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
Jason Voorhees will join Mortal Kombat X as part of Kombat Pack Season Pass
Happy Friday the 13th everybody! In what is practically the definition of “good timing,” NetherRealm Studios has announced that Jason Voorhees will join Mortal Kombat X as the game’s first downloadable character, though Jason won’t the first horror icon to perform a Fatality in the Mortal Kombat franchise. His Freddy vs Jason sparring partner got there first as a DLC character for 2011’s Mortal Kombat.
Jason will be available to download after the game’s release as part of the Kombat Pack Season Pass, which will include four add-on characters. The machete-wielding maniac will be joined by a second guest character (fingers crossed for Freddy’s return or possibly the Predator) and two “Klassic Kombatants.” Players who pre-order the game will also be able to play as Goro. Presumably, all the characters from the Kombat Pack and Goro will be available to download individually as well.
Players who purchase the Kombat Pack will also receive access to the Samurai Pack, which will add special skins for Kenshi (“Ronin”), Shinnok (“Samurai”), and Kitana (“Jingu”) to the game. Wait, Kenshi and Shinnok? I guess this means Kenshi and Shinnok will both be playable characters even though they’ve yet to be officially announced by NetherRealm.
In other Mortal Kombat news, VideoGamer.com received word from WB Games that the PS3 and Xbox 360 editions of Mortal Kombat X have been delayed. The High Voltage-developed previous-generation port will now launch in the Summer. But don’t worry, the PC, PS4, and Xbox One versions will be released as scheduled on April 14.
Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D shoots the moon as the top-selling game in February 2015
This just in… people really love the New 3DS XL. According to Nintendo, the consolemaker sold almost twice as many 3DS handhelds last month than in February of 2014. Though I guess that was probably going to be a given as people love every Nintendo handheld.
More surprising is the fact that people really love The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D. Long thought of as the black sheep of the Zelda franchise, it took the top spot in the NPD Group’s recounting of the best-selling games from February 2015. The handheld’s other major launch title, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, checked in at #10. When you add in digital sales, the game sold more than 290,000 copies in February, making it the best debut for any game in the entire series.
Majora’s Mask 3D beat out February’s other big release, Evolve, which managed to shoot its way to the #2 spot. Other new releases appearing in the February top ten include Dragon Ball Xenoverse (#7) and The Order: 1886 (#9), which only had a few days to rack up sales due to its February 20 release date.
The remainder of the top ten includes plenty of holdovers from January including the former #1, Dying Light. Techland’s zombie game drops to #3 and it’s followed by Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (#4), Grand Theft Auto V (#5), and NBA 2K15 (#6). Another strong showing by Minecraft keeps it in the top ten for another month, this time at #8.
Overall, Game Informer is reporting that sales of hardware, software, and accessories all saw major improvement last month versus February 2014. And while Nintendo may have dominated with the New 3DS XL, Sony has once again claimed the top-selling console with the PS4.
If you’d prefer to read the full top ten from February 2015 in list form, you can find it after the break. (more…)
Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade make it a family affair in Mortal Kombat X
After a few days of teasing (and more than a few leaks from journalists who got to play the game at the Game Developers Conference), NetherRealm has officially announced that Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade will be joining Mortal Kombat X as playable characters. Somebody cue up “We Are Family” because the duo will also team up with the previously announced Cassie Cage, their daughter.
Other new faces to appear in “The Cage Family” trailer include Kenshi and Shinnok.
NetherRealm has yet to confirm if either character will be playable in Mortal Kombat X, but according to IGN, both Shinnok and Jax were featured in the Story Mode chapter they were able to play at GDC. It’s unlikely that NetherRealm would add both characters to the game as opponents and not also let us play as them.
Mortal Kombat X will be released for the PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One on April 14.
Xbox Store Today: Ori and the Blind Forest, DMC Definitive Edition, RE Revelations 2 Ep3
Three new games have been added to the Xbox Games Store today including a hand-painted new “Metroidvania,” an enhanced re-release of a decisive Xbox 360 favorite, and the third episode of Capcom’s first episodic project (I think it’s their first, please correct me if I’m wrong).
Ori and the Blind Forest, “a visually stunning action-platformer,” is the debut title from Moon Studios. The game tells the story of a creature that has been tasked with saving the very forest itself by the missing Spirit Tree. The game is completely hand-painted and is now available on the Xbox One.
Less serene are this week’s offerings from Capcom. The publisher has added two new games to the Xbox Games Store including DMC: Devil May Cry Definitive Edition, an Xbox One remake of the Ninja Theory-developed reimagining of the franchise; and Resident Evil Revelations 2: Judgment (Xbox 360, Xbox One), the third episode of the second entry in the Resident Evil Revelations sub-series.
More details about all three games can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in News, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Tagged DMC: Devil May Cry, Ori and the Blind Forest, Resident Evil Revelations 2
Video Game Release Calendar Changelog #2: Post GDC/PAX East Edition
Don’t Forget! This is just a changelog of recently announced release dates. Warp Zoned’s complete Video Game Release Calendar includes every title we could find with a 2015, 2016, or unannounced release date.
Even though there’s still a lot of snow on the ground in most places, both of video gaming’s Spring showcases came and went last week. New release dates aplenty were announced at the Game Developers Conference and PAX East, along with a few dozen more since our last Video Game Release Calendar Changelog. Players with a love for AAA blockbuster will want to pay close attention to September 1, as WB Games staked out that spot on the calendar for Mad Max on the same day that Konami attempted to reserve it for Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.
If you’re looking for games about to be released in the more immediate timeframe, Sony’s Spring Fever promotion has locked in eight of indie gaming’s most interesting titles over the next two months culminating with Shovel Knight‘s April 21 launch on the PS3, PS4, and Vita (it’ll also be available for the Xbox One). Working backwards, April 14’s Titan Souls, April 7’s Bastion, and March 31’s Axiom Verge should also be on your radar if you enjoy retro-styled games.
Moving forward, other big games with confirmed release dates include the PC version of Grand Theft Auto V (now scheduled to launch on April 14), Wolfenstein: The Old Blood (May 5), and the PS4 version of Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster (May 12). Microsoft and Square Enix also confirmed that, respectively, Forza Motorsport 6 and Just Cause 3 will be out by the end of the year.
Finally, a few games slid into “TBA” slots after not being announced at all. Harmonix announced that Rock Band 4 will be released sometime this year while Square Enix did the same for the North American launch of Dragon Quest Heroes. Capcom strongly hinted that Street Fighter V will be in Spring 2016, but wouldn’t officially commit to any specific date. It’ll be joined in 2016 by Level-5’s Yo-Kai Watch, which will definitely cross the Pacific next year.
The full list of games from the Video Game Release Calendar Changelog Update #2 can be found after the break. (more…)
The Evil Within: The Assignment is now available to download
After announcing a few details and a release date last month, Bethesda is finally ready to launch The Assignment, the first expansion for The Evil Within. The Assignment takes place alongside the narrative of the main game and follows Juli Kidman, the partner of main character Sebastian Castellanos:
In The Evil Within: The Assignment and The Evil Within: The Consequence, players take on the role of Detective Juli Kidman, Sebastian Castellanos’ mysterious partner, in a concurrent story that looks to answer some of the questions surrounding her whereabouts during The Evil Within. Along the way she will encounter disturbing new enemies, discover new mysteries, and uncover new horrors. The Assignment and The Consequence give fans of The Evil Within the perfect opportunity to discover Detective Kidman’s hidden motivations and her mysterious connection to Mobius, the shadowy group thought to be behind the gruesome events of The Evil Within.
The Assignment will be followed in the Spring by a second expansion, The Consequence. Both The Assignment and The Consequence have been priced at $9.99 apiece or $19.99 as part of The Evil Within’s Season Pass. If you’re not ready to drop a few dollars on the DLC just yet, be sure to check out Bethesda’s recent gameplay stream of The Assignment, which has been embedded above.
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel will get Claptastic Voyage expansion on March 24
At PAX East 2015 this past weekend, Gearbox Software announced that the fourth (and final) downloadable add-on for Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel will be available on March 24. Claptastic Voyage will be a full expansion to the game’s campaign and include a second Ultimate Vault Hunter Upgrade Pack, which raise the level cap for each character to 70.
Claptastic Voyage is a riff on the classic sci-fi book/film Fantastic Voyage and will finally reveal exactly why Claptrap is the way he is:
In Claptastic Voyage, Handsome Jack has found something ludicrously powerful within Claptrap’s mind. Never one to turn down a chance at more power, Handsome Jack digitizes the vault hunters and sends them inside! Their goal is simple: find the mysterious “H-Source” code and get out of Claptrap’s consciousness without going completely insane. These anti-heroes will have to deal with Claptrap’s personal insecurities, his malware, and digital representations of his crushing loneliness!
In a post on their official website, Gearbox has promised that players will learn “why Claptrap loves dubstep so much” and get to play with a new “glitched weapons system.” We’ll also be able to battle through a new Mutator Arena “that lets you choose your own gravity settings, enemy mixes, and more.”
Claptastic Voyage is part of Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel’s Season Pass, but it can be purchased separately for $9.99. The expansion will also be included in Borderlands: The Handsome Collection, a PS4/Xbox One upgrade of Borderlands 2 and The Pre-Sequel which will be released on… wait for it… March 24.
Posted in News, PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Tagged Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, PAX East 2015
New Releases: DMC Definitive Edition, Code Name: STEAM, Atelier Shallie: Dusk Sea, More
The second week of March steps up the number of new releases considerably from last week’s solitary new game. Here’s what gamers will be able to discover on store shelves this week:
- Atelier Shallie: Alchemists of the Dusk Sea (PS3), the latest Atelier RPG from Koei Tecmo and Gust.
- Code Name: STEAM (3DS), Nintendo’s portable strategy game that features a team of superheroes assembled by Abe Lincoln himself.
- DMC: Devil May Cry – Definitive Edition (PS4, Xbox One), an enhanced re-release of the rather ignored most recent entry in the Devil May Cry series.
- Sniper Elite III: Ultimate Edition (PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Xbox 360), an enhanced re-release of Rebellion’s sniper sequel.
A few additional new releases from this week can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in 3DS, News, PC, PS3, PS4, Vita, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Tagged Atelier Shallie: Alchemists of the Dusk Sea, Code Name: STEAM, DMC: Devil May Cry, Sniper Elite III