2019 is loaded with highly-anticipated games, but there is plenty to look forward to in 2020. Sure, it may seem silly to look so far ahead, but there are so many great video games in development that fans may not be aware of. Save up some money for next year everybody, because it’s going to be quite the ambitious year for the gaming industry. For this list, we’re going to discuss upcoming video games releasing in 2020, as well as the games that don’t have an official release date, yet. Of course, since this list is about 2020, we’ve only chosen possibilities that could potentially come out in that year, which we’ll infer with some rumors and speculation. Keep in mind that even official release dates can change on a dime and that this list features a lot of speculation. Some of these games are officially listed for 2020, but these dates are only tentative. Don’t be surprised if you see some long-shots on this list — some of these games have been in development for quite some time, so we’re hoping that 2020 is finally their year.
Games can be delayed, games can get canceled, games can even come out early; it’s just the nature of the industry. So, while you’re all enjoying the remake of Resident Evil 2 and adventuring through Kingdom Hearts III (we’re surprised that didn’t come out in 2020, with all of those ridiculous delays) let’s take a look at what the future of gaming looks like in 2020. You may want to write these down… and maybe even check your bank account. Here are 4 Video Games Coming Out In 2020 (And 16 Possibilities).
Possibilities: The Avengers Project
Announced way back in January 2017, Crystal Dynamics’ upcoming Marvel video game, known only as The Avengers Project, blew fans’ minds with a viral announcement trailer. It’s been two years since and the world hasn’t learned anything new about the game. The only real development since the trailer came with the opening of Crystal Northwest in the summer of 2018, an expansion of Crystal Dynamics created specifically to bolster the development of The Avengers Project.
It sounds like the game is still in early stages, but hopefully this is a sign that it isn’t too far off. From a marketing standpoint, it would make sense for Avengers Project buzz to gear up during the release of Avengers: Endgame. With that in mind, plus over two years in development, we’re hoping this game sets its eyes on 2020.
Possibilities: Final Fantasy 7
A remake of what is arguably the best Final Fantasy game ever has been in the works for quite some time. Final Fantasy VII was announced all the way back in 2015 and was only revealed to the public through promotional images in 2017. Other than that, does it even exist?
Despite the remake’s elusive reputation, the game is in active development. According to Square Enix’s Tetsuya Nomura via The Verge, the game is way past the concept stages and was being worked on alongside Kingdom Hearts III. After years of development time and Kingdom Hearts finally hitting shelves, Nomura’s team will be able to devote more resources to Final Fantasy VII. If they’re not embellishing, they could be looking at a late 2020 release, though it wouldn’t surprise us if it took even more time than that.
Possibilities: The Elders Scrolls VI
Bethesda has two massive games coming out in near future. The one that everybody cares about is Skyrim’s successor, The Elder Scrolls VI.
The game is still a total mystery. The only tidbit anybody knows about the project is that it is slated to be a “next-gen” video game on the next generation of home consoles.
Rumors indicate that this could be as early as 2020, but for a game as massive as Elder Scrolls, it could be years and years away. Next-gen consoles would love to flaunt Elder Scrolls as a launch title, so here’s hoping that development is way farther along than Bethesda lets on. Elder Scrolls VI could drop in 2020 at the earliest, but it’s a risky bet.
Possibilities: Bayonetta 3
Hack-and-slash fans have Devil May Cry 5 on the horizon, but if that doesn’t satisfy, Bayonetta 3 may be dropping sooner than anyone realizes. Other than a 2017 brief teaser trailer, the world has learned very little about the upcoming sequel.
Developer Platinum Games has been tight-lipped on details, but they have hinted at their work on several new projects. The studio says that they have several big announcements to make in 2019 — is a Bayonetta 3 release date one of them?
For all anyone knows, they could announce that the game will be on sale next week, but if Bayonetta 3 is still in the cards, a 2020 release date wouldn’t shock us. It could even drop in late 2019, though the studio probably needs to reveal a bit more before gearing up for a full release.
Coming Out: Dual Universe
One of the most ambitious MMOs ever made has been in the works for years but had set its sights on 2020 from the start. Dual Universe is said to be a crossroads between EVE Online, No Man’s Sky, and Minecraft — a mixture of sci-fi community-building and exploration with tons of multiplayer potential. It features elements of base construction, trading, combat, space flight, and more.
Dual Universe was first announced in 2016 and has partially been driven by a Kickstarter campaign ever since. Assuming developer Novaquark can stick to its initial schedule, Dual Universe will officially release in the second half of 2020. The game is currently in the alpha stage, which is open to Kickstarter backers who pledge a certain amount for access.
Possibilities: Payday 3
Despite being a game from 2013, Payday 2 still has a thriving community of players and tons of fans clamoring for a sequel. Starbreeze Studios has confirmed that Payday 3 is in active development, though it likely won’t be available until 2020 as the developer is in no rush complete it.
Starbreeze hopes to increase revenue by then, putting the sequel on the back burner until their goal is met. Hopefully, Dallas and the gang will be back for more heists and havoc soon.
Payday 2 is still receiving fresh content for players to enjoy in the meantime, so feel free to keep on heisting while you wait. Keep an eye out for Payday 3 come 2020.
Possibilities: Beyond Good And Evil 2
Beyond Good and Evil graced store shelves way back in 2003, and since then, rumors of a sequel have run rampant all over the web. For years the game seemed to be stuck in development heck, but a trailer in 2017 suddenly confirmed the game’s existence to a resounding “Finally!” from fans everywhere.
After a cinematic trailer in 2018, the game seems closer than ever with reveals of classic characters. Not only is the game a prequel, but it is said to be a gameplay revamp of the original with a gigantic open world and an entirely new engine. Beyond Good and Evil 2’s beta phase is slated for late 2019, making 2020 a safe bet for an official release.
Possibilities: Death Stranding
Metal Gear Solid auteur Hideo Kojima and his next project are right around the corner — and we still have no idea what it is supposed to be about. Death Stranding has perplexed gamers since its announcement back in 2016. With surreal visuals and a star-studded cast (Norman Reedus, Mads Mikkelsen, Léa Seydoux, and more), players cannot wait to dig into more of Kojima’s specific brand of stealth-action.
Kojima himself has hinted on multiple occasions that 2019 could be the year this game finally hits shelves. With no official release date though, rumors are all we have to go on. It sounds like Death Stranding is aiming for a late 2019 release, but it makes this list simply because it still remains such a mystery. A slight delay could easily push this game into 2020, though we hope we’re wrong.
Possibilities: Starfield
While The Elder Scrolls VI has everyone’s attention, Bethesda is working on an entirely new title: Starfield. This new sci-fi RPG is still a mystery. The studio dropped a brief announcement teaser last year but the game is still in very early stages. Starfield is said to be a single-player experience that will utilize next-gen hardware as much as possible.
The emphasis on cutting-edge technology suggests that this game will release on the next generation of consoles, though the developers have stated that it may still drop on the current gen. This gives Starfield a wide release window — it could be a few years away or even as early as 2020. Considering that new consoles may drop next year, Starfield fans may want to watch the calendar closely.
Coming Out: Gridiron Champions
Football fans get new Madden titles every year, but an ambitious new contender is getting ready for a 2020 release. Gridiron Champions is a college football game that sets out to embody the business and “pageantry” of college football without involving the NCAA.
The game features generic yet fully customizable teams, colleges, players, stadiums — an entirely malleable college football league for the player to create and personalize. Since the game isn’t beholden to the real-life history of the sport, developer iMackulate Vision Gaming is aiming for one of the most creative experiences in the sports game genre.
Very little has come out about the game since its initial announcement though, so hopefully that 2020 release date isn’t just a placeholder. Delays are possible, but look out for Gridiron Champions in 2020.
Possibilities: Cyberpunk 2077
CD Projekt Red’s ambitious sci-fi epic is rumored to drop at the end of 2019, but the lack of an official release date isn’t very reassuring. For one thing, the game is massively detailed and dense with features. Not only is the game world bigger than most, but it is being completely handcrafted (as opposed to procedural generation, where computer algorithms do a good deal of the work).
On top of the time-consuming development, the game could be subject to delays for other factors. The game’s creative director, Sebastian Stepien, left the company recently for a position at Blizzard Entertainment. Could this interrupt development somehow? This is only speculation, but if Cyberpunk 2077 is delayed until 2020, it might be for the better. There is no reason to rush a game that boasts so much potential.
Possibilities: Telling Lies
2015’s Her Story is a critically acclaimed indie game that, frankly, not enough people have played. If you missed the boat on that though, developer and director Sam Barlow is already working on the spiritual successor to Her Story, titled Telling Lies.
Much like Her Story, the game will incorporate live-action video into gameplay that has players deciphering information revealed by the game’s cast. Telling Lies’ cast is already looking great too, with names like Logan Marshall-Green (Upgrade), Alexandra Shipp (X-Men Apocalypse), and Angela Sarafyan (Westworld) already attached. The live-action portions of the game are nearly finished shooting.
With no real release date, this game might be years away, but we’re willing to bet on 2020 at the earliest.
Possibilities: Ghosts Of Tsushima
Sucker Punch —the studio behind the Infamous and Sly Cooper games — are heading to feudal Japan with Ghosts of Tsushima. This upcoming action game puts players in the shoes’ of Jin, a samurai who must defend Tsushima Island from the invading Mongol empire.
Ghosts of Tsushima is a narrative-driven game with gorgeous graphics and an intense combat system, inspired by the classic films of Akira Kurosawa. Not only does it boast a huge open world to explore, but it has traversal features, a realistic damage system, dynamic weather, and it even comes with Japanese localization for players who want an authentic experience. It’s ambitious, to say the least.
While the game still has no official release date, it seems to be in its latter stages. A late 2019-early 2020 release seems likely, but only time will tell.
Possibilities: Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Electronic Arts has done a terrible job with their exclusive license to make Star Wars games. Aside from two half-baked Battlefront titles marred with controversy and microtransactions, EA has done nothing but delay or cancel other Star Wars projects. The only hope for Star Wars fans — aside from that Obi-Wan movie — is Respawn Entertainment’s Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.
The Titanfall 2 developers have set their game in the prequels during the fall of the Jedi. It is said to be single-player, story-driven, and brimming with lightsaber action. Other than that though, nobody has so much as seen a screenshot from the game. It’s supposed to release later this year to coincide with Star Wars Episode IX, but with EA’s bad track record, this could easily land in 2020 if not end up canceled altogether.
Coming Out: Avatar
A video game based on James Cameron’s Avatar series is currently in development. When we say series, we mean it — there isn’t just one sequel, not two, not even three, but four Avatar sequels in development. Let that sink in.
Anyway, the new Avatar game is being created by Ubisoft (specifically by The Division studio Massive Entertainment) and there are essentially no details about it in circulation. Supposedly the game’s development is focused on recreating Pandora, the franchise’s setting, in the most authentic way possible. Massive Entertainment wants to make that world come to life for players to experience in any way they see fit. Hardly a genre description, but we’ll take it.
The game isn’t supposed to release until late 2020, likely around the release of Avatar 2, currently slated for December 18, 2020.
Possibilities: Squadron 42
Star Citizen has been in development since 2011. The ambitious space-faring adventure game has gone through a slew of updates, some of which drastically add and alter features of the game. To this day, content is still being added despite constant delays and failure to meet self-imposed deadlines. Despite this, the game has its fair share of fans and some content is arriving sooner than expected.
Squadron 42, the game’s single-player portion, is set for its beta phase in mid-2020. It features a great cast, too — Gary Oldman, Mark Hamill, Liam Cunningham, Gillian Anderson, and Andy Serkis are only a few of the big names involved.
Players can expect a full release soon after — as for Star Citizen itself though, we got nothing.
Possibilities: Halo Infinite
Halo 5: Guardians was a low for the franchise — while it is a solid experience in its own right, fans weren’t happy with the story’s direction, which took the focus away from Master Chief. However, Chief is back in Halo Infinite, which was announced at E3 2018 with a crowd-pleasing trailer.
Despite the renewed interest in the Halo series, the game still has no real release date. Main entries in the franchise have a history of dropping during the Fall. Most gaming news outlets are guessing November 2019. However, rumors suggest that Infinite may have a split release — one date for the single-player, and one for multiplayer.
If this rumor is true, this means that the meat of the game may not even come until 2020, and even then, 2019 isn’t a confirmed window either.
Possibilities: The Last Of Us Part II
To call The Last of Us Part II “highly anticipated” is an understatement. Ever since it was announced back in 2016, fans have been itching for details. However, despite trailer after trailer since then, the release date is still unknown. Most news outlets have hedged their bets somewhere between late 2019 and early 2020. Considering how long it has been since the first game, could that really be the case?
Doubters should be happy —recently (hours before this list’s writing), the game’s composer may have dropped the mother of all hints. During a live performance, composer Gustavo Santaolalla remarked that the game would be coming “very soon,” followed by a resounding cheer from the crowd. How soon is very soon? We’d like our copy tomorrow, please.
Possibilities: The Next Call Of Duty
No shocker here — Call of Duty’s yearly releases seem to be right on schedule, with the next franchise installment set for 2019. However, if you’re looking for the true successor to the franchise, it sounds like the next-gen release of 2019’s Call of Duty won’t be hitting shelves until 2020.
Rumors indicate that the game will appear on current and future consoles. It may be designed using next-generation development kits, meaning that the next-gen version of the game could easily be ready alongside the debut of Sony and Microsoft’s new consoles.
While your average Call of Duty installment will surely arrive in 2019, the “superior version” (we hope) won’t arrive until 2020 or later. The different versions will be similar, but if you want to stay on the cutting edge, players may want to wait for a few months.
Coming Out: System Shock
This cult classic sci-fi thriller is long overdue for a remake, but it seems like the game will finally return in early 2020.
System Shock’s remake has been in the works for a long time now, with each build of the game containing better graphics and implementing new features. However, development seemed to halt and restart from scratch in 2018 when Night Dive Studios fell into “feature creep” — a game development phase where creators become preoccupied with adding new features to a game while losing sight of their goal.
After regrouping and changing the game’s direction, System Shock seems to be on track again and slated for early 2020. A small featurette was just released as well, showing off the game’s final look.
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Which 2020 video games are you most excited for? Leave a comment before you go and share your thoughts!
