Warp Zoned Presents
Video Game Canon- 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
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Wins “Game of the Year” at 2025-2026 GDC Awards
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
20 more tracks from Guitar Hero Live were revealed at E3 2015
Shortly after confirming an October 20 release date for Guitar Hero Live, Activision revealed another 20 songs that will be available on the game disc. This batch of songs returns to the wider variety of music found in earlier tracklist updates with songs from Bob Dylan, Bruno Mars, Carrie Underwood, Green Day, Kongos, and many others. There’s also several Guitar Hero alums returning for an encore which were previously featured in the original Guitar Hero (White Zombie’s “Thunder Kiss ’65”), Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (Rage Against the Machine’s “Bulls on Parade”), Guitar Hero: World Tour (Korn’s “Freak on a Leash”) and Guitar Hero 5 (Iggy Pop’s “Lust for Life”).
Here’s all the new songs Activision included in their E3 2015 announcement:
- American Authors – “Best Day of My Life”
- The Avett Brothers – “Another is Waiting”
- Band of Skulls – “Asleep at the Wheel”
- Biffy Clyro – “Sounds Like Balloons”
- Bob Dylan – “Thunder on the Mountain”
- Bruno Mars – “The Lazy Song”
- Calvin Harris – “Feels So Close”
- Carrie Underwood – “Before He Cheats”
- Courtney Barnett – “Pedestrian at Best”
- Dum Dum Girls – “Rimbaud Eyes”
- Green Day – “American Idiot”
- Iggy Pop – “Lust for Life”
- Jake Bugg – “What Doesn’t Kill You”
- Jet – “Are You Gonna Be My Girl?”
- Kongos – “Come With Me Now”
- Korn – “Freak on a Leash”
- Rage Against the Machine – “Bulls on Parade”
- The Strokes – “Under Cover of Darkness”
- White Zombie – “Thunder Kiss ‘65”
- ZZ Top – “I Gotsta Get Paid”
This update pushes the total number of songs in Guitar Hero Live to 74 (previous tracklist updates can be found here, here, here, and here). Activision hasn’t said how many songs will ship on the Guitar Hero Live game disc, but they plan to continue announcing new songs as it gets closer to release.
Guitar Hero Live is coming October 20; Here’s your first look at GHTV
Here it is, your first momentous look at Guitar Hero Live‘s GHTV mode. Are you ready? Here it comes…
Wait, it’s just a Guitar Hero note highway overlaid on top of a music video. The list of available music videos will be periodically updated and players can opt to play individual songs or a themed series of videos. That’s exactly how Activision said GHTV would work when the game was announced a few months ago.
OK, Guitar Hero Live’s E3 2015 trailer is a bit of a bust, but we did also learn that the game will be released on October 20 for the PS3, PS4, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and “select mobile devices.” If you’re thinking of pre-ordering Guitar Hero Live, you might also be interested to know that Activision has partnered with Avenged Sevenfold to create exclusive bonus content for fans of the rhythm game franchise. Prospective pre-order purchasers of the game will receive access to a playable concert performance featuring the heavy metal band in Guitar Hero Live’s GHTV mode. More information is available at GuitarHero.com/bonus.
Guitar Hero Live is in development at FreeStyleGames, the same studio that was responsible for DJ Hero and DJ Hero 2.
Destiny expands again with The Taken King on September 15
Activision and Bungie will continue to expand the world of Destiny this Fall with Destiny: The Taken King for the PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. Available September 15, The Taken King will add “an all-new campaign, three new Guardian subclasses, a massive arsenal of new armor, weapons and exotics, new Strikes and Crucible maps, a new Raid that will put players to the ultimate test, and more.” PS3 and PS4 players will also receive exclusive early access to an additional Crucible map, Strike, three sets of gear, and an exotic weapon.
So where will this new campaign take players? Here’s what Activision had to say:
Oryx, The Taken King has arrived in our solar system, bringing with him a corrupted army to exact revenge on the Guardians who destroyed his son, Crota, and to consume our worlds. Arm yourself with newfound abilities, weapons, and gear. Defeat the Taken hordes. Make your way aboard the Dreadnaught, and face Oryx himself within his inner sanctum.
For players who have yet to dive in to the world of Destiny, Activision and Bungie will release a special Legendary Edition of the game which will include Destiny, Expansion I: The Dark Below, Expansion II: House of Wolves, and The Taken King. A special Collector’s Edition of Destiny: Legendary Edition, packed with bonus items and in-game content, will also be available. More information on the Collector’s Edition can be found at Destiny’s official website.
Finally, Bungie has released a new behind-the-scenes video that goes deeper into The Taken King. You can find it after the break. (more…)
Activision officially announces Transformers: Devastation with E3 trailer
Even though Best Buy Canada spoiled the surprise, the official announcement of Transformers: Devastation is still pretty great… because it includes a trailer of the game in motion. Platinum’s decision to use cel-shaded graphics, and the original Generation 1 character designs, makes the game look like a lost episode of the 1980s cartoon series. I think I speak for every child of the 80s here when I say we couldn’t be happier.
The trailer also gives us a nice glimpse of Platinum’s patented brand of fast action as applied to the Transformers universe. According to the Activision Games Blog, players will even be able to string together combos using robot mode and vehicle mode:
If you’re in the mood for an iron-fisted rumble, your Autobot robot mode should fit the bill nicely. But when you need to race across the city to perform a few hit-and-run maneuvers, vehicle mode is just a button-touch away.
You can dynamically switch between modes to perform a seemingly endless stream of robot/vehicle combo maneuvers, reducing the Decepticon army to a pile of smoldering metal. It wouldn’t be a Transformers game without Optimus Prime, and Peter Cullen is once again lending his iconic voice to the character. Sideswipe, Bumbleebee, Wheeljack, and Grimlock are also playable, and each character has a unique set of maneuvers and combos.
Transformers: Devastation, which also features the vocal talents of Dan Gilvezan (Bumblebee) and Frank Welker (Megatron and Soundwave), will be released this Fall for the PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.
Xbox One will get Xbox 360 backwards compatibility update this Fall
Do you miss your old Xbox 360 games now that you’ve upgraded to the Xbox One? Well then, I’ve got some good news for you! Microsoft will begin offering backwards compatibility for select Xbox 360 (and Xbox Live Arcade) games this Fall. But how will it work? Glad you asked…
Players won’t have to pay anything for the privilege as backwards compatibility will be included as part of a free update to the Xbox One. However, Microsoft has to have permission from the original publisher to enable backwards compatibility. As such, only 100 Xbox 360 games will work when backwards compatibility goes live this Fall. Once backwards compatibility is enabled for a game, players will have the option to use them with all the Xbox One’s new features, including in-game screenshots, Twitch broadcasting, and the GameDVR.
If you’re part of the Xbox Preview program, you’ll be able to test out Xbox 360 backwards compatibility starting today with a limited number of titles. Microsoft plans to add more games to the list all the time and the consolemaker is even accepting suggestions through the Xbox Feedback forum.
The Walking Dead: Michonne continues the story of Season 2 this Fall
During today’s Pre-E3 festivities, Telltale Games announced that The Walking Dead Season 2 isn’t over. Players will be able to continue their adventures within Robert Kirkman’s zombie-plagued world with The Walking Dead: Michonne, a three-episode miniseries that will begin this Fall:
The Walking Dead: Michonne stars the iconic character from the comic book series haunted by her past and coping with unimaginable loss and regret. The story explores her untold journey during the time between issues #126 and #139. Through this Telltale Games mini-series of 3 episodes, players will discover what took Michonne away from Rick, Ezekiel, and the rest of her trusted group… and what brought her back.
“In many ways, Michonne herself is a reflection of the world of The Walking Dead. She is brutal and cold on the outside, but deep beneath what is broken, she remains hopeful, trying to claw her way out of the darkness that surrounds her,” said Kirkman. “In our effort to bring the world of the comic and the world of the Telltale series closer together, there is no greater character than Michonne to help bridge that gap.”
The Walking Dead: Michonne will serve as an expansion to The Walking Season 2, so players will have to own the first episode of Season 2 to play Michonne. But if that’s not too big a hurdle, you’ll be able to purchase the first episode this Fall for the PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, or compatible mobile devices (iOS and Android).
And don’t forget, Telltale is hard at work on The Walking Dead Season 3, but it likely won’t be released for a long time.
Leak reveals Platinum’s secret E3 2015 announcement is Transformers: Devastation
Thanks to Best Buy Canada, Platinum Games’s secret E3 2015 announcement is now a little less secret. According to the retailer, Platinum is teaming up with Activision to produce Transformers: Devastation, a cel-shaded brawler that takes place during the beloved “Generation 1” era of the cartoon franchise. If the listing is accurate, Activision is planning to release the game for the PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One on October 6.
Players will get the chance to take control of five Autobots during the game: Optimus Prime, Bubblebee, Sideswipe, Wheeljack, and Grimlock. Best of all, original voice actors Peter Cullen (Optimus Prime), Dan Gilvezan (Bubblebee), and Frank Welker (Megatron and Soundwave) will return to lend the story a sense of authenticity. Here’s what else fans can expect from the game:
Autobots face off against the Decepticons when Megatron discovers a way to harness the enormous power of plasma energy to cyberform Earth.
Face off against Megatron and battle it out with the Decepticons in Transformers: Devestation. Equipped with fast action capabilities, this game allows for instant robot to vehicle attacks, slam downs, counterattacks, and infinite combos for a unique master combat system. Five difficulty levels also deliver hours of intense gameplay.
Believe it or not, Transformers: Devastation will actually be the first time American audiences will get to control “Generation 1” characters in a video game. A handful of games based on the series have been created, but none have ever been released outside Japan. The most recent was Transformers, which was released for the PS2 in 2003.
You can relive the 80s with the first screenshots from Transformers: Devastation after the break. And don’t forget, the first gameplay trailer will be unveiled during IGN Live on Tuesday, June 16 at 6:00 PM (Eastern Time). (more…)
Electronic Arts will display a dozen games during E3 2015 Press Conference
Sports! Sports! Sports!
When you think of sports video games, you think of Electronic Arts (or, more specifically, EA Sports). The powerhouse publisher loves sports so much that they plan to feature five athletic adaptations (FIFA 16, Madden NFL 16, NBA Live 16, NHL 16, and Rory Mcllroy PGA Tour) at the 2015 E3 Expo. However, the company’s E3 Press Conference will have plenty of other non-sports games on display, including Star Wars: Battlefront, Need For Speed, Star Wars: The Old Republic, and the world premiere of Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst. But wait… there’s still more. The publisher plans to showcase “a dozen” games during their Press Conference, which means an additional three games will be have to be announced on stage. That said, we have a pretty good idea what EA’s internal studios are working on…
- Visceral is developing another Star Wars game, possibly starring Han Solo.
- Criterion is experimenting with some kind of wild transportation game.
- PopCap is making a “bigger and bolder” Plants vs Zombies game for consoles.
- BioWare is developing a Mass Effect game with a “MASSIVE” single-player campaign.
- And DICE is hard at work on Battlefield 5, which will launch in Fall 2016.
It’s likely that all of these titles will get at least a cursory mention during EA’s E3 Press Conference. And you can watch the presentation in the comfort of your own home as EA plans to broadcast the Press Conference live at LiveToPlay.EA.com on Monday, June 15 at 4:00 PM (Eastern Time). More details about all of this year’s previously-announced titles can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in Mobile, News, PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Tagged E3 2015, FIFA 16, Madden NFL 16, Mirror's Edge: Catalyst, NBA Live 16, Need For Speed, NHL 16, Rory McIlroy PGA Tour, Star Wars: Battlefront, Star Wars: The Old Republic