Ironclad: The Unreleased Xbox 360 War Of The Worlds-Inspired Mech Game Can Now Be Played

In June 2026, the video game preservation community unearthed a remarkable buried treasure: Ironclad, a December 2008 prototype of a game that was never released on Xbox 360. This third-person mech action game was developed by The Workshop Entertainment Inc., a California-based studio founded by Peter Akemann - a former Treyarch figure - alongside collaborators Chris Busse and Charles Tolman. The build was uploaded to Hidden Palace by a contributor named Aubrey, allowing players to experience this commercially unreleased project for the very first time.

In terms of gameplay, Ironclad drew its inspiration from H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds. Players take the role of a survivor fleeing tripods and alien creatures, before discovering and piloting the titular Ironclad mech. The prototype includes multiple playable sections: a main demo showing the opening sequence, and a section called the “Cul De Sac demo” showcasing the mech piloting mechanics. Environmental destruction was part of the design, with players able to use street lamps and other objects as improvised weapons - a detail that highlights how ambitious the project once was.

The Workshop Entertainment Inc. later became known for developing Sorcery (2012) for PlayStation Move, but Ironclad clearly represented one of their most ambitious early projects, left unfinished. Hidden Palace, a website dedicated to preserving prototypes and unreleased games, hosts the prototype for download on its Hidden Palace page. A full video analysis was also published by the Prototopia channel (formerly known as Obscure Gamers) for anyone who wants a deep dive before playing.

Source: Time Extension