Game On: Where are all the games?

By Aditya Deshbandhu

As June draws to an end, it is imperative for us to take stock of what we have played and what we can look forward to for the rest of the year. The year 2022 has had some incredible games in its first half as February was a watershed moment with solid offerings like Dying Light 2 and Sifu and also the inimitable Elden Ring and Horizon: Forbidden West. March offered us some variety with the new Gran Turismo, the indie Tunicand Ghostwire Tokyo.

However, the offerings since then have been few and far between as May and June saw the release of a single noteworthy AAA game – the Quarry. This shortage of new games has caused players to turn to old classics as websites like IGN have observed the rise in the number of people playing and purchasing games like Skyrim. The return of a game that’s nearly eleven years old into the monthly top-20, makes one wonder where all the games of 2022 are, and if, this year’s second half does pale in comparison to the years past.

If I were to compare 2022 to last year, then June of 2021 saw the launch of the new Ratchet and Clank which was soon followed by Biomutant. By September (2021), I remember, I was drowning in games and struggling to keep up with Kena, Deathloop, and the new Aragami.

In contrast, 2022 offers just the feline adventure in Stray (July 2022) and then Overwatch 2, Forspoken, and Gotham Knights in October, followed by the new Pokémon Scarlet &Violet in November and Hogwarts Legacy for December. A mere five noteworthy AAA games for the next six months!

Last year by comparison had a significantly much larger catalogue, as its month of December alone, was headlined by three humongous FPS titles in Call of Duty: Vanguard, Battlefield 2042, and Halo Infinite, while also offering other noteworthy games like Sherlock: Chapter One and Forza: Horizon V.

The detailed comparison only makes one reiterate: So, where are all the games that were supposed to have launched in the second half of 2022? Especially the months of summer, when the demand for new games is significant.

The answer though is a little more complicated as it needs one to consider several factors. The first and foremost being the challenges of large teams working from home on a singular project as the world continues to face unique challenges with the ongoing pandemic and now a seemingly unending war.

The second is more game development related as most industry observers have begun to notice the rise of a decision paralysis amongst developers, a trend I dub the “cyberpunk effect.” One where developers are scared of offending fans by delaying their games or the subsequent consequences, they are likely to face by launching an unfinished game. A vicious cycle that simply seems to have no upside as with every delay the expectations from potential players only seem to rise and the developers struggle to meet these new highs. These complications have seen games like Starfield and Redfall be delayed while we still eagerly wait for a concrete release date for Sony’s God of War: Ragnarök. The delays I guess, are here to stay.

In a year where the pickings are few, the second half of 2022 seems a great time to turn back to old classics and relive the nostalgia. Or also possibly a great time to catch back on the backlog of games which I am sure most of us have! Give Witcher 3 a try if you haven’t yet, while I try and fail to beat Bloodborne for the umpteenth time.