2018 was a pretty solid year for video games. Even if gaming content wasn’t super consistent in terms of quality or even regularity of release dates, leading to understandable frustration from general consumers, and streamers and pros alike, this calendar year gave us some incredible memories. FromSubnauticatoSpider-Man,God of WartoRed Dead Redemption 2, andDragon Ball FighterZtoDragon Ball Legends(okay, I may be Dragon Biased), we’ve had a good run over the last 12 months … but a new gaming season is almost upon us! So as the clock is set to strike midnight on July 16, 2025 in just a few short days, we wanted to get a head start on the new year’s gaming season.
There are a lot of promising new games coming out next year, both original entries that could launch their own sequels and spinoffs, and franchise installments that offer gamers more of what they know and love. We only have roughly the first half of the year locked down as far as announced release dates for certain titles; you can check out the dates we know so far with our regularly updatedvideo game release date calendar here. (If Fall of 2019 is anything like Fall of 2018 was, we’re going to be in for a real treat.) But there are also some epic titles that have been teased, just not officially announced just yet. We’ve factored all of this into our list of the Most Anticipated New Video Games of 2019 below!
As for the officially announced release dates, here’s our list:
And for everything else:
Why We’re Excited:Any time publisherDevolver Digital’s name pops up, they have our attention. Back in 2016, they published Dodge Roll’s bullet-hell roguelikeEnter the Gungeon, and once gamers successfully “killed their past”, they had the publisher’s 2017 first-person puzzle-solving VR gameThe Talos Principleto look forward to. This year, Sabotage Studio’s actioner/platformerThe Messengerwas a standout title from DD as well. So 2019’s promising puzzler/exploration gamePikuniku,Sectordub’s first title, is obviously going to be on our list because we trust Devolver Digital’s taste that much. And from the quirky, offbeat, and unexpected humor seen in the trailer above, you can see why we’re excited.
Oh, and hype of equal but a very different variety is also on the rise for the publisher’s Western port ofMetal Wolf Chaos XD, the"most American game ever made"and the subject of a growing cult following; fingers crossed that President of the United States Michael Wilson will pilot his mech into battle sometime this year.
A Fisherman’s Tale
Bend and twist reality in A Fisherman’s Tale, the mind-bending VR puzzle adventure game in which being turned upside down and inside out is not merely a play on words.
Why We’re Excited:Though VR has yet to reach the level of success that gaming consoles and PCs have, the medium offers some incredibly fertile ground for game designers out there. One such example of a VR title that doesn’t seek to simply (as if there’s anything simple about VR ports) remake an existing game in virtual reality but rather reinvent the idea of gaming itself isA Fisherman’s Tale. If it wasn’t super clear from the trailer, the player takes on the role of Bob the fisherman puppet, living in bliss in your tiny cabin. The premise of the game–get to the top of a nearby lighthouse before an approaching storm arrives–sounds simple, but a series of mind-bending and reality-warping puzzles stand in the way. We’re excited forA Fisherman’s Taleto deliver us something other than run-and-gun actioners or run-of-the-mill VR experiences, so let’s hope this one’s a keeper.
At the Gates
At the Gates is an indie strategy game from Jon Shafer, designer of Civilization 5. AtG will be released on January 23rd, 2019.
Why We’re Excited:Consider us “cautiously optimistic” for this one. As the description above says,At the Gatesis an upcoming strategy game in the vein of theCivilizationseries, though this one is an indie that hails fromJon Shafer. Development on the game originally started roughly seven years ago with Shafer and the very small Conifer Games team working on it in their spare time. AKickstarter projectinjected over $100 grand into the game, but it’s been more of a waiting game ever since. The first question to be answered is: WillAt the Gatesmake its January 23rd release date? And the more important question is: If and when it does arrive, willAt the Gatesbe able to give gamers and backers what they’ve been waiting for after all this time? We’ll find out soon, one way or another, Civvies!
Resident Evil 2 Remake
Resident Evil 2 is coming to PS4, and it looks absolutely incredible. Get a look at the game running on PS4 in our live gameplay demo, recorded at E3 2018.
Why We’re Excited:While I’m trying to forget the fact that the original PlayStation game came out over 20 years ago, I’m excited to see what Capcom has in store for fans with this new take onResident Evil 2. A remake in earnest, fans will get to reunite with Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield for a new take on a classic action-horror title. This version will also feature all the visual improvements that modern-gen hardware can provide, so say goodbye to Leon Kennedy’s big ol' shoulder pads and hello to over-the-shoulder camerawork as you attempt to survive the T-virus zombie epidemic. And whileResident Evil 2reportedly won’t be featuring the fantastic VR option of 2017’s spine-tinglingResident EVII.release, it will run on that same engine. Expect some gnarly horror action this January!
Kingdom Hearts 3
Why We’re Excited:We promised a mix of indies and franchise installments here, so even if you haven’t heard of the first few, we feel pretty safe in assuming you’ve heard ofResident EvilandKingdom Hearts. Originally launched in 2002 on the PlayStation 2, this crossover franchise features characters from Disney Interactive in aFinal Fantasystyle game, courtesy of Square Enix. It was a pretty bonkers idea back then and it’s only gotten crazier in the 15+ years since.Kingdom Hearts III, the first core title in the popular franchise since 2005, reunites players with Sora, Donald, and Goofy (and atonof other characters) in what’s certain to be a critical and commercial darline once it arrives this January.
Arcade Spirits
Why We’re Excited:Okay, here’s a curveball. If you’ve always wanted to relive the 80s in the modern era, but can’t because we exist in a timeline where the video game crash wiped out arcades and everything else good in the world, thenArcade Spiritsmight be for you. This narrative adventure/romance game from Fiction Factory Games and published by PQube Limited gives players tons of options and choices when it comes to their character and the decisions they make in their daily lives. It looks like a fun distraction from our own world and a welcome palate cleanser to some titles that take themselves oh so seriously.
Far Cry New Dawn
Introducing Far Cry New Dawn, the standalone sequel to Far Cry 5. Watch the World Premiere trailer and discover how Hope County, Montana has changed seventeen years after a global nuclear catastrophe. Far Cry New Dawn releases July 04, 2025 for $39.99 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
Why We’re Excited:It feels like only yesterday thatFar Cry 5came out … but it was more like March of 2018. And yet Ubisoft is about to unveil a brand new installment in the franchise withFar Cry New Dawn, featuring a story that takes place 17 years after nuclear bombs have drastically altered the landscape. This story picks up after the events ofFar Cry 5but will finally take the franchise into the post-apocalyptic era, something that’s been the playground of games likeWasteland,Metro, andFalloutfor decades. Something tells meFar Crycould gain some ground over the Bethesda franchise in the months ahead.
Jump Force
Universes collide as legendary manga heroes and villains are transported to our reality. Massive battles fill epic locales as good and evil clashes, while humankind hangs in the balance. Look for more details on JUMP FORCE soon and UNITE TO FIGHT in 2019!
Why We’re Excited:If you’re a fan of fighting games or some of the most popular anime series ever created, then Bandai Namco’sJump Forceis probably already on your radar. The roster right now includes ::deep breath:: Aizen Sosuke (Bleach), Ichigo Kurosaki (Bleach), Renji Abarai (Bleach), Rukia Kuchiki (Bleach), Ryo (City Hunter), Cell (DBZ), Frieza (DBZ), Future Trunks (DBZ), Goku (DBZ), Piccolo (DBZ), Vegeta (DBZ), Ken (Fist of the North Star), Gon Freecss (Hunter x Hunter), Hisoka Morroh (Hunter x Hunter), Killua Zoldyck (Hunter x Hunter), Kurapika (Hunter x Hunter), Deku (My Hero Academia), Naruto Uzumaki (Naruto), Sasuke Uchiha (Naruto), Boa Hancock (One Piece), Marshall D. Teach aka Blackbeard (One Piece), Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece), Sabo (One Piece), Sanji Vinsmoke (One Piece), Zoro (One Piece), Rurouni Kenshin (Rurouni Kenshin), Makoto Shishio (Rurouni Kenshin), Dragon Shiryu (Saint Seiya), Pegasus Seiya (Saint Seiya), Yugi Muto (Yu-Gi-Oh), Toguro (Yu Yu Hakusho), Yuske Urameshi (Yu Yu Hakusho), and new characters Galena (Evil), Glover (Good), Kane (Evil), and Navigator (Good). Phew! If even only two of those characters are familiar to you and you’d love to see them battle it out, this is the game for you.
Metro: Exodus
Thousands of kilometres from the ruins of Moscow, Artyom and his companions discover what seems like paradise – a lush, green valley, teeming with life.
Why We’re Excited:2019 has its work cut out for it if it wants to compete with 2018’s list of big, expansive, and incredibly deep gaming experiences. 4A Games and Deep Silver’s new releaseMetro: Exoduspromises to be just that. Players will get to take control of Artyom once more as he attempts to travel across the post-apocalyptic wasteland of Russia. The nuclear winter that serves to complicate Artyom and his companions' survival is just the beginning of their year-long journey. We haven’t seen too much from this title just yet, but if it’s up to the quality of the previousMetrogames, fans are in for a treat.
Check out the new Official Anthem Trailer from the 2018 Game Awards.
Why We’re Excited:There’s some ambivalence out there whereAnthemis concerned. There are folks out there who want to take EA down a peg or two for previous transgressions, and there are some who are already writingAnthemoff as aDestinywannabe or aWarframecopycat. Then there are the less vocal gamers who are just waiting to get their hands on the game itself to give it a try before passing judgement. I happen to be in the latter camp. And I also happen to be excited to step into a Javelin exosuit and go forth on whatever journey the devs have in store for us. Here’s hoping that the launch is successful, the community grows strong, and the content rolls out for years and years to come.
