre, and Dragon Ball Fighter Z will be the next exciting addition to a long history of great fighting games,” said Eric Hartness, the Vice President of Marketing at Bandai Namco Entertainment America. “Arc System Works brings a pedigree and record of quality that fighting game fans can trust; with awesome visuals players might mistake as actual 2D animation from the famed Dragon Ball series.”
A Closed Beta for Dragon Ball Fighter Z will be available sometime this Summer, and the game will be released for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One in Early 2018.
Ubisoft will release Assassin’s Creed Origins on October 27
It was rather surprising when Ubisoft announced that a new entry in the Assassin’s Creed franchise wouldn’t be released in 2016. But the publisher has roared back at Microsoft’s E3 Press Conference with Assassin’s Creed Origins, a brand new game that takes the storyline back to its very beginning.
Players will take control of Bayek, a protector of Egypt, and the first member of the Assassin’s Brotherhood:
Journey into Ancient Egypt, the most mysterious place in history, during a crucial period that will shape the world. Discover the secrets behind the Great Pyramids, forgotten myths, the last pharaohs, and – engraved in long-lost hieroglyphics – the origin story of the Assassin’s Brotherhood.
For the last four years, the team behind the acclaimed Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag has been focused on crafting a new beginning for the franchise. Fight in a completely new way where you transition seamlessly between unique ranged and melee weapons, and take on multiple enemies at once. Choose your Assassin skills while exploring the full country of Ancient Egypt, engaging in multiple quests and gripping stories along a journey that will change civilization.
Assassin’s Creed Origins will feature a new focus on action RPG mechanics, and players will be encouraged to level up Bayek’s abilities and craft new items for the tasks at hand:
Assassin’s Creed Origins Features
- Experience the Mysteries of Ancient Egypt – Uncover lost tombs, explore the Great Pyramids, and discover the secrets of mummies, the gods, and the last pharaohs.
- An Origin Story – Start here, at the very beginning, with the never-before-told origin story of Assassin’s Creed. You are Bayek, protector of Egypt, whose personal story will lead to the creation of the Assassin’s Brotherhood.
- Embrace Action-RPG – Experience a completely new way to fight as you loot and use a variety of weapons with different characteristics and rarities. Enjoy deep RPG progression mechanics, choose your preferred abilities, and challenge your skills against unique and powerful bosses.
- Each Quest is a Memorable Adventure – Pick and tackle quests at your own pace: each of them tells an intense and emotional story full of colorful characters and meaningful objectives.
- Explore a Full Country – From deserts to lush oases, from the Mediterranean Sea to the tombs of Giza, fight your way against dangerous factions and wild beasts as you explore this gigantic and unpredictable land.
Ubisoft has put together an extensive look at Assassin’s Creed’s new setting in a massive new post on the UbiBlog. A companion video, “Building An Empire,” is also available after the break.
Assassin’s Creed Origins will be released for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on October 27. Players who pre-order the game will receive access to a bonus mission, and two special editions will include even more content. The Deluxe Edition will a printed world map, the official soundtrack, and a variety of extra in-game content. The digital-only Gold Edition includes all the in-game content from the Deluxe Edition, as well as the game’s Season Pass. (more…)
Metro Exodus will bring players back to a post-apocalyptic Russia in 2018
Late last year, author Dmitry Glukhovsky teased that a third game in the Metro franchise was in development at 4A Games. Today, Microsoft confirmed the game will be known as Metro Exodus at their E3 Press Conference.
Players will return to the grim landscape that is post-apocalyptic Russia in Metro Exodus, but their fight for survival will take them far away from the tunnels of the Metro this time:
A quarter-century after nuclear war devastated the earth, a few thousand survivors still cling to existence beneath the ruins of Moscow, in the tunnels of the Metro. They have struggled against the poisoned elements, fought mutated beasts and paranormal horrors, and suffered the flames of civil war. But now, as Artyom, you must flee the Metro and lead a band of Spartan Rangers on an incredible, continent-spanning journey across post-apocalyptic Russia in search of a new life in the East.
Metro Exodus is an epic, story-driven first person shooter from 4A Games that blends deadly combat and stealth with exploration and survival horror in one of the most immersive game worlds ever created. Explore the Russian wilderness across vast, non-linear levels and follow a thrilling story-line that spans an entire year through spring, summer and autumn to the depths of nuclear winter.
Publisher Deep Silver later shared more about what players can expect from Metro Exodus:
Metro Exodus Features
- Embark on an Incredible Journey – Board the Aurora, a heavily modified steam locomotive, and join a handful of survivors as they search for a new life in the East
- Experience Sandbox Survival – A gripping story links together classic Metro gameplay with new huge, non-linear levels
- A Beautiful, Hostile World – Discover the post-apocalyptic Russian wilderness, brought to life with stunning day / night cycles and dynamic weather
- Deadly Combat and Stealth – Scavenge and craft in the field to customize your arsenal of hand-made weaponry, and engage human and mutant foes in thrilling tactical combat
Your choices determine your comrades’ fate – not all your companions will survive the journey; your decisions have consequence in a gripping storyline that offers massive re-playability- The Ultimate in Atmosphere and Immersion – A flickering candle in the darkness; a ragged gasp as your gasmask frosts over; the howl of a mutant on the night wind – Metro will immerse and terrify you like no other game…
Metro Exodus is currently in development at 4A Games, and will be released for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One in 2018.
Life Is Strange: Before the Storm goes back in time on August 31
Square Enix has partnered with Deck Nine Games to return to Arcadia Bay this Summer in Life Is Strange: Before the Storm. Announced today during Microsoft’s E3 Press Conference, Before the Storm won’t have any time travel, but you’ll get to spend more time with Chloe Price three years before the events of the original Life Is Strange:
Life Is Strange: Before the Storm is set in Arcadia Bay, three years before the events of the first game in the series. Players will take on the role of a rebellious 16 year-old Chloe Price who forms an unlikely friendship with Rachel Amber; a beautiful and popular girl destined for success. When Rachel’s world is turned upside down by a family secret, it takes this new-found alliance to give each other the strength to overcome their demons.
“The original Life Is Strange brought a new level of depth and real-world emotion to the narrative adventure game genre and holds a strong place in many people’s hearts, including our own,” said Jeff Litchford, the Vice President at Deck Nine Games. “It’s an absolute privilege to work on the next game in the series and it’s our chance to do justice to the series and prove the quality of our unique StoryForge toolset from our very talented team.”
Life Is Strange: Before the Storm is a different game from Dontnod’s recently-confirmed continuation of the franchise, but Ashly Burch, the voice of Chloe, will join Deck Nine to work as a writing consultant on the prequel.
Life Is Strange: Before the Storm will be released as a three-part episodic series, and the first episode will be available for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on August 31. A Cinematic Trailer for the game has been embedded above, and a second video that introduces the developers from Deck Nine can be found after the break. (more…)
New Retail Releases: Arms, Cars 3 Driven To Win, Psychonauts In the Rhombus of Ruin
It’s common knowledge that game publishers try to avoid releasing big new games during the E3 Expo, but as we all know, Nintendo’s methods are anything but common.
This week, the consolemaker will launch their stretchy-armed fighting game, Arms, for the Nintendo Switch. Featuring support for motion controls with the Joy-Cons and standard controls with the Switch Pro Controller, Arms will give players plenty of options to battle it out with the its colorful characters.
Also set to launch this week is a game adaptation of Pixar’s Cars 3. Cars 3: Driven To Win was developed by WB Games and Avalanche Software, and will be available for the PS4, Switch, Xbox One, PS3, Wii U, and Xbox 360.
Finally this week, Double Fine will release a retail edition of the PlayStation VR-exclusive Psychonauts In the Rhombus of Ruin. All copies of the game will also come with a download code for the original Psychonauts.
While we’ll be preoccupied with the E3 Expo for most of this week, we’ll be back soon with a look at this week’s newest additions to the PlayStation Store, Xbox Games Store, and Nintendo eShop.
EA goes faster and furiouser with Need For Speed Payback’s Gameplay Trailer at E3 2017
You’re forgiven if you thought Need For Speed Payback‘s “Reveal Trailer” was actually a sneak peek at a Fast and the Furious knockoff, but EA is doubling down on the similarity between the two with a new Gameplay Trailer at this year’s E3 Expo.
The Gameplay Trailer shows Payback’s crew on a mission to acquire a new car from inside an 18-wheeler. How do they do it? Well, it involves a lot of fast driving and a leap of faith between two moving vehicles…
The crew (Tyler, Jess and Mac) have learned that The House is transporting a car equipped with a new piece of technology that may be a key component in bringing them down. This calls for one thing: acquire the car, get hold of the tech, and dent The House’s plans. “The Highway Heist” is one of the set piece moments that takes place within Need For Speed Payback’s single-player campaign which follows the story of Tyler, Jess, and Mac as they set out to bring down The House.
Need For Speed Payback will be available for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on November 10.