The gaming market is off to a roaring start in 2022. Last year, its value grew by $7 billion thanks to some highly anticipated games that were released. And this year, things could escalate further with newer titles like "Elden Ring," "The Legend of Zelda: BOTW’ sequel, "Horizon Forbidden West," "S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2," and many more.
Not every game on the 2022 list seems to be worth the wait. In fact, due to some industrial conditions, some of these titles run the risk of remaining on shelves. Here’s a shortlist of the least anticipated games of 2022.
‘Diablo Immortal’ (Android, iOS) (TBD)
Launching sometime in 2022, "Diablo Immortal" is the first entry in the popular RPG franchise to be a mobile platform exclusive. But that isn’t a good thing as evidenced by the initial reactions from fans during its announcement at BlizzCon 2018. It doesn’t help that it’s also a free-to-play title for even the most loyal fans. The two biggest issues here are the downgrade in platforms and the surefire inclusion of microtransactions.
Every new Konami game
As both a game developer and publisher, Konami had quite the legacy. The half-century-old Japanese company was best known for helming classic IPs such as "Metal Gear Solid," "Castlevania," "Contra," and many more. But a few years ago, Konami underwent one of the most bizarre shake-ups in gaming history. Now the company no longer focuses on quality AAA games, but rather pachinko machines and soulless iterations of their once beloved franchises.
‘Call of Duty 2022’ (TBD)
Undoubtedly, the Call of Duty franchise is on a slippery slope. The annual releases have always put great strain on each developer and their respected entry, causing cracks to pop up here and there. "COD: Vanguard," the latest outing released late last year, has shown the most cracks. Not much enthusiasm is left at this point as evidenced by plummeting sales, making many ponder if COD 2022 will be the entry to finally break its own franchise.
‘Rainbow Six Extraction’ (PS4, PS5, XBO, XBS, PC) (Jan)
"Rainbow Six Extraction" is an offshoot of a popular PvE event popularized in "Rainbow Six Siege." Like the mode, this fully developed game involves Team Rainbow trying to stamp out an alien plague and its hordes. However, while it sounds good on paper, the feedback from fans on the extended chapter left much to be desired. Although PvE isn’t new to R6S, it doesn’t share the amount of appeal that PvP has.
‘Saints Row’ (PS4, PS5, XBO, XBS, PC) (Aug 22)
Volition isn’t done with its popular "Saints Row" franchise. In fact, the latest outing, simply titled as such, is coming to the new generation with a sleek new look and even more insane crime-driven gameplay. However, initial reactions to the official reveal were mixed at best. For some fans, the new coat of paint was the spur they needed to return to the franchise. But for others, it was too off-putting due to “woke themes.” As such, the success of this new "Saints Row" is pretty uncertain.
