The best upcoming games of 2017

The best upcoming games of 2017

So much to play, so little time.

February 12, 2017by Bobby Bernstein

**Update 2/10/17: Call of Duty 2017 and LEGO Worlds have been added!

E3 2016 brought a ton of new game announcements for games we’re expecting to see in 2017 for the Xbox One, PS4 and PC, as well as the rumored Xbox One Scorpio and the PS4 Pro. But even before we get the major releases to pencil onto the release calendar, Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo already have some good-looking games on the horizon for 2017. Of course, that’s good news for us, and we’re expecting big, big things for 2017. Soon, these highly anticipated upcoming games will begin hitting retailers around the nation

This is just our preliminary list, as we’re fully intending to expand it as we get more announcements in and new games and release dates are announced (expect a major update after this year’s E3 2017). In fact, consider this video games release calendar to be dynamic content, as it will change and evolve throughout the year.

But for now, here are our top 44 most anticipated upcoming games 2017 (share yours in the comments!!):

**I’ll note that there are plenty of other games that we know about and that we’re looking forward to. However, many of them might not even make it into 2017 for a release, so they’re not included on this list (for example, Death Stranding and Cyberpunk 2077). Let’s also not forget that this is a dynamic list, and as new games are announced, it will be updated and possibly expanded if it’s warranted.**

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 1. The Legend of Zelda Switch

Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: March 3, 2017
Platform: Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Wii U
Genre: RPG

What we once thought was Nintendo’s savior for 2016 has now become an early 2017 game, as Nintendo has pushed back The Legend of Zelda to 2017. What’s more, we now know that it will not only release for the Wii U, but it will also release alongside the launch of the Nintendo Switch. This open world Zelda looks like it could be the best Zelda game ever made, and hopefully it turns out to be more than just Link on a horse that has some smart AI technology (just look at how he avoids those trees on his own!).

But in all seriousness, there appears to be some unique and new gameplay ideas contained within, including a cooking Link, Link sliding down snowy hills on his shield, and more. If we had to pick just one, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is our most anticipated game of 2017.

There are currently over 44 upcoming Nintendo Switch games that have been confirmed for 2017 and beyond, and The Legend of Zelda remains the MOST anticipated of them all.

Pre-order The Legend of Zelda here.

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2. Nioh

Developer: Team Ninja
Publisher: Koei Tecmo, Sony
Release Date: February 9, 2017
Platforms: PS4
Genre: Action RPG

Oh, Nioh, and your sweet, sweet PS4 demo. This upcoming RPG from Team Ninja shows a lot of promise, and we can’t wait to get our hands on it in February. The game is set in Japan in the 1600s, and you’ll take on the role of a badass western samurai by the name of William (admittedly, an unceremonial name of sorts). It’ll play like a Dark Souls with samurais and a Japanese landscape, and we’re absolutely okay with that. Combat will take the hack and slash route, and William will attempt to slay not only human enemies but supernatural beings (yokai) as well. The game looks delightfully dark in nature, and its heavy Onimusha vibes are half of the reason we’re so excited. The other half? Samurais, bro.

Nioh was one of our most anticipated upcoming games of February 2017, and it definitely lived up to the hype.

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3. Shenmue 3

Developer: YS Net
Publisher: Shibuya Productions
Release Date: December 2017
Platform: PS4, PC
Genre: Action Adventure

The internet absolutely lost its mind when Shenmue 3 was originally announced at last year’s E3. The game was brought to Kickstarter, and it reached its initial target of $2 million in under eight hours, becoming the fastest Kickstarter campaign to reach that amount. The game will follow the events of Shenmue 2, with you continuing Ryo Hazuki’s story, with his father’s killer, Lan Di, and a new antagonist, Niao Sun, appearing in the game as well. We can’t wait to get more Shenmue 3 details.

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4. Mass Effect: Andromeda

Developer: BioWare
Publisher: EA
Release Date: March 21, 2017
Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Genre: RPG, Third Person Shooter

We’re still kicking dirt about Mass Effect: Andromeda not releasing in 2016, but it’s probably a good thing since it’s going to pay off in the long run. I mean, it’s not like BioWare has a history of releasing buggy games, right? RIGHT?? Andromeda will take place long after the events of the Mass Effect trilogy, and players will be able to take on the role of a male or female human character. What’s more, we now know that we’ll be able to pilot a Mako, a customizable six-wheeled vehicle. We’re surprised that the Mass Effect: Andromeda release date has been set so soon, but hey, no complaints here — we can’t wait to get our hands on it in March.