The impact of the coronavirus pandemic over the last two years has seen developer studios worldwide forced to delay the release of games which players have been hankering after for some time; with some of the biggest video game releases in recent years set to now fall in 2022.
Among the video games finally set to arrive in 2022 are Dying Light 2: Stay Human, God of War: Ragnarök, Grand Turismo 7 and Horizon Forbidden West, with many more sequels, franchise instalments and new arrivals due to land over the next few months.
With 2022 already off to an exciting year for video games following the release of Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction and the arrival of God of War on PC, keeping track of which games are coming out, on what consoles and when, can be quite the challenge.
While the release dates of some major video game launches are just days away from arriving on PC and consoles, with Pokémon Legends: Arceus coming out on Nintendo Switch later this week, others are still months away – and could be delayed even further as the risk of rushing games looms large after the anti-climactic launches of Cyberpunk 2077 in 2020 and Battlefield 2042 last autumn.
We whittled down the many games due to be released this year to find some of the biggest video games releases in 2022, ordered here by their release date or estimated launch date, and what to expect as we await their arrival.
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With 2022 already off to an exciting year for video games following the release of Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction and the arrival of God of War on PC, keeping track of which games are coming out, on what consoles and when, can be quite the challenge.
5. Elden Ring
Elden Ring is one of the most eagerly awaited releases of 2022, with the open-world RPG by FromSoftware set in the Lands Between - a mythical landscape conjured up by Dark Souls and Demon Souls series creator Hidetaka Miyazaki and Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin - where parts of the shattered Elden Ring must be reassembled. Set to be released on Friday February 25 2022 on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 4 and 5, Elden Ring reportedly maintains a Soulslike appeal, making it perfect for Dark Souls fans as players are required to become adept in combat skills to defeat the monsters lurking in the Lands Between. Photo: IGDB
6. Evil Dead: The Game
Evil Dead: The Game offers an epically gory, nostalgia-filled addition to the Evil Dead original film and Starz TV franchise which is sure to delight fans. Coming sometime in February 2022, Evil Dead: The Game looks to be an entertaining, visual feast for horror gamers, with next-gen graphics, new dialogue from Bruce Campbell himself and classic locations like the cabin in the woods accessible through multiplayer co-op and PvP across PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, PC and Xbox consoles. Photo: IGDB/Saber Interactive
7. Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Kirby and the Forgotten Land takes the much-loved Nintendo character to new heights as it bounds around a mysterious, deserted world in 3D. The new Kirby game lets players leap through a wide range of colourful, abandoned landscapes and city structures in a fun platformer format. Kirby and the Forgotten Land will be released on Nintendo Switch on Friday March 25 2022. Photo: IGDB/HAL Laboratory
8. Grand Turismo 7
The long-awaited next edition of the landmark Grand Turismo franchise is coming in early March with the release of Gran Turismo 7. The real driving simulator lets drivers indulge in their racing dreams and design fantasies through features such as Livery Editor, Car Tuning and GT Auto, as well as revel in the re-release of the GT Simulation Mode where you can unlock new cars, build and tweak your collection and take on further driving challenges. Grand Turismo 7 is due to be released on PlayStation 4 and Playstation 5 on Friday March 4 2022. Photo: IGDB/Polyphony Digital