PlayStation’s game lineup is as strong as ever — but the stumbling blocks are getting bigger and bigger.
A new year means new opportunities and new headaches for the gaming industry, one of the biggest players of which is Sony and its gaming division at PlayStation. While PlayStation’s 2021 has been somewhat quiet, it’s by no means boring, with some game releases and a new team invested in PlayStation Studios.
As the PS5 enters its second year on the market, more games are on the way, in addition to exciting new technology and an absolutely massive industry shakeup. There’s a lot to do, so let’s take a look at what to expect from PlayStation in 2022.
Back-to-back blockbuster releases — and what’s next
Sony isn’t waiting for some big games to come out this year. Guerrilla Games’ Horizon Forbidden West is scheduled to arrive on February 18, 2022. It’s followed by Polyphony Digital’s Gran Turismo 7, a racing game set to launch on March 4. Meanwhile, Sony Santa Monica’s Ragnarok doesn’t have a release date, but has been pushed back to 2021, which seems like a safe bet that it will arrive sometime this year.
Nonetheless, wherever Ragnarok falls (unless incredible Unlikely to be delayed until 2023), it will certainly complete a series of critically acclaimed bestsellers. Horizon Zero Dawn and God of War 2018 sold over 10 million and 19 million copies respectively before hitting PC, and there’s no reason for the sequels to be any different.
Outside of Sony’s first party, there are some big timed console exclusives joining the upcoming PlayStation.
Square Enix’s Forspoken is set to hit theaters in May, while Tango Gameworks’ Ghostwire Tokyo will hit theaters sometime early this year. Final Fantasy 16 is a real question mark, but after a long delay in 2021, there will be plenty of information coming out soon. Game development is tough in the best of times, and the world is far from the best of times, and if the mainline entry in this long-running series takes more time, it wouldn’t be surprising to delay it until early 2023.
Whether or not Final Fantasy 16 is a success this year, it’s an impressive piece of software. But are there any yet-to-be-announced titles heading into 2022? I tend to say no, with one big exception. The as-yet-unannounced remake of The Last of Us is reportedly nearly complete, launching alongside the show later this year if Sony wants to create synergies with PlayStation Productions’ upcoming The Last of Us HBO show will be very effective.
While these games could or should come out in 2022, I’d expect Sony to talk more about the future in the next few years. For the past few years, Sony has adopted a “when we want to talk about it” strategy, opting to share updates and other developments as first-party games are ready, rather than sticking to the weekly news cycle that dominates social media. That’s fine, but we do need to see some reveal at some point this year.
Obviously, not everything has to be shown, especially as the company moves into VR (more on that below), but extenuating circumstances do require PlayStation to have a clear plan for the road ahead.
It’s time for PS VR2 to shine – but at what cost?
Sony shared more information about the PlayStation VR2 at CES 2022, and in addition to the aforementioned big games, I expect this next-gen VR game to be a major focus for the company. Introducing a first-party game like Horizon Call of the Mountain is a great way to take advantage of Sony’s IP, but more is needed. Partnerships could lead to a VR version of Resident Evil Village or Valve’s Half-Life Alyx.
Even if the chip shortage continues, the PS VR2’s more limited core appeal means its fully viable Sony could launch its new VR sometime in late 2022. In addition to its launch plans, the company still needs to answer some key questions. Will it be backward compatible with the original PSVR game library? How much do the controllers and headsets themselves cost? It’s an exciting proposition, but it needs to be clear.
Activision-sized elephant in the room
No way, Microsoft’s plan to acquire Activision Blizzard is huge and I still can’t fully understand it. This is easily the biggest change in gaming over the past few years. For nearly $70 billion, the Xbox will gain control of franchises such as Call of Duty, Diablo, World of Warcraft and more. The deal will take some time to close, which means it won’t directly affect the 2022 PlayStation. After that, however, there is a potential problem.
For now, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has expressed a desire to keep Call of Duty on the PlayStation, although we’ll have to see how it turns out. In a worst-case scenario, losing Call of Duty would be a major hit to Sony’s revenue, but it’s worth noting that Sony still has several free games on its system to earn revenue, including Genshin Impact and Call of Duty: Warzone, which is definitely not going to be removed from the platform anyway, in line with Microsoft’s past acquisitions.
Sony isn’t in trouble, but it needs to clarify its strategy or it will there is a question.
The idea that Sony could “respond” to Microsoft by making a similar purchase is unrealistic, but it’s not sitting still either. Sony is buying teams at a faster pace than in the past in 2021, and I expect that to continue, with the company providing additional support and VR studios to make game development as smooth as possible for the next few years. Sony can’t just snap its fingers and replace lost third-party franchises, but with a lack of internal support or limited resources, it can ensure a smooth launch of its own big games.
Then there’s Spartacus, the rumored Xbox Game Pass competitor. Whatever the exact plan around the service, the value offered has to be high. Maybe Sony will start experimenting with some games that are on the service’s first day, including smaller first-party titles? I’d also like PC gaming ports to arrive sooner, speeding up the revenue these cheap games can recoup.
Sony isn’t in trouble, but it needs to clarify its strategy or it will there is a question.
Release version
Horizon Forbidden West
Amazon (PS5) $70 Amazon (PS4) $60 Best Buy (PS5) $70 Best Buy (PS4) $60 GameStop (PS5) $70
New machine to be dismantled
In Guerilla Games’ next adventure, Aloy is back and better than ever. When a plague forces Aloy to the Forbidden West, she’ll uncover the land’s past and future.
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