As the weather heats up, that can only mean one thing: summer is coming. And with summer brings the return of E3, one of the biggest gaming conventions. Typically, E3 is where developers unveil new gameplay footage, announce upcoming projects, or reveal release dates for new games.
Nearing the halfway point of 2021, gamers have already had a pretty good year. We’ve suited up as Agent 47 again in Hitman 3, stole more hearts with the Phantom Thieves in Persona 5 Strikers, and snapped a few photos in New Pokémon Snap. Even though there’s been a few delay announcements this year (looking at you, Hogwarts Legacy), there’s still plenty on the 2021 horizon. Certain games, like Ratchet & Clank, we already know when we’ll dive in. But some heavy hitters still don’t have hard release dates this year, so here’s hoping these games get shipped by the end of 2021.
10 Battlefield 6
During the recent EA earnings call, the publisher broke the news that not only will Battlefield 6 be defined as a “definitive next-gen experience”, but also confirmed it will release by the end of the year. Based on that piece of news, we can bet that EA will fully unveil Battlefield 6 at E3 in June.
At this time, there is no confirmed information on the time period or setting of the upcoming shooter, though rumors have circulated on possibly returning to a more modern setting. In addition, there’s a possibility Battlefield will jump into the battle royale arena. Fans of the series are hurting for a new entry, as the last major release was Battlefield 5 in 2018.
9 Call of Duty
In a similar case, Activision dropped hot news on the next Call of Duty game. The publisher confirmed that Sledgehammer Games is the lead developer and the game will release sometime this fall. The time period and setting haven’t been revealed just yet, but fans have already begun speculating on the possibility of returning to World War 2.
However, things aren’t necessarily all sunshine and rainbows. According to Jeff Grubb, Activision might choose to cut multiplayer from Call of Duty 2021 due to issues arising in the developmental process. Plus with how popular the battle royale mode Warzone has become, it wouldn’t be a total loss if the publisher decided to go that route. Regardless, we could be in store for a classic Call of Duty versus Battlefield smackdown to close out 2021.
8 Horizon Forbidden West
When Horizon Zero Dawn was scheduled to release mere days before the Nintendo Switch and Zelda: Breath of the Wild, it wasn’t looking good for Sony’s newest heroine. Well, the complete opposite happened. Aloy’s journey into discovering the secrets of her world, exploring beautiful landscapes, while also battling robotic dinosaurs, was a surreal experience that surprised many. It’s no surprise Guerrilla Games announced a sequel scheduled for a fall release.
Horizon Forbidden West picks up at the end of Zero Dawn with Aloy still discovering new wonders. Early gameplay footage showed Aloy traversing overgrown lands and submerging under the sea. In a recent Wired article, Guerrilla studio director Angie Smets praised the DualSense haptic features and how it affects gameplay. Be sure to expect more Horizon Forbidden West news during E3 in June.
7 Rainbow Six Quarantine
In its earnings call, publisher and developer Ubisoft cracked open the lid a bit on its future plans. Ubisoft stated the company will apply more focus on free-to-play projects based on existing Ubisoft franchises. Some have incorrectly translated this as saying the company is cutting back on its bigger triple-A titles, but that’s not the case. Ubisoft is still dedicated to its large franchises, which include Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six.
There’s not much known about the next instalment in the series, other than it’s not named Parasite as it was previously referred to. Ubisoft also stated Rainbox Six Quarantine is on track to release during this fiscal year, which could be anywhere from this upcoming fall to April 2022.
6 Far Cry 6
When the news broke that renowned actor Giancarlo Esposito was appearing in Far Cry 6, the hype train went into overdrive. It wasn’t until its inevitable delay out of February that the buzz began to die down. During its earnings call, Ubisoft stated Far Cry 6 will release during this fiscal year, meaning, sometime between this fall and April 2022.
However, there could be other problems that might potentially derail Far Cry 6’s development. Earlier this year, senior game designer Marc McGinley left Ubisoft and the project. It’s unknown whether his departure will cause any further hiccups, but it’s worth noting with E3 right around the corner there’s a good chance Ubisoft will reveal more information about its upcoming releases.
5 Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl
Earlier this year, Game Freak surprisingly announced that the developer was working on a remake of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. Dubbed Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, these remakes will reimagine the Sinnoh region will enhanced graphics and gameplay. While fans are certainly excited about revisiting Sinnoh, some hope Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl focus more on the combined, definitive Platinum edition. Regardless, it’ll be another exciting pocket monster adventure.
4 Halo Infinite
What was meant to be the flagship title leading the Xbox Series last fall, Halo Infinite is now looked at as a possible saving grace for the newly released console. When gameplay footage was first revealed last summer, fans were taken back at how the graphics didn’t look anything close to being next-gen. 343 Industries made the hard, but right decision in delaying Master Chief’s next-gen adventure to Holiday 2021.
Since the disastrous unveiling last summer, the studio has remained mum on Halo Infinite. Recently, the developer released updated stills of the game, though fans struggled in seeing if any real difference was made. 343 Industries is looking to build off the critical success of Halo 5, which holds a Metacritic score of 84.
3 God of War: Ragnarok
The decision to bring back the god-killing Kratos wasn’t that bold. What was bold was redesigning the entire gameplay structure compared to the original series. Santa Monica Studios created a traditional third-person action game, which was a step away from the more frenzy hack n’ slash style.
Another big change was in its narrative approach. Instead of remaking the entire series and have Kratos annihilate the Greek gods again, he’s going toe-to-toe with Norse gods. That’s right, folks, Kratos battling the God of Thunder himself, Thor, is definitely happening in God of War: Ragnarok. The problem is we still don’t know when that’ll be. For right now, Ragnarok is slated for Holiday 2021, but given that only a title screen has been revealed (maybe something at E3?) there’s a fair chance it’ll get pushed back into next year.
2 Ghostwire: Tokyo
The mysterious game from Tango Gameworks is still on tap for a 2021 release. While there hasn’t been any newly released footage, hopefully, that’ll change come E3 and we really see what Ghostwire: Tokyo is all about. Earlier this year, Microsoft made the stunning acquisition of ZeniMax Media, and subsequently, Tango Gameworks. Although Microsoft bought the studio, Ghostwire: Tokyo will remain a PS5 timed exclusive. Not much is known about Tango’s next game, though this is the studio that developed The Evil Within so that could be looked at for reference. But good news: you can pet the dog in Ghostwire: Tokyo.
1 Elden Ring
The most anticipated game, ironically, is also the most likely to get pushed back into 2022. FromSoftware’s Elden Ring looks to be the high level of intense gameplay and compelling story that’s apparent in all the developer’s Dark Souls games. Now, it’s been two years since Elden Ring was first announced so there is a small sliver of hope that it makes a return at E3.
Even if more footage is shown, FromSoftware’s parent company, Kadokawa Corporation, recently stated that the game may not arrive until the early parts of 2022 before the end of the current fiscal year. For now, Elden Ring remains an enigma in the games industry, one that fans are eager to get their hands on, hopefully, this year.
NEXT: 10 Delayed Games That Still Aren’t Out In 2021
