Sequels are cornerstones of the entertainment industry, especially when it comes to movies and video games. While original content can make take the world by storm and make quite a splash, franchises are how developers and publishers make most of their money. For instance, some of the biggest game franchises out there are 18 Best Video Game Sequels Coming in 2018Here are all the long-awaited video game sequels that are finally releasing in 2018.This Page: Kingdom Hearts III, God of War, Underworld Ascendant, Crackdown 3, Darksiders III and Metro Exodus

18. Kingdom Hearts III

Kingdom Hearts 3

Square Enix revealed Kingdom Hearts III - the long-awaited sequel to 2005's Kingdom Hearts II and the concluding chapter in the Dark Seeker saga - was in development at E3 2013, following years of speculation. A PS4 teaser debuted at that year's expo, with the developer later confirming plans to develop the game for the Xbox One as well. While the game is a sequel to Kingdom Hearts II, it takes place after the events of 2012's Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance. Square Enix has showcased Kingdom Hearts III at virtually every major convention and expo over the past few years, and they plan on releasing the sequel in 2018, though an exact release date hasn't been set yet.

17. God of War

God of War - Kratos and son

Kratos got his vengeance in God of War III, and he also seemingly killed himself with the Blade of Olympus so that the world could be imbued with the same hope that he had. But his story didn't end that day. Sony Santa Monica is in development on a away from Greek Mythology and into Norse Mythology. To cap it off, Kratos is back with a son named Atreus, who may or may not continue his father's mantle in the God of War franchise going forward.

16. Underworld Ascendant

Concept art from Underworld Ascendant

Origin's open-world fantasy franchise, Ultima, spawned numerous spin-off series in the 1990s, and one of them is making a comeback in 2018. Underworld Ascendant - the sequel to 1992's Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss and 1993's Ultima Underworld II: Labyrinth of Worlds - is being developed by Otherside Entertainment and published by 505 Games, as part of an ongoing licensing arrangement with EA, who dismantled Origin in 2004. Furthermore, the long-awaited sequel only started to move forward due to a successful crowdfunding campaign. Although not much is known about Underworld Ascendant's plot, the sequel's gameplay is expected to be reminiscent of the original titles.

15. Crackdown 3

Crackdown 3 Logo

The first Crackdown became popular primarily because the game contained an access code for the Crackdown 3 is finally scheduled to release in spring 2018. In addition to continuing Crackdown 2's story, the game will feature Azure-powered destruction, which makes virtually everything in the game destructible.

14. Darksiders III

Some promotional art for Darksiders III featuring game protagonist Fury.

THQ is finally returning to the fold after being sold to Nordic Games in 2013. THQ Nordic is slated to release their first new game since the sale in 2018. Darksiders III is being developed by Gunfire Games since Vigil Games' rights to the franchise were sold to Nordic along with THQ, though many developers working on the game are former Vigil employees. The long-awaited sequel runs parallel to 2010's Darksiders and 2012's Darksiders II, with players taking control of War's sister, Fury, a mage and member of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

13. Metro Exodus

The player holding a gun while exploring an abandoned village in Metro Exodus.

Ukraine developer 4A Games is known for their graphically impressive Metro series, based on Dmitry Glukhovsky's novels of the same name. The first game, Metro Exodus, the third installment in the core Metro series, which is due out sometime in 2018. The story takes place two years after Last Light and is said to follow the sequel's Redemption ending.

12. The Guild 3

The Guild 3

Golem Labs is bringing back 4HEAD Studios' The Guild series, a historical real-time strategy game, after a 12-year hiatus. The Guild 3, a sequel to 2006's The Guild 2, takes place in Europe during the year 1400 and tasks players with creating a family dynasty of their own. While the game has been in development for many years, it only recently entered Early Access, with Golem expecting to ship the full release sometime in spring 2018.

11. State of Decay 2

State of Decay 2 - For Xbox One and Windows 10 PC

Undead Labs burst onto the scene in 2013 with their debut action-adventure, survival horror title, State of Decay. Rather than follow virtually every other survival horror game, State of Decay prioritizes players' critical thinking skills as well as how they defend their base - their home - against an onslaught of zombies. The game released on PC, Xbox 360, and Xbox One in 2013, and its sequel, State of Decay 2, presents a unique opportunity for Microsoft Studios to bolster its exclusive slate. The publisher first announced State of Decay 2 in 2016, and after years of development, the game will finally release in 2018, with 4-player co-op to boot.

10. Mega Man 11

Mega Man 11 Art

at the tail-end of 2018. The developer-publisher made the announcement during Mega Man's 30th-anniversary celebration in December 2017, confirming that Mega Man 11 will feature major graphical upgrades and release in 2018, eight years after Mega Man 10 released on PS3 and Xbox 360.

9. Soulcalibur VI

Soulcalibur 6

Soulcalibur VI at The Game Awards 2017, which will include series regulars Mitsurugi and Sophitia Alexandra. While details are still scarce on the title, publisher Bandai Namco confirmed that Soulcalibur VI will release in 2018, presumably towards the end of the year.