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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
Inside leads the way with six nominations at 2017 GDC Awards
The organizers of the Game Developers Conference have announced the nominees for the 2017 Game Developers Choice Awards, which will be held on March 1 at 9:30 (Eastern Time). Playdead’s Inside tallied six nominations, including “Game of the Year,” “Best Narrative,” “Best Design,” “Best Visual Art,” “Best Audio,” and the “Innovation Award.”
Competing with Inside for “Game of the Year” honors this year is Naughty Dog’s Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, Blizzard’s Overwatch, Arkane’s Dishonored 2, and Campo Santo’s Firewatch.
Double Fine’s Tim Schafer will host the GDC Awards this year for the sixth time. He previously hosted the ceremony in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015.
The full list of nominees, and a huge number of Honorable Mentions, can be found after the break. (more…)
Overwatch’s “Oasis” map is now available to download
Blizzard has announced that all Overwatch players can now download “Oasis,” the latest addition to the shooter’s selection of maps. Within the game’s lore, “Oasis” takes place in “one of the world’s most advanced cities” and serves as “a shining jewel rising from the Arabian Desert.”
Built for Control Mode, players who venture into “Oasis” will need to dodge vehicles and use Jump Pads to capture and defend three different control points:
Researchers and academics from around the region came together to found a city dedicated to scientific progress without restraints—a monument to human ingenuity and invention. The city and its inhabitants are governed by the Ministries, a collection of brilliant minds who possess many secrets that have attracted the interest of powerful organizations from around the world.
Feel free to take a tour of “Oasis” in the new trailer embedded above.
Overwatch wins Game of the Year at 2016 Game Awards
The 2016 Game Awards were filled with surprises, but I’m sure no one was shocked when Blizzard’s Overwatch walked away with the most statuettes last night, including the coveted “Game of the Year” prize. The popular online shooter also won the “Best Multiplayer” award, as well as the fan-voted “Best eSports Game” award. And Blizzard was honored for their development work on Overwatch with the “Best Game Direction” award.
Naughty Dog and id Software also had a good night with two wins apiece. The familial tale at the center of Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End won “Best Narrative” and Nolan North won “Best Performance” for his final turn as Nathan Drake. Meanwhile, Doom blasted its way into the spotlight with wins in the “Best Music/Sound Design” and the “Best Action Game” categories.
Playdead’s Inside (“Best Art Direction” and “Best Independent Game”) and Pokemon Go (“Best Mobile/Handheld Game” and “Best Family Game”) also earned multiple awards last night at the Game Awards.
Congratulations to all the nominees, and the full list of winners can be found after the break. (more…)
Play Overwatch for free on the PC, PS4, Xbox One during a “Free Weekend” starting today
Have you had the chance to play Overwatch yet? If not, then you’re in luck, Blizzard is offering the chance to try it out during a “Free Weekend” that begins today.
The “Free Weekend” officially kicks off at 2:00 PM (Eastern Time) today, and runs until 7:00 PM (Eastern Time) on Monday, November 21. Best of all, players will also get the chance to play as Overwatch’s newest character, Sombra. And if you enjoy your time with Overwatch and decide to purchase it, Blizzard has also said that all progress you make in the game during the “Free Weekend” will carry over to the full game.
More information about Overwatch’s “Free Weekend” can be found at PlayOverwatch.com.
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End leads the way at 2016 Game Awards with eight nominations
We’re rapidly approaching the end of the year, and that means the 2016 Game Awards are right around the corner. The Game Awards will once again be produced and hosted by Geoff Keighley, who will honor this year’s best games and look to the future with a number of huge World Premieres, including the first gameplay footage from BioWare’s Mass Effect: Andromeda.
Before we blast off to a far away galaxy, let’s stop and recognize Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, which received eight nominations this year from the Game Awards Advisory Board. In addition to “Game of the Year,” Nathan Drake’s final adventure is also up for “Best Game Direction,” “Best Art Direction,” “Best Narrative,” and “Best Action/Adventure Game,” along with a “Best Performance” nomination for all three of the game’s main performers.
Uncharted 4 will compete with some of 2016’s biggest titles for “Game of the Year” at the 2016 Game Awards including Doom, Inside, Overwatch, and Titanfall 2.
“The Game Awards is all about celebrating the state of video game art,” said Keighley. “In just a few short weeks we will recognize the most outstanding games of 2016 in unexpected ways, and preview the most anticipated games of 2017 and beyond with the longest, most in-depth world premieres we’ve ever attempted… including surprises and new game announcements.”
The Game Awards will be held on December 1 at 9:00 PM (Eastern Time), and fans can watch the show through their favorite video streaming service or at TheGameAwards.com. The full list of nominees can be found after the break. (more…)
Posted in 3DS, Mobile, News, PC, PS3, PS4, Vita, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Tagged Doom (2016), Game Awards 2016, Inside, Mass Effect: Andromeda, Overwatch, TitanFall 2, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
Blizzard’s Overwatch League is coming in 2017 and it’s patterned after pro sports leagues
Blizzard wants to take esports to the next level with the Overwatch League, a new esports organization that will be patterned after existing professional sports leagues like the NFL and NBA. The Overwatch League will begin play in 2017, but first, Blizzard will invite the world’s best players to a combine to test their skills:
The inaugural season of the Overwatch League will begin in 2017. At the start of the season, Blizzard will host a combine, where eligible players who have previously distinguished themselves in competition will be invited to try out for teams. Players at the combine will be evaluated across a range of tests, giving teams the opportunity to sign those who best round out their rosters. Anyone picked up by a team during the signing period will be guaranteed a contract that includes a baseline minimum salary and benefits package.
In addition to holding tryouts, each team in the Overwatch League will be based in a city or region to further tap into support from local fans. Who knows? Maybe in 108 years some wild-eyed old man from Chicago will be tearing up over his city’s first Overwatch League Championship in a generation.
Blizzard will reveal more about the Overwatch League in the coming months, but for now, interested fans are encouraged to visit OverwatchLeague.com to learn more.
Learn more about Overwatch’s Sombra with an Origin Story video and gameplay trailer
If you’re like most Overwatch players, I’m guessing you’ve been waiting patiently for Sombra’s debut for a few months now. But after all of Blizzard’s teasing, the developer finally pulled the curtain back on the character during this weekend’s BlizzCon.
An elite hacker with combat skills to match, we got our first look at Sombra in “Infiltration,” a brand new animated short from Blizzrd. But did you know the developer also uploaded a brand new “Origin Story” video and gameplay trailer for everyone’s new favorite character? Both videos can be found after the break.
Sombra herself will be available to download for PC players using the Overwatch Public Test Region next week, and she’ll be accessible by all players sometime in the near future. (more…)