There’s a good chance that at some point, you pre-ordered a video game that was set to release in a few short months, only to suffer a surprise delay that pushed it to the following year. Depending on the level of excitement you felt, watching helplessly as the publisher sent that game into limbo may have temporarily crushed your soul. Granted, we’ll bet there’s a backlog of games on your Steam account or in a neat unopened stack next to your console of choice. Regardless, delays are part of the virtual landscape and annoying all the same. At least on the positive side, the additional time gives developers a chance to make these titles even better, or the publisher wanted to avoid a cluttered holiday season.
No matter the reason, we’ve already seen a few 2014 games delayed to 2015, so on that note, here are some of the more high profile titles originally slated to arrive this holiday, only to wind up on next year’s calendar.
Evolve (PC, Xbox One, PS4)
We desperately wanted Evolve the moment it turned up as a Game Informer cover story several months ago. Developer Turtle Rock Studios is behind the project and we love its Left 4 Dead games. In addition, the game’s unique concept immediately set it apart from other multiplayer offerings, with four hunters tracking down one monster (the tentacled Kraken looks especially menacing) controlled by another player, with unique abilities and attacks on both sides, along with dangerous environments. We were all ready to let the blood flow this October, but 2K Games gave Evolve the 2015 treatment.
Batman: Arkham Knight (PC, Xbox One, PS4)
WB Games and Rocksteady Studios had us at first Batman video game for Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Considering the Dark Knight’s pedigree of late with the outstanding Arkman trilogy, we’d buy this new entry without hesitation. The Batmobile factoring so heavily into the game, with Batman calling upon his sexy speed demon at will (even while in the air) had us drooling; the opportunity to deliver sweet justice to villains like Penguin and Two-Face certainly doesn’t hurt. Unfortunately, the Batomobile will stay in the garage a bit longer, since Arkhan Knight is now a 2015 release.
Battlefield Hardline (PC, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3)
Electronic Arts often releases the newest installment to the Battlefield (or Metal of Honor) franchise sometime in the fall, right before Activision drops the new Call of Duty sequel. That appeared to be the plan with Battlefield Hardline, the latest from developer Visceral Games, the same team behind the creepy Dead Space franchise. Everything seemed on track with the recent Hardline beta, and the concept definitely intrigued us. It’s essentially cops and robbers, with the former attempting to stop the latter from blowing up bank vaults and raiding car dealerships while making use of various gadgets and weapons, from sawed-off shotguns to stun guns and grappling hooks. EA must have considered last year’s Battlefield 4 controversy, because Hardline slipped into 2015.
The Order: 1886 (PS4)
Sony appears to have no problem selling PlayStation 4 consoles these days, so making The Order: 1886 a 2015 release is probably a safe gamble. Although the game takes place in Victorian-Era London, its steampunk vibe (particularly when it comes to the weapons like the Arc Gun and Thermite Rifle) helps make it aesthetically pleasing. That and the team’s dedication to provide one of the more cinematic games in history, with players guiding heroic knight Galahad through a series of beautiful environments slaughtering both humans and monsters called Half-breeds. It was one of our must have 2014 PS4 games, but by now, you know the drill. 2015.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (PC, Xbox One, PS4)
When someone mentions open world, we immediately think of Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto games, but there’s always room for competition. Case in point, CD Projekt Red’s ambition role-playing adventure featuring a non-linear story, living ecosystem, multiple settlements to explore and deep combat involving melee weapons and ranged elemental attacks. The world looks incredible, the monsters are fierce and the intrguing option of choice had us daydreaming about the sort of character we’d become. All of that makes waiting for The Witcher 3 a head-shaking process. The delay is for the best, though, right?
Tom Clancy’s The Division (PC, Xbox One, PS4)
We’ve seen post apocalyptic New York City in countless video games before, but none look more spectacular than Ubisoft’s rendition in The Division. Armed with the processing muscle found in PCs, the Xbox One and PS4, the company brought this pandemic-hit Big Apple to life with stunning detail, from realistic weather conditions to garbage-cluttered streets and slick special effects (bullets piercing windows instead of shattering them outright). The option to team with fellow players and explore this shattered urban sprawl with all sorts of futuristic tech had us locked and loaded, but we’ll have to wait until next year.
Dying Light (PC, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3)
Here we have an open world zombie game where players scavenge for supplies during the day and run for their lives at night when the more aggressive undead creatures come out to play. They’ll combine weapons, utilize parkour moves to get around and spill truck loads of blood. It’s part action, part stealth and visually stimulating, with long draw distances, a huge city to explore and plenty of gore. Dying Light was supposed to be 2014, but guess what happened? No seriously, guess.
What 2015 game are you most looking forward to? Let us know.
