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In recent years, developers and publishers have gotten a little better at announcing games earlier. The side effect is that we're often left in the dark for long stretches of time – early anticipation can easily turn into months (if not years) of speculation. From a brief teaser of Elder Scrolls 6 all the way back in 2018 to a glimpse at the new Fable adventure in the works from Playground Games, there's countless games that we can't wait to see more of.
You only need to look at the roundup of new games for 2022 – or our exploration of the games we believe will be Big in 2022 – to know that this is going to be a banner year for video games. There's a myriad of reasons why developers are holding back some of the biggest games that are currently in development, but we can only hope that an already strong release calendar will be bolstered by some of these big hitters. We've picked just 10 video games we're excited to see re-emerge in 2022, whether that be because they are ready for release or because devs are ready to share more of their work with the world.
Fable 4
Since the release of the official announcement trailer during the Xbox games showcase back in 2020, things have gone a bit quiet on the Fable front. Of course, it's exciting just to know that Fable 4 is actually in development – especially since we haven't seen a mainline Fable adventure since 2010. What we do know so far is that the return of Fable is being made by Forza Horizon developer Playground Games, and it'll be developed on the same engine used for Forza Motorsport. Phil Spencer even said that fans should "take confidence" in Playground Games because of the "pedigree of the team". Our imaginations are running wild at just how it might shape up and just what Playground will create. We can hardly wait to see and learn more about the return of this classic RPG franchise, which has won the hearts of so many for its signature sense of humor and storytelling.
Everwild
We first saw Rare's new IP, Everwild, during the X019 showcase back in 2019. The signature Rare logo opened up to transport us into a verdant landscape full of wildlife, and from that moment on, we've been dying to know more. Happily, since then another trailer made its debut during E3 2020, which gave us our very first look at the player characters known as Eternals. A developer commentary also dipped into some of the lore of this magical, natural world we're set to explore. Eternals are said to have a kind of symbiotic relationship with some of the creatures, and they can form barriers to protect elements of the world from insect-like swarms that are seemingly eating through the life of the land. There's still a lot of mystery surrounding Rare's new IP, and since our last look in 2020, we haven't seen much more of Everwild. But with the promise of taking us to a world with "unique and unforgettable experiences", we're looking forward to seeing more of just what Rare will deliver with this magical adventure.
Contraband
During the Xbox and Bethesda E3 2021 conference, Avalanche Studios revealed Contraband, a new open-world co-op game that's set to be an Xbox exclusive. The announcement trailer gave us a little taster of the setting, which is based in the "fictional world of 1970s Bayan". Details are still pretty light on the upcoming co-op experience, but we do know that we're set to take on the role of smugglers. Developed for the Xbox Series X/S on the studio's Apex Engine, game director Omar Shakir stated that Contraband is "our most ambitious game yet". It'll be interesting to catch a glimpse of just what this co-op experience is like in action, and just how it will harness the power of Xbox's latest hardware to take us to what is described as a "smugglers paradise".
Elder Scrolls 6
Ah, Elder Scrolls 6. Just seeing the title alone appear in a trailer was enough to send fans around the world into a frenzy. In 2018, Bethesda Softworks debuted a trailer that officially confirmed another Elder Scrolls adventure was in pre-production. The short teaser itself takes us through a misty landscape to emerge out into the vast expanses of a world we've yet to explore. Then, the game name appears to the sound of the thrumming soundtrack that has become so familiar to players everywhere. It didn't reveal much of anything beyond the game's existence, but it sure got us excited about the prospect of a new adventure from Bethesda. While we're more than eager to finally see another glimpse of what Elder Scrolls 6 will hold for us, it may still be quite some time until we do. Recent news suggests that the next Elder Scrolls adventure may still be in the pre-production stage as the studio focuses on the upcoming release of Starfield.
Avowed
Fallout New Vegas and Outer Worlds developer Obsidian revealed in the July 2021 Xbox Showcase that it would be bringing us a new first-person fantasy RPG. Called Avowed, the tantalizing announcement trailer showed off a medieval-looking world in conflict, with a character wielding a sword in one hand and casting a magical spell in the other. There's still quite a bit of mystery surrounding the upcoming RPG, but we do know it's set in Elora, the very same fantasy world that sets the scene for Pillars of Eternity. Better yet, another look at Avowed may not be so far. A recent report claims that the RPG is nearly playable, and could very well make an appearance in a showcase sometime this year. It would certainly be a great surprise to see it pop up later this year, but regardless, with Obsidian's legacy of creating engaging RPGs, it's certainly exciting to know a new fantasy adventure from the studio is in the pipeline.
Dragon Age 4
It's been a little over seven years since we last ventured into Thedas in a Dragon Age: Inquisition. So when it was first confirmed we would officially be getting another adventure in the series with Dragon Age 4, there was no stopping the excitement among fans everywhere. Back in 2018, we first learned that the next game in the series was in development thanks to a very brief trailer teasing that the "dread wolf rises". That one line alone was enough to get excited about the prospect of just where the upcoming installment would take us given the ending of Inquisition. Our last look at Dragon Age 4 came in 2020 during the Game Awards, with developer BioWare giving us a short behind-the-scenes look, with concept art and bitesize pieces of information. The next adventure is likely still a ways off, but we can't wait to see more of what BioWare has in store.
Mass Effect 5
When the Mass Effect Legendary Edition was released last year, players once again got the chance to experience a series that has cemented itself as one of the very best sci-fi RPG franchises. And happily, BioWare also revealed that a new adventure in the Mass Effect universe is currently in development. In a goosebump-inducing teaser trailer that officially confirmed the series will continue with a new chapter, there are already theories floating around about just where this next adventure will take us. The teaser was only brief, but with the appearance of a debris field, Liara, and N7 armor, we can't wait to find out more. To add to the excitement, BioWare also put out some artwork which is also said to feature clues about the next adventure. There's nothing quite like returning to a much-loved series for a new adventure, and with a veteran team at the helm, we're more than ready to see more of Mass Effect 5.
Metroid Prime 4
Samus has made a recent comeback thanks to the release of Metroid Dread last year, but Metroid Prime 4 is still very much on our minds. First announced back in 2017 with a very brief teaser trailer, news later surfaced a few years later in 2019 that the development had been rebooted with original Metroid Prime developer Retro Studios at the helm. Since then, it's been pretty quiet on the news side other than recent job listings confirming it's still in the works. We haven't really seen or heard all that much about what the upcoming game will entail and how it will follow on from Metroid Prime 3. While it could very well still be a long way off at this stage, it would be more than exciting to catch our first proper look at the project.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2
Announced back in 2019, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 was set to follow the cult classic RPG from the early '00s. While it was initially slated for release in 2020, it was pushed back and ultimately delayed indefinitely near the start of last year, with Hardsuit Labs being taken off of the project. In fact, the sequel was even almost cancelled altogether according to an interview with Paradox CEO Fredrik Wester. The last report came by way of a Q3 interim report last year, with the publisher confirming that progress is being made under the development of an as-yet unrevealed studio. In the past, we have seen some looks at the vampiric powers and clans of the RPG in trailers, but with a troubled development and the project changing hands, we haven't seen a proper update on the game since.
Hogwarts Legacy
Hogwarts Legacy from developer Avalanche Software was first revealed back in 2020 with a cinematic trailer. Since then, we've steadily been learning more details about the gameplay of the magical adventure, but we've yet to see any of the features in action. Originally slated for release in 2021, it was pushed back to 2022, with Warner Media reiterating that it's still expected to launch this year. While we still don't have a set release date just yet, recent rumors suggest it may not be too long until we get another look at the game set in the wizarding world. A PS5 State of Play is rumored to be coming sometime in February, and if it does happen, Hogwarts Legacy could make an appearance. It'll certainly be interesting to see more when the time comes, especially if it gives us a look at the gameplay.
Keep track of all the upcoming releases on the horizon with our list of new games for 2022 and beyond.
