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2021 was a great year for Xbox users, with new consoles, the arrival of Forza Horizon 5 and Halo Infinite, and more games coming to the ever-popular Xbox Game Pass. The subscription service has become highly sought after with a library filled with old and new games.
It seems like the new year will be more of the same for Xbox users as a number of major titles are slated to arrive in 2022. With the acquisition of Bethesda, Starfield is going to be one of the many AAA titles that will be exclusive to Xbox (and PC) users.
5 games that Xbox players will be excited to get their hands on in 2022
The list is a mixture of Xbox exclusives and other games that are set to be released in 2022. While some have specific release dates, others are yet to be confirmed, but will be out sometime during the year.
Xbox games in 2022 that are hotly anticipated
- S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl
- Hellblade II: Senua's Saga
- A Plague Tale: Requiem
- Starfield
- Elden Ring
1) S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl
Developer - GSC Game World
Platforms - Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X|S
Release Date - April 28, 2022
The upcoming first-person shooter game, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl, will be the fourth in the series and the first to be released on consoles. The game comes 13 years after Call of Pripyat.
The trailer showcases a dark post-apocalyptic world infested with terrifying abominations. The game focuses on horror and survival mechanics, just like its predecessors.
It will also be one of the first games to use the brand new Unreal Engine 5. The game will be available on Xbox Game Pass at launch.
2) Hellblade II: Senua's Saga
Developer - Ninja Theory
Platforms - Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X|S
Release Date - 2022
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice took players on a psychological journey with a schizophrenic protagonist in the lands of Norse mythology. The game provided a surreal experience of grief, loss and horror with hack-and-slash action and puzzle solving mechanics.
The much-anticipated sequel was first announced at The Game Awards 2019. A gameplay trailer was dropped at the recently-concluded 2021 edition of the awards show. It showcases Senua and her cohort attempting to hunt a giant. Unfortunately, while the developers have said Hellblade II: Senua's Saga will release in 2022, they are yet to confirm a date.
3) A Plague Tale: Requiem
Developer - Asobo Studio
Platforms - Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch
Release Date - 2022
A Plague Tale: Innocence saw protagonists Amicia and Hugo leave with their ailing mother in search of a new place to stay after defeating Vitalis. The original was praised for its thoughtful characters, immersive story and the visuals. The sequel looks set to pick up where the original left off.
The sequel's most-recent trailer, which was revealed at The Game Awards 2021, showed, among other things, colorful flower beds and sailing on ships. Amicia appears with a crossbow as familiar faces such as Lucas make a return. As with Hellblade II, A Plague Tale: Requiem does not have a concrete release date except that it will be released sometime this year.
4) Starfield
Developer - Bethesda Game Studios
Platforms - Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X|S
Release Date - November 11, 2022
The first new IP by Bethesda in 25 years, Starfield has been touted by director Todd Howard as "Skyrim in space." The game takes place in The Settled Systems in the 24th century AD.
Players will take up the role of a customisable character who is a member of an organization of space explorers. Given that it will be Bethesda Game Studios' first single-player role-playing game since 2015's Fallout 4, Starfield is arguably the biggest Xbox exclusive of the year.
5) Elden Ring
Developer - FromSoftware
Platforms - Microsoft Windows, Xbox One & Series X|S, PlayStation 4 & 5
Release Date - February 25, 2022
Elden Ring won "Most Anticipated Game" at The Game Awards twice in a row. It will be set in a world created by legendary game designer Hidetaka Miyazaki, known for soulslike games such as Dark Souls and Bloodborne, and novelist George R. R. Martin, of Game of Thrones fame.
In the game, you play as the Tarnished - exiles from the Lands Between. The titular Elden Ring has been mysteriously shattered and its shards scattered across the place.
Players have to find all the Great Runes to restore the Elden Ring and proclaim themselves the Elden lord. Fans of the Dark Souls franchise have been itching for a sequel, and for them, Elden Ring's release date cannot arrive come enough.
