With the new year and end of the decade well underway, 2020 is shaping up to be yet another stellar year in gaming. With the 8th generation of consoles now entering their final year before the next generation takes over, it’s time to look at some of the biggest releases that we’re going to see this year. And let me tell you, there are a lot.
Cyberpunk 2077
Release Date: September 17
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Google Stadia
After Keanu Reeves blew our socks off at E3 2019 by revealing his role in CD Projekt Red’s latest project, he then announced a release date, April 16th 2020. However, now that we are so close to the release date, turns out that the game had been delayed, and will now be releasing on September 17 this year.
In case you haven’t gotten up to speed yet, Cyberpunk 2077 is a massive first-person shooter RPG, where you play as V, the protagonist which can be customised to suit almost every player’s tastes, whether it be in looks, skills or even personality. Set in the dystopian Night City, expect hundreds of hours of content. These are the same people who brought us The Witcher 3, after all.
Final Fantasy VII Remake
Release Date: April 10
Platforms: PlayStation 4
At the time of writing this article, we just found out that the FF7 remake has been delayed. To April 10th this year. Which, if you’ve just been reading the last bit above, would have meant that it launches the same week as Cyberpunk 2077. Luckily, thanks to Cyberpunk‘s delayed release date, it now means that we’ll be able to spend more time with FF7, and that’s a good thing.
The FF7 remake has been teased for a very long time, since 2016. The time is now rapidly approaching where we’ll be able to follow the adventures of Cloud and friends in glorious, glorious 4k definition.
Nioh 2
Release Date: March 13
Platforms: PlayStation 4
The follow-up to 2017’s Nioh and set to be a prequel to the first game’s story, Nioh 2 is an action RPG developed by Team Ninja, the same people that brought us Dead or Alive, and the progenitor of ridiculously difficult action games, Ninja Gaiden. Nioh 2 looks to expand upon the great gameplay of the first game even further, and we won’t even have to wait as long as we did for the first one.
Persona 5 Royal
Release Date: March 31
Platforms: PlayStation 4
Some call it an expansion. Some call it an entirely new game. Some just want more Persona 5. Royal has already enjoyed a few months of release in Japan, but the rest of the world will soon be getting it as the localization will release at the very end of March.
Persona 5 Royal adds a new character, Kasumi Yoshizawa, a 2nd-year student at Shujin Academy, who ties in to the Phantom Thieves in her own way, with new story elements, more activities, and even more to ensure that even as a Persona 5 veteran, you’ll find more of it to enjoy.
Animal Crossing New Horizons
Release Date: March 20
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Meanwhile, the Switch will see its first big release this year in March, with a brand new Animal Crossing game, of all things. New Horizons is the fifth main game in the series, and the latest major release since New Leaf dropped all the way back in 2013 (that’s 7 years ago!)
With a bunch of new features (crafting, extensive player customisation) as well as the game adjusting its weather based on the player’s real-life location, New Horizons is sure to keep Animal Crossing fans happy for a good long while.
Halo Infinite
Release Date: Q4 2020
Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PC
We arrive at our first launch title of the year, with the replacement for the Xbox One arriving this holiday season, what better way to welcome it than with a new mainline Halo game?
Halo Infinite will be part of its own story, set some years after the events of Halo 5: Guardians, with Master Chief being the central focus of it. Details are pretty scant, but knowing that there will be another “year of Halo” is always a good thing.
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX
Release Date: March 6
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
In what seems to be a blooming trend for Pokemon since Let’s Go Eevee! and Let’s Go Pikachu!, Mystery Dungeon DX is a Switch remake of the very first Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games, Red Rescue Team and Blue Rescue Team.
In Pokemon Mystery Dungeon, you don’t train Pokemon, you ARE the Pokemon! As you traverse through randomly generated dungeons, you’ll form a rescue team (hence the name) of Pokemon by recruiting them to help on your adventures. You’ll fight other Pokemon in turn-based battles and slowly unravel a mystery. Between this and Animal Crossing, the Switch seems to be getting off to a great year.
Resident Evil 3 Remake
Release Date: April 3
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
After last year’s absolutely amazing Resident Evil 2 Remake, Capcom is back with another major retelling of another incredible game in the series. In Resident Evil 3, players will assume control of Jill Valentine, a S.T.A.R.S agent trying to escape Raccoon City, 24 hours before the events of RE2. The whole time she is being chased by a giant bio-weapon, codenamed Nemesis.
Knowing how terrifying it was to meet Mr.X in RE2, one can only wonder how much further on the horror scale stumbling upon Nemesis would be. Capcom is on a major upswing and here they are, hoping to prove that lightning doesn’t just strike twice, it can strike as many times as they damn well please.
Granblue Fantasy Versus
Release Date: February 6 (Japan)
Platforms: PlayStation 4
One of the biggest names in Cygames, Granblue Fantasy continues to branch out into even more territory, and now it can mark ‘fighting game’ off that list. Though we’d have to wait a little longer for a localized English version, GBF Versus promises to deliver. With Arc System Works behind development (the guys who made Dragonball FighterZ and BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle), you know you’ll have a great fighting game on your hands.
Marvel’s Avengers
Release Date: September 4
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Google Stadia
Another game on our list hit with a delay, Marvel’s Avengers didn’t quite blow us away during its reveal at E3 2019. However, opinions can change over time, and while it’s not necessarily familiar, it’s still recognizable.
One hopes SQUARE ENIX and Marvel can pull through, and deliver us an experience that truly makes us feel like an Avenger.
