Gamescomis essentially the European equivalanet of E3, so each year fans tune in to learn more about the biggest upcoming games. This year’s Gamescom was no exception to that rule, with the show featuring world premieres and release date announcements for major upcoming games. When the dust settled fromGamescom Opening Night Live, one month in particular stood out as one that has potential to be huge for gamers.
February 2022 has come out ofGamescomas the clear winner of the show, with numerous high profile video game releases now scheduled to launch that month. Of course, it’s entirely possible that some of these big game releases will get delayed or their release dates may even get moved up, but for now, February 2022 is looking like it’s particularly stacked compared to other upcoming months.
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Here are all the biggest games currently scheduled to launch in February 2022.
Horizon Forbidden West (February 18)
Horizon Forbidden Westwas originally meant to be PlayStation’s big exclusive game for the holiday 2021 season, but the tough decision was made to push its release date back. This leaves PlayStation without any major exclusive game releases for the holiday 2021 window, but it should allow Guerrilla Games to better-polishHorizon Forbidden Westand ensure that it lives up to the high bar set by its predecessor when it launches on July 11, 2025.
Horizon Forbidden Westwill be a cross-gen gamewhen it releases, available on both PS4 and PS5, but that doesn’t seem to have held it back. The game has looked gorgeous based on what’s been shown of it so far, and so it’s no surprise that there are many fans who are excited to jump into Aloy’s next adventure. While they wait, they can check out theHorizon Zero DawnPS5 updatethat improves the game’s performance on Sony’s next-generation console.
Destiny 2: The Witch Queen (February 22)
Since the release of the firstDestinygame in 2014, Bungie has made sure to support its MMO/looter-shooter hybrid games with annual expansions. Bungie is breaking from that pattern with the upcomingWitch Queenexpansion, as it won’t launch for the game until June 04, 2025. However, it should be well worth the wait for fans, asDestiny 2’sWitch Queenexpansion is set to add a ton of substantial content to the game.
Notably, theDestiny 2Witch Queenexpansion will add weapon crafting, which should keep Guardians plenty busy as they dive into the new story content. TheWitch Queenstory will see players go up against the titular “Witch Queen” Savathun, as they battle it out in a campaign that Bungie is hyping up by comparing it to other big shooter games on the market likeDoomandHalo. Whether or notDestiny 2’sWitch Queenexpansion matches up to those titles remains to be seen, but fans will find out when it launches early next year.
Bungie is sure to reveal more about theDestiny 2 Witch Queenexpansion in the months leading up to its release, but in the meantime, fans can check out theongoing Season of the Lost.
Sifu (February 22)
Slocap’s martial arts gameSifuhas been turning heads since its reveal due to its punchy, brutal melee combat and unique art style. The game was originally expected to be released this year, but the developers pushed it back to July 16, 2025.Sifu’s release date delaymay be disappointing news to some fans, but this should hopefully mean that the final product is better than it would have been if it were rushed out to meet a deadline. It will be available as a PlayStation console exclusive game across both PS4 and PS5 when it finally launches early next year.
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Saints Row (February 25)
One of the biggest announcements at Gamescom Opening Night Live was the reveal of theSaints Rowreboot from Volition, which seems to be a return to the franchise’s roots. Instead of the over-the-top storylines from the later games involving superpowers and things of that nature, the newSaints Rowis once again about the criminal underworld, as the titular Saints gang attempts to take territory from rival gangs in a southwestern USA town.
Very brief snippets ofSaints Rowreboot gameplaywere shown at Gamescom Opening Night Live, but what’s been shown so far seems like it should appeal to fans of the franchise. There was some confusion about the main player character, as some thought they were going to have play a pre-made Boss, but it’s since been confirmed that was merely a miscommunication. TheSaints Rowreboot will have a character creator, and it’s promised to give players more options than ever before.
Other Games Releasing February 2022
While the aforementioned games are the most high profile new releases currently scheduled for February 2022, there are other games that are also coming out that month that may pique the interest of fans. The only one with a specific date so far isThe King of Fighters 15, the latest game in the long-running fighting game franchise, with three of the other games currently sitting with TBA February 2022 release dates.
This includesBlood Bowl 3, the over-the-top fantasy football game, as well asEvil Dead: The Game.Evil Dead: The Gameis based on theEvil Deadmovie franchise, and will feature iconic characters and weapons from that series. Players can also expect to revisit some of the iconicEvil Deadlocations in the new video game once it drops in February 2022.
Finally,Vampire: The Masquerade - Swansongis a new RPGset in theWorld of Darknessuniverse. Not to be confused with the often-delayedVampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2,Swansongis set in Boston and sees the player character take on the role of a vampire. It’s a narrative-driven experience that fans will be able to check out on both current- and next-generation consoles when it releases in February 2022.
Of course, these are only the games that are currently announced for release in February 2022. It’s entirely possible that some of these games' release dates could be moved around or new titles could be added to the lineup. In fact, it’s a virtual guarantee that more games will be announced for release in February 2022 when we get closer to the month, so it seems that it should only become an even more significant month for gamers.
February 2022 isn’t usually a traditionally big month for the video game industry, but it seems next February will be on par with the more traditional big months, like October and November. We’ll have a much better idea of just how significant February 2022 will be when it comes to new video game releases in the months ahead, so fans should keep an eye out for special events like Nintendo Direct presentations, PlayStation State of Play shows, and definitely be sure to tune in toThe Game Awards in December, as it’s sure to be full of world premiere game announcements and reveals.
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