Warp Zoned Presents
All Articles: Doom (2016)
Doom’s Update 6.66 includes improvements to multiplayer and makes all DLC free
In a callback to the franchise’s earliest days, Bethesda and id Software are calling Doom‘s new Update 6.66 the “Ultimate” way to play.
The biggest addition in Update 6.66 is that it’ll make Doom’s three downloadable expansions (Unto the Evil, Hell Followed, and Bloodfall) free for all players. But id Software has also revamped the way players will experience the game’s multiplayer modes, including a complete revision of the Multiplayer Progression System. The developer has also ditched the Hack Module System (and replaced it with multiplayer-specific Runes), redone the user interface, and made vast improvements to the SnapMap creation tool.
More details about the changes that Update 6.66 will bring to the game are available at Bethesda.net, as well as in the new trailer embedded above:
With this update, we’ve changed when and how players unlock additional guns, demons, equipment and all of the player and weapon customization options. Instead of relying on the current random unlock system, everything now unlocks through specific leveling requirements and/or in-game challenges. Now, if there’s a specific helmet you want, you can work toward unlocking it by focusing your play style on the related challenge. We’re confident new and veteran players alike will enjoy the control and predictability in this new multiplayer progression system.
If Doom is still on your digital wishlist, Bethesda and id Software have one last piece of good news… Doom will now be available to download through the PlayStation Store, Xbox Games Store, and Steam for just $14.99.
Posted in News, PC, PS4, Xbox One
Tagged Doom (2016)
Uncharted 4 wins “Video Game of the Year” at the 2017 SXSW Gaming Awards
Naughty Dog’s Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End was named “Video Game of the Year” at the 2017 SXSW Gaming Awards last night, finally putting an end to Overwatch‘s winning streak. Nathan Drake’s final adventure also earned the big prize in the “Excellence in Narrative” and “Excellence in Animation” categories, and the treasure hunter himself won for “Most Memorable Character.”
However, don’t feel too bad for Blizzard, Overwatch took home three SXSW Gamnig Awards including “Esports Game of the Year,” “Most Promising New Intellectual Property,” and “Excellence in Multiplayer.”
The WWE’s Austin “Xavier Woods” Creed hosted the 2017 SXSW Gaming Awards, and he also handed out statuettes to a wide variety of other games including Pokemon Go (“Mobile Game of the Year”), Doom (“Excellence in Gameplay” and “Excellence in Musical Score”), Battlefield 1 (“Excellence in Technical Achievement” and “Excellence in SFX”), and Dishonored 2 (“Excellence in Design”). And this year’s “Tabletop Game of the Year” award was given to Fantasy Flight’s Arkham Horror: The Card Game.
You can find all the winners from last night’s SXSW Gaming Awards show at Video Game Canon.
Posted in Mobile, News, PC, PS4, Xbox One
Tagged Batman: The Telltale Series, Battlefield 1, Dishonored 2, Doom (2016), Firewatch, Overwatch, Pokemon Go, Tabletop Games, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
Overwatch wins “Game of the Year” (and three other awards) at 2017 DICE Awards
Blizzard made their mark on last night’s DICE Awards presentation when Overwatch took home the trophy in four categories, including “Game of the Year.” The shooter was also honored as “Action Game of the Year,” as well as for “Outstanding Achievement in Game Design” and “Outstanding Achievement in Online Gameplay.”
It was also a good night for Naughty Dog, as the developer claimed four victories for their work on Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End including “Adventure Game of the Year,” “Outstanding Achievement in Story,” “Outstanding Technical Achievement,” and “Outstanding Achievement in Animation.”
The full list of winners at the 2017 DICE Awards (including Pokemon Go for “Mobile Game of the Year,” Pokemon Sun and Moon for “Handheld Game of the Year,” and three awards for Inside ) can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in 3DS, Mobile, PC, PS4, Xbox One
Tagged Doom (2016), Inside, Overwatch, Pokemon Go, Pokemon Sun/Moon, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
Dishonored 2, Doom, Overwatch, Titanfall 2, Uncharted 4 will compete for “Game of the Year” at 2017 SXSW Gaming Awards
The organizers of the SXSW Gaming Conference and Festival have announced the nominees for the 2017 SXSW Gaming Awards. Not surprisingly, Dishonored 2, Doom, Overwatch, Titanfall 2, and Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End will all be competing for the coveted “Video Game of the Year” award.
Appearing over and over again throughout SXSW 2017’s 23 categories, the nominating committee was very impressed with these five titles. However, Overwatch definitely lead the way with nine total nominations including “Esports Game of the Year,” “Trending Game of the Year,” “Excellence in Design,” “Most Promising New Intellectual Property,” “Most Memorable Character” (for Tracer), “Excellence in Multiplayer,” “Excellence in Art,” and “Excellence in Animation.”
The 2017 SXSW Gaming Awards will be held on Saturday, March 18, and fans are invited to vote for their favorites from now until February 10 at IGN.com. The winners in each category will ultimately be decided by a 50/50 vote between the public and the SXSW Gaming Advisory Board.
The full list of nominees in all categories can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in 3DS, Mobile, News, PC, PS3, PS4, Vita, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Tagged Dishonored 2, Doom (2016), Overwatch, TitanFall 2, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
Warp Zoned’s 2016 Golden Pixel Awards: A Look Back at the Year in Video Games
In a very real way, the game industry wiped the slate clean in 2016.
After nearly a decade of development difficulties, Square Enix unleashed Final Fantasy XV on the world. Fumito Ueda and Sony Japan Studio overcame similar troubles to finally release The Last Guardian. Id Software shook off the past and was reborn after the launch of the fourth game in the Doom franchise. Blizzard closed the book on their failed “Titan Project” with the release of Overwatch. Naughty Dog said goodbye to Nathan Drake, but gamers said hello to altered realities that were both “augmented” and “virtual.” Nintendo found new kingdoms to conquer with Super Mario Run. And the launch of No Man’s Sky taught us that while the hype machine sometimes fails to deliver, the chance for a brighter tomorrow is always there.
But before we venture off into that great unknown, let’s look back at some of gaming’s highlights from 2016. (more…)
Posted in 3DS, Etcetera, Features, Mobile, PC, PS4, Top Story, Xbox One
Tagged Dangerous Golf, Dark Souls III, Doom (2016), Dragon Quest Builders, Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past, Final Fantasy XV, Hyper Light Drifter, No Man's Sky, Overwatch, Pac-Man Championship Edition 2, Pokemon Go, Pokemon Sun/Moon, Superhot, The Last Guardian, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
Fans decide to give Steam Awards to Doom 2016, GTA5, Portal 2, and many more
With just hours to go before we celebrate the end of 2016, Valve has announced the winners of the first-ever Steam Awards.
Rather than ask Steam shoppers to select a traditional “Best of 2016” slate, Valve offered up a rather unique class of categories and let community members nominate any game from the digital storefront’s catalog. This freeform approach even gave voters the chance to create a few additional categories out of thin air.
After casting votes for the past two weeks (and browsing bargains during the digital storefront’s Winter Sale, which continues through January 2), the winners of the first-ever Steam Awards include Doom (“The “Boom Boom” Award”), Portal 2 (“The “Villain Most In Need Of A Hug” Award”), Grand Theft Auto V (“The “Game Within A Game” Award” and “The “Whoooaaaaaaa, Dude” Award”), and many more.
You can find the complete list of winners after the break, and let’s hope Valve does this again next year. (more…)
Posted in News, PC
Tagged Dark Souls III, Doom (2016), Grand Theft Auto V, Portal 2, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, The Walking Dead
Finalists for The Steam Awards announced; Voting begins on December 22
The bean counters at Steam have tabulated your nominations and announced the finalists for the first-ever Steam Awards. We don’t know if this is something the game retailer plans to do every year, but we’ll all be able to cast our votes later this week.
Voting for the Steam Awards will begin on Thursday, December 22, at 1:00 PM (Eastern Time) with “The ‘Villain Most In Need Of A Hug’ Award.” Fans will have 24 hours to choose between Borderlands 2, Dead by Daylight, Far Cry 3, Far Cry 4, and Portal 2. Voting for a new category will open up once a day until Friday, December 30, which is when Steam will open up voting for the fan-created categories.
The winners will be announced on New Year’s Eve, and the complete list of finalists can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in News, PC
Tagged Dark Souls III, Doom (2016), Grand Theft Auto V, Portal 2, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, The Walking Dead
Doom’s latest Free Update adds bots, new SnapMap options, and more
The imaginatively-named “Free Update 5” is now available to download for id Software’s Doom. This no-cost patch adds a new competitive game mode to Doom’s online multiplayer, as well as the option to play against bots and a higher level cap for your Echelon Rank.
You can check out the trailer above for a look at everything available in “Free Update 5,” or read on for an overview of the update direct from the developer:
Multiplayer Additions
- Infernal Run: A new competitive game mode where teams fight for control of the ball and score in the opponent’s goal.
- Bots: Available on original multiplayer maps in Team Deathmatch and Deathmatch game modes.
- Echelon 11: Multiplayer rank now extends to Echelon 11. Once you reach the new highest ranking, you’ll unlock the signature Doom Marine Armor (Praetor Suit)!
SnapMap Additions
- Play as the Doom Marine in the Doom Marine Armor (Praetor Suit).
- More elements from the campaign, allowing you to play and create even more campaign-like experiences.
- Lazarus Lab themed modules and props.
To get the most out of Doom’s newest update, players will be able to take part in a Double XP Weekend from now until Monday, December 12, at 12:00 PM (Eastern Time).
Finally, id Software also announced that Bloodfall, Doom’s third downloadable expansion, will be released on December 15. The final DLC Pack will include three new multiplayer maps and the invisible Spectre Pinky demon.
More information about “Free Update 5” and the Bloodfall DLC Pack can be found at Bethesda.net.
Posted in News, PC, PS4, Xbox One
Tagged Doom (2016)