As 2014 wraps up, it’s time to look ahead to what the big wide world of PC gaming has in store for 2015. We already know when some of next year’s titles are coming out so let’s take a look at a whole host of games to watch out for in the next twelve months.
This is unlikely to cover every upcoming PC game of 2015 (because it’s impossible to keep track of everything.) But we’ve done our best, and this is the stuff you’re most likely to see covered on IncGamers in the coming year. As always, comments are welcome – we’ll add any glaring omissions and this list will be continually updated throughout 2015 with revised dates and new titles.
January
H1Z1 (Sony Online Entertainment): 15 January (Early Access edition)
Don’t expect this one to be finished in 2015, but SoE’s somewhat-awaited appearance in the saturated open world zombie survival (with multiplayer) will be appearing on Early Access a few weeks into the new year. So you’ll be able to play a bit of it, at least. It supposedly has more of a genuine player-vs-zombies focus than more “humanity is really the enemy *gasp*” titles like DayZ, but since it’s not even in Early Access yet further speculation and predictions seem foolish.
Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell (Volition): 20 January
This stand-alone Saints Row expansion sends Johnny Gat and Kinzie Kensington to hell for a potentially musical confrontation against Satan himself. Gat and Kinzie are both playable characters in these latest open world shenanigans, and Gat Out of Hell will also allow devilish online co-op play.
Read more about Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell
Citizens of Earth (Eden Industries): 20 January
The exact opposite of Star Citizen: it’s an earthbound (and very Earthbound) JRPG which has a release date in the near future. Citizens of Earth sees you take on the role of the Vice-President of the World, off to solve the planet’s problems by recruiting as many citizens as possible and making them do all the work.
Resident Evil HD (Capcom): 20 January
The Jill-est sandwiches you can possibly imagine. Now in HD texture-o-vision.
Read more about Resident Evil HD
Grey Goo (Petroglyph): 23 January
Command & Conquer is one of our favourite RTS franchises so if you loved C&C then perhaps Grey Goo should be on your radar, because this is being created Petroglyph and a few former C&C devs are involved. This is a traditional RTS but with less focus on micro-management and more on tactics. It’s also got Goo which is always a massive plus.
Grim Fandango Remastered (Double Fine): 27 January
One of (if not the) greatest adventure games of all time will be re-released in January, with higher-resolution visuals, fancier lighting and (yes) an alternative option to the original “tank controls.” Finally, you’ll be able to move Manny around his office without him bumping into everything. There’s some sort of director’s commentary included too, so you can learn all about how Grim Fandango was made and whatnot.
Read more about Grim Fandango Remastered
Dying Light (Techland): 27 January
Techland’s zombie survival title featuring their “revolutionary Natural Movement system” will have you leaping about all over the place. Daytime is all parkour and smacking shambling corpses in the face. Night time is more of a case of hugging your legs in terror or making a mad dash away from what lurks in the darkness.
Heroes of Might & Magic 3 – HD Edition (DotEmu): 29 January
Probably the most popular of the Heroes of Might & Magic series, HoMM 3, will be getting an HD re-mastering in January. It’ll offer seven “campaign scenarios”, 48 skirmish maps, local multiplayer, a map editor, and (oddly for a Ubisoft-published game) online multiplayer via Steam lobbies. Plus, you know, HD graphics and stuff.
Life is Strange Episode One (Dontnod): 30 January
The first episode of Dontnod’s supposedly choice-and-consequence heavy jaunt is due in late January. You are Max, a woman with curious time travel abilities. That’s about all I know. It may also have something to do with Portland.
Read more about Life is Strange
February
Evolve (Turtle Rock Studios): 10 February
Team up with three others to shoot a big monster. Alternatively, team up with nobody and step on four hunters. The Big Alpha test was an interesting experience for us, but left a lot of questions unanswered. Read Peter’s impressions of Evolve right here.
Total War: Attila (Creative Assembly): 17 February
Creative Assembly’s next title is a stand-alone spin off from Rome 2. Total War: Attila is based in a later time period, 395AD. With threats from all sides and their forces spread thin, playing as the Western Roman Empire will force players to retreat and lose provinces before they can actually regain the strength needed to fight back. Other factions are, of course, available too. Let’s hope it has a better launch than Rome 2.
Read more About Total War Atilla
Resident Evil: Revelations 2 (Capcom): 18 February
Capcom’s episodic take on the Resident Evil series will be first appearing towards the middle of February, with subsequent episodes due each week thereafter. This time around we’re taking control of Claire Redfield and series newcomer Moira Burton, daughter of bearded Jill Sandwich-maker Barry Burton, as they get locked in an abandoned detention facility full of monsters. Should be worth a look, if only to see how an episodic game with actual, regularly scheduled episodes works out.
Frozen Cortex (Mode 7): 19 February
The follow-up to Frozen Synapse, with the same ‘simultaneous turn-based’ play mechanic. This time you’re each controlling teams of robots in a weird version of American Football/Speedball, rather than a squad of men with guns. Frozen Cortex has been through the Early Access process, ready to emerge in mid February.
There Came an Echo (Iridium Studios): 24 February
Voice-controlled (or traditionally controlled, if you prefer) isometric squad command title, featuring the soothing tones of Wil Wheaton. That’s not him in the picture. That’s somebody else.
Dragon Ball Xenoverse (Dimps): 27 February
H-his power level … it can’t be …
Dynasty Warriors 8: Empires (Tecmo Koei): 27 February
The Western localisation of Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends Complete Edition apparently did well enough on Steam for the PC to get a release of Dynasty Warriors 8: Empires as well. In the “Empires” branch of this series, you can choose to create your own Romance of the Three Kingdoms character and attempt to strategically forge your own realm. The battles are the same Dynasty Warriors stuff you know and (maybe) love, but Empires brings an added tactical layer.
Read more about Dynasty Warriors 8: Empires
March
White Night (OSome Studio): 4 March
Narrative-heavy survival horror title set in the 1930s, and inspired by the classics of Film Noir and German Expressionism. Sounds just dandy to me.
Shelter 2 (Might & Delight): 9 March
Might & Delight’s cub-rearing sequel puts you in matriarchal charge of a brood of adorable lynx. Battle the weather, hunger and probably some pesky predators in this open world-ish survival title. And prepare to cry a lot if you’re a terrible mother and accidentally let your lynx children die.
Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number (Dennaton): 10 March
NEON DEATH BLITZ. Originally scheduled for 2014, it was delayed back in October for “extra polish.” Looks like a bit of a “done when it’s done” situation for this Hotline Miami sequel, but the fancy vinyl Collector’s Edition is due in Q1 2015 so presumably the game is as well.
Read more about Hotline Miami 2
Cities: Skylines (Colossal Order): 10 March
After the disappointment of EA’s SimCity, Paradox decided city builder fans needed a game without the limitations seen in the Maxis title. All the major features you’d expect in a city builder are included in this package, so if you want to build a large city with all its infrastructure then this is one to keep under observation.
Read more about Cities: Skyline
Assassin’s Creed: Rogue (Ubisoft): 10 March
For those of us who still can’t run Assassin’s Creed: Unity properly, maybe this kind-of-sequel-ish follow-up to Black Flag will do the trick instead. Already released for 360/PS3 back in November, but due in “Early 2015” for PC based on the last trailer we saw. Rogue has more boat bits, so it’s probably alright. Now due in March.
Ori and the Blind Forest (Moon Studios): 11 March
Looks like a side-scrolling platformer heavily inspired by Studio Ghibli films. I am entirely okay with this. You play as “white spirit guardian” Ori, in search of your adoptive mother. She’s been taken away somewhere by unpleasant spirit Kuro; presumably because he’s a big jerk.
Battlefield Hardline (Visceral): 17 March
Visceral are handling this one, so DICE can concentrate on finishing Battlefield 4. Then, next year, DICE can do Battlefield 5 while Visceral finish this one. EA has found the perfect system. Delayed from 2014 to 17 March 2015.
Read more about Battlefield Hardline
Pillars of Eternity (Obsidian): 26 March
Obsidian’s Kickstarter-funded RPG could be a return to the Black Isle glory days of top-down isometric adventuring, with plenty of dialogue-driven choices and consequences. This was another title originally due in 2014, but pushed to early 2015 back in October.
Read more about Pillars of Eternity
Dead or Alive 5: Last Round (Team Ninja): 30 March
Team Ninja’s busty, counter-heavy fighting game will be making its first appearance on PC courtesy of Dead or Alive 5: Last Round. Expect a whopping 34 fighters, lots of fast-paced brawling, and a mixture of ludicrously overblown and ludicrously skimpy costumes. Just don’t expect to be playing it online – not until internet play is patched in a few months after release, anyway.
Read more about Dead or Alive 5: Last Round
Early 2015/Q1 2015
Overwatch Beta (Blizzard): Early 2015
BlizzCon 2014 saw the unexpected reveal of Overwatch, a shooter/MOBA hybrid with more than a whiff of Team Fortress 2 about it. It promises to be welcoming to beginners, and while that’s perhaps some cause for concern for those fearing an overly simplified game, it’ll doubtless have enough Blizzard polish to make it worth more than a cursory glance.
Killing Floor 2 (Tripwire): Early 2015 (probably an Early Access release)
Tripwire’s sequel to the wildly successful co-op zombie-bothering Killing Floor may be getting a Q1 2015 Early Access, or it might not. The FAQ for the game on the Steam forums says “we are still working hard to get to the point where we can firmly decide that its ready for early access.” Chances are this game will be coming out in some form during 2015, though.
Below (Capybara Games): Early 2015
Stylised rogue-like (perma-death, random environments, exploration et al) from Superbrothers developer Capybara games. Honestly, I don’t know huge amounts about this title beyond that sentence, but the word is it’s due in Q1 2015.
Toy Soldiers: War Chest (Signal Studios): Early 2015
It’s Rainbow Brite vs the Kaiser’s might in Signal Studio’s return to toy box territorial disputes. Two other distinct factions are planned for this action/tower defense hybrid sequel. Most recent indications put this one in Q1 2015.
Loading Human (Untold Games): 2015
First-person, sci-fi adventure title built specifically for the Oculus Rift (or, presumably, any VR type device.) Kickstarted in mid-June 2014, this is expected in Q1 2015.
Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII (Square Enix): Probably Q1 2015
We know it’s coming, but we don’t know when. Judging by the release dates of the past two, we’d guess it’ll be within the next three months or so, but obviously – no guarantees. Lightning struck three times, but the real question is whether the third time will be the charm for this Square Enix port. Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy XIII-2 both had hugely problematic releases, and trust in Square Enix’s port jobs has already fallen pretty low, so if this one doesn’t look nice and run smoothly then Square will be fighting a losing battle for the cash of PC gamers.
Armikrog (Pencil Test): Q1 2015
Claymation point-and-click adventure game, boasting the vocal talents of MST3k’s Michael J Nelson and voice-of-every-animated-series-ever Rob Paulsen. Spiritual successor to The Neverhood. Last spotted with a Q1 2015 release date.
Blackguards 2 (Daedalic): Q1 2015
More turn-based, tactical RPG square-offs backed up with The Dark Eye rule-set. This time around, Daedalic are promising to make the systems a bit more comprehensible to those who aren’t familiar with The Dark Eye. Plus, of course, the usual additional features, enemies and challenges you’d expect from a sequel.
Roller Coaster Tycoon World (Area52 Games) : Q1 2015
The popular theme park/coaster management series is set to continue following it’s announcement for the PC last year. In this new version there’s an emphasis on multiplayer features with players being able to visit parks created by the community, the ability to share blueprints, and park creation for up to four players in a co-op mode.
Zombie Army Trilogy (Rebellion): Early 2015
Oh that Hitler, he just won’t stop messing about with the occult. A compilation bundle of Nazi Zombie Army, the sequel, and new third installment will be coming in Early 2015. Doesn’t sound like there’ll be a stand-alone of Nazi Zombie Army 3, but owners of prior games on Steam will get a discount for the set.
Blitzkrieg 3 (Nival): Q1 2015
Nival bring back their WWII strategy series after a lengthy break and it comes with single player and multiplayer game modes. The previous games were decent so let’s hope there’s more of the same but with a few improvements.
April 2015
Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin (FromSoftware): 3 April
A sort of Game of the Year/Director’s Cut combo edition of Dark Souls II, bundling all of the Lost Crowns DLC trilogy in with a re-jigged version of the original title. It promises some new NPCs and enemies, improved enemy placements, fancier graphics and expanded multiplayer (with up to six people in a session.) Some of this stuff will be patched back into the original for free, other bits require you to buy Scholar of the First Sin. It’s not yet known if pre-existing PC owners of Dark Souls II will be able to get a ‘loyalty discount’ but we certainly hope so.
StarDrive 2 (Zero Sum Games): 9 April
Samurai Space Bears will return in this 4x follow-up. Originally scheduled for a September 2014 release, StarDrive 2 now has an April release date. The sequel will have a turn-based strategic layer, real-time space battles and turn-based planetary warfare. Expect it in 2015.
Grand Theft Auto 5 (Rockstar): 14 April
GTA V has taken its sweet time getting to the PC, but should finally show up in late January late March (thanks, Rockstar.) The PC version will apparently “take full advantage of the power of PC to deliver across-the-board enhancements,” and includes the much talked about first person mode. This one is likely to be top of several people’s must-have lists for 2015. Let’s just hope it’s a better port than GTA IV, eh? Delayed, delayed and delayed again.
Mortal Kombat X (NetherRealm): 14 April
The last time I played a Mortal Kombat title, The Shamen were topping the charts with “Ebeneezer Goode.” Apparently NetherRealm are doing a pretty good job with the series, so Mortal Kombat X is likely to be of interest to a whole new batch of people considering a career in human anatomy.
Read more about Mortal Kombat X
Solarix (Pulsetense): 30 April
Coming from indie developer Pulsetense Games, Solarix is a sci-fi stealth game heavily inspired by titles like System Shock 2 and the original Thief. Currently in its alpha stages, the small development team is hoping to get it out some time between February and March 2015.
May 2015
Project Cars (Slightly Mad): 7 May
I’m fairly confident this is going to be a game about cars. Slightly Mad’s serious driving sim is due in November at some point. Actually, wait, it’s now been bumped to March 2015. OH WAIT, now it’s in April. Just kidding, it’s mid-May now. It’ll come out eventually. Probably.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (CD Projekt Red): 19 May
Another game that was officially pushed to 2015 and then delayed from a February release to May. The Witcher 3 puts Geralt in an open world for the first time, so it’ll be fascinating to see how CD Projekt Red reconcile the series’ traditionally rather tight narrative with the more free-form possibilities presented by an unrestricted world. No matter how that all turns out, PC RPG fans are likely to have this on their watch list.
Magicka 2 (Arrowhead): 26 May
Spellcasting sequel that promises more co-op chaos and none-vampyric vampires.
Bladestorm: Nightmare (Omega Force): May
Expect Joan of Arc plus dragons in this Musou-styled retelling of the Hundred Years’ War between England and France. Omega Force doing what Omega Force do best, basically.
June 2015
Batman: Arkham Knight (Rocksteady): 23 June
Batman in summer? That seems a bit unusual for the darkest of dark knights, but the title was pushed back for “extra development time” so Bruce will just have to put up with the risk of heat stroke now. Batman: Arkham Knight introduces the Batmobile as “a thing,” and pits Batman against old foes like Scarecrow and new ones like the titular Arkham Knight.
Read more about Batman: Arkham Knight
SUPERHOT (SUPERHOT Team): June
SUPER. HOT. SUPER. HOT. SUPER. H … oh fine, I’ll write a proper blurb. Originally developed as part of a seven day FPS game jam thingie, SUPERHOT is a game about time manipulation. Basically, the world only moves when you do, which provides a distinct advantage when trying to dodge bullets and defeat multiple foes. The prototype is great, so let’s hope it has enough legs to stretch to a full game. June is the current release date target.
Summer / Q2 2015
Way of the Samurai 4 (Ghostlight): February
The fourth in the long-running Way of the Samurai series originally planned to saunter onto the PC sometime in January. It’s now due in Q2 2015. Create a samurai, dress up like a lunatic, run a dojo, craft your own fighting style, and help or hinder the many vying factions of the game’s town in this short but replayable, branching adventure.
Read more about Way of the Samurai 4
Grim Dawn (Crate Entertainment): Summer
Crate’s ARPG has been coming on leaps and bounds in 2014, and the third act has recently been added to Steam Early Access. Grim Dawn could be one of the most promising ARPGs of 2015, so it’s definitely one to keep an eye on as development continues.
Adr1ft (Three One Zero): Summer
Floaty space-survival in first-person, which looks tailor-made as a Virtual Reality title. It’s also apparently a metaphor for Adam Orth’s experiences on twitter, after he was fired from Microsoft for running his mouth about the proletariat not being able to afford always-online internet connections. Or something like that. Alternatively, you can ignore all of that and pretend it’s just about space.
Gigantic (Motiga): Summer
James Phinney of Guild Wars fame is back in action with his new studio, and although Gigantic might look like just another MOBA, it changes things up a bit with the inclusion of huge monsters which the teams need to protect. Alpha testing is already under way for this one, but the full thing is due next year.
September
Mad Max (Avalanche): 4 September
Rumoured to have been delayed to coincide with the upcoming Mad Max film. Since that’s coming out on 15 May, our best guess is that we’ll see this around the same time. Mind you, Avalanche has been a bit quiet with the advertising materials of late, and have been talking more about Just Cause 3 than this game. The PR machine might spin up next year, or this one could just be in limbo. Latest word now is a September release.
Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain (Kojima Productions): 15 September
Those unfamiliar with the long-running stealth-action franchise might’ve been surprised with the less-than-po-faced reveal that you can attach Fulton balloons to goats and watch them sail into the sky, bleating with confusion. Of course, if you don’t fancy seeing Hideo Kojima’s take on Wildlife Kidnapping Simulator 2015, you could just roam around an open world shooting people, stabbing people, sneaking into bases, and getting wrapped up in what will doubtless be a lengthy, pathos-filled story. We’re in it for the goats, though.
Read more about Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
King’s Quest (The Odd Gentlemen): Autumn 2015
The Odd Gentlemen (PB Winterbottom) have been chosen to revive the King’s Quest series on the newly reformed Sierra label. It apparently won’t use a point and click interface, but is still slated to be an adventure game in terms of its other mechanics. The framing device for the narrative is King Graham telling his granddaughter Gwendolyn about his former travels and adventures.
FIFA 16 (EA Sports): September
There’s always a FIFA and it’s always in September. 2015 is unlikely to be an exception. Perhaps for this installment EA Sports could give some love to areas of the game which aren’t the money-printing Ultimate Team mode? That would be nice.
PES 2016 (Konami): September-ish
Just as there’ll be a new FIFA, there will also (in all likelihood) be a new PES. 2014’s installment came out in November, but September is really the more traditional window. Konami need to give the PC version the same graphical treatment as the PS4/Xbox One versions this time; there’s really no excuse.
Rocket Ranger Reloaded (Cinemaware): September
A successful Kickstarter means that Cinemaware’s remake of Rocket Ranger Reloaded is coming next year. As a World War 2 soldier equipped with technology sent from the future – including a rocket pack – it’s up to you to stop the super-powered Nazi menace from taking over the world. As with most Cinemaware games, it offers a mix of genres: flying, shooting, Nazi punching, and a few strategic overtures in terms of sending your agents out around the globe. It’s estimated for September 2015, but as with most Kickstarter predictions, I’d maybe expect at least a small delay.
October
Rainbow Six: Siege (Ubisoft): 13 October
Lana Kane’s most anticipated game of 2015, if I remember my E3 conferences correctly. Having mercy-killed Rainbow Six: Patriots, Ubisoft are re-visiting the license for this team-based competitive multiplayer title. Hostage Takers vs SWAT. Walls vs Explosives. You get the general idea.
Read more about Rainbow Six: Siege
Football Manager 2016 (Sports Interactive): October
As surely as day turns to night, there will be a Football Manager 2016 released in October. Expect the usual iterative improvements in design and the match engine to still be slightly rubbish.
Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate (Ubisoft): “Autumn” on PC, 23 October on everything else
The PC release is slated for “Fall” rather than 23 October, so we’re still not quite sure when Syndicate will show up. After the debacle of Assassin’s Creed: Unity, Ubisoft need to win back some serious trust with this Victorian London-based outing. It goes without saying that you should not pre-order it under any circumstances.
November
Call of Duty: Subtitle (Treyarch): November
If I’ve understood Activision’s new three-year-dev-cycle system for Call of Duty correctly, then it’s Treyarch who’ll be handling 2015’s release. Advanced Warfare has “done” the future, so where will Treyarch go with this one? We’ll find out in 2015.
2015
Any titles with specific dates or release windows have been organised above. Everything from now on just has a release date of “2015.” They should all (development permitting) appear at some point in the year, we just don’t really know when.
Hearts of Iron IV (Paradox): 2015
This World War 2 strategy title was originally scheduled for Q2 2015 but has since been delayed. As ever, it’ll aim to keep hardcore strategy fans engrossed with lots of lovely maps. Or at least one map, anyway. Of Europe. During World War II. It’s a Paradox title, so expect the grandest of grand strategy.
Read more about Hearts of Iron IV
The Division (Ubisoft): 2015
At a guess, probably September-October 2015 but at the moment we have no idea. Ubisoft hasn’t had a great track record with big budget titles of late, so we hope they don’t mess this one up.
Star Citizen (Cloud Imperium Games): 2015 (bits of it)
The alpha version of the Dogfighting Module came out in summer 2014, but let’s not kid ourselves about the full thing being finished any time soon. There’s still lots to be done and cash keeps flowing in, so more features and ships are being added all the time. We do know that parts of the game will be released incrementally, though, so keep an eye on the news to find out what’s available for play at any given time.
Barkley 2 AKA The Magical Realms of Tír na nÓg: Escape from Necron 7 – Revenge of Cuchulainn: The Official Game of the Movie – Chapter 2 of the Hoopz Barkley SaGa (Tales of Game’s): 2015
“Game of the Year 2015” — Peter Parrish, December 2014
Satellite Reign (5Lives): 2015
Syndicate fans can look forward to this spiritual successor, in development at 5Lives. It already looks quite lovely, so if it also manages to replicate the gameplay of the Bullfrog original it should do very well. The Early Access version was released at the start of December 2014 as a very early alpha, but it won’t be out “properly” until 2015. You can buy in now but we suggest you wait until the game is a little more complete.
Read more about Satellite Reign
Dirty Bomb (Splash Damage): 2015
Splash Damage are back with another shooter, this time designed specifically for PC. Originally a crowd funded project, publisher Nexon stepped in and it will now be free to play. With titles such as Quake Wars: Enemy Territory under their belts, this should excite FPS fans. But with titles like Brink also under their belts, perhaps it shouldn’t. Players will select classes and fight against another team in objective based missions. The game is not a huge departure from their previous titles but from what we have seen and played of the game so far it’s pretty solid.
Cuphead (Studio MDHR): 2015
Delightfully terrifying run-and-gun platformer based on the mightily fucked up cartoons of the 1930s. Many bosses are promised, as are many nightmares (probably.) Cuphead has lost a bet with the devil (which I guess explains a few things,) and must make amends. Two player co-op is an option as well, so you can share the whole alarming ordeal with a friend.
Just Cause 3 (Avalanche): 2015
Since the terrifying rumours about Just Cause 3 being a game trapped in microtransaction hell have been debunked by Avalanche themselves, it’s okay to get excited for this game all over again. Though in truth I would pay $5.00 for a special Bolo Santosi voice pack. Anyhow, as long as it turns out vaguely like the screenshot above, all should be well.
Hellraid (Techland): 2015
Anyone who remembers the classic Hexen games (or maybe Dark Messiah) should feel right at home with Hellraid; a game which is promising co-op hack’n’slash fantasy action. Techland delayed this one in 2014 to rebuild it on their new, in-house engine. It’s now coming in 2015.
Cities XXL (Monte Cristo): 2015
The original Cities XL looked promising but suffered from some horrendous bugs and performance issues. In 2015, the series is set to return; this time with multi-threading support, so it should at least perform better. Little is known about the game so far but you can watch this trailer.
The Banner Saga 2 (Stoic): 2015
Or, The Banner Saga Episode 2, since this is just the second step in a planned trilogy. I’m expecting more turn-based combat and decisions about how to ration out food supplies, plus more of Stoic’s lovely Eyvind Earle-inspired landscapes. It’ll be interesting to see whether the developer switches up any of the mechanics for this second outing.
Read more about The Banner Saga 2
Heroes of the Storm (Blizzard): 2015 (Closed beta in January 2015)
Blizzard’s MOBA goes into closed beta in January, so it’s conceivable that the game will be released later in 2015.
Read more about Heroes of the Storm
Chaos Reborn (Snapshot Games): 2015
You’ve probably heard of Julian Gollop. He was the fellow primarily behind the original UFO: Enemy Unknown (otherwise known as XCOM.) Prior to that, he made groundbreaking ZX Spectrum titles like Rebelstar, Laser Squad and, indeed, Chaos. Currently on Early Access, so presumably due for a “full release” in 2015, Gollop’s Chaos Reborn is updating and refining the 1980s battle of wizards for a new audience.
Armored Warfare (Obsidian): 2015 (closed beta in Q1 2015)
When Armored Warfare was announced as an Obsidian online tank game it was rather surprising. But with the popularity of World of Tanks it makes sense that My.com would have a stab at taking a slice of the market. The interesting thing about Armored Warfare is that it focuses on modern tank warfare, which should set it apart somewhat from its competitors.
Read more about Armored Warfare
After Reset (Richard Nixon, no, seriously): 2015
Post-apocalyptic RPG, styled after the original Fallout titles. After Reset is making some of the usual tantalising role-playing promises, like massive freedom of choice and branching narratives. Like other “old school” projects, this one is promising suitably in-depth rule-sets and mechanics, as well as meaningful character creation.
Sunset (Tale of Tales): 2015
A fictional 1970s South American city serves as the backdrop to this first-person, narrative-driven affair. You take the role of Angela Burnes, housekeeper and stranded American tourist. Your employer, Gabriel Ortega, is part of a rebellious plot against dictator Generalísimo Ricardo Miraflores. It’s by Tale of Tales so expect ART.
Fortnite (Epic Games): 2015
Build (forts) by day, shoot stuff by night. Just like the name, see? One of the first games to be announced for Unreal Engine 4, but not actually out yet. It’s supposedly going to be free-to-play, so hold on to your construction tools for some hot, hot microtransactions to save you grinding for materials/loot/whatever other virtual trinket is of value in this world.
StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void (Blizzard): 2015
The third and final part of StarCraft II should be appearing at some point in 2015. Blizzard has plans for a mid-year beta. This one will focus on the Protoss campaign, as well as introducing new multiplayer modes and units.
Read more about StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void
Godus (22cans): 2015, I guess?
Godus is turtleneck purveyor (and Populous creator) Peter Molyneux’s attempt to go back to his roots, creating a god game for the PC, funding it via Kickstarter, and then releasing it via Early Access. Early on, it was heavy on the clicks and not so heavy on the gameplay. Now, though, it’s been patched, updated, and rewritten endlessly, and it’s hopefully starting to resemble a game. There’s no release date set, but it might be coming in 2015 – and if nothing else, more updates will be.
Minecraft: Story Mode (Telltale): 2015
Telltale are making an episodic, narrative-driven game about Minecraft. Yeah, I don’t know either. The first episode is due out “sometime in 2015”, so we’ll hopefully hear a bit more soon. At least then we can gauge whether this is as insane a venture as it sounds.
Read more about Minecraft: Story Mode
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 (CyberConnect2): 2015
Naruto has finally reached its conclusion, which means that it’s time for an Ultimate Ninja Storm game that’ll let you complete the saga yourself. Expect traditional one-on-one battles, set-piece events, giant monsters, and all the ninja combat you can hope for. Will it be the last Naruto game? Considering the popularity of the franchise, I really doubt it.
Read more about Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4
Pathologic Remake (Ice-Pick Lodge): 2015/2016
Thanks to a successful Kickstarter, Russian developers Ice-Pick Lodge (The Void) are re-making Pathologic with extra details, proper localisation and fancier graphics. Additions aside, it’ll be the same intriguing tale of a town in the grip of a devastating plague. Plus all the attendant weirdness you should expect of an Ice-Pick Lodge release. Seems to actually be aiming for a 2016 release, so look forward to it showing up in next year’s list as well.
Space Hulk: Deathwing (Streum On Studio/Cyanide): 2015
Anybody with fond memories of the absolute lunacy behind EYE: Divine Cybermancy should be aware that the same guys are involved in making this licensed Space Hulk shooter. Cyanide are also involved, so your guess is probably as good as ours about how this one might turn out. I just want more Brouzoufs.
Rise of Incarnates (Bandai Namco): 2015
Bandai Namco have been a bit quiet about their 2-on-2 PC brawler lately, but last we heard, it’s still being developed. Its beta was removed from Steam with word that it’d reappear when the game hit Early Access… which was due a few months ago, and was then delayed indefinitely. So, um. We’ll hopefully hear something about it relatively soon, because otherwise, this is getting put on the “left quietly to die” pile.
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Star Wars: Battlefront (DICE): Holiday 2015
Here is everything we know about Star Wars: Battlefront: it’s called Star Wars: Battlefront. If it’s anything like the past games in the series, it will be Battlefield painted to look like Star Wars. From the looks of that screen above, it will probably have a Hoth map. That’s about it. Considering it’s due in winter 2015 to coincide with the release of the new Star Wars movie, The Force Awakens, the PR machine will probably start to ramp up fairly soon.
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Torment: Tides of Numenera (inXile): 2015
inXile have some gigantic RPG shoes to fill with their take on the Torment series. Licensing shenanigans mean they can’t use the Planescape universe, so instead this game is using the Numenera rule-set and adopting the protective mantle of “spiritual successor.” The developer did a fine job on Wasteland 2, so it’ll be fascinating to see how they handle the more narrative and character focused Torment. Current estimates put this in Q4 2015, so it may well slip to 2016.
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Black Desert (Pearl Abyss): 2015
One day I might be able to mention more about Black Desert than the impressive-looking character creation tool, but that day is not today. This Korean MMO is heading to the West at some point in 2015, so we’ll learn more when that happens. It’ll probably be a bit grind-y.
Sleeping Dogs: Triad Wars (United Front): 2015
Not the fully-fledged sequel to Sleeping Dogs most were hoping for, but instead a … well, Wikipedia calls it an “open world online multiplayer action-adventure strategy game,” which is one hell of a buzzword salad. Far as I know, it’ll re-use the city of Hong Kong from Sleeping Dogs, and cast you as an eager Triad member looking to expand his territory. Part MMO, part free-to-play, part Sleeping Dogs, I guess? Could be a pleasant surprise. Could be a disaster.
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Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord (Taleworlds): 2015
Updates on Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord have been few and far between. The largest concentration of information can be found on Taleworlds’ sporadic blog postings, with the most recent entry offering a look at the sequel’s powerful (and flexible) new engine. More highly-moddable sandbox RPG antics are anticipated; hopefully in 2015.
Routine (LunarSoftware)
Set on an abandoned Moon Base, Routine looks like it could be one of the more interesting first person horror titles of 2015. Check out the trailer on this page.
SOMA (Frictional Games): 2015
Frictional Games, creators of Amnesia, return to the horror genre with SOMA which they say will “chill you to the core.” Spooky stuff.
Wreckfest (Bugbear): 2015
Previously called Next Car Game, Bugbear’s driving smash-em-up racer hit Steam Early Access last year – inevitably meaning there’s still a bunch of work to be done. A multiplayer mode has been added to the game, but there’s plenty more needed if this is to see a full release in 2015.
Get Even (The Farm 51): 2015
Get Even is a bit of a looker, and is promising a different style of FPS where they hope to “remove the artificial boundary between modes of single and multiplayer.” In other words, the AI will be replaced with real players in the single player campaign mode. There’s also VR support.
Dreadnought (Yager): 2015
Yager (developers of the entirely different Spec Ops: The Line) invite players to command huge capital ships in both multiplayer and single player settings. The game is not expected to be released until the latter part of 2015.
Corpse Party: Blood Covered (Team GrisGris): 2015
XSEED were due to bring Team GrisGris’s horror adventure series to PC sometime in 2014, and then things went quiet. Hopefully this is still in the works, because getting chased around a decrepit school filled with the vengeful ghosts of murdered children, watching our school-age protagonists get offed one by one, sounds like fun. Okay, maybe “fun” is the wrong word, but you know what I mean. (The screen above is from a different Corpse Party game on the PSP, but you get the general idea.)
Kingdom Come: Deliverance (Warhorse Studios): Q4 2015 (estimated)
We may not end up seeing the full Kingdom Come: Deliverance in 2015, but with an alpha currently underway it’s likely that updates will continue throughout the year for this medieval-themed RPG. A fairly sizable earner on Kickstarter, Kingdom Come is going for period accuracy, first-person melee combat and classless character progression. Sounds (loosely) like Mount & Blade, which is not a bad point of reference by any means.
“Game 4” (The Behemoth): 2015, maybe
The Behemoth work in mysterious ways, so we may not even see their fourth game (still dubbed “Game 4“) in 2015. Battleblock Theater and Castle Crashers both went through some pretty extensive re-design phases during development, delaying their respective launches. As of the latest demonstrations, Game 4 is a kind of quick-fire, turn-based game with hexes and strangeness.
Hellblade (Ninja Theory): 2015
The 2014 Gamescom reveal of Hellblade always made a PC version seem fairly likely, and that’s now official. Ninja Theory’s latest melee-combat focused title will be on our platform in 2015, with confirmed mod support.
Volume (Bithell): 2015
Mike Bithell’s (Thomas Was Alone) next game is a re-telling of the Robin Hood legend from a future-tech crime perspective. Locksley now spends his time infiltrating military corporation ‘Gisborne Industries’ (ahhh, do you see?) and stealing … data, presumably. Volume looks like a stylish and smart take on the stealth genre. With bonus voice acting from Andy Serkis and Danny Wallace.
Fable Legends (Lionhead): 2015 – Windows 10 only
Lionhead’s latest Fable effort (minus Molyneux,) will be coming to Windows 10 PCs and include cross-platform play with the Xbox One. In a departure from the previous Fable games, Fable Legends will be a 4v1 multiplayer title in which four players control heroes while one controls a villainous entity out to stop them completing quests.
Ronin (Tomasz Waclawek): 2015
Gunpoint-styled stealth assassination game with ‘turn based action.’ Looks a little like Mark of the Ninja too. Sorry to get all lazy and say “it’s like X meets Y” there; if you want to try an early, free version for yourself there’s one here.
2016
A space for the things in our original list officially bumped to 2016.
Homefront: The Revolution (Deep Silver): 2016
A game which has changed hands at least twice in the last couple of years. It was first a victim of THQ’s bankruptcy, then sold-on from Crytek to Deep Silver (or, rather, Koch Media) when Crytek ran into financial difficulties themselves. It’s still being developed in Nottingham, and it’s still going to be an open world-ish sequel to Homefront. At least, as far as we know. Maybe North Korea will hack Deep Silver and force them to cancel it. Said to be on-course for 2016 at this point.
Dead Island 2 (Yager): 2016
After Dead Island: Riptide, you could be forgiven for feeling a little tired of Techland’s series. Even Techland themselves seem to have moved on, and are working on Dying Light instead. But that leaves Dead Island 2 in the hands of Spec Ops: The Line developers Yager; which is why it might be worth watching out for. If anybody can be trusted to subvert the weary zombie narrative, it’s probably them. Now delayed to 2016.
