23 bold predictions for gaming in 2022
Will Steam surprise us with a subscription service? Might PlayStation exclusives land on PC at the same time? And what about the next «Assassin’s Creed»? I have all the answers. We’ll see whether they turn out to be correct.
Philstradamus can’t stop, won’t stop. The gift of prophecy never sleeps. Following the flops that were the last two years, I gazed into my crystal ball even closer this time. Here’s what I saw.
I also don’t want to deprive you of my balance sheet for last year’s forecasts.
Steam will debut a subscription service
I’ve tried cloud streaming services several times in the past. This year, I believe Valve will introduce a subscription model for Steam. This will give you access to a huge number of games for a flat fee, just like Microsoft’s Game Pass.
Xbox will catch up to PlayStation
I’m not talking about the total number of consoles sold, just the year 2022. Last September, the PS5 doubled its lead with 13.5 million consoles sold compared to 6.7 million Xbox Series S/X models. However, Game Pass and numerous studio acquisitions such as Bethesda should turn things around. This way, Microsoft could manage to sell the same amount or even more units in the next twelve months.
«Assassin’s Creed» is heading to the Far East
The next «Assassin’s Creed» will supposedly be a Live Service game in the vein of «Destiny». This should include several eras. There should be quite a few familiar ones given it’s China, including the age of Genghis Khan. Ignoring the fact that the Middle Kingdom already featured in «Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: China.»
«Half-Life Alyx» will be a launch title for PSVR2
Assuming PlayStation VR2 comes out this year, I predict the previously PC-exclusive «Half-Life Alyx» will be a launch title for Sony’s new set.
«Half-Life» shall continue, both within and outside VR
And here’s another prediction for «Half-Life». I believe that this year we will hear about two new spin-offs set in the «Half-Life» universe. One game will be for VR and one for classic hardware.
Ubisoft shall return to Steam in full
Currently, newer Ubisoft titles such as «Assassin’s Creed Valhalla» or «Watch Dogs Legion» are missing from Steam. That’s going to change this year. Ubisoft will again release all new games on Steam right on time for launch.
Discord will be bought and get into NFTs
Discord founder Jason Citron just got into hot water by bringing up NFTs. This still won’t stop any eventual buyer of the chat platform from fully embracing the trending technology.
A PlayStation exclusive will appear simultaneously on PC
I’m not talking about just any game here, but a blockbuster title the size of «God of War» or «Spider-Man». The game doesn’t necessarily have to be released this year, but an announcement for the double launch is mandatory.
«Bioshock 4» will be released exclusively for PlayStation
And for PC, that goes without saying. But Xbox will be left out. Sony will thus secure its own new blockbuster after numerous losses to Microsoft.
«Infamous 3» will be revealed
Developer Sucker Punch will return to the present day following Ghost of Tsushima. There, a continuation of the superhero series surrounding the electrifying Cole MacGrath is waiting to set off its visual fireworks.
The «Super Mario» film will be panned by critics
I maintain that the upcoming «Super Mario» animated movie starring Chris Pratt as Mario will meet with little goodwill from critics. Rotten Tomatoes will feature a reviewer rating somewhere in the 30 per cent range. The audience score will be significantly higher: 60 per cent.
«Sonic 2» will trump «Super Mario»
We’re sticking with game adaptations. Comparing first month gross income, «Sonic 2» starring Idris Elba and Jim Carrey will post better box office results than «Super Mario».
The first Unreal Engine 5 game will blow us away visually
So far, we’ve only seen Unreal Engine 5 tech demos – and «Fortnite». This year, however, the first game using this graphics engine will be presented, to great acclaim. The general consensus will agree that we’re dealing with true next-gen graphics.
A new VR headset from Valve
Valve will unveil a new pair of VR goggles three years after launching the Index. It will be wireless and PC-independent. However, it will only be able to play simpler VR titles, such as the Oculus Quest 2 does, for example. However, Valve’s glasses will also pair wirelessly with PCs and thus be able to access the entire Steam library.
Microsoft Cloud Gaming goes 4K
So far, Microsoft’s cloud streaming service is limited to a resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels. This year an upgrade to 4K and HDR should follow. Xbox Cloud Gaming apps for first Smart TVs will also arrive.
A new «Indiana Jones» game
Machines Games, the makers of «Wolfenstein», shall reveal a first look at their «Indiana Jones» project this year. We already know work is being done on it, now comes the unveiling.
«God of War» will come to the big screen
The story of Kratos, the god of war, is being adapted for film. As a bonus prophecy, I’m throwing Jason Momoa into the ring as the lead.
«F-Zero» shall return
Nintendo will finally dig the cult racer out of its drawer and deliver a long-awaited sequel.
«Super Mario» with retro glasses
Not only will we see the next official Super Mario instalment this year, I predict the gimmick that will be in it. Namely, Mario will find retro glasses in the game. With them, he will be able to view and move around the game world in different console eras (NES, SNES, Nintendo 64, etc.).
Steam Deck will inspire numerous imitators
Valve’s portable PC will be a big success. As a result, we’ll see many imitators. At least two well-known manufacturers such as Razer, Dell (Alienware), Nvidia, Asus, Lenovo or MSI will present their own alternative.
«The Witcher» will continue with Ciri
Geralt’s adopted daughter Ciri will play the lead role in the next «Witcher» instalment. CD Projekt Red will announce the game some time this year.
Activision Blizzard’s CEO has to go
Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard, won’t finish 2022 as the head of the renowned gaming company. A never-ending wave of scandals surrounding abuse cases and harassment within the company will cost Kotick his seat in the executive chair.
Simon will give «The Last of Us» another chance
Simon is famously not a fan of Naughty Dog’s linear games. That’s going to change this year. Reason for this will be HBO’s serial adaptation, which shall finally persuade Simon to play the game after all.
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Philipp Rüegg
Senior Editor
Philipp.Rueegg@digitecgalaxus.chBeing the game and gadget geek that I am, working at digitec and Galaxus makes me feel like a kid in a candy shop – but it does take its toll on my wallet. I enjoy tinkering with my PC in Tim Taylor fashion and talking about games on my podcast http://www.onemorelevel.ch. To satisfy my need for speed, I get on my full suspension mountain bike and set out to find some nice trails. My thirst for culture is quenched by deep conversations over a couple of cold ones at the mostly frustrating games of FC Winterthur.
