Games you won’t see in 2022
Gotham Knights
Perhaps the delay into 2022 has skewed my perception of this game’s development, but the lack of messaging makes me believe Gotham Knights might slip further. WB Montreal has some experience making this style of Batman game, but the addition of enemy levels and a leveling-up mechanic makes me wonder if they bit off quite a lot to chew.
Or maybe they’re quietly working on the game and by E3 they’ll be ready to unveil a kick-ass game.
Bayonetta 3
It was only a handful of months ago that we finally got the official trailer for Bayonetta 3 some four years after it was announced. With Nintendo gearing up for a Breath of the Wild 2 coming this winter, I can’t imagine they’ll muddy the sales waters with another bigger release. Then again this isn’t a Zelda or Mario. Maybe they’re prepping Bayonetta to slide into the fall release schedule.
After years of waiting, I think many of us put Bayonetta 3 in the same category as Metroid Prime 4. A game we’re all ready to see but aren’t confident it’ll be any time soon.
System Shock 3
It can’t be easy developing a follow-up in a beloved but derelict franchise. Otherside Entertainment has hit several rough patches since they announced they would be creating System Shock 3. From hunting for a new publisher to layoffs, it hasn’t been a simple process. Even with Tencent now backing the project, there doesn’t seem to be a big revelation coming anytime soon for this game’s release.
I’m hoping this isn’t a case of developmental hell but just Otherside getting the project right before letting fans see what they’ve been working on. However, it’s difficult not to suspect the worst when it’s been this quiet for this long.
Hogwart’s Legacy
Maybe it’s the everlasting repellent comments from the series creator and noted piece of shit JK Rowling. Or perhaps it’s how Hogwart’s Legacy was leaked early on, then delayed, and now there’s very little to go on. Nothing about what should’ve been a slam dunk idea has gone well for Avalanche Software.
On paper, everything about a game set in Hogwarts where you customize and grow as a wizard sounds amazing. But the world isn’t so simple as it once was when we’d stand in line at your local Borders at midnight. I doubt this game will get delayed specifically for PR reasons. Money moves the world more than perception. But one whiff of a delay might give Warner Bros. just enough reason to push this game further out for polish and hope that JK just finally shuts up.
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum
What is this game? Do you really want to be Gollum, stealthily going through missions of orcs in order to steal the One Ring? Gollum is being developed and published by Daedalic Entertainment who are probably best known for the Deponia series. Perhaps this game is smaller than I assume. Or maybe it’s a less-known dev/publisher pushing the boundaries of what they’re known for.
Like other games on this list, Gollum was set for 2021 and delayed into 2022. We only just recently saw a theatrical trailer for what this game is aiming to be. Either way I have little faith we’ll see this game anytime soon.