Last year may not have gone down as one of the best years in gaming, but hey, at least we got Untitled Goose Game. The 2010s, however, represented a step forward for the industry, with titles like Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the Batman: Arkham series, and Last of Us. Now, we’re at the beginning of a new decade, and in a twilight year too. The console market is quickly shifting. Soon the PS4 and Xbox One will be booted to the trash heap, and we’ll wish them farewell while welcoming in a new, super-powered generation of machines. The Xbox Series X is bringing heavy-duty tech that rivals the power of even the strongest PC towers, and the PS5 seems just as formidable.
But fret not, the old consoles are going out with a bang in terms of new games; and even if some of the following titles are geared towards the next gen, we’ll always have our Nintendo Switches. This year is stacked with games spanning all audiences, from plenty of action RPGs and first-person shooters, to some insanely narrative-driven titles, to some equally artful and wacky indie projects. A new Animal Crossing (!!) and Halo prove that there will be impressive triple-A outtings, but don’t forget that we’ll also be blessed by the divine god SkateBIRD.
The previous-gen console goodbye tour may be bittersweet, but 2020 looks like it’s going to be a good year. Even considering all the delays. And who knows, we could even get a Breath of the Wild 2.
Iron Man VR
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Release Date: February 28
Platform: PSVR
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Everybody’s getting into VR games these days. Marvel has tried it a few times before, but Iron Man VR actually made some noise. The idea just feels right. With the helmet and two handheld devices, it’s as if VR was meant for Iron Man. —D.N.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
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Release Date: March 20
Platform: Nintendo Switch
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A new Animal Crossing! In 2020! For the Nintendo Switch! Gamers have rejoiced over this. It is a cultural revelation. It will inspire a new holiday, called National Gamer’s Day. Once a year, gamers will celebrate the glory that is Animal Crossing. —D.N.
Doom Eternal
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Release Date: March 20
Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch
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I don’t know how many times the world needs to be saved from demons, but apparently the infestation still has not stopped. Luckily this one is a direct sequel to the very fun Doom reboot from 2016. So it’ll be a hell of a good time (sorry). —D.N.
Resident Evil 3
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Release Date: April 3
Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC
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Resident Evil games continue to get made and remade, again and again, over the years. Capcom’s latest recreation takes aim at the 1999 PS2 game. This time, the zombies look even spookier than before. Somehow after all these years, these games are still good and seriously spooky. —D.N.
Final Fantasy VII
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Release Date: April 10
Platform: PS4
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The seventh entry into the Final Fantasy series is one of the most cherished video games in the history of the industry. We’ve waited years for a remake, and it’s finally here. Let’s hope Square Enix can actually pull it off. —D.N.
Trials of Mana
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Release Date: April 24
Platform: PS4, PC, Nintendo Switch
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Trials of Mana was never released in the west. After getting my hands on the original last summer, I got a lot more excited about this fully fledged remake. It’s everything we love from the classic NES/SNES-era RPGs with some interesting twists and more action-based combat. The art style looks gorgeous, and the new gameplay follows suit. —C.S.
Cooking Mama: Cookstar
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Release Date: April 28
Platform: Nintendo Switch
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Next to Animal Crossing, this is one of the most exciting games coming out this year. Honestly. Cooking Mama slaps, and I’m so excited to bring a little virtual cooking back into my handheld life on the Switch. It’s a chill series where you play mini games to help the titular Cooking Mama make epic meals. There’s even a vegan mode now, #progress. —C.S.
Moving Out
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Release Date: April 28
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch
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From the same team that brought us the friendship-ruining Overcooked comes a new, equally manic title. Moving Out sees players working “together” to frantically pivot, rotate, and angle to make sure a move goes as smoothly as possible. Overcooked is one of the best “co-op” party games out there right now, and Moving Out looks just as promising. These folks know couch co-op; it’s the perfect game night title. Maybe not great for a “family friendly” game night however, since Overcooked has caused words I didn’t even know I knew to fly out of my mouth. —C.S.
Ghosts of Tsushima
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Release Date: June 26
Platform: PS4
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There seems to be an influx of action platformers set in feudal Japan, and the weird thing is they’ve all been great. From Nioh to Sekiro, they just don’t get old. Ghost of Tsushima is one of those titles that’s been moved around, delayed, and teased for what seems like an eternity, but it’s finally coming. The PlayStation exclusive has players working with stylish combat in some intense stealth situations, but is still largely shrouded in mystery. Luckily we only have to wait until June to discover what the hell this game is really all about. —C.S.
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition
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Release Date: Summer 2020
Platforms: PS4, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android
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I used to play the shit out of this game on GameCube, but due to needing the buck-wild Game Boy connector for multiplayer, I only got to play it with my friends a handful of times. The game is an action RPG, somewhat similar to the Mana series, and a spin-off in the Final Fantasy universe. The remaster promises no Game Boy connectors, along with crossplay between consoles and the mobile release, with shared progression. It’s an insane way to re-release this game, as anyone and everyone is going to be able to play it together, and that’s truly exciting. —C.S.
Marvel’s Avengers
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Release Date: September 4
Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Google Stadia
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This is the game that may finally break gaming. Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics’ new Avengers title is going to release on May 15…and then continue to be updated…indefinitely. And not just with little DLC updates either. It is going to receive new characters, stories, and missions, so there will be no reason to make a sequel. This could change the way the whole industry works. —D.N.
Cyberpunk 2077
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Release Date: September 17
Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Google Stadia
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Keanu Reeves is in this game. Keanu Reeves. He’s in this game. Who’s in this game? Keanu Reeves!!! —D.N.
Outriders
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Release Date: September 2020
Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PC
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Outriders is a co-op, third-person cover shooter that looks rad. It gives off Destiny vibes in terms of gameplay while taking a completely different tone; it features a prominent three-player co-op system and extensive role-playing elements. Outriders is launching both on the PS4 and Xbox One, and the PS5 and Xbox Series X—so it’s absolutely one of the launch titles for the next gen. —C.S.
Godfall
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Release Date: Holiday 2020
Platforms: PS5, PC
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Another killer co-op title, Godfall will be an early PS5 release that sees players working with a knights’ order to save a fantasy world. The game looks stylistic as hell. Not much is known about the actual gameplay, but we’re still a ways out. Godfall is right up the alley of those who, like me, are tired of co-op shooters and want some new gameplay to dive into with their friends. —C.S.
Halo Infinite
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Release Date: Winter 2020
Platform: Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PC
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Hey! They’re still making Halo games! It’s still a thing! The classic shooter that first brought you and your friends into the world of online gaming is coming back for a sixth entry into the main series. Just when we thought it was time to say goodbye to the franchise, Microsoft will unveil yet another promising sequel that will have fans saying “Halo!” (sorry again). —D.N.
Destroy All Humans!
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Release Date: TBD 2020
Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC
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In most video games, you are saving the humans. In this game, you are killing them. With a ray gun. The remake of the THQ romp will allow you to, once again, ruin the world as a wisecracking little alien dude. It’s about time. —D.N.
Fall Guys
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Release Date: TBD 2020
Platforms: PS4, PC
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The game we’ve been waiting for: a battle royale that’s not a first-person shooter. This platformer from Devolver comes with a goofy series of 100-player mini games that has everyone jumping, shoving, and racing towards the goal. Folks, this game looks like an absolute blast. With a reveal trailer blaring “Shake Señora,” it immediately gets you pumped. —C.S.
The Last of Us Part II
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Release Date: TBD 2020
Platform: PS4
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The Last of Us is one of the most influential games of the past few decades. Not only has it changed the landscape of the industry—but it’s also legitimately moving. Anticipations are high for this one. —D.N.
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
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Release Date: TBD 2020
Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch
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Somehow, after all these years, LEGO continues to make the best Star Wars games. Their little toybox adventures are fun, dumb, and irresistible—just like the movies. This game boasts a comprehensive story that’s set to tell the tale of the Skywalker family from start to finish. —D.N.
No More Heroes 3
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Release Date: TBD 2020
Platform: Nintendo Switch
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It’s been 10 years since the last No More Heroes game. The stylized franchise is coming back, and it looks cool as hell, but I actually have no idea what this game is about since whenever I went to my high school friend’s house to check it out, he’d never let me play. I hope it’s good. He always seemed to be having fun. —D.N.
SkateBIRD
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Release Date: TBD 2020
Platforms: Desktop, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
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SK8 BIRD! This will be the 2020 game of the year, I promise. It’s a skateboarding game where you play as a bird. Fuck yes. There’s nothing more I want and few things I’m as excited about as goddamn SkateBIRD. It looks awesome, and I for one am waiting with baited breath for the day that Esquire will pivot toward exclusively covering SkateBIRD content. There’s no set-in-stone release date yet, except that it’s coming this year. —C.S.
Spelunky 2
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Release Date: TBD 2020
Platforms: PS4, Steam
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If you haven’t played Spelunky, get off this article page and go play it. What are you doing? Spelunky is a remarkably challenging platformer that sees players exploring caves, buying power ups, and, oh yeah, always starting over from the beginning. The meld of game mechanics makes for truly unique platformer experiences. Spelunky 2 came out of left field with updated visuals, and, well, just more of the already great mechanics. —C.S.
Watch Dogs Legion
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Release Date: TBD 2020
Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Google Stadia
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Finally hackers have their very own video game franchise. This open world co-op game looks to be the hackeriest title ever made. You can hack everything in sight—and it lets you play as a wide variety of hackers from all over a dystopian London surveillance state. I can’t wait to hack! —D.N.
Hollow Knight: Silksong
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Release Date: TBA
Platform: PC, macOS, Linux, Nintendo Switch
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Hollow Knight is one of those indie games that all your cool indie gamer friends always tell you to play. It’s the kind of game that, when you actually end up buying it, makes you mad, because the game is as good as they said it is, and you hate when they’re right. Anyway, this one’s the sequel to the first one. —D.N.
Overwatch 2
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Release Date: TBA
Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch
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What is Overwatch 2? We have no idea! It looks just like Overwatch 1! It seems like there’s finally going to be a single-player campaign in this one, so that’s exciting. Fortnite stole a big part of Overwatch’s fanbase, so maybe with a more dedicated single-player focus, the OG whimsical shooter can win some fans back. Hopefully. Fortnite is getting annoying as hell. 2020 cannot come sooner! —D.N.
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