2021 was a great year for games, but 2022 is shaping up to be even better. Whether you’re diving into the next generation of gaming with a PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X or still playing on older consoles, there are more than enough games to keep you entertained throughout the year. With a calendar chock full of new games to play, we’ve crafted a list of the most anticipated games of 2022. We’ve done our best to offer a variety of games with different genres, making sure to hit every major home console along the way. Between the new IPs from popular developers and long-delayed sequels finally hitting store shelves, there are tons of games we can’t wait to play in 2022. In case you haven’t been paying too much attention to the upcoming release calendar, here’s a list of our most anticipated games of 2022, listed in no particular order!
5. Dying Light 2 Stay Human
The first Dying Light was a surprise hit when it came out in 2015, combining a survival-horror structure with first-person gameplay and parkour-style movement. Rich with content and an enjoyable crafting system, the game was received well by both critics and players, with a sequel expected soon after. Although the sequel was first announced in 2018, several delays pushed it back, with this big-budget successor finally coming out in 2022. Set 20 years after the events of the first game, Dying Light 2 takes us to a massive metropolis simply known as the City, where we’ll have to contend against both human and zombie enemies. Playable as either a solo adventure or in four-player online co-op, Dying Light 2 is looking like one of the best cooperative titles set to release in 2022. After a few years of waiting, we’re hyped to play this zombie-filled action game, as it’s easily one of our most anticipated games of 2022.
Release Date: February 4, 2022
Available on: Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Windows PC
4. Starfield
Bethesda Game Studios has a solid reputation among RPG fans, with their massively popular games Skyrim and Fallout 4 being some of the best-selling games of all time. Instead of whipping up another sequel, Bethesda is looking to the stars for their next project, offering a brand new game called Starfield. Like their other projects, Starfield will be an expansive RPG, playable in either first-person or third-person, where players explore the Milky Way Galaxy and uncover interstellar secrets along the way. If Starfield is anything like Bethesda’s other games, we can expect an abundance of quests, lots of unique items and weapons to find, and hundreds of hours of gameplay. If Starfield lives up to the hype, it should be a game we’re playing for several years to come.
Release Date: November 11, 2022
Available on: Xbox Series X/S and Windows PC
3. Saints Row
Back in 2006, the first Saint’s Row game was released on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, giving the Grand Theft Auto franchise a run for its money. Full of wacky characters, outrageous action, and an irreverent tone, Saint’s Row became a hit, with multiple sequels coming out in the following years. However, after 7 years with no new releases, it was looking like the series was done for good. Defying all odds, developer Volition recently announced Saints Row, a back-to-basics reboot that puts players in control of an upcoming game in the excitable city of Santo Ileso. If all goes according to plan, we’ll be blasting through rival gangs, completing silly side activities, and rising up the ladder of crime when the game drops later this year.
Release Date: August 23, 2022
Available on: Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Windows PC
2. The Legend of Zelda: The Breath of the Wild 2
There’s no denying the popularity that The Legend of Zelda: The Breath of the Wild garnered when it came out in 2017. Despite the long history of the Zelda franchise, many gamers argued that Breath of the Wild was the best game in the series. Luckily, those fans will get another trip into the wild open world of Hyrule, as the sequel to The Breath of the Wild is slated for release sometime in 2022. While not much is known about the plot, it’ll likely continue the story of Link, a timeless hero who must battle against an evil villain known as Ganon. Based on the available trailers, it looks like the sequel will introduce some new gameplay mechanics as well, with the potential of time travel, flying, and more. Hopefully, the game doesn’t run into any delays, as it’s one of our most anticipated games of 2022.
Release Date: 2022
Available on: Nintendo Switch
1. Elden Ring
Developer FromSoftware has been making action/adventure games that boast extreme levels of difficulty for decades, with their 2009 breakout hit Demon’s Souls pushing gamers to their limits. After the successful Dark Souls franchise and other games like Bloodborne and Sekiro, FromSoftware is finally taking their formula into the realm of open-world gameplay. In Elden Ring, you’ll play as an exiled soldier known as the Tarnished, who returns to the fantastical landscape of the Lands Between to locate and retrieve the long-lost Great Runes. With tons of deadly enemies and environmental hazards standing between you and your destiny, Elden Ring will undoubtedly provide a challenge. Thanks to its combat mechanics that encourage player freedom, gorgeous map full of interesting locations, and supremely intimidating bosses, this long-awaited title is definitely one of our most anticipated games of 2022. Best of all, we won’t have to wait very long to play it!
Release Date: February 25, 2022
Available on: Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Windows PC
