As gamers, we’re used to seeing major releases clustered together. Typically, they’re at the end of the year, but thanks to frequent delays or unusual scheduling, we sometimes get blockbuster game early in the year as well. Now that the first quarter of 2015 is behind us, and we’ve already had some great games to play, it’s time to look forward and see what the rest of the year holds for us. Fortunately, there’s plenty to be excited about in the next eight months. These eight games are some of our most anticipated for the rest of 2015.
Don’t see your most anticipated games? Tell us in the comments!
Wolfenstein: The Old Blood
Rather than release multiple DLCs or a full-fledged sequel, Bethesda decided to let Machine Games work on a full-fledged prequel instead. It’s going to be a downloadable, standalone expansion that tells the story of B.J. Blazkowicz as he tries to break into Castle Wolfenstein to discern the location of General Deathshead’s compound. Much like Wolfenstein: The New Order, you’ll be able to switch between stealth, running and gunning, and cover firefights on the fly. The New Blood should be a fun return to the Wolfenstein universe.
Xenoblade Chronicles X
Nintendo’s upcoming open-world RPG for the Wii U is the spiritual successor to Xenoblade Chronicles on the Wii. Developed by Monolith Soft, the company behind Xenoblade Chronicles and the Xenosaga games, the new title will allow players to pilot “Dolls,” large humanoid robots that can fly, sail on water, transform into vehicles such as motorcycles or tanks. Players will try to establish a new home on the planet Mira while being hunted by aliens.
Batman: Arkham Knight
Rocksteady returns to the Batman: Arkham series with Batman: Arkham Knight. The newest title in the series picks up a year after the events of Batman: Arkham City, and tells the story of Batman taking on The Scarecrow. The Scarecrow has teamed up with some of Batman’s other nemeses to try and kill off the Caped Crusader once and for all. Arkham Knight will be approximately five times larger than its predecessor, giving players a ton of Gotham to explore. More importantly, you can drive and upgrade the Batmobile. Isn’t that about enough for anyone?
The Legend of Zelda
Ever since they showed it off at E3 last year, The Legend of Zelda for Wii U has been the game everyone who owns the system has talked about. The tidbits of the game we’ve seen so far look far more like the open world of a game like Skyrim than the other entries in the Zelda franchise. That said, we all know Nintendo’s habit of not releasing a game until they’re completely ready means that we could get this one late, or even in 2016 instead. Let’s hope not.
Tom Clancy’s The Division
The Division drops players into New York City after a pandemic has decimated the country and the system of order. As part of a team of sleeper agents known as the “Strategic Homeland Division,” you’ll carry out missions as you try to help make sense of the chaos and prevent the spread of the deadly virus, as well as deal with the people who unleashed it. With its blend of multiplayer and AI enemies, The Division could be a huge hit for Ubisoft if players buy in.
Rock Band 4
When Harmonix announced the end of Rock Band 3 DLC in April 2013, fans of the franchise thought that the series was over. For almost two years, it looked like they might be right. But then, in March of this year, Rock Band 4 was announced. Harmonix then grabbed the interest of every fan when they confirmed that they’d be working to support all previously purchased DLC as well as the old instruments. There’s no firm release date yet, but you can bet that Harmonix will have gamers rocking their plastic instruments once again later this year.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The third installment in CD Projekt RED’s action RPG series is the most ambitious yet, and will build on the story of Geralt, the titular character from the previous two games. The fighting system has been completely revamped, and jumping, climbing, and vaulting have been added to Geralt’s movements. The world is an estimated 30 times larger than in previous Witcher games, and will give Geralt access to a horse and a sailboat for travel. The game will take an estimated 100 hours to complete, so you better be ready to strap in for the long haul.
Star Wars: Battlefront
To my mind, the studio with the biggest expectations barrier to surmount this year is DICE. They’re taking on one of the most beloved games set in one of the most beloved fictional universes in Star Wars: Battlefront. The bits of teased footage we’ve seen so far looks phenomenal, but people are rightly hesitant to get too hypoed for the game until we see more in-game footage. That said, if DICE delivers, Battlefront could be the game that walks away with the 2015 holiday season.
