2020 was quite a year, but we’re all hoping the world can recover from its disasters in 2021. One thing that will help is all the video games we are anticipating. Plenty of them already have announced release dates, but a large handful are still mysteriously absent from a release window.
The ten games listed below do not even have a release window, which is surprising considering some of them have been in development for several years. As bad as we want these, the developers should not feel rushed and should only release the game when it is ready. No one wants another Cyberpunk 2077 debacle.
10 Beyond Good And Evil 2
Michel Ancel has left Ubisoft and the gaming industry, but before his departure, he assured fans that Beyond Good and Evil 2 is still deep in development. Despite this minor update, we still have no indication of when the game will possibly come out. If they still plan on releasing on PS4 and Xbox One, then it will have to reasonably come out within the next two years. Once everyone who wants one has a PS5 and Series X, there will be no reason for last-gen versions.
9 Avowed
All Obsidian Entertainment has shown from Avowed is a CG trailer and confirmation of its connection to Pillars of Eternity. With the full force of Microsoft supporting the studio, we imagine they will take all the time they need to craft the best open-world RPG they can. The Outer Worlds was a tighter experience than other open-world games like Fallout: New Vegas. Here’s hoping that tightness remains in Avowed, only in a larger environment.
8 System Shock 3
The System Shock franchise is extremely influential to the first-person genre. Every immersive sim or first-person shooter with RPG elements owes a debt to the first two games in this series. With this in mind, the sequel from Night Dive studios has a lot to live up to.
A demo was released in May, so at least some parts of the game are in a working state. Some demos still come out years before the final product, however, and the feedback from it might actually extend development.
7 Stalker 2
Ukrainian developer GSC Game World created one of the most unique FPS experiences of the decade with 2007’s Stalker. Fans were able to look past the technical issues to appreciate the unique mechanics, environment, and story influenced by Boris and Arkady Strugatsky’s novel Roadside Picnic. With the sequel having been announced with Microsoft’s support several months ago, we fully expect a smoother Stalker experience from the second title.
6 Bright Memory Infinite
It is hard to believe, but apparently Bright Memory Infinite is being made by one person. A small playable sample has been released and it reveals an extremely hectic shooter, almost feeling like a first-person version of Devil May Cry or Bayonetta. If the game is really being made by only one person, a full version will take several more years. However, we wouldn’t mind if the sole creator received some help in exchange for quicker development.
5 Starfield
One of the biggest pieces of gaming news this year was Microsoft’s acquisition of Bethesda. The company’s upcoming game, Starfield, will likely be exclusive to the console, or at least come to Microsoft consoles first. On one hand, the game seems years away. At the same time, Bethesda has been known to show off a game at a press conference and announce a release date only six months later or so. It is possible to see more of Starfield in a few months with a fall release date.
4 Bayonetta 3
Platinum Games always seems to have their hands full, yet they manage to pump out a steady stream of quality titles. Bayonetta 3 was announced back in 2017 alongside the Nintendo Switch, and we have received almost no updates on it other than its continued existence.
Is the developer planning to significantly switch things up, or does it really take this long to perfect and refine the mechanics and level design? Four years might be just the amount of time they need, however.
3 Hollow Knight: Silksong
The first Hollow Knight came out in 2017, perfecting the Metroidvania formula and standing head and shoulders above other games with a similar format. While it was initially a DLC expansion for Hollow Knight, it was expanded to a full sequel in 2019. However, developer Team Cherry has not updated fans on progress. Given their independent status, the developer is in no rush to please investors.
2 Metroid Prime 4
Announced in 2017, development restarted in 2019 when the project was transferred over to Retro Studios, the company that developed the original Metroid Prime trilogy. Because the game has only been in development for less than two years, it is hard to believe it will come out in 2021. However, if the team has had a vision at the ready, it is possible for the development time to be shorter than expected.
1 Breath Of The Wild Sequel
Breath of the Wild set the world on fire when launched alongside the Nintendo Switch in 2017. The sequel is set to utilize the same open-world environment, which makes it all the more surprising that we have not heard a peep of new information about it since its 2019 announcement. Whatever the developer is planning, they have a large legacy to live up to, considering the impact the most recent mainline Zelda has had on gaming.
