The wait for video game releases is a cruel task indeed. Game developers always announce titles in production several years in advance, which means a grueling wait is on the cards for fans. Take Final Fantasy XV for example, having been announced back in 2006, the game was finally released all the way into the future in 2016.
Any first announcement of a new title at E3 entails a stretch of time with scarcely any news on its release date. That’s why whenever you’re overcome with excitement over an exciting game in development, bear in mind it’ll be at least a couple or more years before you’ll be playing it.
This all usually applies to highly anticipated games that people will pay top dollar to play. The games’ developers are aware of this, and ride on the years’ worth of hype to ensure a commercially successful venture. However, there are several games that slip under the radar and only when they’re about to be released do we become knowledgeable of their imminent arrivals. In many ways, these games are better as they don’t play with our feelings for years on end.
Video games generally tend to see their releases either at the beginning of the year or at its conclusion. The ones that arrive by the end of the year can be left ignored as the earlier ones eat up a lot of the hype.
If you’re looking for some great games to waste your life on (totally worth it, though), take a look at these 30 games you might not be aware are releasing by the end of 2018.
30 Yakuza 4 (PlayStation 4)
Japanese games tend to release much earlier in their native regions than around the world. Yakuza 6: The Song of Life premiered months before in Japan than worldwide earlier this year. Now we have Yakuza 4 to look forward to (if you’re Japanese).
This remaster will hit its homeland on the PlayStation 4.
No word yet for a worldwide release, but Yakuza 4 will delight Japanese PS4 owners with their own version of Grand Theft Auto. Hopefully, the rest of the world doesn’t have to wait too long to get their hands on the game either.
29 Hitman 2
In a confirmation of the change in tone and style that Hitman (2016) brought, the seventh main entry in the series will be titled Hitman 2. Absolutely nothing has changed as far as gameplay and level design is concerned compared to Hitman.
You could consider this to be more or less an extension of the earlier game, with six new missions to sink your teeth into. Impressions of the entire Miami map are already available on YouTube. Few additions such as the Sniper briefcase make their return.
28 The Walking Dead: The Final Season
Unlike what the title suggests, The Walking Dead: The Final Season isn’t in fact the last Walking Dead game to be made by Telltale; however, it is the ending for the series’ main character, Clementine. The Walking Dead games have been such critical successes that 2012’s Walking Dead game took home multiple Game of the Year prizes.
As of writing, the first episode of the season has been released, and by December, the whole season will be complete. So if you haven’t picked up the first episode, now’s your chance. Alternatively, you could wait till the end of the year and do a full playthrough.
We're not 100% sure what the status is on this one, since Telltale disbanded, but we have hope!
27 Red Dead Redemption 2
Everyone who’s ever been a Rockstar Games fan knows that Red Dead Redemption 2 is on its way. Rockstar Games have been coy with releasing new games, with GTA V being more than five-years-old by this point. Thus, Red Dead Redemption 2’s hype train should be off the charts for fans.
For those who aren’t so crazy for Rockstar, this information should bring you some intrigue as Red Dead Redemption 2 is a prequel, meaning that you don’t need to be aware of the previous game’s events. Should be a good time to give this a go.
26 Soulcalibur VI
One of the longest-running franchises has been operating behind clear sight for a while now. The Soulcalibur series is now one of many fighting games, and thus hasn’t been at the forefront of everyone’s minds.
Capitalizing on The Witcher’s success is the perfect way to grab attention.
The Witcher fans should be pulled in to buy Soulcalibur VI due to Geralt of Rivia appearing as a guest character-with extra hype devoted to him much like for Akuma in Tekken 7-it should be interesting to see how he’s involved in the storyline.
25 Just Cause 4
The mantra for the Just Cause games seem to be ‘Arrive. Impact. Fly Away.’ This is because the games never seem to be promoted the level of other Ubisoft games like Assassin’s Creed.
This is also why it’ll come as a surprise that Just Cause 4 is on its way at the end of the year. Just Cause 3 was well received in 2015, and garnered some new fans for the series. Just Cause 4 is looking to expand that fanbase.
24 Just Dance 2019
Ubisoft will showcase games of a variety of genres this year. The casual gamer market has proven to be an important cog in the game industry machine, and it can’t be ignored in favor of action games. The previous Just Dance games have been great successes, thanks to Ubisoft releasing them with the latest musical marvels.
Just Dance 2019 will repeat more of the same, but in a great way. With a collection of songs that are seeing widespread success in present day, the superb choreography the series is known for will have us tapping more than our feet.
23 FIFA 19
Get ready for more Football! And no, we’re not going to call it soccer to diminish the sport’s popularity. The FIFA games haven’t been runaway successes in the North American market, which is why many won’t be aware of FIFA 19’s release.
But in the eastern side of the world, everyone’s holding their breath for it.
There could be new interest in Northern markets, though, thanks to the announcement that the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be held in that region. Now is the best time to familiarize yourself with this sport.
22 Life Is Strange 2
The unexpected pleasure for gamers in 2015, Life is Strange has captured a dedicated fanbase thanks to its similarity to young-adult novels such as If I Stay. The episodic format will continue for Life is Strange 2, beginning from the month of September.
This format allows new gamers to test the waters of the genre without being overloaded by the full content. For returning fans, this should be a great few months to uncover the latest storyline the developers have come up with. Get ready to cry just like the last time.
21 Overkill's The Walking Dead
If Telltale’s story-focused style isn’t for you (and let’s face it, it does mainly appeal to a particular niche) then here’s a fantastic option for those who want the destructive zombie world feel.
This game will be a first-person shooter.
It’s a great option for Walking Dead fans to feel the brutality of the apocalyptic world, with a camera that should make them feel right in the shoes of a survivor. For general FPS fans, here’s another game for you to explore.
20 Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Prepare to pick your favorite from Nintendo’s, and other developers’, most popular characters as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is on its way. The series is noteworthy for being a crossover of epic proportions as players can pit the most iconic characters against each other.
The Nintendo Switch has shot into popularity and the company is making most of this hot streak by delivering a mouth watering line-up of gaming’s best ever characters. You don’t even need to limit yourself with 1-on-1 match-ups as a multitude of players can compete at the same time.
19 NBA Live 19
Simulation games aren’t all the rage since the heyday of the Gran Turismo series back in the sixth generation of video game consoles, but NBA Live does its best to give gamers a real feel of the basketball life.
The previous instalment received the series’ best reviews yet.
While they weren’t something to write home about (a 73/100 on MetaCritic), it does point toward an upswing in quality for NBA Live in general. With that in mind, here’s looking forward to NBA Live 19 taking over as the best basketball game yet.
18 Dakar 18
The Motorstorm games in the early seventh generation for the PlayStation 3 didn’t live up to the image they had set in previews. The games were more or less crash racing with little to no strategy. Seemingly looking to right wrongs set by a predecessor in the same genre, Dakar 18 will take the stage.
There are always some kind of adrenaline junkies out there, even in the gaming world, and this game should appeal to that niche. The game should be out by the time you’re reading this.
17 Insurgency Sandstorm
Looking for a tactical shooter the likes of SOCOM or MAG? Well, we can’t promise you it’ll be the same, but Insurgency: Sandstorm will be arriving soon. Point of note, the examples mentioned before were on the PS3, while Insurgency: Sandstorm will only be available on the PC.
It makes sense, too, as the PC is the best platform to get your tactical shooting fix. Not much information is there on the game’s events, but gamers won’t have to wait long to find it out for themselves.
16 Valkyria Chronicles 4 (Worldwide)
Why even bother making a game for the Xbox One in the Japanese market, right? Basically no one owns the system there and the PS4 is a monster in Japan, meaning the Nintendo Switch’s need doesn’t arise as much either.
Worldwide, Valkyria Chronicles 4 will be freely available for everyone to play, whether you’re an Xbox, Switch, or a PS fan. In all likelihood, the main fanbase of Japan has already brought Sega the sales they needed, but there must be others out there in the world who enjoy tactical role-playing.
15 Dragon Ball FighterZ (Nintendo Switch)
Will Dragon Ball FighterZ be as critically acclaimed on the Switch as it had been on the PS4 and Xbox One? Find out at the end of September (and hopefully Dragon Ball Z fans got that inside joke we just made about finding out about stuff).
The game is already the fastest selling Dragon Ball Z title.
Which is why it should come as no surprise that, considering the Switch’s monstrous sales, the game is on its way to the Nintendo platform as well.
14 Forza Horizon 4
Gran Turismo was the unchallenged leader in racing games and simulators up until the seventh generation when Forza arrived in the horizon (pun intended). The series has pretty much wrested the title of the premier racing based series from Gran Turismo as every game in the franchise remains well received.
While Gran Turismo has seen a downturn in quality, Forza remains on top. Forza Horizon 4 should bring more of the high quality to the table as 2018 comes to a close.
13 Mega Man 11
After eight years, a new Mega Man comes alive in the main series. Mega Man 11 continues the now thirty-year legacy of the Mega Man franchise. Capcom will be banking on both nostalgia and renewed interest to ensure that sales go just about as expected.
With 2.5D graphics, it should appeal to gamers who are familiar with the concept, and those who haven’t played a Mega Man game yet. Releasing on all platforms simultaneously, Mega Man arrives to the eight generation consoles.
12 Call Of Duty: Black Ops 4
Some games are guaranteed successes despite the quality being good or bad. The Call of Duty series has been invincible for a decade by now, and fans will eat up anything.
The fact that developers are confident a game marketed as Call of Duty: Black Ops IIII will sell, speaks volumes over their surety.
Regardless, first-person shooter fans will be arriving in droves to their nearest (or maybe even farthest) stores to get a piece of the action. It’s unlikely it’ll bring anything original to the table, though.
11 Super Mario Party
This one is really just meant for your kids, so we won’t waste time elaborating the features of Super Mario Party. The Mario series is so immense that this game is the eleventh title in the subseries known as Mario Party!
It might be humanly impossible to recount just how many games have featured a plumber who does everything except plumbing, but kids will no doubt love what Super Mario Party (or Mario Party 11, as it should be called) will have to offer.