Both the Xbox Series X and PS5 are less than 6 months old but the prospect of next-generation gaming experiences has owners foaming at the mouth. Several titles have already been released that showcase what the new hardware is capable of doing.
During this year there will be plenty of games to play, but which ones are people most excited for? Here’s a list of the most anticipated games of 2021 based on their ranking when looking at Google Trends.
10 Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, a game originally revealed as a launch window title for the PS5, still has yet to be dated. The assumption is that it would release by the end of March, but fans are wondering if the current pandemic has greatly shifted PlayStation’s plans in terms of 2021 releases. Insomniac Games is set to try and deliver the first next-gen worthy experience for gamers everywhere. It’s unlikely it doesn’t release in 2021, and according to internet traffic, gamers can’t wait to meet the new female Lombax and fight off evil with their favorite pair of misfits.
9 Pokemon Gen 4 Remakes
Pokemon as a franchise has always followed a certain cadence when it comes to their mainline video game releases and there’s no reason to believe 2021 will be any different. Not only does 2021 mark the franchise’s 25th anniversary, but the timing is perfect for the remakes of Pokemon Diamond & Pearl. The 4th generation of games are the oldest ones in the series to not receive some sort of upgrade or re-release in quite some time, and it’s highly unlikely a brand new set of mainline entries would release only 2 years after Pokemon Sword & Shield.
8 Gotham Knights
Batman: Arkham Knight, developed by Rocksteady Games, released back in 2015, and Batman fans have been waiting ever since for a new gaming experience. They’ll finally be getting their prayers answered in 2021 by way of WB Montreal’s co-op Bat-family title, Gotham Knights.
The recent delay of WB Games’ Hogwarts Legacy had fans concerned, but WB Montreal recently stated that their plan is still to release Gotham Knights in 2021. The game’s success will ultimately revolve around how well the live service elements are integrated.
7 Horizon Forbidden West
Horizon Forbidden West is the sequel adventure for Aloy after PlayStation players fell in love with a whole new world that was introduced in Horizon Zero Dawn. There are concerns that the title may be affected by it releasing on both the PS4 and PS5, but Guerrilla Games have assured fans that those worries are unneeded. It was originally assumed that Horizon Forbidden West would release in early 2021, but it looks like a late Summer or early Fall release window in 2021 is the more reasonable frame to anticipate for its release.
6 Resident Evil Village
Recently Capcom unveiled much more about Resident Evil Village at the Resident Evil Showcase celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the popular horror video game franchise. Fans got a glimpse at both extended gameplay as well as a look at some of the narrative elements in the game’s story. A PS5 exclusive demo titled “Maiden” was released to the public, which served as a tone piece in terms of environments and audio design. Resident Evil Village looks to add on to the great track record Capcom has been on with the franchise in recent years.
5 The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild 2
In terms of fan desire and critical reception The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 should be higher on this list, but many people are unsure if it will release in 2021. The prevailing thought in the gaming community is that if the Nintendo Switch Pro is real and releasing in 2021, that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 would be the launch title that would release alongside the new hardware. Seems like a money-making move that makes way too much sense, but it’s unclear if either of those things will see the light of day in 2021.
4 Far Cry 6
The gaming industry is full of unique cases regarding certain franchises and how they perform. For Far Cry, the games tend to review in the mid-70s and low 80s, but in terms of sales, the mainline entries usually finish top ten in the given year they release.
Far Cry 6 will be starring Giancarlo Esposito of The Mandalorian and Breaking Bad fame in the lead antagonist role where he’ll portray the dictator of a fictitious Latin country. Fans should expect to see a deeper dive into the mechanics and gameplay in the coming months.
3 Halo Infinite
Halo Infinite was intended to release alongside the Xbox Series X in November of 2020, but was delayed into the 2nd half of 2021. Though it was a bummer that Xbox owners didn’t have a premiere launch exclusive on day one, it was clear that the game needed a little bit more time in the oven. It’s been confirmed that Halo: Infinite’s multiplayer will be going free-to-play, which means that if they nail the release of the game, Halo: Infinite could end up being a stellar experience for the entire Xbox Series X console generation.
2 God Of War: Ragnarok
In 2018 Sony Santa Monica managed to not only soft reboot the God of War franchise but took its unappealing main character and made him a fully fleshed-out and interesting focal point of the game. Its sequel, which most people are currently referring to as God of War: Ragnarok, is supposedly set to arrive in 2021. Given the track record of PlayStation, the safe assumption is that it will likely be pushed into 2022, but that doesn’t mean fans aren’t frantically searching online for any information regarding the sequel.
1 Elden Ring
It’s hard to find a corner of the internet that isn’t filled with Elden Ring talk among gamers. FromSoftware is one of the more beloved developers in the industry right now and their fans can’t wait for each new release. Elden Ring is special since it’s the studio’s first attempt at the open-world genre and George R.R. Martin helped with lore and world-building. A 2021 isn’t out of the question, but as time goes on it feels less and less likely that FromSoftware’s next release happens in this calendar year.
NEXT: Ranking The 10 Most Anticipated PS5 Games (According To Google Trends)
