Warp Zoned Presents
Most Recent: Opinions
Just Stop! Sony and Microsoft Will NOT Block Used Games in Their Next-Gen Consoles
When the Internet decides to collectively believe something that’s just not true, we have to cry out… Just Stop! This is what’s making a Warp Zoned editor rip his computer from the wall in frustration today…
Even though Sony’s February 20th presentation is still officially known as “Meeting 2013,” and unofficially as their “See the Future” event, the gaming populace is resolute in its belief that the PlayStation 4/Orbis will be unveiled to the public on that Wednesday evening. Actually, I have a hard time disagreeing with the hive mind of the Internet on this one. The PS4 reveal is but a fortnight away, I’m sure of it. But the drones of the Internet have also decreed that Sony will include some kind of nefarious scheme within the PS4 that’ll disable used games on the system.
No! Just Stop! YOU. ARE. WRONG. (more…)
Why I Bought A Wii U Game Without Owning A Wii U
Yes, you read the title of this editorial correctly; I bought a game for a console I do not own. The game in question is Ubisoft’s ZombiU. It is not a gift or present for a loved one; I fully intend to use it myself. But why would I spend money on a game if I don’t own the console to play it on? That’s just madness, right?
Well, no.
The first reason I bought it was because I need new underwear (by all accounts I may need more once I have played ZombiU). British retailer The Hut was offering a deal; buy three pairs of boxer shorts at £15 ($23.75), and get ZombiU for £20 ($31.50). So I could pay £35 ($55.25) for boxer shorts and the game, or £40 ($63) just for the game. I like a bargain when I see one, so I snapped it up.
But again, I can’t play it. Yet. (more…)
Just Stop! Consoles Are NOT Headed For a Crash
When the Internet decides to collectively believe something that’s just not true, we have to cry out… Just Stop! This is what’s making a Warp Zoned editor rip his computer from the wall in frustration today…
Over the last few weeks, you’ve probably seen more than a few articles bemoaning the financial health of the retail games sector. Analysts and journalists have been carrying on about how this is the end of the line. That even with a generational jump looming, the gaming community has abandoned disc-based games for their iGadgets and their free-to-play Facebook counterparts.
No! Just Stop! YOU. ARE. WRONG. (more…)
The Good, The Bad, and Disney’s Acquisition of LucasArts
On Tuesday, October 30, The Walt Disney Company purchased Lucasfilm from George Lucas. This multibillion dollar deal included all rights to the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises, as well as the subsidiary companies Industrial Light + Magic, Skywalker Sound, and LucasArts.
In the same announcement, Disney confirmed that Star Wars: Episode VII was in development and would be released in theaters in 2015. The Internet (and quite possibly the world) was in utter disbelief. You might say that millions of voices suddenly cried out in confusion and were suddenly silenced in stunned shock.
But that silence didn’t last long as the speculation concerning Episode VII and what this means for the Star Wars franchise began almost immediately. And that’s where we come in, as two Warp Zoned staffers debate exactly what this merging means for Lucasfilm’s game development arm, LucasArts. (more…)
Posted in Opinions, Top Story
Tagged Star Wars 1313
The Vita-Cycle: How the PS3 and Vita Can Live Peacefully Together
If you’ve been on the Internet at anytime since February 2012 and ever happened to look at any gaming news site, you’ve probably seen the enclosed, yet cumbersome quarrel of fanboys in regards to Sony’s dream device, the PS Vita. The two biggest arguments seem to be “the Vita has no games,” or “the Vita needs more games that the PS3 has!”
The first argument is undeniable. Being the diverse gamer and alleged hyper-consumer that I am, I own ten retail Vita games and three digital games. That’s pretty good, considering the system hasn’t even been out for half a year yet. But this is just me – the case of the person who genuinely gives nearly every game a chance, and generally enjoys most games. I can understand how other people might have more discerning tastes, or how they are getting turned off by specific genres here and there. For those people, it’s completely reasonable to think that the Vita has “no games.” (more…)
Just Stop! Games Are NOT More Expensive Today
When the Internet decides to collectively believe something that’s just not true, we have to cry out… Just Stop! This is what’s making a Warp Zoned editor rip his computer from the wall in frustration today…
With a generational shift looming for all three console manufacturers, a lot of digital ink has been spilled over the price of games and the belief that… SOMETHING. MUST. BE. DONE. Because didn’t you hear? Games are more expensive now than they’ve ever been. It’s true. I read it on the Internet.
No! Just Stop! YOU. ARE. WRONG.
Not only are the games being produced in 2012 priced similarly to games that were released in decades gone by, many of them are cheaper. That’s right, cheaper. And no, I’m not some stooge being paid by the publishers to peddle this theory, it’s the truth. Why, I remember it just like it was yesterday… [insert wavy lines here] (more…)
The Good, The Bad and The Day One DLC
One of the latest controversies in the game industry is “Day One DLC,” an issue brought to the forefront by what some consider to be the debacle that is Mass Effect 3‘s “From Ashes” DLC. Staff writer Andrew Rainnie and Editor-in-Chief John Scalzo go toe-to-toe on this issue, each explaining why they are against or for Day One DLC. They take many different aspects of the argument into account, including game budgets, used game sales, and the issue of cutting material from the disc in a sleazy attempt to get more new game sales. What’s your opinion on this matter? Be sure to leave a comment and let us know who you agree with, and why.
Posted in Opinions, Top Story
Tagged Batman: Arkham City, Mass Effect 3
GAME Over: Are British Gaming Stores on Their Last Continue?
Late last week week saw the shocking news that GAME Group, owners of over 1300 GAME and Gamestation stores scattered throughout Europe and Australia, would not be stocking EA’s sci-fi epic Mass Effect 3, set for release on March 9th. While official word from GAME Group’s PR firm Red Consultancy was vague, noting an ambiguous “supply issue,” an internal memo was leaked to Eurogamer. It stated that the problem was apparently more serious, stating that GAME “were committed to only stocking products on which we could get the right credit terms.” Does this mean that GAME Group did not have enough credit with EA to purchase copies of Mass Effect 3? Or has EA made changes to the credit terms that GAME simply finds unacceptable, and are now taking a bold stand? (more…)