2021 HAS BEEN A MIXED YEAR for PC gaming, with standout hits such as Deathloop and Resident Evil Village almost drowned out by a sea of mediocre titles and endless delays and cancellations. Happily, 2022 looks like being a more exciting year, with a whole host of original games and sequels on the way. Many of these upcoming releases have been in the works for a long time, including Starfield (the concept work for which began way back in 1997) and Elden Ring, the latter of which has been on many a gamer’s mind for years. Yes,
we know George RR Martin is involved. Hopefully, the game comes out before The Winds of Winter.
Some of these games don’t have official release dates yet, so we’ve limited our list to titles that are confirmed releases in 2022—delays notwithstanding! We’ve included a broad range of games from different genres and publishers but, of course, you can expect the usual suspects to crop up in 2022; we’d be shocked if there wasn’t a Call of Duty or FIFA release. So, here are the 22 games we’re most excited to play on PC in 2022.
Marvel’s Midnight Suns Release Date: March 2022
Confusingly based on the Marvel comic series Rise of the Midnight Sons (yup, Sons rather than Suns), this is potentially the most interesting superhero game coming to PC next year. An XCOM-esque strategy title from genre veterans Firaxis, Midnight Suns features a customizable protagonist named ‘The Hunter’, who will join up with a selection of Marvel heroes including Wolverine, Iron Man, and Ghost Rider. Intriguingly, the turn-based gameplay is supported by card-based mechanics, with your deck influencing what abilities you can use on each mission. In classic XCOM fashion, you’ll manage a home base called the Abbey between expeditions.
» Developer: Firaxis » Publisher: 2K Games
© DAEDALIC ENTERTAINMENT, GEARBOX, STUDIO WILDCARD, LUMINOUS PRODUCTIONS, CREATIVE ASSEMBLY
The Lord of the Rings Gollum
Release Date: 2022
Why LOTR’s resident gremlin gets his own game is beyond us, but it’s coming in 2022 nonetheless. A stealth platformer from Daedalic Entertainment, Gollum follows the titular hero’s life prior to the events of the original trilogy, as he hunts down his ‘precious’—that’s the One Ring. Gollum is no fighter, so being sneaky and smart is the order of the day, whether you’re luring an orc into a trap or creeping past a group of war beasts. One interesting mechanic is Gollum’s split personality; Smeagol, the hobbit he once was, still exists within him, and your gameplay decisions will influence which side comes out on top.
» Developer: Daedalic Entertainment » Publisher: Daedalic Ent., Nacon
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands
Release Date: 25th March 202
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A Dungeons & Dragons-themed spinoff from the Borderlands series, this is more of the same coop shooting fare, set in a vibrant fantasy world, where grenades are replaced with spells and players can wield melee weapons for the first time. Wonderlands is the first game in the series to let players create a character rather than choosing pre-existing protagonists.
» Developer: Gearbox Software » Publisher: 2K Games