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
- 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)
- In 2005, games started rewiring our brains – The AV Club (2025)
Most Recent: Xbox 360
XBL Store Today: Halo: Spartan Assault for Xbox 360
Microsoft previously said that Halo: Spartan Assault would be available to download from the Xbox Live Arcade sometime in January. Making it in just under the wire, the top-down shooter was added to the XBL Game Store today to fulfill Microsoft’s promise.
If you haven’t played Halo: Spartan Assault on a Windows 8 device or the Xbox One, here’s what you can expect:
Halo: Spartan Assault ($14.99)
Halo: Spartan Assault is a fast paced top-down shooter set during the timeline between “Halo 3” and “Halo 4,” progress your Spartan career as you engage in over 30 exciting Campaign missions using many of favorite Halo weapons, vehicles and armor abilities. Team-up on Xbox Live and fight with a friend against waves of the nightmarish Flood in the all-new online co-op multiplayer mode. Earn achievements, complete weekly Assault Ops and compete for the top scores in the leaderboards.
Posted in News, Xbox 360
Tagged Halo: Spartan Assault
Microsoft wants to give you $100 towards an Xbox One… if you trade in your PS3
It is now an open secret that the gap between the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One is growing from a small crevice to a Grand Canyon. And Sony may soon to leave its competitor eating dust when its new console hits Japanese stores next month. In response, Microsoft has resorted to what some may see as desperate measures. They have started sending out emails offering PlayStation 3 owners $100 towards the cost of an Xbox One if they trade in their console at their local Microsoft Store by March 2.
Perhaps to make the offer look less self-serving, the $100 credit can also be obtained if you trade in an Xbox 360 S or Xbox 360 E system as well.
The move is very peculiar, especially as the cost of the new PlayStation 4 is almost $100 less than the Xbox One. Fans looking to upgrade to either next-gen console would be able to trade in their old ones at the likes of GameStop, without having to take part in Microsoft’s deal. The ill-conceived plan seems to indicate that the company is all too aware that it risks being left in second, possibly even third place, in the next-generation race.
The big question is, what will Microsoft do with all the PlayStation 3 consoles it receives?
LocoCycle wheelies onto XBLA and PC on February 14
The reviews were unkind to Twisted Pixel’s LocoCycle when it launched for the Xbox One in November. But perhaps time, and a jump to the Xbox Live Arcade and PC, will encourage gamers to revisit the story of a sentient battle motorcycle named I.R.I.S., her Mexican mechanic, and the evil government agents that are after both of them. I guess we’ll find out for sure when LocoCycle is released on the XBLA and Steam platforms on February 14.
To celebrate this news, Twisted Pixel has decided to give away a custom Xbox 360 console that refer to as “Knight Ridery.” Full details (and a picture of one of the coolest 360s I’ve ever seen) about the contest are available at PlayXBLA Blog, but it looks like you’ll have to purchase LocoCycle sometime between February 14 and February 28 to enter.
To that end, Twisted Pixel has also announced that LocoCycle will be priced at $9.99 on the Xbox Live Arcade and Steam.
XBL Store Today: Tomb Raider Xbox One, Rekoil, Hot Wheels: World’s Best Driver
After taking a few weeks off for Christmas and New Year’s, Microsoft is back with another Xbox Live Game Store update.
Today, Xbox One owners can download Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition, the ultimate version of Lara Croft’s latest adventure. Also available today is Rekoil: Liberator, an arena shooter for the Xbox Live Arcade, and Hot Wheels: World’s Best Driver, a new Hot Wheels racing game downloadable through the Xbox 360 Games on Demand service.
More details on this trio of games can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in News, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Tagged Tomb Raider
New Earth Defense Force 2025 trailer shows off new enemies
The Earth Defense Force will make their long-awaited next month in Earth Defense Force 2025. After Vicious Cycle Software handled the previous entry, 2011’s Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon, the series has returned to its original developer, Sandlot.
Sandlot is expanding the EDF world to include multiple character classes, more enemy types, more vehicles, and more missions. They’ve even managed to shoe-horn a dragon into the game. You can check out all the additions to EDF 2025 for yourself in the brand new trailer above.
Earth Defense Force 2025 will be released for the PS3 and Xbox 360 on February 18. EDF! EDF! EDF!
Posted in News, PS3, Xbox 360
Tagged Earth Defense Force 2025
Microsoft acquires rights to Gears of War franchise from Epic
While the Gears of War franchise has always been exclusive to the Xbox 360, the rights to the series, as well as all development, were handled by Epic Games. Today, Microsoft has ensured that Marcus Fenix and the rest of the Gears grunts will remain exclusive to the Xbox platform as the publisher has purchased the rights to the Gears of War franchise from Epic. Terms of the deal were undisclosed, but Microsoft now owns all intellectual property rights to the franchise, the right to republish or remake any previous title in the series, all development assets, and the right to produce original Gears games in the future.
Just as 343 Industries took over for Bungie when they gave up their claim to the Halo series, Microsoft plans to place the Gears of War franchise in the hands of Black Tusk Studios, their studio in Vancouver. Black Tusk is currently working on an unnamed “AAAA” game that is not based on the trailer they showed during Microsoft’s E3 2013 Press Conference. Phil Spencer, the Vice President of Microsoft Game Studios, referred to it as a “concept piece.” Whatever form this “AAAA” game eventually takes, a new Gears game will likely be produced in parallel with it.
And what kind of Gears game does Black Tush have in mind? Microsoft wasn’t ready to announce anything today, but Spencer told GamesIndustry International: “We’re not announcing anything right now, but I think if you look at what we did with 343 and getting them up to speed for Halo 4, you can maybe anticipate some things that are similar to that. But it does give me confidence knowing that we’ve done this once with 343.”
If you remember, 343 Industries famously produced Halo Anniversary as a practice run before development began on Halo 4. Spencer’s words are a very strong hint that an Xbox One remake of one or more Gears games is currently in development.
Rod Fergusson, a producer on the first three Gears of War games, has been hired by Microsoft to oversee the franchise’s future at Black Tusk. Hopefully, we’ll learn more about that future soon.
Posted in News, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Tagged Gears of War, Gears of War 4
Madden NFL 25 simulation says Broncos will beat Seahawks in snowy Super Bowl XLVIII
EA Sports has run a Super Bowl simulation using the latest edition of Madden NFL Football every year for the past ten years. And in that time, they correctly picked the winner eight times, including last year’s scarily accurate prediction. This year, if the Madden NFL 25 simulation of Super Bowl XLVIII is just as accurate, the Denver Broncos will emerge victorious over the Seattle Seahawks in a snow-filled game that’ll go into overtime.
According to the EA’s crystal ball, Peyton Manning will throw for 322 yards and three touchdowns en route to MVP honors. Demaryius Thomas, Wes Welker, and an unnamed third receiver will cross the goal line with receiving touchdowns while Knowshon Moreno will add a rushing touchdown. Marshawn Lynch will perform well in the loss, rushing for 109 yards and a touchdown, which forced the fourth quarter tie after a successful two-point conversion. The Seattle defense will also put up seven points as Richard Sherman will return an interception for a touchdown.
After finishing the first four quarters tied at 28 apiece, Denver lost the overtime toss but forced the Seahawks to punt. This set up Matt Prater for the game-winning field goal. Final Score: 31-28.
You gamblers might want to wait before you put a call in to Vegas. Historically, Peyton Manning is 0-3 in playoff games when the temperature is below 40. And it is going to be cold in New Jersey this weekend.
New Releases: Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition, Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z
This is the latest “New Releaes” update and the lovely Lara Croft and will be your host. Everyone’s favorite second-favorite third-favorite hunter of relics and antiquities makes the jump to the next-generation consoles in Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition for the PS4 and Xbox One. If you haven’t played it yet, you definitely should as the rebooted Tomb Raider was included in last year’s “Apocalypse List” as one of the best games of 2013. A special Tomb Raider: Game of the Year Edition will also be released for the PS3 and Xbox 360 if you haven’t made an investment in the next-generation yet.
Also this week, the multiplayer battler Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z brings Goku, Gohan, Piccolo, and all the rest back to the PS3 and Xbox 360) for another round of fighting.
Posted in News, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Tagged Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z, Tomb Raider