Written by Contributor Mike Cunningham
As a longtime gamer who recently became a father, when I get time to play games, I have to make sure it counts. Throughout 2019, it was hard to find time to balance both parenting and playing games, so I mostly stuck to what’s familiar. That said, I’m excited to play all the new games that 2020 has to bring. I’m particularly excited for a few sequels and continuations of some of my favorite franchises, but a couple of brand new titles have also caught my attention. Some of these games you’ve probably heard of, while others may have slid under your radar. Regardless, I can assure you that these 5 games coming soon in 2020 have a high chance of being your next favorite.
5 Anticipated Games Coming Soon in 2020
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Animal Crossing has always been a favorite franchise of mine; who thought that grinding chores to pay off debt could be so much fun? I also had a great time sharing the game with my sister on the original Nintendo Gamecube version, except for when she would steal my favorite neighbor, Hornsby. I’m hoping that Animal Crossing: New Horizons doesn’t change the formula too much, but instead offers a tropical vacation full of online connectivity. I eagerly await the opportunity to invite all of you to my island. One rule though: as long as you don’t steal Hornsby away, you can stay.
Release Date: March 20th, 2020
Battletoads
The original Battletoads is not only one of the most challenging games of all time, but it’s also one of my absolute favorites. I’ve managed to finish the immensely challenging beat ’em up once before, but not without nearly breaking my controller or blowing out my vocal cords from screaming at the television. Even though most people focus on the chaotic cooperative gameplay, I consider myself a bigger fan of Battletoad’s interesting and wacky lore. Judging from the trailers and official promotional material from Microsoft so far, it seems like the plot will be a big focal point of this new iteration. While I’m not completely sold on the updated visual style, I’m sure I’ll still be cracking skulls and breaking controllers when it releases sometime this year.
Release Date: August 20th, 2020
Check out our final review of Battletoads to see if it lived up to expectations!
Gears Tactics
Gears of War is one of my favorite franchises of all time, as is X-COM. Imagine my surprise when Microsoft announced that they would be releasing a tactical strategy game based on the gritty and bloody sci-fi world of Gears. While most of the other games on this list are releasing on consoles, Gears Tactics will be initially launching on PC and Steam in April. I’m hoping Gears Tactics will borrow some of the challenge from the X-COM franchise, offering things like perma-death and character customization. Even though the strategy genre is not the most popular, I’m definitely looking forward to Gears Tactics and easily consider it one of my most anticipated games of the generation.
Release Date: April 28th, 2020
The Elder Scrolls Online: Greymoor
The Elder Scrolls Online is an MMORPG that I’ve sunk my teeth into for over 800 hours. The newest expansion to this epic fantasy world is titled Greymoor, and will take players back to the mega-popular world of Skyrim. Fans of The Elder Scrolls will probably remember the land of Skyrim, but you’ve never seen it like this, as Greymoor takes place hundreds of years before the massively popular RPG The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. This expansion completely overhauls the vampire skill-line while offering a plethora of new quests, locations, and characters. I’m especially looking forward to catching up with Lyris Titanborn, one of the main characters in the new expansion and a returning fan-favorite companion.
Release Date: May 18th (PC)/June 2nd (Console), 2020
Cyberpunk 2077
Anyone who knows me knows that I love The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Often regarded by most as one of the best RPGs ever made, it effortlessly combined excellent storytelling with addictive gameplay. The developers of The Witcher 3, CD Projekt Red, have promised another fantastic story in the form of Cyberpunk 2077. Set in a future full of technological wizardry, Cyberpunk 2077 looks to provide the same quality of role-playing gameplay as The Witcher 3, but with a shiny futuristic world filled with shady criminals and high-tech weaponry. Generally speaking, Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the most anticipated games of 2020, and I’m hoping that it delivers on its many promises. If Keanu Reeves and the obnoxiously loud audience of E3 2019 are to be believed, Cyberpunk 2077 should be breathtaking to say the least.
Release Date: November 19th, 2020
Editors Note: This list was written by contributor Mike Cunningham and represents his most anticipated games of 2020. While we agree with all of these choices, there are a slew of other games coming soon in 2020 that we cannot wait for. Be sure to check back often for more lists about the best games of 2020, as well as other opinion articles from Mike and the rest of our staff!
