We may be sliding down the back half of 2018, but when it comes to video game releases, it feels like the year is just getting started.
Looking to capitalize on the holiday season, some of the biggest video game publishers wait until the fall and winter to debut their latest installments. It also happens to be the time of the year when more people find themselves in front of their TV screens and out of the cold.
While there are some promising original games in the works — including FromSoftware’s Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, BioWare’s Anthem, and the long-awaited Cyberpunk 2077 — the most anticipated games continue to be sequels, prequels, and spin-offs to already beloved franchises.
An already established video game series comes with a built-in audience, which makes sequels a bit more of a sure thing as far as profits are concerned. As a result, massive franchises like Call of Duty have become accustomed to cranking out a new game at the same time every year. There are also those lesser-known gems which the developers have finally gotten around to giving players a second outing.
Meanwhile, Internet rumors continue to swirl about sequels that may secretly be in the works, but we've seen plenty of video games scrapped after years of development. Until a trailer drops and a release date is set, some of these rumored sequels are definitely not a sure thing.
Here are 20 Video Game Sequels Currently In Development (And 5 That Are Just Possibilities).
25. In Development - Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
What would fall be without another Call of Duty game? Interestingly enough, players will be able to check out Black Ops 4 a month earlier than expected when the game hits shelves on October 12, 2018 — making it the first COD game without a November release date since 2005.
Black Ops 4 is also set to be the first game in the franchise without a single-player campaign mode. On top of its multiplayer gameplay, Black Ops 4 will feature zombie maps as well as a new addition called Blackout — a battle royal mode set to feature the biggest map in franchise history.
24. In Development - Fallout 76
When it comes to the Fallout series, Bethesda is known for officially announcing installments mere months before their release, meaning players will already get a chance to check out the latest addition on November 14th of this year.
Set before the other games in the series, Fallout 76 will take place in a post-apocalyptic West Virginia and feature the franchise's biggest map to date.
Uunlike the other games in the series, Fallout 76 is set to be an online-only RPG.
As a result, a beta version will be available a month early to select players who preorder the game, to help work out any bugs.
23. In Development - The Last of Us Part II
A survival horror game about two people on a cross-country trip in a world overrun by zombies is far from a new concept. But 2013’s The Last of Us managed to exceed player expectations in nearly every way imaginable, giving us a game that was both exhilarating and heart-breaking.
Can Naughty Dog possibly recreate perfection with a sequel?
The Last of Us Part II is set to pick up five years after the first game, with Ellie as the new protagonist.
This year’s E3 gave us an in-depth look at both the story and gameplay — meaning an official release date should be lurking right around the corner.
22. In Development - Halo: Infinite
Just recently, Halo writer Jeff Easterling confirmed that Halo: Infinite is, in fact, Halo 6. While this was already the assumption of many players, the open-ended trailer which debuted at this year’s E3 still had many wondering where Infinite was going to fit in the overall Halo timeline.
We now know for sure that the latest installment will pick up with Master Chief immediately following the events of Halo 5: Guardians, and that Locke will play a lesser role in the sequel.
There’s still a ton yet to be revealed about the game, including the overarching story and the projected release date.
21. Possibility - Borderlands 3
Game developer Gearbox has been notoriously close-mouthed about giving Borderland 3 an official announcement, dodging both this year’s E3 and SDCC. But a number of not-so-subtle hints have been dropped over the past few years, leading us to believe that another main installment is most likely in the works.
Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford has alluded multiple times to another big Borderlands game going into development. Meanwhile, Walmart accidentally released a slate of new games on its website earlier this year, and Borderlands 3 happened to make the cut.
Still, we have yet to get a release date or any official footage to help confirm the game's existence.
20. In Development - Tom Clancy’s The Division 2
After a solid debut in 2016, this multiplayer action series is set to drop its second installment on March 15, 2019, with Tom Clancy's The Division 2.
Picking up six months after the events of its predecessor, The Division 2 will take place in a desolate Washington D.C., where the rising conflict between the opposing factions of survivors will set the stage for the action.
The first official trailer debuted at this year’s E3 to positive reviews.
Ubisoft has already announced that any able content released within the first year of gameplay will be free to all.
19. In Development - Shadow of the Tomb Raider
While the reboot of the Tomb Raider films may have been D.O.A., it looks like the video game reboot series is still on track for continued success with the latest installment, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, which hits stores this September.
Shadow will be the third installment of the reboot series, and the twelfth installment of the Tomb Raider series overall, which finds the player exploring the legendary lost city of Paititi.
The game will introduce a number of new mechanics to the franchise, including the ability to barter, rappel, and go into stealth mode — which brings a much-needed change of pace for a series that’s over 20 years old.
18. In Development - Kingdom Hearts 3
It’s been 13 years since Kingdom Hearts 2 was released for the PS2, and the critically-acclaimed game is finally getting a direct sequel on the PS4 and Xbox One on January 25, 2019.
The hack-and-slash adventure will pick up with series protagonist Sora as he embarks on an adventure alongside a few familiar faces, including Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy.
A number of Disney settings are slated to appear in the game, including Arendelle from Frozen and San Fransokyo from Big Hero 6.
Kingdom Hearts 3 will also be the first game in the series to allow teams an additional character, bringing the total up to five players per team.
17. In Development - Metro Exodus
The third installment of the post-apocalyptic series, Metro Exodus will take place two years after the events of its predecessors, Metro: Last Light.
The game will pick up with protagonist Artyom as he fights to survive in an unforgiving Russian wasteland filled with monstrous creatures and malicious survivors.
The gameplay is set to take place over the course of one year, and it will continue to draw inspiration from the series of novels written by Russian author Dmitry Glukhovsky.
Metro Exodus will be available for PS4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows on February 22, 2019.
16. Possibility - Bloodborne 2
At the end of last year, FromSoftware dropped a mysterious trailer at the Game Awards that many speculated was a teaser for Bloodborne 2.
That game actually turned out to be Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice — another creation from Dark Souls and Bloodborne mastermind Hidetaka Miyazaki. That hasn't stopped rumors from swirling about a sequel to 2015’s Bloodborne.
Miyazaki has already confirmed that he personally won't be involved with another Souls game.
With Sekiro set to be released next year, it’s possible that another Bloodborne game will be Miyazaki's next project.
Wspecially considering that the first gothic-themed RPG was such a critical and commercial success.