Ever since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, video game release dates have become less and less certain. While developers have had time to adjust, working from home still has its challenges, and sometimes release dates are just too ambitious for development teams to meet. We saw plenty of delays in 2020 and 2021, and 2022 turned out to be no different.
Like the years prior, dozens of games were pushed back throughout 2022. Some got delayed by just a couple of months, while others fully slipped into 2023 and beyond. If you’re curious about every game that has been delayed throughout 2022, we’ve been keeping track. Now, we have a comprehensive list of every video game delay that happened this year, sorted by their final release date or window.
King Arthur: Knight’s Tale (April 26)
King Arthur: Knight’s Tale is a dark fantasy tactics RPG based on the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. It’s currently in early access on Steam and was supposed to get a full release there on February 15. Developer NeocoreGames chose to push the full release back to March 29, 2022, in January 2022 as the “extra weeks of development and polish will help to deliver the strongest possible version of King Arthur: Knight’s Tale for its fans.” It got pushed back again to April 26 (the date on which it ended up launching) so the developer could continue to polish and localize King Arthur: Knight’s Tale. It launched on PC on that date, and will also come to PS5 and Xbox Series X in the future.
Evil Dead: The Game (May 13)
A multiplayer-focused game based on the Evil Dead franchise was created by Saber Interactive and originally going to come out in February. Before it could release, though, Saber decided to push the game back to May 13. “This delay gives our team the time they need to get things just right, so your boomstick will be polished, fully loaded, and ready to blast Deadites on that Friday the 13th of May,” the developers said in a tweet about the delay. The game did eventually make its planned release date.
Roller Champions (May 25)
Ubisoft announced this unique 3v3 competitive roller derby game in 2019, but like many Ubisoft games, it has suffered many delays. This game in particular has stayed out of the public eye as Ubisoft continued to refine it through closed betas. It was through the Discord for these closed betas that fans learned that Ubisoft pushed Roller Champions‘ release back from “early 2022” to “late spring.” In May, Ubisoft finally confirmed a free-to-play launch for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X would take place on May 25. A Nintendo Switch version followed on June 21, although Amazon Luna and Google Stadia ports of the game are undated.
Starship Troopers: Terran Command (June 16)
It seemed like Starship Troopers: Terran Command, a real-time strategy game based on the satirical film, would launch on March 31, but publisher Slitherine Games pushed the release back to June 16 just 10 days before launch. The post revealing the delay confirmed that this title was content-complete but the developers just need more time to polish the game and fix bugs before they put it in the hands of players. It made that June 16 release date and received mixed reviews.
Redout 2 (June 16)
Hello Redout fans,
We know you have been eagerly awaiting the release of Redout 2 later this month, but unfortunately, the fastest racer in the universe needs just a little more development time before it’s ready to go and will now launch on June 16 on PC, PS5|4, XSX|X1 & Switch pic.twitter.com/ttlu68cTEZ
— Redout 2 (@redout2game) May 20, 2022
Just a week before its intended May 26 launch, developer 34BigThings decided to push back this futuristic racing game by a couple of weeks. “This will help ensure we’re firing on all cylinders out of the gate and delivering the best gameplay experience for everyone,” the developer explained in a tweet. Thankfully, the delay wasn’t too long as Redout 2 successfully launched on June 16.
MX vs. ATV Legends (June 28)
The latest entry in Rainbow Studios’ long-running offroad racing series MX vs. ATV Legends got a slight delay ahead of its initial release date. Originally slated for May 24, publisher THQ Nordic decided to push the game back to June 28. “In our case, we needed to choose between speed or quality, and the decision was simple,” Rainbow Studios CEO Lenore Gilbert wrote about the delay. “We want to make sure that when MX vs. ATV Legends comes out, it is the highest level of quality that Rainbow Studios can offer.” The game made that June release date.
Endling — Extinction is Forever (July 19)
Ending — Extinction is Forever is an indie game about a mother fox trying to protect her children from going extinct in an increasingly mechanical world. It was originally supposed to release in the spring of 2022, but developer Herobeat Games pushed it back to an undisclosed time in 2022 to polish the game further. To make up for the delay, Herobeat revealed an eco-friendly physical version of the game. Ultimately, the game released on July 19.
Tw0 Point Campus (August 9)
Sega’s follow-up to Two Point Hospital is Two Point Campus, a comedic university management game. It was originally supposed to release on May 17, but Sega decided to push the game back to August 9, just a month before launch. “Our ambition from the start has been to release Two Point Campus across all PC and console platforms simultaneously to the quality and standard that our community expects from us,” game director Mark Webley said in a blog post about the delay. “This means we will need a little bit more time with Two Point Campus to make sure we deliver the best possible game that can be enjoyed equally on all platforms. We will use these additional three months to optimize Two Point Campus for all platforms.” The game made its revised August 9 date.
Rumbleverse (August 11)
The weird melee-combat-focused battle royale Rumbleverse from Iron Galaxy Studios and Epic Games was indefinitely delayed. It was supposed to come out on February 15, 2022, but the team decided to push back the release following a First Look session in December. “We’re excited about the game we’re making — and we’re glad you are, too — but there’s more we want to do to perfect the experience,” the developers said in a blog post. “We’re going to take the time to make sure we can get that right.” Iron Galaxy and Epic Games continued to hold closed tests for the game before launching it on August 11.
Immortality (August 30)
Some news: pic.twitter.com/ZbxGHPQ0wt
— Half Mermaid Productions (@HalfMermaid) July 13, 2022
Sam Barlow, the creator of games like Her Story and Telling Lies, delayed his next title, Immortality, slightly. Originally set to release on July 26, its launch was pushed back to August 30. In a tweet, Barlow explained that the delay would allow the development team at Half Mermaid to “spend a month more to ensure the experience is as polished as possible.” Considering that the game launched to glowing praise, the delay seemed to be a good decision.
Gloomwood (September 6)
We're sorry to have to delay Gloomwood a few weeks, however we're sure you can wait.
But don't just take it from me! Listen to legendary star of stage and screen, Sir Malcolm McDowell. pic.twitter.com/lFgayx1xtO
— Dave @ EVA 2024 🇦🇷 (@DaveOshry) August 2, 2022
Gloomwood is an immersive sim with a supernatural twist inspired by games like Thief. It’s entering Steam early access, but publisher New Blood Interactive had to delay its launch by just three weeks to September 6. To have some fun with the delay announcement, New Blood Interactive commissioned Malcolm McDowell to read the delay message via Cameo. This certainly takes the cake as one of the weirdest delay announcements of the year, and Gloomwood even managed to launch a day early on September 5.
Life is Strange Arcadia Bay Collection (September 27)
While Life is Strange: Remastered Collection came out for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Google Stadia on February 1, the Nintendo Switch version was delayed less than two weeks before its intended release. Square Enix said to expect the Switch version of Life is Strange: Remastered Collection sometime “later this year,” in January, and over half a year later they confirmed a release date and name change. The collection, which includes both Life is Strange Remastered and Life is Strange: Before the Storm Remastered, released for Nintendo Switch on September 27 as the Life is Strange Arcadia Bay Collection.
Evil West (November 22)
— Focus Entertainment (@Focus_entmt) August 16, 2022
Evil West is an ambitious cooperative supernatural western game that got pushed back by a couple of months ahead of its initially slated September release. Evil West will now launch on November 22, with developer Flying Wild Hog and publisher Focus Entertainment saying the delay is necessary to ensure the game is a polished experience on every console it’s shipping on. Evil West ultimately launched on November 22 to mixed reviews.
Warhammer 40K: Darktide (November 30 for PC, TBA for Xbox)
— Warhammer 40K: Darktide (@Darktide40K) July 28, 2022
Fatshark and Level Infinite’s sci-fi cooperative shooter Warhammer 40K: Darktide was originally going to release simultaneously across PC and Xbox Series X in September. Now, the PC version of the game is pushed back to November 30, 2022, while the Xbox Series X version does not have a new release date yet. “While we have been humbled by the great feedback on the game so far, we also need more time to improve stability and performance, and to mature key systems,” Fatshark CEO Martin Wahlund said of the delay. Warhammer 40K: Darktide did hit that November 30 release date on PC, but the Xbox versions are undated as of the end of 2022.
Marvel’s Midnight Suns (December 2)
Every. Choice. Matters.
Launch your epic adventure among the legendary Midnight Suns on December 2, 2022.
Pre-order now for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, & PC: https://t.co/zCcltSaGTi pic.twitter.com/uzxxB0bb5U
— Marvel's Midnight Suns (@midnightsuns) September 9, 2022
Marvel’s Midnight Suns got another delay. Originally intended to release in March 2022, Take-Two Interactive pushed it back to October 2022. Then, the game got delayed again and only had the vague release window of Take-Two Interactive’s current fiscal year. Thankfully, the wait won’t actually be that long, and 2K confirmed during the Disney & Marvel Games Showcase that the PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S versions of Marvel’s Midnight Suns would finally release on December 2, 2022. The game came out on those systems on that date and received positive reviews. The last-gen versions of the game still do not have concrete release dates yet.
High on Life (December 13)
delivering news (DON'T YELL AT ME!!!!) pic.twitter.com/sXUJDsAoX0
— High On Life (@highonlifegame) August 18, 2022
High on Life, a quirky sci-fi shooter and Xbox console exclusive from Rick and Morty creator Justin Roiland, was supposed to come out in October but was pushed back by six weeks. Squanch Games ended up releasing High on Life on December 13, making it the last big Xbox exclusive of the year. It’s reception was pretty divisive, but it has topped Xbox Game Pass charts following its release, making it a bit of a sleeper hit.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S (December 14)
We’ve known about the PS5 and Xbox Series X port of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt for some time, but it has yet to release. It was originally slated for 2021 before being pushed back to Q2 2022. Unfortunately, the port was indefinitely delayed in April when CD Projekt Red decided to take the project away from Saber Interactive and develop it in-house. In May, CD Projekt announced that the project would finally release in Q4 2022, before finally confirming what would be its final December 14 release date.
Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth (December 22)
We have an update regarding #ValkyrieProfile: Lenneth.
If you have any enquiries please visit: https://t.co/vAv9CeCKPx pic.twitter.com/vt72ixbgGR
— Valkyrie Elysium (@ValkyrieGame) September 22, 2022
A remastered version of PSP RPG Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth was supposed to launch alongside Valkyrie Elysium on September 29 as a bonus in the Digital Deluxe Edition of that new game. Just a week before launch, though, Square Enix announced that “to improve the quality of the title,” Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth’s re-release wouldn’t arrive until December 22, so Valkyrie Elysium players had to wait a little bit longer for that bonus. The port did manage to come out on that date and had no major issues.
Dying Light 2: Stay Human – Cloud Version (TBA)
While Techland’s Dying Light 2 hit its target for a February 4 release on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X after several delays, the cloud version for Nintendo Switch isn’t so lucky. In January, this port was pushed back “to provide fans with the gaming experience at the level they deserve and that Techland wants to provide.” Techland wanted to release this port within six months of the original date, but it did not release before the end of 2022.
Forspoken (January 24, 2023)
https://twitter.com/Forspoken/status/1544675140780392453
Forspoken is an exciting new fantasy IP from Square Enix. While it was originally supposed to launch in May 2021, Square Enix decided to push the game back to October 11 about two months before its intended launch. At the time, Square Enix explained in a tweet that the developers would use the extra months to polish the experience further to ensure it’s memorable for players. Unfortunately, the game did not make that release window either as Square Enix confirmed in July that Forspoken would now launch on January 24, 2023, “as a result of ongoing discussions with key partners.” Curiously, the move was announced within an hour of God of War Ragnarok receiving its November 9 release date.
Deliver Us Mars (February 2, 2023)
An update on the release date of Deliver Us Mars: pic.twitter.com/1SrFqjL3zm
— Deliver Us Mars™ (@DeliverUsMars) August 15, 2022
A little over a month before the sci-fi adventure game was supposed to launch, KeokeN Interactive made the decision to delay Deliver Us Mars from a September 27, 2022 release to a February 2, 2023 launch. KeokeN Interactive made the decision to delay Deliver Us Mars because they want to make sure “this experience is the best it can be at launch” and pushing back its release a bit will “ensure that we are able to live up to that ambition.”
Hogwarts Legacy (February 10, April 4, and July 25, 2023)
Hogwarts Legacy will launch on February 10, 2023 for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. The Nintendo Switch launch date will be revealed soon. The team is excited for you to play, but we need a little more time to deliver the best possible game experience. pic.twitter.com/zh0EsOvDb7
— Hogwarts Legacy (@HogwartsLegacy) August 12, 2022
The long-awaited and controversial Hogwarts Legacy was originally slated for a holiday 2022 release, but it will not make that deadline. WB Games confirmed that its release date for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S would be February 10, 2023, on Twitter, and said that the extra time will allow them to “deliver the best possible game experience.” The last-gen versions of the game need even more time, though. Less than two months before their intended release, WB Games announced that the PS4 and Xbox One versions of Hogwarts Legacy wouldn’t arrive until April 4; meanwhile, Nintendo Switch players will need to wait until July 25 to play.
Sons of the Forest (February 23, 2023)
Hey Everyone,
Due to the scope of our new game Sons Of The Forest, it has been hard to pinpoint an exact release date, and today we have to delay one last time.
Giving us time to complete the polish we feel is needed, we will release Feb 23, 2023, priced at $29.99USD. pic.twitter.com/9SmeLelmj6
— Endnight Games (@EndNightGame) August 31, 2022
Developer Endnight Games was originally going to release Sons of the Forest, a follow-up to the popular survival-horror game The Forest, on May 20. The developer ultimately decided to push the game back to October, and then again to February 23, 2023. “Due to the scope of our new game Sons Of The Forest, it has been hard to pinpoint an exact release date, and today we have to delay one last time,” another tweet from Endlight Games explains. “Giving us time to complete the polish we feel is needed, we will release Feb 23, 2023, priced at $29.99USD.”
Company of Heroes 3 (February 23, 2023)
Important Company of Heroes 3 Update pic.twitter.com/z0Pg7PsE10
— Company Of Heroes (@CompanyOfHeroes) October 4, 2022
Classic World War 2 RTS franchise Company of Heroes was poised to make its return after a nine-year break this November, but Sega ultimately decided to push Company of Heroes 3 back to 2023 just over a month before launch. “Our team has decided the game is not quite up to our players’ or our own high standard,” the tweet announcing the delay explains. “There are still bugs to squash, pixels to polish, gameplay to adjust, and feedback to address.” Company of Heroes 3 will now launch on February 23, 2023.
The Day Before (March 1, 2023)
Survival MMO The Day Before gained notoriety by becoming the most-wish-listed game on Steam, but that added pressure also caused developer Fntastic to push the game back from June 21 to March 1, 2023. The added time will allow it to convert the game to Unreal Engine 5. “Feeling and understanding the great responsibility that we face, with enormous gratitude in our hearts, [we are] pleased to announce that The Day Before is switching to the new Unreal Engine 5 technology!” Fntastic told IGN. “The transition to a more advanced and adapted open-worlds engine will make the gameplay of The Day Before even more fantastic.” The game was later met with controversy when Fntastic revealed that unpaid volunteers work on game.
Skull and Bones (March 9, 2023)
Those anticipating Ubisoft’s upcoming pirate game Skull and Bones are used to delays at this point. Originally slated for launch in 2018, Ubisoft pushed the game back again and again before re-revealing it early this year with a November 8 release date. Unfortunately, even that wasn’t meant to be as Ubisoft made the decision to push the game back to March 9, 2023. “Our team is hard at work polishing and balancing the experience ahead of the worldwide launch,” a blog post explains. “To give you the best possible experience we’ve decided to take a little more time to make sure we can deliver exactly that.” An open beta of the game will be held soon to make up for that.
Season: A Letter to the Future (Q1 2023)
Hello travellers, some news about SEASON: A letter to the future 💬 (now with alt text for the folks who need it! 💖) pic.twitter.com/MfvCc9Yf5z
— SEASON: A letter to the future (@SeasonTheGame) July 29, 2022
Atmospheric adventure and exploration game Season: A Letter to the Future won’t make it out in 2022. Capping off a troubled development, the developers at Scavengers Studio need a little more time to finish the game and will now release it in Q1 2023. “We want to ensure that we are able to push for quality without it affecting the wellbeing of our team,” a tweet from the development team says. “Season has always been a labor of love for the team and this additional time will let us polish and refine the game to make it the special experience we set out for it to be.”
Firmament (Q1 2023)
Cyan Worlds, developers of the classic adventure game Myst, are currently working on Firmament, a brand-new adventure game that takes full advantage of Virtual Reality. Firmament has already been pushed back a few times, but Cyan World had to once again delay the game, this time from 2022 to Q1 2023. “Here’s why: we do not want to give you anything less than our best,” the developer explained in a Kickstarter update post. “Our best – as is the case for game developers all around the world, large or small – takes time. Very simply, if we release Firmament without taking a little extra time to put the finishing touches and polish on it, we would not be serving you, Firmament’s Backers and Cyan’s devoted fans, as you deserve.”
Kerbal Space Program 2 (early 2023)
The sequel to the quirky space flight simulation game Kerbal Space Program has gotten pushed back another year. Originally planned to launch in early 2020, this game has suffered from multiple delays and a controversial change in developers. Development of the game looks to be on track, but Creative Director Nate Simpson revealed in a video that Intercept Games needs a little more time to improve the game’s quality across all supported platforms. The PC version of Kerbal Space Program 2 will launch sometime in early 2023 (before March 31, according to VGC), with the console versions of the game following later on next year. Hopefully, this is the final delay that Kerbal Space Program 2 suffers.
Tchia (early 2023)
Update on Tchia ⬇️💚 pic.twitter.com/knQYkJSYT1
— Tchia (Awaceb) 🌴🦜🌸 (@awaceb) May 20, 2022
Tchia is an open-world adventure game set in a beautiful tropical archipelago where players can take control of any object or animal they come across. Unfortunately, developer Awaceb revealed on Twitter in May that the game would be released in 2022; instead, it will launch in early 2023. The developers say the additional development time enables them to “really polish every aspect of the game and flesh out all the little details that we know make Tchia a really special experience.”
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn (early 2023)
When A44 Games and Kepler Interactive revealed their “gunpowder fantasy” RPG Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn earlier this year, it was supposed to still come out in 2022. When we saw the game at the Xbox and Bethesda Game Showcase on June 12 though, its release date had shifted slightly to 2023. No reason was given for the delay, but that showing did confirm that Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn will be a day one Xbox Game Pass title when it launches in early 2023.
Witchfire (early 2023)
The long-awaited roguelike dark fantasy shooter Witchfire was supposed to enter Early Access on the Epic Game Store before the end of 2022 but will now release sometime in early 2023. Developer The Astronauts credits the implementation of open-world combat as the cause of the delay, as the game was originally envisioned with just arena-style combat.
Dead Island 2 (April 28, 2023)
https://twitter.com/deadislandgame/status/1593107373740146688
The prodigal son of game delays suffered yet another one, even after its bombastic re-reveal with a confident February 2023 release date. In November 2022, publisher Deep Silver and developer Dambuster studios made the decision to push the game back. “The irony of delaying Dead Island 2 is not last on us, and we are as disappointed as you undoubtedly are,” they wrote in a message posted to Twitter. “The delay is just 12 short weeks and development is on the final straight now; we’re going to take the time we need to make sure we can launch a game we’re proud to launch.” Dead Island 2 will now be released on April 28, barring any further delays.
Star Trek: Resurgence (April 2023)
— Star Trek: Resurgence 🖖 (@TrekResurgence) October 13, 2022
A team of former Telltale developers at Dramatic Labs is working on a narrative adventure game set in the universe of Star Trek. Although Star Trek: Resurgence was initially slated for 2022, the developers needed more time and the game got pushed to April 2023. “Production has been advancing steadily all summer, but we have made the difficult decision to move our release date out of 2022 in order to give the game a final coat of polish and create a truly immersive Star Trek experience,” Dramatic Labs explained on Twitter.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (May 12, 2023)
The sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild reappeared at E3 2021 with a 2022 release window, but on March 29, 2022, Nintendo released a video in which series producer Eiji Aonuma explained that the title will now release in spring 2023. Thankfully, the game reappeared during a Nintendo Direct in September 2022 with a May 12, 2023 release date and an official name: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (spring 2023)
Many Warner Bros. Games titles were hit by delays in 2021, so it’s not a surprise that Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice has been pushed back despite its appearance at The Game Awards 2021. On February 2, 2021, Bloomberg reported that the game was quietly pushed to 2023. Its delay gives the developers more time to work on the title and frees up space for 2022 WB Games’ other 2022 titles like Gotham Knights and Hogwarts Legacy (both of which were supposed to launch last year) to shine. Its new release window has since been confirmed to be Spring 2022.
EA Sports PGA Tour (spring 2023)
Experience the next generation of championship golf 🏌️🎮
Coming Spring 2023 🗓️ pic.twitter.com/4UNdgFoGiL
— EA SPORTS PGA TOUR (@EASPORTSPGATOUR) March 22, 2022
EA is finally making another golf video game, which it hasn’t made since 2015. While the revival was originally intended for spring 2022, EA confirmed in March that the EA Sports PGA Tour will now come out in spring 2023. No reason was given for this shift, but EA is probably just taking the time to ensure they get this revival right.
Blazing Strike (spring 2023)
It's gut-wrenching to admit but #BlazingStrike's release date has been moved back to Spring 2023. However this delay will help polish the game to ensure the best game experience possible (maybe with crossplay), so I really hope you guys stick around a little longer. 🙏❤️💔❤️ https://t.co/DBRTJWOg2D
— Blazing Strike is OUT NOW (@RareBreedMG) August 5, 2022
At EVO 2022, Akysys Games and RareBreed announced that Blazing Strike, an upcoming fighting game clearly inspired by the look of classic 2D titles from the SNES, Sega Genesis, and NEO-GEO era, would no longer release this fall. Now, Blazing Strike will release for PC, PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch sometime in 2023. Although RareBreed called the delay “gut-wrenching” to announce, it did admit on Twitter that this extra time may allow them to implement crossplay.
Planet of Lana (Spring 2023)
Planet of Lana is a beautiful-looking, cinematic, sci-fi platformer that impressed during events like Day of the Devs. While it was originally slated to come out in 2022, developer Wishfully and publisher Thunderful decided to push the game back to spring 2023 so they could have additional time to refine the experience. When it launches, Planet of Lana will be on Xbox Game pass across PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Darkest Dungeon II (Q2 2023)
Darkest Dungeon II, a sequel to the critically acclaimed roguelike RPG, has been in early access on the Epic Games Store, but its final release has been pushed back a couple of times. While developer Red Hook Studios initially hoped to release it in 2022, it shifted Darkest Dungeon II’s 1.0 launch to February 2023 earlier this year. During its year-end recap of the game’s development, Red Hook Studios confirmed that the date had shifted slightly. It now plans to release the 1.0 version of Darkest Dungeon 2 sometime in Q2 2023. Thankfully, players can expect more early access updates before then.
Redfall (first half of 2023)
Arkane’s vampiric game Redfall got a significant delay from its original summer 2022 release window. This cooperative shooter is definitely a major shift from Arkane’s typical immersive sim fair, so it’s not too surprising that they need more time to polish it before launch. The game will now release sometime during the first half of 2023.
Starfield (first half of 2023)
An update on Redfall and Starfield. pic.twitter.com/pqDtx26Uu6
— Bethesda (@bethesda) May 12, 2022
One of the most notable delays of this year is Starfield. Unveiled with a November 11, 2022, release date at E3 2021, Bethesda seemed adamant about not pushing this game back. Ultimately, Bethesda game studios decided that the game needed more time and pushed it back to 2023, alongside Redfall. “The teams at Arkane Austin (Redfall) and Bethesda Game Studios (Starfield) have incredible ambitions for their games, and we want to ensure that you receive the best, most polished versions of them,” Bethesda tweeted about the delay.
Homeworld 3 (first half of 2023)
An update on the launch of Homeworld 3: pic.twitter.com/uKc5jPOcto
— Homeworld (@HomeworldGame) June 10, 2022
Gearbox and Blackbird Interactive were set to revive Homeworld, a classic sci-fi RTS series, with a third entry in 2022. Unfortunately, they made the decision to push Homeworld 3 back to the first half of 2023 so that Gearbox and Blackbird could “make good on our commitment to quality in a healthy and sustainable way for all those involved.” Thankfully, we won’t have to wait too long to get another look at the game as it will be at Gamescom.
Nightingale (first half of 2023)
An update on our Early Access release pic.twitter.com/LLFLCP3f6h
— Nightingale (@PlayNightingale) August 11, 2022
Nightingale is an ambitious survival game headed by a former BioWare developer, and it needs a little more time in the oven. Developer Inflexion Games confirmed the delay of Nightingale’s early access launch from 2022 to the “first half of 2023” on Twitter. Ultimately, the game was delayed because the developers want to bring the game over from Unreal Engine 4 to Unreal Engine 5 ahead of launch and need more time “to make key improvements, bolster content, and polish gameplay.”
Bomb Rush Cyberfunk (summer 2023)
About the release: We are convinced that releasing the game this year will not take it to a level where we would be personally satisfied with. To create a fulfilling and unique game we are extending the development time of Bomb Rush Cyberfunk to summer 2023.
— Team Reptile (@ReptileGames) August 31, 2022
Team Reptile is currently working on Bomb Rush Cyberfunk, a spiritual successor to the cult classic Sega series Jet Set Radio. While Bomb Rush Cyberfunk was supposed to come out in 2022, Team Reptile made the decision to push the game to summer 2023 because it is “convinced that releasing the game this year will not take it to a level where we would be personally satisfied with.
Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown (2023)
Nacon’s revival of the classic open-world racing series Test Drive Unlimited was originally supposed to come out in September 2022 but was pushed back to 2023 in May. “With so much support from fans of the series, we know many of you will be disappointed, but our goal with Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown is to make it the most polished gaming experience in the franchise by spending more time on its development,” the developers said in a Steam blog post. With this delay, Nacon also canceled the PS4 and Xbox One versions of the game, making it a current-gen console exclusive.
Replaced (2023)
Ş̸̯̅̇͌̈̚ô̴̡̬̣͚̮͜ŗ̶̳̯̹͖̣̆͑r̴̢̖̲͎̙̬̹̓̆̓̾̂̈́̊̕y̶̡̡̫͔̩̲̩͉̌̈́̊ pic.twitter.com/KgY852bBna
— REPLACED (@REPLACEDGame) May 25, 2022
Sad Cat’s Replaced made a strong first impression at the Xbox E3 2021 show because of its beautiful pixel art style. While the developer planned to release the game in 2022, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine “heavily impacted” development as most of Sad Cat is based out of Ukraine and Belarus. Development paused as some of the team relocated, so Sad Cat and publisher Coatsink made the decision to delay Replaced to 2023 because they “are prioritizing both the physical and mental health of the developers by not forcing the original deadlines that have been unexpectedly impacted.
Granblue Fantasy: Relink (2023)
Granblue Fantasy: Relink is supposed to be the mobile game franchise’s big break on consoles as an action-heavy RPG with a grander scope than anything Japanese developer Cygames has done before. That said, the game’s been delayed multiple times. Originally intended to be released in 2019, the game was pushed back to 2022 and once again to 2023. Producer Yuito Kimura says on the game’s website that this delay will let Cygames “further polish and optimize details and gameplay as we approach our final stretch,” mainly focused on things like balancing and debugging.
Ark 2 (2023)
When Studio Wildcard first announced Ark 2 in 2020, it said the game would come out in 2022. That is no longer the case for this survival sandbox game that has dinosaurs and will star Vin Diesel and Moana actress Auli’i Cravalho, though. When the game reemerged at the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase on June 12, it had a 2023 early access release window. Hopefully, Studio Wildcard will hit this new release target.
The Invincible (2023)
When Starward Industries first revealed The Invincible, a first-person sci-fi adventure game, it was supposed to release on PC and next-generation consoles in 2021. That didn’t happen, and when the game reemerged at this year’s PC Gaming Show, we learned that 11 bit Studios is now publishing the game and that it will be released in 2023.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl (2023)
The first notable delay of 2022 was a lengthy one. The highly anticipated postapocalyptic shooter S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl got an April 28, 2022, release date at E3 2021 but was pushed all the way to December 8. “These additional seven months of development are needed to fulfill our vision and achieve the desired state of the game,” developer GSC Game World stated in a tweet about the delay. The news came just shortly after the studio announced it would add NFTs to the title and subsequently canceled the plans 24 hours later due to backlash. During the Xbox and Bethesda Game Showcase Extended, GSC Game World then confirmed that the game was delayed to 2023 due to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, like Replaced.
Sea of Stars (2023)
Sea of Stars will release in 2023 pic.twitter.com/S7U71G1oWh
— Sea of Stars (@seaofstarsgame) June 30, 2022
Sea of Stars is a promising turn-based RPG inspired by Chrono Trigger. Unfortunately, The Messenger and Sea of Stars developer Sabotage thinks the game needs more time in the oven. A delay from winter 2022 to 2023 was announced on Twitter on June 30, and Sabotage says the delay will benefit the “quality of life for our team and the quality of the finished game.”
Star Wars: Hunters (2023)
Update on Star Wars: Hunters pic.twitter.com/F0ebimryVY
— Zynga Star Wars (@ZyngaStarWars) July 18, 2022
Star Wars: Hunters is a competitive multiplayer game that was supposed to release on iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch in 2021 before being pushed to this year. Now, Zynga announced on Twitter that the game wouldn’t arrive until 2023. “To ensure we meet the high expectations we are setting for fans globally and ourselves as developers, we have made the decision to delay the worldwide launch of Star Wars: Hunters,” Zynga explained in the Tweet.
Arc Raiders (2023)
An update from the team: pic.twitter.com/0J3imUtZP4
— ARC Raiders (@ARCRaidersGame) August 8, 2022
Arc Raiders is an ambitious cooperative multiplayer shooter from Embark Studios, a studio founded by former EA executive Patrick Söderlund. While Arc Raiders got a 2022 release window alongside its The Game Awards 2021 reveal, Embark Studios decided to push the game to 2023. Söderlund explained in a Medium post that another Embark Studios project, a competitive FPS codenamed Project Discovery, is progressing through development at a faster rate. As a result, Embark Studios will launch The Finals first before moving on to Arc Raiders in 2023.
Metal Slug Tactics (2023)
Marco, Eri, Fio, and Tarma are tinkering away to make #MetalSlugTactics as explosive as possible on release, but the squad needs a bit more time in the shop to prepare for the battles ahead. See you in 2023! @LeikirStudio x @Dotemu
🎨Artwork by @AngryangryD pic.twitter.com/JRKqpnvUQp— Dotemu (@Dotemu) August 11, 2022
Metal Slug Tactics is a turn-based strategy spin-off of one of SNK’s classic shooter series, but we haven’t seen much of the game since its 2021 reveal. It’s no surprise that it needs more time. SNK confirmed that Metal Slug Tactics won’t come out until sometime in 2023.
Flashback 2 (2023)
— Microids (@Microids_off) August 22, 2022
Microids originally intended to release Flashback 2, a sequel to a very influential cinematic platformer from the 1990s, in winter 2022. In August 2022, though, the team announced on Twitter that it had delayed the game to 2023 so it could live up to player expectations. A specific date will be shared at a later time.
UFL (2023)
UFL is attempting to take on FIFA as a free-to-play and more simulation-accurate alternative. While developer Strikerz Inc. initially planned to release the game in 2022, its CEO Eugene Nashilov explained in an August 2022 development update video that the team would need a little more time and would now release UFL in 2023. The game is 80% complete according to Nashilov’s estimations, and Strikerz plans to reveal a more specific release window in December.
Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals (2023)
An update on OXENFREE II: Lost Signals pic.twitter.com/bEcwrvHUR9
— Night School Studio | OXENFREE II Out Now! (@nightschoolers) September 24, 2022
The now Netflix-owned developer Night School Studios needs a bit more time to make its follow-up to the choice-driven horror game Oxenfree. While Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals won’t launch until sometime in 2023 now, Night School Studios did make up for it with a surprise re-release of Oxenfree through the Netflix app.
Disney Speedstorm (2023)
A message from the #DisneySpeedstorm Team:
Read more below ⬇ pic.twitter.com/BCQwgJc0dC
— Disney Speedstorm (@SpeedstormGame) November 30, 2022
Disney is working on a free-to-play Mario Kart competitor that will feature characters from Disney Animation Studios, Pixar, Pirates of the Caribbean, and more films. While the game was announced with a 2022 release window, it will now come out in 2023. “We have decided to delay the worldwide release of Disney Speedstorm to meet our expectations and provide players with a more immersive racing experience, customization offerings, game modes and more,” developer Gameloft stated when announcing the delay.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora (between April 2023 and March 2024)
Initially thought to be launching around the release of Avatar: The Way of Water, Ubisoft’s licensed Avatar game Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora will no longer make it out this year. It has been pushed to Ubisoft’s 2023 to 2024 fiscal year. This means the game could release any time between April 2023 and March 2024. Ubisoft also confirmed that a “smaller unannounced premium game” was pushed into this new window as well, with reports indicating its Assassin’s Creed Rift. “While this additional development time is a reflection of the current ongoing constraints on productions across the industry, we are hard at work to design the most efficient working conditions to ensure both flexibility for our teams as well as strong productivity while delivering the best experiences to players,” Ubisoft said about the delays in a press release.
The Settlers (TBA)
Ubisoft’s soft reboot of the classic city builder and real-time strategy game hybrid The Settlers was set to launch on March 17. Ahead of its release, many fans got the chance to try out a closed beta for the game. Unfortunately for Ubisoft, the results weren’t that positive. The game was delayed indefinitely two weeks before its intended launch so the developers could “further improve the game and push quality as our main priority for all our players.”
Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp (TBA)
After getting pushed back from December 2021, Nintendo and WayForward’s Advance Wars remakes for Nintendo Switch were supposed to finally launch on April 8, 2022. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Nintendo decided to indefinitely delay this war-based strategy game. “In light of recent world events, we have made the decision to delay Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp, which was originally scheduled to release on Nintendo Switch on April 8th,” Nintendo tweeted. “Please stay tuned for updates on a new release date.”
Exomecha (TBA)
Exomecha is a free-to-play FPS game featuring mechs that gained notoriety after being featured in a July 2020 Xbox showcase. The game was originally slated for release in August 2021 but got delayed so the developers could continue to refine the experience. Now, Exomecha has been delayed again with no new release window given because the developers at TwistedRed Games want to continue to polish the experience and prepare some post-launch content. We can only hope that this delay won’t be too significant.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake (TBA)
Ubisoft’s oft-delayed Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake shouldn’t be expected anytime soon. Although the game got a January 2021 release date when it was announced, it was delayed to March 2021 in response to the backlash toward its reveal. The game was then indefinitely pushed back by Ubisoft but was still expected to come out before the end of March 2023. When development shifted over from Ubisoft Pune and Mumbai to Ubisoft Montreal earlier this year, Ubisoft revealed to Digital Trends that we shouldn’t expect the game anytime soon. “We’re proud of the work achieved by Ubisoft Pune and Ubisoft Mumbai, and Ubisoft Montreal will benefit from their learnings as the new team will continue the work to deliver a great remake,” a Ubisoft representative told Digital Trends.” As such, we are no longer targeting an FY23 (fiscal year 2023) release anymore. Players will be updated on the project as the development is moving along.”
Toy Soldiers HD for Nintendo Switch (TBA)
Unfortunately we must delay the release of Toy Soldiers HD for Nintendo Switch for a bit longer.
Read the official statement here: pic.twitter.com/JaSbtNzIxk
— Accelerate Games (@GamesAccelerate) July 27, 2022
Toy Soldiers HD for Nintendo Switch seems like a simple remaster of an Xbox Live Arcade game from 2010, but the Nintendo Switch version of this remake has been delayed multiple times. Originally delayed from August 2021 to October 2021 alongside the other versions of Toy Soldiers HD, the Nintendo Switch port was the only one not to release last year. It eventually got an August 5 release date, but developer Accelerate Games delayed it indefinitely because “the game’s software is not communicating properly with the consumer version of the console when in multiplayer mode.” Hopefully, it still makes it out this year.
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum (TBA)
A message to our community pic.twitter.com/OCndSNXfVW
— Daedalic Entertainment (@daedalic) July 25, 2022
Daedalic Entertainment and Nacon were set to release The Lord of the Rings: Gollum on September 1 but delayed it just over a month before launch. No reason was given outside of wanting “to deliver the best possible experience.” According to the tweet confirming the delay, The Lord of Rings: Gollum’s latest delay should be “a few months,” so it remains to be seen if the game makes it out in 2023 or slips into early 2023.
Hill Agency: PURITYdecay (TBA)
Hill Agency: PURITYdecay is an adventure game about Ontario’s Indigenous community that was supposed to come out on August 31, 2022. That said, the developers at Achimostawinan Games made the decision to delay the game a few weeks for launch. No new release date was given, but Achimostawinan Games has pretty solid reasoning for the delay. “In a conscious effort not to compromise the game experience by rushing to a deadline, and with the clear objective of avoiding any form of crunch time, to ensure the team can continue to work in a safe and healthy manner, the decision was made to push the release date,” a press release about the delay says.
A Space for the Unbound (TBA)
We have important news to share with you. pic.twitter.com/O5od8fCp4y
— A Space for the Unbound 📕💫 (@ASFTUgame) August 24, 2022
Toge Productions and Mojiken planned to follow up Coffee Talk with a new title called A Space for the Unbound in 2022. Unfortunately, its release is now in flux due to a dispute with publisher PQube Games. Toge Productions accused PQube games of withholding information and funds from a diversity fund grant it received for A Space for the Unbound in 2020. While PQube denies the allegations, Toge Productions is still fighting for console publishing rights, so A Space For the Unbound had to be delayed indefinitely.
As the year goes on, more delays are bound the happen. We’ll update this post as they are announced.
