The 10 Most Anticipated Video Games Coming Out in 2022
Gamers everywhere will have their hands (and their libraries) full with plenty of new releases arriving in 2022. It’s slated to be a stacked year, as we can expect to see multiple long-awaited titles like Elden Ring and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 hit consoles in the coming months. Here are 10 of the most anticipated video games arriving in 2022 across all platforms.
‘Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction’ – Jan. 20
After three delays, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction has finally reached its release month. Serving as a spinoff to 2016’s Rainbow Six Siege, Extraction pits players against a parasitic alien race known as the Archaeans. The game’s multiplayer mode lets players work together to complete various missions in order to defeat the aliens.
Rainbow Six Extraction launches on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Google Stadia, and Amazon Luna on Jan. 20.
‘Dying Light 2: Stay Human’ – Feb. 4
Those who loved 2015’s Dying Light can look forward to Dying Light 2: Stay Human, arriving in February. The sequel picks up 20 years after the events of the first game and introduces a new lead character: Aiden Caldwell. Using various parkour skills to get around, players can explore a vast open-world map set in a post-apocalyptic world. Like Dying Light, certain decisions will affect which map areas open up.
Dying Light 2 arrives on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S on Feb. 4.
‘Horizon Forbidden West’ – Feb. 18
Horizon Zero Dawn fans can soon join the young hunter, Aloy, on another adventure. Horizon Forbidden West takes players on a journey through a post-apocalyptic yet breathtaking version of the United States’ west coast as Aloy sets out to find the cause of the world’s plague. There are several unique ecosystems to explore, but each one comes with dangerous creatures, machines, and weather.
Horizon Forbidden West will launch as a PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 exclusive on Feb. 18.
‘Elden Ring’ – Feb. 25
Back in December, Elden Ring took home The Game Award for Most Anticipated Game of 2022 — for the second year in a row. This action RPG was created with the help of fantasy writer George R.R. Martin, so Game of Thrones fans might want to give it a try. The game puts players in the shoes of a Tarnished, someone exiled from the Lands Between. They must find all the Great Runes shards in order to fix the Elden Ring.
Elden Ring hits PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S on Feb. 25.
‘Gran Turismo 7’ – March 4
Driving simulator fans can look forward to Gran Turismo 7, the eighth main installment in the Gran Turismo series. The newest game will combine beloved features of previous titles, such as GT Simulation Mode. This refined single-player campaign allows players to complete various challenges and unlock new cars. There’s also GT Sport Mode, which lets players race each other.
Gran Turismo 7 arrives on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 on March 4.
‘STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl’ – April 28
STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl is not only the first game in the series to hit consoles, but also the first STALKER game in 13 years, so it’s a pretty big deal. Players fight against deadly mutants as they hone their survival skills in an Eastern European post-apocalyptic world.
STALKER 2 launches on PC and Xbox Series X|S on April 28.
‘Starfield’ – Nov. 11
Another highly anticipated game arriving in 2022 is Starfield, Bethesda’s “first new universe in 25 years.” The space-themed action RPG takes place in the Settled Systems, 20 years after a massive war. Players join a group of space explorers known as the Constellation and set out to discover the secrets of the galaxy.
Starfield hits PC and Xbox Series X|S on Nov. 11.
‘The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’ sequel – Release date TBA
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 has been a hot topic among Nintendo fans for a few years. The game studio has remained radio silent on most of the open-world adventure sequel’s features — including its official name. For now, all fans have are two mysterious trailers and a release window of late 2022 on Nintendo Switch.
‘Splatoon 3’ – TBA
The newest installment in the popular Splatoon series, Splatoon 3, takes players to a desert called the Splatlands. They can choose between Inklings and Octolings as their characters and engage in a multiplayer turf war using colored ink. Nintendo promised to reveal more information on Splatoon 3 later, but it’s currently scheduled for release sometime in 2022.
‘God of War: Ragnarok’ – TBA
Finally, we have God of War: Ragnarök, which was pushed from 2021 to 2022 partially due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The ninth game in the God of War series follows Kratos and his son, Atreus, in Scandanavia during Ragnarök, a series of events that killed Norse gods.
God of War: Ragnarök arrives on PlayStation and PlayStation 5 sometime in 2022.
