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As 2021 comes to a close, players are looking forward to another possibly great year of video games coming up. A number of releases have already been confirmed for 2022 and many others are rumored to be gearing up for arrival.
2021 saw a number of major releases, including sequels to long-running franchises. Forza Horizon 5 was released and became one of the best racing games in a while. Halo Infinite was finally launched after a year's delay and has been called the perfect entry to the series.
Time loops reigned supreme this year with popular releases like Deathloop, 12 Minutes and Returnal. Players have been treated to a number of games, like Valheim, based on Norse mythology.
With all that in mind, this article looks at some of the most anticipated games of 2022.
Ten of the most anticipated games coming in 2022
2022 is slated to release a number of games that are sure to excite the fans. The list is not exhausting but showcases the ones that players are eagerly waiting for.
1) Pokemon Legends: Arceus
Developer - Nintendo
Platforms - Nintendo Switch
Release Date - January 28, 2022
The hype and anticipation surrounding the first open world Pokemon game is at an all-time high. Pokemon Legends: Arceus's release is going to be set in a bygone era of the Sinnoh region, when it was called Hisui region.
The game takes place long before the events of Pokemon Diamond and Pearl and the objective is to create the first Pokedex.
2) Horizon Forbidden West
Developer - Guerrilla Games
Platforms - PlayStation 4 & 5
Release Date - February 18, 2022
Horizon Forbidden West is the sequel to the critically acclaimed Horizon Zero Dawn. Players will again control Aloy in a visually striking post-apocalyptic western United States infested with dangerous machines.
Aloy will be venturing into the mysterious frontier of the Forbidden West to explore the source of a mysterious plague.
3) Elden Ring
Developer - FromSoftware
Platforms - Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox One & Series X|S
Release Date - February 25, 2022
Elden Ring has won the "Most Anticipated Game" twice in a row at The Game Awards. Players are eagerly awaiting the fantastical open world conceived by both Hidetaka Miyazaka and George R. R. Martin.
The game is set in the Lands Between after the destruction of the mythical Elden Ring. The world will be filled with terrifying creatures and quests while the player sets out on a quest to unify the Elden Ring.
4) Stray
Developer - BlueTwelve Studio
Platforms - Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 & 5
Release Date - 2022
Stray is a third-person adventure game where the player takes control of a stray cat who roams around a gameworld with open world elements. The trailers focussed on the atmosphere and exploration aspect of the game.
In this timeline, robots are the ones in power on the planet. Players will roam around, solve puzzles and investigate this new world while being helped by a small drone called B12.
5) Saints Row
Developer - Volition
Platforms - Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox One & Series X|S
Release Date - August 23, 2022
The upcoming entry to the Saints Row franchise will reboot the series. The reboot will be situated in the fictional city of Santo Ileso. The trailer showcases action-packed gameplay with guns and gangs razing through the streets.
Players will take on the role of The Boss and will get control of a new gang to build up.
6) Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
Developer - Rocksteady Studios
Platforms - Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Release Date - 2022
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is an open-world action adventure game set in Metropolis and continuing in the Akham universe. The game features the anti-hero group of criminals, Suicide Squad, as they try to defeat Braniac, who has brainwashed and taken control of the Justice League.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League has four playable characters - Captain Boomerang, Deadshot, Harley Quinn and King Shark.
7) Starfield
Developer - Bethesda Game Studios
Platforms - Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X|S
Release Date - November 11, 2022
Bethesda's Starfield is a highly anticipated action RPG set in space. This is the first new intellectual property for the developers in twenty five years and has been described as a next-generation experience set in a world, The Settled Systems, around fifty light years away from our Solar System.
Fans will be eagerly awaiting to drop into Bethesda's take on the space genre.
8) Sonic Frontiers
Developer - Sonic Team
Platforms - Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series One & X|S, PlayStation 4 & 5, Nintendo Switch
Release Date - Q4 2022
This is going to be the first time that a Sonic the Hedgehog game will feature open world gameplay. The players will be able to explore the different biomes, like flower fields, forests and ruins, of the Starfall Islands as the blue speedster.
9) Gran Turismo 7
Developer - Polyphony Digital
Platforms - PlayStation 4 & 5
Release Date - March 4, 2022
The much anticipated Gran Turismo 7 will be the eighth mainline installment in the series. There has been multiple teasers regarding the number of cars and the features of the new game.
Gran Turismo 7 will possibly be featuring a deeper career and may have the Deep Forest Raceway and Apricot Hill Raceway. Fans are already considering the upcoming game as a perfect entry to the GT franchise.
10) God of War Ragnarok
Developer - Santa Monica Studio
Platforms - PlayStation 4 & 5
Release Date - 2022
God of War Ragnarok is the sequel to the Norse mythology based God of War 2018. With a looming Fimbulwinter threatening Ragnarok, the game will be situated in ancient Scandinavia and will have the protagonists Kratos and his son Atreus.
Ragnarok was originally supposed to be released in 2021 but got delayed due to the pandemic's impact on development.
Honorable mention - The untitled sequel to Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has been a no-show at the year ending ceremonies. Although it has been quietly listed on Amazon, fans are waiting for further information.
Recent reports suggest that the game will be delayed until Spring 2023, due to release congestion and possibly developmental difficulties.
[The list is not ranked and reflects the author's personal opinion.]
