We've been seeing a number of video game delays confirmed in 2022 so far. And as we approach the end of year, more announcements have seen some of the biggest new games for 2023 get pushed back. Most recently, we've seen the upcoming release of Dead Island 2 get delayed by 12 weeks, with the expected February 2023 release date moved to April. In previous months we've also seen the likes of Company of Heroes 3 and Ubisoft's pirate adventure Skull and Bones get later launch windows for a various reasons.
There are a number of causes when it comes to video game delays, and the pandemic affecting development in the past few years, we'll likely continue to see some delays. Read on below to find a roundup of all of the biggest video game delays confirmed so far so you can keep track of all the biggest release date changes.
Warhammer 40K Darktide
Original release: September 13, 2022
Delayed until: November 30, 2022
The upcoming co-op FPS from the team behind the Vermintide series has been delayed by a matter of months, taking it from it's September launch to a November release. Warhammer 40K Darktide was initially slated to arrive in 2021 before it got a Spring 2022 window that then ultimately led to a more exact September date. A further delay was confirmed in a statement posted on Twitter from Fatshark CEO and co-founder Martin Wahlund, who explained the team needs "more time to improve stability, performance, and to mature key systems. Each is critical to making sure we have the best possible experience for you, the players."
Fatshark are set to launch a series of technical tests and betas in advance of the game's launch, and is inviting players to participate by signing up over at the Darktide site.
Marvel's Midnight Suns
Original release: October 7, 2022
Delayed until: December 2, 2022
After the upcoming strategy RPG from Firaxis Games was pushed back with no exact release date, it was later confirmed that it's now set to release in December. Publisher Take Two Interactive announced the change in the launch date for Marvel's Midnight Suns in its financial results report, stating that the decision was made "to ensure the teams at Firaxis Games and 2K deliver the best possible experience for our fans". The launch date is now set of December on PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PS5, with the Switch, Xbox One, and PS4 versions currently set to come at a later date.
High on Life
Original release: October 25, 2022
Delayed until: December 13, 2022
The upcoming comedy shooter from Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland has been pushed back by a few months. High On Life was first revealed during the Xbox and Bethesda showcase back in June, with a release date originally set for October. A statement posted on Twitter confirmed the amended date to December 13 from developer Squanch Games: "The team at Squanch Games is working hard towards developing the best gaming experience to hit your screens, and a little extra time to squash some bugs never hurts," the post reads. "With that in mind, our new launch date is set to December 13, 2022.
Dying Light 2 (Switch Version)
Original Release: February 4, 2022
Delayed until: TBC 2022
Techland announced back in January that the release date for the Switch version of Dying Light 2 needed to be "moved" from its planned launch window. The announcement came by way of an official press release which stated that the Cloud version on the Switch version needs more time "in order to provide fans with the gaming experience at the level they deserve and that Techland wants to provide." The post-apocalyptic action-adventure game arrived on other platforms on February 4. While no set release date has been announced just yet, the Cloud version currently has a tentative early August 2022 launch date.
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum
Original release: September 1, 2022
Delayed until: TBC 2022 / 2023
The upcoming adventure that will show us Middle-earth from the perspective of Gollum has now been pushed back by "a few months" from its original September 1 release date. In a statement from Daedalic Entertainment in official press release, the developer explained that launch date for The Lord of the Rings: Gollum has been pushed to "in order to deliver the best possible experience." No exact release date has been confirmed, with the statement only seeing it has been pushed back by a few months. While there's always the chance it could be pushed back further into 2023, as of right now we can still tentatively expect it to release sometime in 2022.
Forspoken
Original release: October 11, 2022
Delayed until: January 24, 2023
Luminous Productions announced it is pushing back the release date for Forspoken a second time, with a new release date set for January 24, 2023. This news comes after it was delayed from its original launch date of May 25, 2022 to some months later on October 11, 2022. The studio confirmed the new release date in a statement on Twitter, saying that it has made the "strategic decision" to move the launch date after discussions with key partners. The statement went on to confirm that all game elements for Forspoken are complete, and development is now "in its final polishing phase."
Deliver Us Mars
Original release: September 27, 2022
Delayed until: February 2, 2023
The upcoming sci-fi adventure from Deliver Us The Moon developer KeokenN Interactive has been pushed back into 2023. Originally slated to launch in September 2022, an official statement from the development team and publisher Frontier Foundry posted on Twitter revealed Deliver Us Mars's new launch date. "It is important to us that this experience is the best it can be at launch," the post reads. "With this in mind, we've collectively made the difficult decision to move the release date to 2nd of February 2023 in order to ensure that we are able to live up to that ambition." The post also confirms the release of a new trailer that will give us a fresh look at the upcoming experience.
Hogwarts Legacy
Original release: Holiday 2022
Delayed until: February 10, 2023
The upcoming open-world RPG Hogwarts Legacy has been delayed a second time, with a new release date set for February 10, 2023. Initially set to launch sometime in 2021 before being delayed to holiday 2022 window, news of the second delay came by way of a state from developer Portkey Games on Twitter. Beginning by thanking fans around the world for their reaction to the game so far, the developer stated that "creating the best possible experience for all of the Wizarding World and gaming fans is paramount to us so we are giving the game the time it needs."
Company of Heroes 3
Original release: November 17, 2022
Delayed until: February 23, 2023
Company of Heroes 3 has officially been pushed back by a number of months into 2023. The news came by way of an official press release from Sega, which confirmed the next instalement in the RTS series will now will be releasing on February 23, 2023. The statement detailed that the reason behind the delay is as a result of developer Relic Entertainment needing some additional time to "work on overall improvement, balancing, and fine tuning" in order to "ensure they'll meet player expectations and deliver the deepest tactical experience in the series yet".
Skull and Bones
Original release: November 8, 2022
Delayed until: March 9, 2023
Ubisoft has confirmed Skull and Bones has now been pushed back into 2023. The news came in an official press release, with the statement revealing that "while the game development is finished at this stage, extra time will be used to further polish and balance the experience using players' feedback." The feedback comes from recent technical tests and the Insider Program. The statement also confirmed an open beta for the upcoming pirate action adventure at some stage in the lead to launch. Originally set to release in November 2022, the delay now sets it a number of months later.
Dead Island 2
Original release: February 3, 2023
Delayed until: April 28, 2023
Dambuster Studios and Deep Silver announced that Dead Island 2 is being delayed by 12 weeks, with development "on the final straight now." Originally set to release in February 2023, the pushed launch - which will see the zombies arrive in April - was announced in a statement on Twitter: "We're going to take the time we need to make sure we can launch a game we're proud to launch," the post reads. "For those of you who've been waiting for years, thank you for hanging in there with us." The statement closes with the reveal that a new trailer and gameplay will shown during a showcase on December 6, 2022.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
Original release: TBC 2022
Delayed until: Spring 2023
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League has been pushed back from its original launch window. The upcoming action-shooter was initially slated to release sometime in 2022 but is now expected to arrive in Spring 2023. Prior to official confirmation, a report previously surfaced that pointed towards a delay. Rocksteady co-founder and creative director Sefton Hill announced the news on Twitter, saying: "We've made the difficult decision to delay Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League to Spring 2023. I know a delay is frustrating but that time is going into making the best game we can. I look forward to bringing the chaos to Metropolis together. Thanks for your patience."
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Original release: TBC 2022
Delayed until: May 12, 2023
In a video from Nintendo, Legend of Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma announced that the decision to extend the development time for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. As such, the release date for the highly anticipated Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild sequel has now been pushed back to Spring 2023. First revealed back in 2019 with a short teaser trailer revealing it was in the works, Links return was originally set to release sometime later this year. "In order to make this game's experience something special," Aonuma said, "the entire development team is continuing to work diligently on this game, so please wait a while longer."
Nightingale
Original release: TBC 2022
Delayed until: First half of 2023
The new open-world PvE survival game from former BioWare head Aaryn Flynn has been delayed into 2023. Originally slated to launch in early access sometime in 2022, developer Inflexion Games posted a statement on Twitter confirming the delayed release with an update on early access to the "first half of 2023". In the post, the developer explained that the decision to push the launch was based on "two considerations", with the first being the move to upgrade the game to Unreal Engine 5. The second reason cites Inflexion Games' commitment to make Nightingale the best experience possible: "To achieve that the additional time will allow the team to make key improvements, bolster content and polish gameplay."
Starfield
Original release: November 11, 2022
Delayed until: First half of 2023
Bethesda announced in a statement on Twitter that Starfield has been officially been delayed from its original November release in order to deliver the "best, most version". While no exact amended date was given, the studio confirmed we can expect to see the upcoming space-faring RPG launch sometime in the first half of 2023. While we've seen some video interviews from the team behind the project about certain aspects of the game, we've yet to see much of what will be the first new IP from Bethesda Game Studios in 25 years.
Redfall
Original release: Summer 2022
Delayed until: First half of 2023
Alongside Starfield, Bethesda also confirmed that Redfall from Arkane Austin will be release sometime in the first half of 2023. Originally slated to launch as an Xbox exclusive in summer 2022, the publisher stated that the teams behind both Redfall and Starfield have "incredible ambitions for their games", and that "we want to ensure that you recieve the best, most polished versions of them." Redfall comes from the same team behind Dishonored and Prey, and is set to deliver an open-world co-op FPS where you play as a team of vampire slayers who go up against powerful bloodsuckers with supernatural abilities.
Arc Raiders
Original release: TBC 2022
Delayed until: TBC 2023
Arc Raiders is an upcoming free-to-play co-op shooter from Embark Studios, a new studio founded by Patrick Söderlund who was the former head of Battlefield at EA. Arc Radiers debuted a trailer at the 2021 Game Awards, where it grabbed attention with its retro vibes and cool, space-invasion plot. Teams of Raiders will have to defend their home against ARC, mechanized aliens who are hell-bent on destroying the Raiders' planet. The game was initially due out sometime in 2022 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, but the official Arc Raiders Twitter account announced the delay in August 2022. It will be pushed to an as-yet-undetermined date in 2023 so that it can "reach its fullest potential."
Star Wars: Hunters
Original release: TBC 2022
Delayed until: TBC 2023
The upcoming battle area game Star Wars: Hunters has officially been delayed until sometime in 2023. Originally set to arrive sometime in 2021 before being pushed to 2022 and then ultimately 2023 on Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android with no set release date confirmed as of yet, developer Zynga confirmed the pushed launch in a statement on Twitter. "Our ambition is to create a competitive battle arena game that will entertain for years to come," the post reads. "To ensure we meet the high expectations of we are setting for fans globally and ourselves as developers, we have made the decision to delay the worldwide launch of Star Wars: Hunters."
"We understand game delays are frustrating, however our top priority is ensuring players will have the best possible experience in the arena."
Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobyl
Original release: April 28, 2022
Delayed until: TBC 2023
Near the start of January, Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobyl was pushed back from its initial April release date in order to fulfill the team's "vision and achieve the desired state for the game." Then, following the Xbox and Bethesda showcase in June, an infographic for upcoming releases posted on Xbox's official social media channels appeared to confirm that it has now been pushed back to a 2023 launch window. This comes after news came earlier this year that development was on hold due to the Russian conflict in Ukraine. During the Xbox Games showcase Extended, an update on Stalker 2 was shared of a development diary during the war from the team.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora
Original release: TBC 2022
Delayed until: TBC 2023-2024
In Ubisoft's earnings report, the studio revealed that the upcoming open-world Avatar adventure will now be releasing sometime between 2023 - 2024. Originally slated for launch sometime in 2022 before an earlier financial report indicated it may would coming by March 2023 at the earliest , this latest statement confirms we'll have to wait a bit longer for Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora to arrive. Developed by The Division studio Massive Entertainment and published by Ubisoft, we still haven't seen all that much of the adventure so far since its initial announcement. It'll be interesting to see just how it shapes up.
Advance Wars 1 + 2: Reboot Camp
Original release: April 8, 2022
Delayed until: TBC
Nintendo announced it's delaying the release of Advance 1 + 2: Reboot Camp. The decision to push back the release from its original April 8 date was confirmed in a statement posted on Twitter. "In light of recent world events, we have made the decision to delay Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp" the statement reads. No new launch date has been confirmed for the game as of yet, but Nintendo said to stay tuned for updates on the new release in the future.
Out now
Rumbleverse
Original Release: February 15, 2022
Delayed until: August 8, 2022
Released on: PC (Epic Games store), Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5
The upcoming free-to-play "brawler royale" from developer Iron Galaxy and Epic Games has been pushed back from its initial launch date of February 15. Rumbleverse was first announced during the Game Awards 2021, and it was set to go into early access on February 8. In an official post from Iron Galaxy, the development team released a statement explaining the decision, saying: "Having Grapital City filled with Rumblers taught us a lot. We're excited about the game we're making - and we're glad you are, too - but there's more we want to do to perfect the experience. More than a game, Rumbleverse will be a community that we want to support for a long time. We're going to take the time to make sure we can get that right."
Two Point Campus
Original release: May 17, 2022
Delayed until: August 9, 2022
Released on: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch
Two Point Campus – the indirect follow-up to Two Point Hospital from Two Point Studios – was originally set to open its doors on May 17, however classes will now commence on August 9, 2022. When they do, players can expect to become familiar with the student body, because, unlike the many faceless patients of Two Point Hospital, Two Point Campus aims to develop the relationship between the player and the sprites they'll control. "You're going to see the students develop and in some cases fail," studio co-founder Mark Webley told GR+ earlier this year. "It's about trying to get you to care about them so that they don't fail and to try and see what the problem is. You'll be able to take time to nurture and hopefully pull them through the process."
Life is Strange: Remastered (Switch version)
Original release: February 1, 2022
Delayed until: September 27, 2022
Life is Strange: Remastered is allowing us to once again experience Max and Chloe's adventures in the first game from Dontnod, and Life is Strange: Before the Storm from Deck Nine. Now launched on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, an announcement confirmed that the Switch release has been delayed. "We are sorry to share that the Nintendo Switch versions of the games have been a little setback," the statement from the Life is Strange team said, "and will need a bit more time until they are ready." Thanks to a recent update from Square Enix and Dontnod, we now know the remastered games will be coming to the Switch with an Arcadia Bay collection on September 27, 2022.
Stay on top of all the latest upcoming releases on the way with our round-up of upcoming PS5 games, upcoming Xbox Series X games, upcoming Switch games, and new PC games.
