It seems sometimes that video games are ruled by sequels. Look on TV now, and the two games most prominently advertised are Red Dead Redemption 2 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. Now, I want to make it clear right now, I have no issue with sequels. Both of these games are fantastic experiences in their own right. My only issue is with how long sequels can take to happen. While you can count on a yearly installment of Call of Duty, it's been eight long years since we were graced with the original Red Dead Redemption. For several years it looked like we were never going to get a sequel at all. There's not a whole lot more frustrating than waiting for a sequel to a game you've loved. Sometimes they never come at all, other times they're announced far too early and you end up waiting, and waiting, and waiting.
This article is going to cover both kinds of these experiences. We've pulled together 20 games that players are anxiously anticipating the sequel to, and 10 that haven't had a sequel announced yet, but that rumors abound about. These include some of the biggest franchises ever, and some of the more niche ones. From old-school shooters to some of the most popular dungeon crawlers, if it's a popular game and there's a sequel coming, you'll find it here. What's your most anticipated game of 2019? As always, let us know in the comments.
29 In Development: Elder Scrolls VI
Despite occasional misgivings on my part, the Elder Scrolls series is one of the most interesting franchises around. Oblivion is one of my favorite games of all time, so like many, I was understandably excited by the game's reveal at E3. The trailer has hinted that the game will be set in Hammerfell, the home of the Redguards. There's just one problem. Development is going to take a long, long time. According to various sources, the game might well not be out until the next generation of consoles comes about, so we could be looking at a good few years.
28 In Development: The Last Of Us Part II
In terms of post-apocalyptic worlds, I don't think any game has quite captured society's descent into madness like The Last Of Us. Thrusting you into a world gone to hell, it really put you threw the emotional wringer. The sequel sees players controlling an older Ellie, focusing on hate, as opposed to the first game's focus on love. The release date of the sequel is completely unknown, but it seems likely that it will hit in 2019, according to various leaks and speculation.
27 Possible: Splinter Cell
All I'm asking for is another Chaos Theory. That game, alongside Metal Gear Solid 5, nailed stealth better than any other I've tried. Whether we'll get one or not is kind of up in the air. Back at E3 2017, Ubisoft's CEO, Yves Guillemot, stressed that all the Tom Clancy games are "taken care of" and that Splinter Cell hadn't been forgotten. There's been some more recent, and worrying, news though. Ubisoft's chief creative officer, Serge Hascoet, was interviewed by Game Informer in October, and told them that they are fighting for resources for Splinter Cell.
26 In Development: Metroid Prime 4
Metroid is a franchise that stands astride Nintendo alongside Mario and Zelda. It is a key franchise beloved by many, and the good news is, Metroid Prime 4 is coming. If you've been hiding under a rock, the game was announced at E3 2017, and development is ongoing, if slow. There was no more news about it at this year's E3, and to be honest, there's been almost complete radio silence from Nintendo. As long as it's better than Other M, we're good. It's coming in late 2019, at the earliest.
25 In Development: Spelunky 2
Ah, Spelunky. The game has had something of a meteoric rise to fame. Before it was the top indie sensation of 2012-13, it was a humble free downloadable title. The thing that it's always had is consistency. It is never less than incredibly entertaining, a beautifully balanced roguelike that quite literally tempts you with pretty baubles before brutally ending you. The sequel, promising new enemies, better graphics, new allies and a whole host of interesting items, is due to hit consoles in 2019.
24 Possible: Borderlands 3
If you've played video games in the past couple of years, I'm pretty certain that you've played a Borderlands game. An action RPG with incredible gunplay and randomized weapons, the franchise has provided gamers with joyous moment after joyous moment with its multiplayer campaigns. The third (proper) installment looks to be released next year (maybe.) Aside from a tweet from Randy Pitchford back in 2016, we've not heard much about it. But back in March, during an investors call, Take-Two's CEO Strauss Zelnick said a hotly anticipated new title from one of their biggest franchises would hit in 2019.
23 In Development: Beyond Good & Evil 2
If you want to talk about vaporware, Beyond Good & Evil 2 has been in the pipeline for so long it's almost gaseous. The original BGE came out back in 2003, and the sequel was announced all the way back in 2008. It then basically vanished off the radar for nine years until it was once again announced at Ubisoft's E3 2017 conference. It will be an open-world game with RPG elements, with the player character at the very bottom of the world's social ladder. Players will be able to visit various planets and explore different societies.
22 In Development: Doom Eternal
Yes yes yes. I cannot wait for this game. DOOM was one of my favorite FPS games ever made, and if the sequel is anything like it, it's going to be superb. Due in 2019, players once again fill the boots and grasp the BFG of the Doom Slayer, this time on Earth. The game promises new weapons and weapon mods, a whole array of new demons to fight, and gory dismemberment. It's also the first game to be developed in id Tech 7, which has 10 times the geometric detail of id Tech 6.
21 Possible: Star Fox: Grand Prix
Back in May, rumors began to come out about Star Fox: Grand Prix, supposedly in development for the Switch. Unlike previous installments of the Star Fox series, this would be a racing game, described as "like Diddy Kong Racing mixed with F-Zero." As you can imagine, this excited people. Nintendo have kept very very quiet about this game if it is being developed, leading some to believe it is a hoax. However, it's not beyond the realm of possibility that Nintendo are simply trying to keep it under their hats.
20 In Development: Dying Light 2
Dying Light was a game that came out of nowhere. Originally thought to be a sequel to Dead Island, it ended up being its own thing, and was wildly popular. It debuted in the charts at number one, even outselling GTA V. With such popularity, a sequel was somewhat inevitable. No release date has been announced, but we do know that the narrative master who is Chris Avellone will be serving as the game's narrative designer, with the story aiming to be full of difficult decisions and their consequences.
19 In Development: Mount And Blade II: Bannerlord
If you want to experience the life of a medieval lord/mercenary/bandit/butter-loving peasant, there's no game that fits the bill better than Mount and Blade: Warband. Its sequel, Bannerlord, started development in 2011, and is dragging on like crazy. The game takes place before Warband, during the fall of the Roman-esque Calradian Empire. New enemies, armor, and architecture styles are promised, and the screenshots look amazing, but it's been quite the wait. As of now, it still has no official release date.
18 Possibility: Bully 2
The only open-world game that I can think of set in a high school, Bully was a fresh new direction for Rockstar back in 2006. It was enswathed by controversy in the UK at its release, renamed Canis Canem Edit. While the sequel has yet to be officially announced, rumors are swirling around like wildfire. In August 2017, supposed concept art from the game was leaked online, with Rockstar refusing to comment, which could be a good or bad thing for fans of the game. Meanwhile, casting calls for the sequel at England's Pinewood Studios were announced earlier this month.
17 In Development: Resident Evil 2
"Hold on a minute, I thought you said this was about games in development," I hear you cry. Well, hold your horses. Following on from the rampant success of Resident Evil 7 last year, we're getting a remake of Resi 2. It's going to completely remaster the game, moving away from the tank controls of the original and into a Resi 4-style over-the-shoulder camera. If you've not played the original, the game follows Leon and Claire as they fight their way out of an infected Raccoon City. It's due out in January 2019.
16 Possibility: Left 4 Dead 3
We all know that game development is essentially a secondary business for Valve at this point. When they make games, they're consistently fantastic, however, and by goodness do we want more. Left 4 Dead 3, the follow up to probably the most popular four-player game ever made, is a bit AWOL. While we were teased with the second game's plantation map rebuilt in Source 2.0, we've got nothing to go on when it comes to the next installment. I can't imagine Valve have abandoned the franchise, but when it's coming, no one knows.
15 In Development: Shin Megami Tensei 5
The Shin Megami Tensei games have had a fair smattering of settings across the year, but Shin Megami Tensei 5's looks to be particularly interesting. It's set in modern day Tokyo, and while that might not exactly make your heart jump with excitement, I have no doubt Atlus will do interesting things with it. Apparently, they want to make it sympathetic to modern problems. It's aiming to be a mix of Shin Megami Tensei IV and Nocturne.
14 In Development: Halo Infinite
As series go, Halo does seem pretty infinite! Ba-dum tsh! Infinite is a sequel to Halo 5, with the never-ending fight continuing unfinished. The game will apparently "double down" on Master Chief, giving him more coverage than he's previously had in games up until now. While it will likely be very similar to Halo 5, very little else is known about it. We know that it will be built in a new engine, called the Slipspace Engine, and we also know of two things that will definitely not be in it. The first, which I imagine was met by rapturous mental applause, is loot boxes, the second is a Battle Royale mode. It's due out in December.
13 Possible: The Sims 5
Who are we kidding? This is far more than possible, you don't get a franchise that's as successful as The Sims and then just stop it. When it's coming though, that's something we don't know. We do know that EA are not done with The Sims 4 just yet, and some predict the fifth game will be released in 2020. What will be in it is so far unknown, but we do know what fans want. These include a more open world, the vehicles from The Sims 3, better neighborhood creation tools, and all the age ranges from day one.
12 In Development: Evil Genius 2
Did you ever play Evil Genius? If not, I'd recommend you get it on Steam. It's a strategy game quite unlike any other I've played, putting you in the mechanically-stomping boots of an archetypal Bond villain. You can carry out various plots, including stealing the Eiffel Tower, and it's all good fun. The game has been in development since 2017 by Rebellion, who also confirmed that the game is not going to be free-to-play. Instead, it's going to be a fully-fledged sequel. No release date has announced, as Rebellion are bringing the game to their new Asura engine.
11 In Development: Age Of Empires IV
Age of Empires is a franchise with a huge amount of history. For many people, it's firmly rooted in their first experience of PC gaming. It's been a long time since Age of Empires 3. Luckily though, the fourth installment was announced last year, before promptly disappearing off the news radar. Judging by the trailer, the game's time progression will cover the Roman to the early modern eras. While a key part of PC gaming's history, it seems we'll be waiting a while for a new one, with no release date announced at present.
10 Possible: Bulletstorm 2
Will the legend of Waggleton P. Tallylicker live on in a new version of Bulletstorm? It seems actually kind of possible. We know that People Can Fly, who developed the game with Epic, are working on a new unnamed project. However, in a recent interview, PCF's CEO, Sebastian Wojciechowski said that a sequel is "more in our heads than anywhere else."
However, it is possible that it will return, with Gearbox not ruling it out completely, saying that a sequel could happen.