With E3 2021 over and only a few more major gaming conferences scheduled for 2021, it's easy to forget about all of the amazing new announcements for the years to come – the brain can only hold so much information, after all. There has been a relative lack of incredible open-world games in recent years, too, leaving gamers with little hope for the genre in the future.
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However, 2021 and 2022 are already shaping up to be huge years for open-world games. A number of classic RPGs are receiving long-awaited sequels or side stories to major franchise, while others are completely new IPs that eager fans can't wait to pick up. 2022 is a long way away, though, and it's easy to forget about upcoming major releases in that span of time.
8 Elden Ring
Of all the open-world games that 2022 will offer, none is perhaps more anticipated than Elden Ring. While the game is made by the same team as the Dark Souls series, collaboration on the narrative involved the team working with none other than George R.R. Martin.
Fans of the Game of Thrones series have been equally anticipating the final book in the decade-spanning series, The Winds of Winter, for what feels like forever. While waiting for that book to finally release, maybe they can take some solace in experiencing what will surely be the year's standout RPG.
7 S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl is one of the most revered horror titles from the early 2000's, and after more than 13 years there's finally a sequel on the horizon. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl is a direct sequel to its predecessor that features a whole lot less 2007 and a whole lot more 2021.
The game is open-world, for example, rather than relatively linear like the original game was. It also (of course) features vastly improved graphics over the original title. Much will be the same, though, such as the game's intense focus on survival mechanics and horror/combat hybrid gameplay.
6 Starfield
Bethesda has been hyping up fans for the release of its freshest IP for what feels like forever. Starfield takes place in the future (as opposed to The Elder Scrolls' fantasy setting and Fallout's post-apocalyptic setting) and will be oriented around factions, exploration, and realistic sci-fi.
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It was announced in 2018 but only received its official 2022 release date during the Bethesda E3 presentation in 2021. It is currently scheduled to come out on November 22, 2021 ( 11/22/22). mirroring The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim's November 11, 2011 (11/11/11) release date.
5 Baldur's Gate 3 (Official Release)
The Baldur's Gate series is well-known among RPG fans for its satisfying tactical gameplay and its roots in the Dungeons and Dragons universe. It took a long, long time to make, but Baldur's Gate 3 is already available to the public in the form of early access.
However, the game is likewise still in development and will be for the foreseeable future. Larion Studios is aiming for an official release date of 2022, though, after several updates and re-works of the game are finished.
4 Tiny Tina's Wonderlands
Of all the games announced at E3 2021 none was more surprising than Geearbox's Tiny Tina's Wonderlands. It's not a DLC for Borderlands 3, but it is a direct continuation of the Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep DLC for Borderlands 2.
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The Dungeons and Dragons-themed original DLC was beloved by fans of the Borderlands series, so it's no surprise that of all the options it was chosen to receive an official spin-off title. The game will feature RPG mechanics not normally seen in Borderlands games, like custom character creation and an open-world focus.
3 The Lord of the Rings: Gollum
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is a prime example of a game that's been hyped up for a long time with no real news. Daedalic Entertainment announced that the game will be coming out in 2022, and Lord of the Rings fans are excited to get into the mind of one of the strangest characters in all of fantasy fiction.
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum follows the journey of Gollum as he hunts for his precious, constantly torn between his split personalities. The player will get to influence how Gollum interacts and perceives his world through choosing which voice to trust, tucked into what looks like a satisfying stealth-platforming game.
2 Ark: Survival Evolved 2
The online survival game Ark hit peak popularity upon being added to the Xbox Game Pass and has only continued to grow exponentially in the years hence. A sequel, Ark II, was announced at E3 2021, along with a surprise guest.
None other than Vin Diesel will be present in Ark II, who appeared during the presentation to talk about the game. It's a strange pairing, but oddly enough it has riled up the fanbase even more. Move aside Keanu Reeves, Vin Diesel is the new favorite companion celebrity.
1 Hogwarts Legacy
Hogwarts Legacy is a bit of a sleeper title, at least when compared to some of the other heavy-hitter open-world games releasing in 2022. There hasn't been a proper Triple-A Harry Potter video game since the tie-in movie games came out, and anyone who played those games knows the myriad disappointments they contain.
However, Hogwarts Legacy looks a bit different. It takes place in the 1800s, before modern technology and well before any of the events of the Harry Potter series. It's an open-world RPG that's the first in a planned franchise of new Harry Potter games made by Portkey Studios of WB, and everything teased about it so far puts it well ahead of expectations.