Warp Zoned Presents
Video Game Canon- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Has Another Big Night and Wins “Game of the Year” at the 2025-2026 DICE Awards
- 2025 GOTY Scoreboard: In Progress
- The Game Awards: All the Winners from 2003 to Today
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Racks Up Nine Wins, Including “Game of the Year”, at the 2025 Game Awards
- “Animal Crossing” and Undertale” Lead the Way for New Book Series About Games at University of Chicago Press
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)
All Articles: Switch
Doom Eternal’s Launch Trailer turns the action up to 11
“There is only one dominant lifeform in this universe. And it carries a steel-barreled sword of vengeance.”
Doom Eternal is just days away, and so id Software has gifted us with a brand new Launch Trailer that really leans into the franchise’s metal roots. So sit back and watch as the Doom Slayer flies through the air and creatively dispatches an army of demons with absolutely gory precision.
The time of the Slayer is now. Doom Eternal releases next week, and to celebrate, we are pleased to present the Official Launch Trailer in all its vicious glory. Rip and tear through heaven and hell, featuring more demons, more Glory Kills, gigantic behemoths, never-before-seen environments, and more in id Software’s biggest and most ambitious game to date.
And be sure to watch all the way until the end to get your first glimpse at the new Icon of Sin.
Doom Eternal will be released for the PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Google Stadia on March 20. The game is also in development for the Switch and will be released for Nintendo’s console at a later date.
Westwood’s Blade Runner will return in 2020 on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One
It took Ridley Scott 35 years to bring Blade Runner 2049 to the big screen, but the 2017 film wasn’t the only continuation to Blade Runner‘s story.
The groundbreaking science fiction film was first followed by a series of sequel novels from author KW Jeter beginning in 1995. Two years later, Westwood Studios returned to the franchise’s bleak portrayal of Los Angeles with a technologically-ambitious adventure game that takes place alongside the events of the film. That game, simply titled Blade Runner, was an award-winning masterpiece and a massive seller, but rights issues have kept it from ever being re-released.
Until now.
Nightdive Studios announced yesterday that they plan to bring Blade Runner: Enhanced Edition to the PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One later this year. The developer is aiming to produce a “polished” re-release that preserves the original look and feel of the game, with “updated character models and animations, upscaled cutscenes using machine learning algorithms, widescreen resolution support, keyboard and controller customization, and much more.”
“Blade Runner is still a jaw-dropping achievement on every level, so while we’re using KEX to upgrade the graphics and respectfully elevate the gaming experience in a way you’ve never seen before, we’re still preserving Westwood’s vision and gameplay in all its glory,” said Stephen Kick, the CEO of Nightdive Studios. “While you can enjoy the benefits of playing the game on modern hardware, the game should look and feel not as it was, but as glorious as you remember it being.”
More details about the Blade Runner: Enhanced Edition will be announced at a later date.
The ESA has officially canceled this year’s E3 Expo
After concerns over the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) caused the cancellation of this year’s Game Developers Conference and South By Southwest, many assumed that the Entertainment Software Association would follow suit and cancel the 2020 E3 Expo as well. Today, they did just that, with an announcement on their official website:
After careful consultation with our member companies regarding the health and safety of everyone in our industry – our fans, our employees, our exhibitors and our longtime E3 partners – we have made the difficult decision to cancel E3 2020, scheduled for June 9-11 in Los Angeles.
Following increased and overwhelming concerns about the COVID-19 virus, we felt this was the best way to proceed during such an unprecedented global situation. We are very disappointed that we are unable to hold this event for our fans and supporters. But we know it’s the right decision based on the information we have today.
The ESA is looking to coordinate an “online experience” for the publishers and developers still interested in making major game announcements this June. While it’s unknown which companies are currently planning to participate in this digital event, further details will be announced soon at E3Expo.com.
Finally, the ESA promised that the E3 Expo will return in 2021 with “a reimagined event that brings fans, media, and the industry together in a showcase that celebrates the global video game industry.”
Doom 64 re-release will include a completely new chapter and other upgrades
Bethesda tapped Nightdive Studios last year to re-release Doom 64 alongside Doom Eternal, but it looks like the long-forgotten shooter will be getting an upgrade for its 21st century debut.
Speaking to USgamer, developers from Nightdive had a lot to say about the psuedo-canonical second sequel to 1993’s Doom. The biggest news, delivered by Senior Developer James Haley, is that Doom 64 will ship with a completely new chapter that’ll link it even more closely to the events of 2016’s Doom:
Doom 64 has been discussed a lot in the lead-up to Doom Eternal, especially by Eternal’s co-director Hugo Martin. Can you talk about any connections Doom fans should keep an eye out for in either game?
James Haley, senior developer: On our end, persistent players will have the opportunity to unlock a new chapter in the Doomguy’s saga, taking place shortly after [Doom 64’s] original campaign concludes. The Mother Demon you defeated in that outing had a sister, and since you’ve been messing up Hell non-stop, she tries to get rid of you by sending you away. If you can make your way back and take revenge, you’ll be rewarded with a bit of lore that fans of both series, new and classic, should enjoy.
This new version of Doom 64 will include a number of other upgrades, including an Autorun option, new brightness settings (Doom 64 was notoriously hard-to-see on CRTs), a blood color toggle (Japanese players got green blood back in 1997 and now everyone will have that option), and touch control of the automap and optional motion aiming on the PS4 and Switch.
Doom 64 will be available to download for the PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One on March 20.
Mortal Kombat 11 goes to Hell with Spawn beginning on March 17
Real-life kombatants gathered in Chicago this weekend to compete in NetherRealm Studios’s Final Kombat tournament for Mortal Kombat 11, but the developer had a prize for all of us. NetherRealm used the event to give fans their first look at Spawn, the final fighter set to be included as part of Mortal Kombat 11’s Kombat Pack.
Spawn will be voiced by the incomparable Keith David, and his chains and cape will play a big part in his moveset. The demonic character also packs a heavy punch and his use of gadgets gives off a vibe similar to Injustice 2‘s Batman. You can see Todd McFarlane’s creation square off against Scorpion and Erron Black in the new trailer embedded above.
Kombat Pack owners will be able to download Spawn beginning on March 17, while those of us who plan to purchase him as a standalone download will have to wait until March 24.
In addition to his Mortal Kombat 11 debut, Spawn will also inspire Jacqui Briggs’s new “Hellspawn” Skin, and the Matinee Skin Pack will transform existing characters Kotal Kahn, Erron Black, and Jacqui Briggs into “Osh Tekk Vandal” (Conan the Barbarian), “Swashbuckler” (Indiana Jones), and “Space Marine” (Ripley).
Finally, congratulations to Dominique “SonicFox” McLean on their nearly flawless victory in the Final Kombat tournament.
Roundguard is a Peggle-inspired roguelike that’s launching on March 13
Players will get a chance to flex their Peggle muscles next week as they explore the procedurally-generated dungeons of Roundguard, which will be released for the PC, Switch, and Xbox One on March 13 (a PS4 launch will follow “shortly after” that date).
The three members of the Roundguard (a Warrior, a Rogue, and a Wizard) will hurl themselves into the game’s dungeons (and off the walls) to complete quests and collect gold. But rather than crawl their way through torchlit hallways, players will use Peggle’s pinball-like gameplay mechanics to find the exit and return with the loot:
About Roundguard
Roundguard is a bouncy dungeon crawler with pinball physics, lots of loot, and a randomized castle full of oddballs. Press your luck against hordes of dangerously cute monsters and challenging roguelike elements in this all-round bouncy adventure!Features
- Bouncy Fun: Intuitive pinball physics-based gameplay like no other dungeon crawler.
- Multiple Classes: Play as the Warrior, the Rogue, or the Wizard, each with their own unique skills, items, and cheeky sense of humor.
- Randomized Dungeon: Each time you play, levels are procedurally generated, and quest events and elite monsters are randomly placed.
- Permadeath with Benefits: When you die, you’ll have a chance to bring a special trinket with you on your next run. The more gold you grab, the more powerful the trinket!
- A Cast of Oddballs: Chat with the castle’s colorful cast to pick up quests. You’ll meet a goblin poet, a smarmy teenage skeleton, a dark elf master chef, and tons more.
- Lots of Loot: Over 100 items and trinkets, each with effects that present strategic choices and combo possibilities.
- Show Off Your Skills: Compete on the leaderboards and try to master all the challenging, rule-bending relics.
A new trailer for Roundguard, which was developed by Wonderbelly Games and will be published by The Quantum Astrophysicists Guild, has been embedded above.
See more of the Trials of Mana remake in this new Gameplay Trailer
Trials of Mana, the third game in the Secret of Mana/Seiken Densetsu franchise, was originally released for Japan’s Super Famicom all the way back in 1995. But in a cruel twist of fate, it didn’t make its way to the US until 2019 (as part of the Collection of Mana compilation). Thankfully, we won’t have to wait quite so long to play the upcoming remake, which will be released on April 24 for the PC, PS4, and Switch.
Square Enix recently unveiled a brand new Gameplay Trailer for Trials of Mana that gives prospective players a look at some of the changes made to the game in the last two decades, including a gorgeous visual upgrade, character classes, hundreds of abilities, and its unique branching story structure:
Square Enix today released a brand-new trailer for Trials of Mana, a full, high-definition remake of the third entry in the classic Mana series. Launching on April 24, the game will bring the beloved story and characters to the modern era with real-time combat, beautiful 3D graphics, and updated gameplay.
Originally released in Japan as Seiken Densetsu 3 in 1995, Trials of Mana immerses players in an unforgettable adventure filled with exciting gameplay, memorable heroes, and villains. Players will craft varying experiences by selecting a party of three from six unique characters as they embark on the adventure of a lifetime, upgrading their characters’ classes into more power forms, learning over 300 different abilities, and discovering a world of secrets and mysteries to explore.
Trials of Mana’s new Gameplay Trailer has been embedded above.
Posted in News
Tagged PC, PS4, Switch, Trials of Mana
Wallachia: Reign of Dracula mixes Castlevania and Contra and its available for the PC now
Migami Games mixed together a little inspiration from Castlevania and a little more from Contra to help create Wallachia: Reign of Dracula, which is now available to download for the PC through Steam. The side-scroller tries to bypass the “typical vampire myths,” but Dracula still looks very hard to kill in the Launch Trailer embedded above:
Wallachia: Reign of Dracula, is an epic adventure in the land of horror. The year is 1462. Prince Vlad Dracula is six bloody years into his second reign. After losing the throne once before in 1448, Dracula vowed not to let it happen again. After years of exile, he regained power in 1456 and started purging the land of anyone who might oppose him.
Wallachia is an insane action platformer depicting a world of ferocious fights. With spears, arrows, or sword in hand, your survival depends on your ability to fight. Trust no one, embody the Princess, and enter a deadly journey to claim your kingdom back.
Wallachia: Reign of Dracula is also currently in development for the Switch, and it’ll be available for Nintendo’s newest console at a later date.