Warp Zoned Presents
Video Game Canon- Meet the World Video Game Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025: Quake, GoldenEye 007, Defender, and Tamagotchi
- The BAFTA Games Awards Polled the Public and Shenmue is “The Most Influential Video Game of All Time”
- 2024 GOTY Scoreboard: Astro Bot, Balatro, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, More
- The Strong Museum of Play Acquires Prototypes and Development Documents from Volition’s 30-Year History
- Minecraft’s Volume Alpha Soundtrack Has Been Added to the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry
Warp Zoned Presents
- Video Game Research Library
- Inside the ‘Dragon Age’ Debacle That Gutted EA’s BioWare Studio – Bloomberg (2025)
- Fight Club, The Game David Fincher Didn’t Want You To Play – Time Extension (2025)
- It’s beginning to feel like gaming isn’t for everyone – Digital Trends (2025)
- 22 years later, modders are keeping SimCity 4 alive – The Verge (2025)
- The B-movies of Paul W.S. Anderson double as acts of devotion to his muse, Milla Jovovich – The AV Club (2025)
All Articles: PS4
PlayStation Now open beta is available… Now
Sony has officially launched the PlayStation Now open beta, so if you’re interested in streaming PS3 games to your PS4 via a very expensive rental system, now is the time.
PlayStation Now currently offers over 100 PS3 games to rent through the PS4 interface. In the weeks ahead, the app’s availability will expand to include the PS3, Vita, PlayStation TV, and select Sony Bravia televisions released this year. According to the PlayStation Blog, the consolemaker eventually plans to offer PS1, PS2, and PS4 games through the streaming rental service as well.
But how does it all work? Sony has said that games will be available for rental periods of four hours, seven days, 30 days, and 90 days. As you can see in the video above, most 4-hour rentals are priced at $3-$5. Longer rentals will cost more money and Darksiders is shown as $15 for 90 days (which is actually a terrible deal considering you can buy it from Amazon for under $14). As a way to provide value, most rentals include any add-on content that was released post-launch. Trophy support and online play (even against players who own the real game) is also included with each rental.
As this is an open beta, Sony plans to listen to fan feedback and make changes in response to that feedback. First on the list is some kind of subscription plan, though details about what it will include and how much it will cost will be revealed “soon,”
SXSW: Pachter predicts next-gen games will cost $70
Michael Patcher, a video game industry analyst for Wedbush Securities Research, has predicted that games for both the next Xbox and the PS4 will cost $70. The infamous Patcher was speaking at a panel at the SXSW Interactive festival in Austin, TX and the quote originally appeared on the Twitter feed of GameTrailers TV host Geoff Keighley:
At #SXSW panel @michaelpachter says PS4 and next Xbox games will likely cost 70 dollars, 10 dollars more than current gen.
— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) March 9, 2013
This might be news to Sony as Jack Trenton, Sony Computer Entertainment America’s President and CEO, has previously stated that the PS4, “will offer games with prices ranging from $0.99 to the more traditional $60 range.”
Thief 4 confirmed for PC, PS4, other next-generation consoles
Thief 4 is dead… but say hello to Thief. Game Informer has revealed that the rebranded reboot of the stealth series will grace the cover of its April 2013 issue. The magazine also confirmed the Eidos Montreal-developed game will be released for the PC, PS4, and “other next-generation platforms” (such as the unannounced Xbox 720) in 2014.
Our April cover story is a world-exclusive look at this next-generation stealth title. Series hero Garrett returns to the Gothic, industrial metropolis known simply as the City to steal any and everything that will make him richer. Unfortunately, the City is broiling with social tension as it is ravaged by a plague and lorded over by a political tyrant known as the Baron. In order to survive his adventures, Garrett will have to pay attention to his environment and make use of the many possible paths through each of the game’s levels.
We’ll have to ask Square Enix to be sure, but it sounds like the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of Thief 4 have gone up in smoke.
The Witness coming to PC/iOS… but probably not Xbox 720 or Wii U
One of the highlights of Sony’s PS4 announcement was the whimsical, Myst-like trailer for Jonathan Blow’s upcoming puzzler The Witness. The developer has since expanded on its unveiling to Kotaku, and confirmed what other platforms it will appear on.
“Our deal with Sony is a limited-time exclusivity that applies only to competing console platforms. Basically it is that you will see the game on the PlayStation 4 before you will see it on the Wii U or the next Microsoft console, if the game ever appears on either of those.”
In other words, he is free to launch it on the PC and iOS regardless of his deal with Sony. In fact, Blow states that if he and his team were able to develop those versions in time for the PS4 launch, “The ideal situation for us is to release everything simultaneously or close to simultaneously.” The outspoken developer was very forthcoming when discussing why he had chosen the Playstation 4 as the right console for The Witness, and revealed that Sony did not give him money for the exclusivity.
“The real situation is that, because we are a small developer, we only have the ability to launch on a small number of platforms at once. We liked the idea of being on a console, and originally we thought we might be on the PS3 or Xbox 360, but eventually we decided not to target either of those due to the relatively low system specs… The Wii U still has pretty low system specs, so it came down to a choice between the next Microsoft console or the next Sony console.”
In typical Jonathan Blow fashion, he had a lot more to say about The Witness. (more…)
Posted in News
Tagged Mobile, PC, PlayStation Meeting 2013, PS4, The Witness, Wii U, Xbox One
Watch Dogs is coming to every platform ever this holiday season
Well, not quite every platform, but it will be one of Ubisoft’s most widely released titles to date. Ubisoft’s CEO Yves Guillemot was at the New York launch event for Sony’s new console, the PlayStation 4. There, he was singing the console’s praises, and revealed that Watch Dogs will be available during the system’s launch this holiday season.
“Ubisoft has a strong history of supporting new technologies with unique and creative offerings. The power and capability of the PS4 allows the Watch Dogs team to further push the boundaries of what was previously thought possible in interactive entertainment.”
Bold words, but Ubisoft are not hedging their bets on Sony’s new box alone. With the company showing the same strategy that has lead it to become one of the most successful developers during the current generation, the futuristic open world third-person thriller will also be released on the console’s predecessor, the PS3, as well as the Xbox 360, PC, and the Wii U. There has been no word on if Watch Dogs is a timed exclusive for Sony’s next-generation system, but given the recent debacle surrounding the delay of Rayman Legends so it could also be released on the PS3 and Xbox 360, it would be reasonable to assume that Watch Dogs will hit all consoles simultaneously.
And while it has not been mentioned thus far, we can only assume this wide umbrella will also ensnare Microsoft’s Xbox 720, whenever it is announced.
Posted in News
Tagged PC, PlayStation Meeting 2013, PS3, PS4, Watch Dogs, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One
The Essential Guide to Next-Generation Games: Version 1.0
With the Wii U already in stores and Sony set to announce the first details of the PlayStation 4/Orbis tomorrow, I think it’s safe to say that the next generation of consoles is upon us. But what games will this brave new world bring us? For now, most of the titles that will be available for the PS4 and Xbox 720/Durango are shrouded in mystery. Even the majority of the Wii U’s 2013 lineup is one big question mark.
Thankfully, your friendly neighborhood Warp Zoned editors have compiled a status report on 67 next-generation games known to be in existence. You can read all about our findings, after the break. (more…)
Bungie embraces their Destiny
Well, the wait is finally over. This afternoon, Halo creators Bungie unveiled the first details of their newest offering, Destiny, to the public.
The title, which is scheduled to hit the Xbox 360, PS3, and “future generation technology” (that’s the next Xbox and PlayStation systems to the layperson) sounds very ambitious. The story is as follows: In the distant future, humans have spread across the galaxy, exploring the far reaches of space. That is, until they attacked. The entire species is all but wiped out, and all that remains live in a guarded city on Earth. The invading aliens are unable to destroy this last bastion of hope, as the city (and its civilians) are protected by a large, floating orb called “The Traveler” that hovers above. This orb not only shelters the last remaining survivors, but also bestows upon them immense power. The humans use these newfound abilities to try to prevent their extinction.
While this may at first seem like your basic futuristic sci-fi game, Bungie assures us it is anything but. Destiny features an extremely deep online world; almost MMO-like. Destiny is an “always online” first-person shooter, akin to Borderlands. Players are given a choice between three classes: Titan (your heavy hitter), Warlock (magic-wielder), or Hunter (stealth-based). Once you choose your class, you then go through deep customization process, and then you are thrust into the game. You and your friends can progress cooperatively (like Borderlands), or you can choose to join in on a competitive match or two. Vehicles also make up a huge part of Destiny, as it appears you’ll not only be traversing Earth, but also visiting other planets as well.
Bungie is looking to create a world that is always on, always inhabited. Destiny’s main focuses is character interaction – and not just NPCs. Adventures with your friends (and complete strangers) while playing online is what Destiny is all about. According to Bungie’s Joseph Staten, “The most important stories we tell won’t be told by us They’ll be told by players. Personal legends built from shared adventures.”
No specific release date has been given, and Destiny may not even hit shelves this year. But one thing is certain: we can’t wait.
EA plans to release 10-15 next-gen games during console transition period
Blake Jorgensen, the Chief Financial Officer at Electronic Arts, told the crowd at this year’s Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet Conference that EA plans to have 10-15 next-generation games ready to go during the PS3-Xbox 360/PS4-Xbox 720 “transition period.”
But don’t worry, if you don’t plan on purchasing a next-generation console (for whatever reason), Jorgensen confirmed that the majority of EA’s output would be available on “generation-three” consoles (that’s the PS3 and Xbox 360) because they’re a slave to the sports schedules:
“An important thing to remember is that next-gen consoles will most likely not be backwards compatible,” [Jorgensen] explained. “And if you [play] multiplayer on a game, you’ll most likely not be able to play with someone on a different generation. And so if you’re a FIFA player, and the soccer season’s starting in August, and all your friends are playing FIFA, you’re going to want to be on the same box that they’re on.”
Further details of these 10-15 titles were unavailable, but we know for a fact that EA internal studios DICE and Criterion are hard at work on next-generation games.
[Source: Polygon]