Skip to main content

Save your money: 2022 is going to be gaming’s next big year

It’s no secret that 2021 has been a quiet year for gaming. While the indie scene has been as active and exciting as ever, larger studios have had to delay their biggest games, largely due to development challenges posed by having people work form home. While we’ve seen some high-profile hits like Deathloop and Resident Evil Village this year, many of 2021’s most anticipated titles ended up moving to 2022.

If you feel like you haven’t played many new games this year, that’s about to change. As it stands, 2022 is shaping up to be the biggest year in gaming since 2017.

Related Videos

That statement might elicit some initial eye rolls. Gamers tend to make that claim at the start of any given year. With so many major studios churning out major releases, any year can look good on paper. The reality is that not all of those games end up being good; the hype cycle is always viewed through rose-colored glasses. Games like Kingdom Hearts 3 drummed up excitement heading into 2019, but ultimately ended up slipping off the radar come “game of the year” season. And don’t even get me started about Cyberpunk 2077.

Kratos in God of War Ragnarok.

Pandemic upsets routine

Companies also tend to drop aspirational release dates for games that they can’t always keep. Sony originally claimed God of War: Ragnarok was coming in 2021, which felt like a laughably unrealistic goal designed to better sell the then-upcoming PlayStation 5 in 2020. Delays ultimately gutted 2021’s schedule, though for good reason. The challenges of developing games during a pandemic added extra complexity to an already complicated process. We’re lucky that any major releases that involved tens of thousands of moving parts came out at all.

The 2021 spillover is exactly what’s driving 2022’s overly packed schedule. Games that were supposed to be huge holiday hits this year will now launch early next year, and that’s creating a bizarre change in how we’re used to seeing games launch. Generally, September through November is the busiest time of any given year, as companies release their biggest games in a few densely packed months. That lets them end the year on a strong financial note, buoyed by parents who need to get gifts for their kids during the holidays. After that, the industry goes into hibernation for a few months before picking back up.

A giant battle in Elden Ring.

Instead, January and February 2022 look more like what you’d expect from the fall season. The year is set to kick off with three heavy hitters: Elden Ring, Rainbow Six Extraction, and Pokémon Legends: Arceus. That momentum keeps rolling in February with Horizon: Forbidden West, Destiny 2: The Witch Queen, Saints Row, and Dying Light 2 Stay Human. March is already stacking the deck, too, with Gran Turismo 7, Kirby and the Forgotten City, Marvel Midnight Suns, and Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands leading the pack.

And that’s only the first three months.

A stacked lineup

We’re essentially going to get two year’s worth of games compressed into one. We won’t see the usual dry spells as publishers wait to release their biggest games; it’s going to be a free-for-all. Just look at what else is on tap for 2022: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2, Bayonetta 3, Splatoon 3, God of War: Ragnarok, Redfall, Gotham Knights, Ghostwire Tokyo, Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, a brand new Sonic game … and that’s barely scratching the surface. This doesn’t include promising indies like Stray, niche titles like Triangle Strategy, or whatever big titles will get a surprise reveal at next year’s E3.

Link runs across Hyrule in the sequel to Breath of the Wild.

Naturally, not all of these games will be released as planned. Just as is the case in any year, some of the biggest titles will be bumped around and wind up in 2023. I’d put money on games like Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora quietly slipping off the calendar. Even still, a third of these titles could move to 2023 and we’d still be looking at a year that’s bound to gum up backlogs.

While the social lockdowns of 2020 got more people gaming than ever before, it wasn’t the best time to introduce fans to the medium. The game release cycle quickly started slowing down as studios simply couldn’t capitalize on the momentum. That’s going to change in 2022. Start budgeting now.

Editors' Recommendations

The best mobile games of 2022: 6 must-download titles from a shockingly great year
A character from Lucky Luna stands in front of text that says 2022 Best Mobile Games.

Mobile games have a bad reputation due to many games on the platform utilizing overwhelming microtransactions and other questionable features meant to squeeze the most play time and money out of players. Despite that, plenty of awesome games still emerge on mobile platforms -- ones that don't use those practices at all. In fact, 2022 was a fantastic year for gaming as companies like Netflix and Apple continued to invest heavily in the space with more traditional video games.

As such, those who write off mobile gaming might have missed some truly great games that came out this year. If you're looking for some new mobile games to play when you're bored or need to kill some time, we recommend giving the following six 2022 standouts a shot.
Marvel Snap (iOS, Android)

Read more
The best video game narratives of 2022: 7 stories we’re still thinking about
Art from Pentiment sits in front test that says The Best Video Narratives of 2022.

When this year’s Game Awards nominations were first revealed, the Best Narrative category sparked a bit of discourse. Nominees included giant games you’d expect like God of War Ragnarok, but one pick stood out: Elden Ring. Some were left scratching their heads considering that story isn’t front and center in the fantasy epic, while others defended the choice citing the game’s deep lore and worldbuilding.

There’s a specific reason that the moment was so divisive, though: 2022 was filled with experiences that raised the bar for video game storytelling. Elden Ring’s inclusion almost felt like it was doing a disservice to an excellent year for game narratives, taking a spot from other (often smaller) titles that built equally rich worlds while still having something profound to say about our own.

Read more
The best live service games of 2022: 10 ongoing games we couldn’t stop playing
A Sea of Thieves skeleton sits in front of text that says 2022 Best Live Service Games.

Some games are meant to be played once, savored, and then shelved for the next one -- not unlike a book or a movie. But many other games are meant to be played and replayed over a long period of time, offering wildly different experiences each time you sit down and boot them up. There were many ongoing games to pick from in 2022, a lot of which include live service elements like online multiplayer, microtransactions, and regular content updates -- though not all are worth investing your time into.

Even though there are plenty of stinkers out there to avoid, there were also several ongoing games that kept our attention in 2022, ranging across several genres. From globe-trotting online roleplaying games to far simpler games you can play at a café bench, here are 10 games that set the bar for live service in 2022.
Fortnite

Read more