PREVIEW – 2022 is shaping up to be one of the most significant gaming years in recent memory, so here are the most anticipated games for next year. In style, we’ve selected 22 of this year’s releases.

 

 

2021 was an odd year, given that many developers and studios felt the impact of the pandemic the most. But if anything, this has resulted in a 2022 video game release schedule that is unparalleled in the industry. So many highly anticipated game releases are expected next year that even if half of them are delayed from 2022, it will still be a strong year. So for now, we can expect plenty of games, especially as the first half of the year is going nicely.

Also, the list comes with some restrictions, namely, that games must have a confirmed release window by 2022. Thus, games such as Final Fantasy 16 are not included in the list, as their release is not sure. Finally, this list is sorted by release date and window, followed by the games with 2022 release windows in alphabetical order.

 

 

1. Dying Light 2 Stay Human (4 February)

 

February and March 2022 are surprisingly full of video game announcements, and the kick-off to this trend is a game that many people never thought would see the light of day. Dying Light 2 Stay Human has been in the public consciousness for quite some time now, as zombie games with multiple open worlds were all the rage back in the day, and after the first game, it’s coming with brand new ambitions breathing, living world. But the dead aren’t the only enemy, and it will be interesting to see how Dying Light 2 breathes new life into an old formula.

Dying Light 2 will be released on 4 February for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.

 

 

2. Sifu (8 February)

 

Sifu’s first appearance made a big impression, no doubt about it. Sifu is a beat ’em up action-adventure game with roguelike elements. Fatal wounds also age the protagonist, adding a unique twist to the classic kung fu story of hunting down and defeating an enemy who has murdered the protagonist’s family. Overall, it’s earned attention so far, and it will be interesting to see how it holds up among the stacked video game releases coming out in early 2022.

Sifu will be released on 8 February for PC, PS4 and PS5.

 

 

3. Horizon Forbidden West (18 February)

 

Every sequel must build on and expand its predecessor, which is no exception. In Horizon Forbidden West, Aloy’s journey continues as she explores the new title location, but from what we’ve seen so far, it seems to add two more shovels to everything we experienced in the first Horizon. Everything from the combat system in Horizon Forbidden West to the action and exploration to the skill trees and play styles seems to be heading in the right direction. We can also expect an excellent story, so it looks like there will be one worth keeping an eye out for next year.

Horizon Forbidden West will be released on 18 February for PS4 and PS5.

 

 

4. Elden Ring (25 February)

 

Top of many people’s best-anticipated list is Elden Ring, the latest Souls action-RPG from acclaimed developer FromSoftware. It’s the latest in a long line of heavy, punishing games like Demon’s Souls, Dark Souls, Bloodborne and so on, yet it has its own flair and distinction. FromSoftware is taking the Souls formula into an open world environment, which sounds incredibly ambitious. What’s more, the game’s director Hidetaka Miyazaki has also touted Elden Ring as his ideal game, so if all goes well, we’re looking at a true classic.

Elden Ring will be released on 25 February for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.

 

 

5. Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin (18 March)

 

Based on the concepts of the first Final Fantasy game and featuring some Souls-like elements, Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin puts players in the roles of Jack, Jed and Ash as they set out to kill Chaos. They are supposed to be warriors of light, but they doubt themselves, which adds a nice twist to the classic formula. The game features an extensive job system, with classes such as Dragoon, Monk, Thief, Knight and various Mages (White, Black Red) appearing. All in all, it’s a unique approach that really stands out among the March releases.

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin will be released on 18 March for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.

 

 

6. Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands (25 March)

 

Borderlands and Dungeons and Dragons have always had a special relationship, with Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep often touted as one of the best Borderlands DLCs of all the games. The same concept will be expanded upon in Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands early next year, where players can take on a class as a Fatemaker (this could be BRR-Zerker, Clawbringer, Spellshot, Stabbomancer, and apparently more). It sounds like a wild ride when you combine this emphasis on DnD RPG elements with the Borderlands loot and weapons approach.

Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands will be released on 25 March for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.

 

 

7. Forspoken (24 May)

 

Forspoken has raised several eyebrows, emphasising gameplay and open-world, a narrative-driven story with full interoperability. The protagonist is Frey Holland, a woman who has been transported from New York to this fantasy world and must use magical powers to travel through it and perhaps save this universe, maybe find her way home. She also has a strange “sentient” bracelet called Cuff. It will be interesting to see how this character dynamic works. Fans should find out more about him in the coming months.

Forspoken will be released on 24 May for PC and PS5.

 

 

8. Saints Row (23 August)

 

Saints Row is getting a reboot this year, which in a way takes the franchise back to basics. Instead of taking over the galaxy, The New Kind of Boss is assembling a new gang of disaffected members of other gangs to take over the city of Santo Ileso from Los Panteros, the Idols and Marshall Defense Industries. Players can take over nine different districts in the city and start businesses and more. Cooperative play is back, players can design their own boss, and Saints Row has a unique mission menu where completing missions in the cooperative world completes it in the story. Overall, while some may not have been pleased with the direction, fans of classic Saints games should keep an eye out.

Saints Row will be released on 23 August for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.

 

 

9. Starfield (11 November)

 

It’s not often that a developer gives a specific release date more than a year before launch, but Bethesda has done just that with Starfield. Probably because 11 November is a unique date for the company, as it’s also the anniversary of Skyrim, but Bethesda is confident in this date. There’s still not much confirmed about the game, but gamers are ready to see how Bethesda’s latest IP stands up to the likes of biggies like The Elder Scrolls and Fallout. Over the next year, more and more information will become available as Starfield concept art slowly builds up.

Starfield will be released on 11 November 2022 for PC and Xbox Series X/S.

 

 

10. Redfall (third quarter 2022)

 

Arkane has received a lot of praise for Deathloop this year, and next year they’re preparing a new title for a completely different platform. Redfall, coming next year for PC and Xbox Series X, will be an open-world action-adventure first-person shooter. Players will play as one of four characters (cryptozoologist Devinder, telekinetic Layla, combat engineer Remi and sniper Jacob) who kill vampires and humans in a Left 4 Dead-like vampire-based game. Arkane has already proven its reputation several times over, and many are excited to see how they’ll touch on this particular genre.

Redfall is scheduled for release in 2022 for PC and Xbox Series X/S.

 

 

11. Marvel’s Midnight Suns (2022 3Q/4Q)

 

There’s no doubt that Marvel + XCOM has gotten a lot of attention. Recent years have been kind to Marvel, not only on the film front but also on the video game front. After hits like Spider-Man and Marvel’s Guardians of Galaxy, there’s a buzz around all Marvel games, and Marvel’s Midnight Suns is taking advantage of that. With gameplay similar to the XCOM series, fans can create their customisable superhero known as The Hunter and play as Iron Man, Captain America, Wolverine, Doctor Strange, Blade, Ghost Rider/Wolf, and many more.

Marvel’s Midnight Suns will be released in 2022 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.

 

 

12. The Lord of the Rings: Gollum (Q4 2022)

 

Lord of the Rings fans have been waiting for Gollum for a long time, but it could all be worth it. Everything that has been shown so far has hit all the right notes for showcasing Gollum’s personality and his attachment to the world of LOTR. The film follows Gollum before the events of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, and fans can currently expect to see it for themselves by the end of 2022.

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum will be released in 2022 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.

 

 

13. Dead Space (end 2022)

 

Dead Space is a beloved survival horror franchise, so many were shocked when it was announced that a full remake was in the works. Not much has been shown since the original announcement, but everything we’ve seen so far looks very promising. Much of the original game has been retained, spruced up with improved assets, models and environments. Plus, it’ll take advantage of the Xbox Series X and PS5 SSDs to showcase Dead Space as an “uninterrupted continuous shooting” game without loading screens. Fans will have to wait to find out more, but it’s currently scheduled for late 2022.

Dead Space will be released in 2022 for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

 

 

14. A Plague Tale: Requiem (2022)

 

The sequel to A Plague Tale: Innocence, A Plague Tale: Requiem takes everything from the original and takes it to the next level. Amicia and Hugo’s journey is not over yet, as they travel south to new regions and cities in an attempt to curb Hugo’s curse. His power still haunts them, but a foretold island may hold answers for the brother and sister as they embark on another brutal and heartbreaking journey.

Plague Tale: Reqiuem is scheduled for release in 2022 for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

 

15. Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora (2022)

 

After seeing Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, Disney commissioned Ubisoft Massive to create an open-world Star Wars RPG. That’s pretty high praise for a game that the general public hasn’t seen much of yet, but is expected to be released in 2022. However, what was shown of Frontiers of Pandora is truly beautiful and has players – as a Na’Vi – travelling to the western frontier to repel the forces of the RDA. It’s a standalone story, not directly related to James Cameron’s Avatar, but it could still spice up fans’ love for the franchise.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora will be released in 2022 for PC, PS5, Stadia and Xbox Series X/S.

 

 

16. Bayonetta 3 (2022)

 

Bayonetta 2 was released in 2014, but many fans had always hoped and believed that there would be the third instalment. While many game franchises are forgotten after eight years, in this case, the time that has passed has only heightened the anticipation. The first official Bayonetta 3 trailer was shown in September 2021, confirming a 2022 release date. Not only did this build pre-release hype, but it also left a lot of fans speculating about the world, characters and more.

Bayonetta 3 is scheduled for release on Nintendo Switch in 2022.

 

 

17. The Callisto Protocol (2022)

 

Of course, a Dead Space remake is not the only thing sci-fi horror fans can look forward to. Although it’s a bit of a surprise that The Callisto Protocol is set in the PUBG universe, it’s a survival horror game from Dead Space co-creator Glen Schofield. The year is 2320, and the players of The Callisto Protocol find themselves in a dungeon colony called Black Iron, located on Jupiter’s Callisto. Oh, and there’s an alien invasion going on as if a prison colony in the void of space wasn’t scary enough.

The Callisto Protocol will be released in 2022 for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

 

 

18. God of War: Ragnarok (2022)

 

God of War: Ragnarok is essentially Sony and Santa Monica’s worst kept secret. It’s the second and final game in Kratos’ northern saga, and fans were talking about it months before it was revealed and before it got its first trailer and info dump. Many were surprised to learn that this was the end of the saga, as they were expecting another trilogy, but this is just an entry with more story and action. All in all, it looks to be an epic journey that answers all the questions of 2018’s God of War, and it will be interesting to see how it all plays out and how the grand adventure concludes.

God of War: Ragnarok will be released in 2022 for PS4 and PS5.

 

 

19. Gotham Knights (2022)

 

Next year has a lot of four-player cooperative games on the horizon, and Gotham Knights is one of them. Players will have to use their Robin, Batgirl, Red Hood and Nightwing skills to defend Gotham City against the Owl Court and other threats. Batman is supposedly dead, which sets the theme for an even darker story. Fans are in the dark for now, but leaks suggest Gotham Knights will be released early next year.

Gotham Knights will be released in 2022 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.

 

 

20. Hogwarts Legacy (2022)

 

Fans have been clamouring for a proper Harry Potter RPG with players as students at Hogwarts for quite some time, and rumours of one in development have been around for almost as long. Trailer leaks and other leaks have made this more concrete for some time, only to reveal that Hogwarts Legacy is already in development finally. Hogwarts Legacy has finally slipped to 2022, but for fans of the franchise who have been waiting so long for this game, it’s probably worth it. It will be interesting to see how the years of waiting and hoping will end.

Hogwarts Legacy is scheduled for release in 2022 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.

 

 

21. Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League (2022)

 

Everything that’s been revealed so far about Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League is incredibly promising and enticing, as they battle against various members of the Justice League under the control of Brainiac. Sometime next year, players will take on the role of Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang and/or King Shark as part of the titular Suicide Squad. This will inevitably mean battles against Superman (including the Green Lantern, the Flash and potentially even Batman). If the game enjoyably presents this, it will be worth the wait.

Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League will be released in 2022 for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

 

 

22. Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 (2022)

 

Last but not least, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2, or whatever it ends up being. At the end of the latest trailer, 2022 appeared on screen, and while it seems like a pipe dream, there’s a realistic chance that players will be able to adventure in Hyrule next year. If that’s the case, Nintendo fans really will be in heaven next year with Bayonetta, Kirby, Zelda and more – not too surprising given that Nintendo games dominated some sales charts in 2021.

-theGeek-