Delays and much-anticipated titles are all coalescing into a few months
Last year saw a good deal of games get moved, delayed, and pushed around. They all had to go somewhere. And as it turns out, many of those games landed in the February to April window.
I’ve alluded to it a few times in past news posts, but well, this is a very busy month for games. It really didn’t even start with February, but last week with the launch of a new Pokemon game. And it continues on through an end-of-February triple-header, right on into a stacked March, and tapering off into the spring months.
BetweenDying Light 2 Stay Human,Elden Ring,andHorizon Forbidden West, there are some heavy hitters launching early this year. And that’s not even counting indies likeSifuorOlliOlli World. So how’d February turn out like this?
Well, to tell it succinctly, delays. BothDying Light 2andHorizon Forbidden Westpushed out from 2021 launch dates into 2022. Industry heads like Xbox’s Phil Spencerhad indicated back in 2020that the effect of COVID-19 on game development would start to be felt in early 2021. The impact has reached further with each month though, as studios are taking a little extra time to get things right.
Shifting release dates haven’t just been limited to big year-over-year moves, either.Elden Ringwasfirst set for January, before itgot pushed back to Feb. 25. In a personal favorite,Sifuactually moved its release date back up. After being delayed from 2021 into 2022, developer Sloclap then moved from the end of Februaryup to Feb. 8. Fans of specific genres get some heavy hitters inThe King of Fighters XV,Total War: Warhammer III,Sol Cresta, andMonark. And of course,Destiny 2takes on the Witch Queen.
Even February itself has to contend with stacked month-neighbors for games released. January closed out withPokemon Legends: Arceus, and once we get into March, then we’re looking at games likeGran Turismo 7,Triangle Strategy, andBabylon’s Fall.
Square Enix in particular has March on lockdown, with the latter two games plusStranger of ParadiseandChocobo GPall lined up for the month. Add in a newWWE 2K, aRune Factoryport, and a newBorderlandsgame, and well, March is just as packed with new games. SuddenlySaint’s Rowlooks prescient for dodging this window.
With so many games coming out, it’s hard to imagine how to keep up with everything. And honestly, the best option might be to just go with the flow. The more I look at the months ahead for games and the flood that’s coming, the more compelled I feel to focus in on what appeals to me. Bigger-budget games are probably going to fall by the wayside for me, in favor of niche appeals to my favorite styles of game, like fighting or tactics.
So, with a daunting lineup ahead, that’s my advice to you: follow your heart. Or at least, your brain and what appeals most to it. Be comfortable missing out on a big game if it’s not your jam. Indulge in your creature comforts. Or even take the time to deep dive into something that’s passed you by instead.
For us on the coverage side, it’ll be a hectic few months. But there certainly won’t be a dearth of new games to talk about.
