The second half of 2022 once looked barren for video game releases. With the recent delay of Starfield, Redfall, and Breath of the Wild 2, some of the year’s biggest games suddenly became next year’s biggest games.
But don’t despair. As the year goes on, more games are being announced that have the potential to become smash hits. The next few months of 2022 are still bringing plenty of intriguing games, even if Zelda fans are still nursing their wounds. Here are the most exciting games to look forward to this summer and fall.
June 2022
Card Shark
June 2 (Switch, PC)
One of the year’s most intriguing indies, Card Shark casts you as an 18th-century French fraudster working your way up the social ladder. It looks like an interesting twist on card games, where the goal is to be a convincing cheat rather than a strategic player.
Diablo Immortal
June 2 (iOS, Android, PC)
As Blizzard recently announced, its upcoming mobile game Diablo Immortal is also launching in Open Beta on PC. We won’t know until launch exactly how the hack-and-slash classic pulls off its leap to mobile, but early impressions are positive.
Mario Strikers: Battle League
June 10 (Switch)
The soccer-inspired Mario Strikers series was never the most popular Mario sports title, but they’re excellent games worthy of a comeback. Mario Strikers: Battle League looks like the best entry yet, with flashy new moves on the field and an online multiplayer league.
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes
June 24 (Switch)
Building off the Fire Emblem Warriors musou game, Three Hopes tells an alternate timeline version of Three Houses. Just like in that tactical RPG, you can choose from three storylines, one for each of the game’s warring houses.
July 2022
F1 22
July 1 (PlayStation, Xbox, PC)
Unlike Forza Horizon’s car-filled open world, the F1 series is focused on shorter, contained races at ridiculous speeds. Changes to car specs in real-world Formula 1 racing find their way into F1 22, with upgraded handling mechanics and physics.
Live a Live
July 22 (Nintendo Switch)
Live a Live was only ever released in Japan, but now players worldwide get to experience it. Remade in Square Enix’s signature “HD-2D” style, Live a Live follows seven different protagonists across time and space for a unique, sprawling turn-based RPG adventure.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3
July 29 (Switch)
Xenoblade Chronicles fans are already hyped, but even series newcomers shouldn’t ignore Xenoblade Chronicles 3. Its combat is a nice mix of real-time action with menu commands (like last year’s Tales of Arise) and its sprawling story should work as both a standalone epic and a continuation of what’s come before.
August 2022
Two Point Campus
August 9 (PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, PC)
Two Point Campus takes the surreal management sim Two Point Hospital and puts you in charge of a university instead. If management games are usually a little too dry for you, Two Point Campus may be more your speed.
Cult of the Lamb
August 11 (PlayStation, PC)
One of the year’s most anticipated indie games lets you run a cult, but a cute one! Playing as an adorable little lamb, you’ll provide a nice home for your followers to live and work on — then harvest their prayers to feed an elder god.
Saints Row
August 23 (PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, PC)
At launch, the original Saints Row was mostly seen as a Grand Theft Auto knockoff. Since then, it’s grown into its own distinct, much wackier series. The rebooted Saints Row is going back to a more grounded approach but keeping the series’ wild character customization intact.
Soul Hackers 2
August 26 (PlayStation, Xbox, PC)
Souls Hackers 2 is a sequel to a sequel of a spinoff of Shin Megami Tensei. Still with us? The important thing is it’s a cyberpunk-adjacent take on Devil Summoners, with all that series’ demonic weirdness intact. Like the rest of the SMT family tree, it features turn-based combat and mountains of lore.
Immortality
August 30 (Xbox, PC)
Originally slated for July, the next game from the creator of Her Story and Telling Lies continues those games’ distinctive investigative style. It challenges players to piece together the trail of a missing actress by sifting clues out of searchable film clips.
September 2022
The Last of Us Part 1
September 2 (PS5)
This remake of The Last of Us brings it up to speed with its sequel with updates that take advantage of the PlayStation 5. Along with improved graphics and gameplay, it includes the excellent DLC Left Behind.
Splatoon 3
September 9 (Switch)
The Nintendo Switch seems like an odd place for a competitive shooter, but when it’s as cute as Splatoon, it makes sense. The much-anticipated Splatoon 3 offers an expanded story mode and all kinds of new toys for multiplayer.
Valkyrie Elysium
September 29 (PlayStation)
The next entry in the seemingly dormant Valkyrie Profile series was a recent surprise announcement from Square Enix. Valkyrie Elysium is an action RPG with flashy, magic-infused combat. It launches alongside a remaster of Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth, a PSP port of the original classic.
October 2022
Overwatch 2
October 4 (PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, PC)
After an extremely long wait, Overwatch 2 is finally coming. It will replace the original Overwatch entirely when it launches, bringing new characters, modes, and maps. Some controversial changes have long-time players worried, while others call them sorely needed.
Forspoken
October 11 (PS5, PC)
Square Enix’s upcoming action RPG is one of the biggest games left on this year’s calendar, and it’s something of a wild card. Forspoken already sparked controversy for its less-than-ideal handling of its Black female protagonist and gameplay details remain scarce.
Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope
October 20 (Switch)
A turn-based tactical game starring Mario may sound like a disaster on paper, but the first Mario + Rabbids was so good it’s getting a sequel. Movement on the battlefield is more fluid in Sparks of Hope, and combatants can bring all kinds of new gadgets and weapons to the fight.
Gotham Knights
October 25 (Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC)
A recent gameplay trailer revealed Gotham Knights’ multiplayer combat and loot system. It’s sure to get plenty of attention from fans of DC heroes and the Arkham Batman games.
Bayonetta 3
October 28 (Switch)
After years of anticipation, Bayonetta fans finally get the sequel they’ve been craving. Bayonetta 3 includes the new Naive Angel mode to make it a touch less risqué, but the series’ signature ultra-stylish gunplay remains intact.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II
October 28 (PlayStation, Xbox, PC)
The sequel to 2019’s Modern Warfare (and the second game called Modern Warfare 2) puts fan-favorite characters like Soap and Price back in action. Unlike some recent CoD games, its PC launch is landing on Steam, rather than Battle.net.
November 2022
Harvestella
November 4 (Switch, PC)
One of the most exciting reveals from a recent Nintendo Indies showcase, Harvestella looks like Square Enix’s take on Stardew Valley. Along with the farming and relationship-building you expect from life sims, it has a seasonal cycle that drastically changes the world and seems to have more fleshed-out combat.
Skull & Bones
November 8 (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC)
So it’s a real game after all. Launching after years in development hell and several course changes, Skull & Bones is a swashbuckling multiplayer pirate game with heavy Sea of Thieves vibes.
God of War Ragnarok
November 9 (PlayStation)
As 2022 wore on, it seemed more and more likely that God of War Ragnarok was getting delayed. Fortunately, it’s due for this year after all, giving fans another chance to catch up with Kratos and Atreus’ extreme version of family therapy.
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
November 18 (Switch)
It’s shaping up to be a great year for Pokémon fans. First Pokémon Legends: Arceus launched in January. Now, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are set to bring Arceus’ open world into the mainline series.
December 2022
The Callisto Protocol
December 2 (PlayStation, Xbox, PC)
The Callisto Protocol is a return to sci-fi horror from the creator of Dead Space. Along with its impressive pedigree, its intense survival-horror mechanics set it apart from the crowd of spooky space games coming soon.
Dragon Quest Treasures
December 9 (Switch)
This Dragon Quest spinoff follows Mia and Erik, two shady siblings from Dragon Quest XI. Dragon Quest Treasures plays much differently from the main series, featuring real-time combat and treasure hunting rather than Dragon Quest’s typical turn-based battles.
Given all the delays this year, any of these titles could slip from its intended release date. Still, there’s enough on the schedule to make the wait for the heavy hitters of 2023 a lot easier to take.
