Warp Zoned Presents
Most Recent: Mobile
Zynga acquires Draw Something developer
Zynga, the ubiquitous juggernaut behind FarmVille, CityVille, Words With Friends, and a lot of other Facebook timewasters has acquired OMGPop, the developer behind the newest iOS sensation, Draw Something.
“The OMGPop team has created a game that’s fun, expressive and engenders real social interaction,” said Mark Pincus, founder and CEO of Zynga. “Draw Something has captured the imagination of millions of people around the world. We love the way they’ve worked playful and relevant culture into their games from Devo to Daft Punk, from Lin to Beckham. We’re honored to have the opportunity to partner with and support such an innovative team of creative inventors.”
Just how big is the Draw Something phenomenon? The game has been downloaded 35 million times (to be fair, it is free) and players have created over one billion drawings in the last week alone. So, that big.
Or in other words, if OMGPop CEO Dan Porter is ever asked to draw “fat stacks of cash,” he just draws a picture of himself.
Posted in Mobile, News
Tagged Draw Something
First Walking Dead trailer, pricing details shamble into focus
After months of teasing, Telltale Games is finally ready to satisfy the hunger of gamers everywhere looking for details about The Walking Dead. The first episode of the five-part series will be available for the PC, Mac, iOS, PlayStation Network, and Xbox Live Arcade. PSN, XBLA, and iPod/iPad owners will be able to purchase it for $5 (or the Microsoft-approved equivalent) while PC/Mac players will have to pre-purchase the entire series for $24.99.
However, those that pre-order the PC game before it’s release will receive a 10% discount and be entered into a contest to become a character in the game. According to Telltale, “they will be modeled as a human survivor before being killed and then returned to life as a ravenous zombie.” Kick ass!
In addition to a release window, pricing information, and the first trailer, Telltale has also released a story synopsis:
An untold story following convicted criminal Lee Everett; a man given a second chance at life in a world gone to hell. With danger around every corner, protecting an orphaned girl named Clementine may offer him redemption in a world of true horror.
Dan Connors, Telltale’s co-founder and CEO is understandably excited: “This trailer really shows off how our artists have managed to take the 2D art style of the comic books and create a 3D world allowing fans to truly interact with Robert Kirkman’s world for the very first time. We hope that fans will like what they see and be excited by the chance to join the cast of the game; we promise they’ll die horribly!”
That better be a promise, Mr. Connors!
Portal 2 wins “Best Game” at 2012 BAFTAs
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts handed out the 2012 BAFTA Video Game Awards in merry old England last night. And like most other award shows this year, Portal 2 came away with “Best Game” honors. Valve’s teleporting sequel also won the “Design” and Story” awards.
Other big winners include Batman: Arkham City (winner of the the “Action” award and a “Performer” award for Mark Hamill’s role as The Joker), LittleBigPlanet 2 (which took home the “Family” and “Game Innovation” awards), and Battlefield 3 (which won the “Online – Multiplayer” and “Audio Achievement” awards). Battlefield 3 was also selected by fans as the winner of this year’s GAME Award, which is sponsored by the British retailer. But with all their financial troubles, this might be the last GAME Award ever awarded.
Hit the jump for the complete list of winners. (more…)
The Walking Dead coming to iOS, PC, PSN, XBLA in April
Telltale Games has told IGN that the first episode of The Walking Dead will shamble its way onto the iTunes App Store, PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade, and PC download platforms in April.
For those keeping score at home, that is now two zombie games with April release dates.
Obviously, release dates for the remaining four episodes weren’t announced. However, Telltale did say to expect them on a “regular” schedule.
Skyrim takes home Game of the Year honors at 2012 GDC Awards
Bethesda’s The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim took home the coveted Game of the Year award at this year’s Game Developers Choice Awards, but Valve’s Portal 2 was the big winner of the night. The story of Chell, GLaDOS, and Wheatley won Best Audio, Best Game Design, and, of course, Best Narrative.
The other big winner of the night was Supergiant Games and Bastion. The title from the small seven-man team was awarded Best Downloadable Game as well as Best Debut.
A trio of special awards were also handhed out last night:
- Epic Mickey and Deus Ex developer Warren Spector received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
- Atari’s Dave Theurer received the Pioneer Award for his work on Tempest and Missile Command.
- Lawyers Ken Doroshow and Paul M. Smith were presented with the Ambassador Award for their defense of the game industry in the Supreme Court case (Brown v. EMA/ESA) that established First Amendment protection for video games.
Hit the jump for a complete list of award winners including Best Technology, Best Visual Arts, Best Handheld/Mobile Game, and more. (more…)
Posted in Mobile, News, PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Tagged Bastion, Battlefield 3, GDC 2012, Portal 2, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
Independent Games Festival announces fourteenth annual awards winners
The Independent Games Festival, hosted by the Game Developers Conference, today announced it’s award recipients for 2012.
Fez, the unique “perspective-shifting” platformer, was the big winner, taking home the Seumas McNally Award for Best Independent Game and the $30,000 grand prize. Phil Fish, the lead developer on the game, was the central focus of the documentary Indie Game: The Movie, which was shown at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival and screened earlier in the week at GDC.
Daniel Benmergui, developer of the game Storyteller, earned the Nuovo award and a $5,000 prize. The Nuovo Award honors abstract, short form, and unconventional game development, and Storyteller’s unique comic strip narrative format fit the bill.
Other award recipients include Dear Ester, by thechineseroom, which won for Excellence in Visual Art, and rightfully so- the idyllic landscapes remind me of Myst when it first came out and blew everyone away. Technical Excellence went to Demruth’s Antichamber, a psychological Escher-esque puzzle game, Excellence in Design to Mossmouth’s Spelunky, which creates levels as you play, and Excellence in Audio to Amanita Design’s Botanicula, which features a soundtrack created by Czech alternative band DVA.
Best Mobile Game was snatched up by Simogo for Beat Sneak Bandit, a rhythmic stealth/puzzle game, Best Student Game went to CMU Entertainment Technology Center/Coco & Co for Way, an online cooperative game focused on cross-cultural communication, and finally, the Audience Award went to Mode 7’s Frozen Synapse, a simultaneous-turn-based tactical game.
Finally, Capy Games took home the first XBLA Prize, a contract with Microsoft to publish a game on the Xbox Live Arcade. The Sword & Sworcery developers subsequently announced Super T.I.M.E Force for Microsoft’s download service.
Apple announces specs, March 16 release date for iPad 3
Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to the iPad 3.
The latest revision of Apple’s tablet includes a new processor, a new camera, 4G LTE support, and a new Dictation app. It’s sleek and sweet and will only set you back $499 (for the 16GB Wi-Fi version), $599 (32GB Wi-Fi version), or $699 (64GB Wi-Fi version).
OK, maybe “only” is the wrong word (and the versions with 4G support are even pricier). But the new feature set is incredibly nice:
- A5X chip with quad-core graphics
- 5 megapixel iSight camera with advanced optics
- Retina display delivers four times the number of pixels of iPad 2
- Dictation app
- 4G LTE support
Hit the jump for more details on all of these features. Everyone else, commence drooling, you’ll be able to purchase one on Friday, March 16 (that’s next Friday). (more…)
Better Draw Something on your iPhone while the social cred it gives you is still legal tender!
Wanna know what the hipsters at your neighborhood gastropub are tweeting about while you try to figure out why anyone would drink a can of Pabst Blue Ribbon?
It’s an iPhone app called Draw Something, and it’s been downloaded over four million times with very little press coverage to support it. Even celebrities like Questlove and My Chemical Romance have been sharing their drawings on their Twitter feeds.
CEO of OMGPop Dan Porter attributes the success of the game to social media platforms, saying “People are taking to these social channels to share their drawings, and that is causing the game to spread.”
Draw Something is available for download on Android and iOS in both free-to-play and premium versions. If I were you, I’d see what the hype is all about before your mom starts posting Instagrams of her drawings on Facebook, and you’re left in the dust.
Posted in Mobile, News
Tagged Draw Something