Skip to content

Top Navigation

EW.com EW.com
    • All TV
    • TV Reviews
    • TV Reunions
    • Recaps
    • What to Watch
    • Winter TV
    • Comedy
    • Crime
    • Drama
    • Family
    • Horror
    • Reality
    • Sci-fi
    • Thriller
    • All Movies
    • Movie Reviews
    • Trailers
    • Film Festivals
    • Movie Reunions
    • Movie Previews
    • All Music
    • Music Reviews
    • All What to Watch
    • What to Watch Podcast Episodes
    • TV Reviews
    • Movie Reviews
    • All BINGE
    • EW's Binge Podcast Episodes
    • Recaps
    • Survivor
    • This is Us
    • RuPaul's Drag Race
    • Stranger Things
    • The Boys
    • The Blacklist
    • The Walking Dead
    • Better Call Saul
    • All The Awardist
    • The Awardist Podcast Episodes
    • Oscars
    • Emmys
    • Golden Globes
    • SAG Awards
    • Grammys
    • Tony Awards
    • All Books
    • Book Reviews
    • Author Interviews
    • All Theater
    • Theater Reviews
  • Podcasts
  • Gaming
    • All Events
    • Comic-Con
  • Celebrity
  • Streaming

Profile Menu

Your Profile

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout
Login
Subscribe

Explore EW.com

EW.com EW.com
  • Explore

    Explore

    • A guide to The Last of Us Easter eggs

      A guide to The Last of Us Easter eggs

      From the Uncharted lighter to the giraffe plushie. Read More
    • 2023 Oscars predictions: See who will win at the 95th Academy Awards

      2023 Oscars predictions: See who will win at the 95th Academy Awards

      From Brendan Fraser and Angela Bassett to a potential upset in Best Actress, see who EW thinks will win at the 2023 Oscars. Read More
    • Meet the cast of Survivor 44

      Meet the cast of Survivor 44

      Here are the 18 contestants who will be vying for $1 million. Read More
  • TV

    TV

    See All TV
    • TV Reviews
    • TV Reunions
    • Recaps
    • What to Watch
    • Winter TV
    • Comedy
    • Crime
    • Drama
    • Family
    • Horror
    • Reality
    • Sci-fi
    • Thriller
  • Movies

    Movies

    See All Movies
    • Movie Reviews
    • Trailers
    • Film Festivals
    • Movie Reunions
    • Movie Previews
  • Music

    Music

    See All Music
    • Music Reviews
  • What to Watch

    What to Watch

    See All What to Watch
    • What to Watch Podcast Episodes
    • TV Reviews
    • Movie Reviews
  • BINGE

    BINGE

    See All BINGE
    • EW's Binge Podcast Episodes
    • Recaps
    • Survivor
    • This is Us
    • RuPaul's Drag Race
    • Stranger Things
    • The Boys
    • The Blacklist
    • The Walking Dead
    • Better Call Saul
  • The Awardist

    The Awardist

    See All The Awardist
    • The Awardist Podcast Episodes
    • Oscars
    • Emmys
    • Golden Globes
    • SAG Awards
    • Grammys
    • Tony Awards
  • Books

    Books

    See All Books
    • Book Reviews
    • Author Interviews
  • Theater

    Theater

    See All Theater
    • Theater Reviews
  • Podcasts
  • Gaming
  • Events

    Events

    See All Events
    • Comic-Con
  • Celebrity
  • Streaming

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Profile

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletter
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Home
  2. Gallery
  3. Most Anticipated Videogames of 2012

Most Anticipated Videogames of 2012

''Grand Theft Auto V,'' ''Halo 4,'' ''Max Payne 3,'' and even some non-sequels we can't wait to play
Darren Franich
By Darren Franich Updated December 28, 2011 at 06:00 PM EST
Skip gallery slides
FB

1 of 17

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

BioShock Infinite

Why We?re Excited: The first two BioShock games were smart, gorgeously art-directed explorations of an underwater city. Infinite moves the action backwards in time andÂ…

Why We?re Excited: The first two BioShock games were smart, gorgeously art-directed explorations of an underwater city. Infinite moves the action backwards in time and up in the air, sending you on a mission to the fascinating steampunk air-metropolis called Columbia. It's like a secret adaptation of Thomas Pynchon's Against the Day!
Expected release date: August (rumored, and all dates are subject to change)

1 of 17

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 17

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

Twisted Metal

Why We're Excited: The first two Twisted Metal games were PS1 highlights. With original director David Jaffe returning, we're hoping this reboot can help theÂ…

Why We're Excited: The first two Twisted Metal games were PS1 highlights. With original director David Jaffe returning, we're hoping this reboot can help the vehicular-combat franchise move into the new console generation.
Expected release date: February 14

2 of 17

3 of 17

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

3

Why We're Excited: Most sci-franchises get by on pure spectacle, or on the ravenous detail that fill their imaginary universes. Mass Effect has spectacle andÂ…

I want to play through both Mass Effect games — and journal about them for EW — before the arrival of Mass Effect 3. —Jeff Jensen

3 of 17

Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement

4 of 17

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

Journey

Why We're Excited: A PlayStation Network exclusive, Journey doesn't look or feel like any other videogame. You play a robed figure who wakes up inÂ…

Why We're Excited: A PlayStation Network exclusive, Journey doesn't look or feel like any other videogame. You play a robed figure who wakes up in the middle of a huge desert. In the distance, there is a mountain, which seems to be glowing. As you walk along, you might meet another robed figure — who is actually controlled by someone else on the network. Things happen. Indie game designers Thatgamecompany worked on the similarly poetic Flower, and Journey looks like it could be the Videogames Can Be Art debate topic of 2012. Hey, not everything has to be a sequel.
Expected release date: Spring

4 of 17

Advertisement

5 of 17

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

Assassin's Creed III

Why We're Excited: After three Renaissance-era games about tragic badass Ezio Auditore, the Assassin's Creed franchise will move into a new, presumably-historical setting for itsÂ…

Why We're Excited: After three Renaissance-era games about tragic badass Ezio Auditore, the Assassin's Creed franchise will move into a new, presumably-historical setting for its release in late 2012. Insiders claim it won't be World War II. So let's spend the next few months pondering what time period we'd want the clever, lushly designed franchise. Industrial Revolution-era America? Vienna in the late 19th century? Tsarist Russia?
Expected release date: November (rumored)

5 of 17

6 of 17

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

Diablo III

Why We're Excited: Because a significant proportion of the young gamer population lost an entire summer in 2000, when Diablo II was released. Because inÂ…

Why We're Excited: Because a significant proportion of the young gamer population lost an entire summer in 2000, when Diablo II was released. Because in the ensuing decade, developer Blizzard has continually dominated computer gameplay with Starcraft and Warcraft. Because it feels good to slay godlike personifications of evil.
Expected release date: Late Winter

6 of 17

Advertisement
Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement

7 of 17

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

Grand Theft Auto V

Why We're Excited: The latest iteration of Rockstar Games' open-world crime franchise returns to the sun-dappled Bizarro Los Angeles last seen in 2004's Grand TheftÂ…

Why We're Excited: The latest iteration of Rockstar Games' open-world crime franchise returns to the sun-dappled Bizarro Los Angeles last seen in 2004's Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Supposedly, V will also mark a return to San Andreas-style tomfoolery (remember Area 51) after the relatively sober antics of GTA IV. Expect lacerating deconstructions of the American media scene, and also rocket launchers.
Expected release date: Summer

7 of 17

Advertisement
Advertisement

8 of 17

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

Halo 4

Why We're Excited: Halo 4 will bring back series protagonist Master Chief, and there are rumors that the game will feature less shooting and moreÂ…

Why We're Excited: Halo 4 will bring back series protagonist Master Chief, and there are rumors that the game will feature less shooting and more exploration. The franchise just celebrated its 10th anniversary, and with a new developer taking the reigns, Halo 4 could be proof that the franchise can (or can't) survive in the new shooter universe.
Expected release date: November 2012

8 of 17

Advertisement

9 of 17

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

The Last of Us

Why We're Excited: Naughty Dog's Uncharted series brought a glitzy, cinematic flare to adventure games, and the trailer for The Last of Us indicates thatÂ…

Why We're Excited: Naughty Dog's Uncharted series brought a glitzy, cinematic flare to adventure games, and the trailer for The Last of Us indicates that the developer is making an intriguing move into survival horror. At this point, Last of Us is currently an office favorite for Game Most Likely to Be Delayed into 2013...but we can dream, can't we?
Expected release date: Late 2012, hopefully

9 of 17

Advertisement
Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement

10 of 17

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

Max Payne 3

Why We're Excited: The typical videogame protagonist is a callow, nobly inclined young person excited to set off on a quest for goodness. And thenÂ…

Why We're Excited: The typical videogame protagonist is a callow, nobly inclined young person excited to set off on a quest for goodness. And then there's Max Payne, who returns eight years after Max Payne 2 a fat, broken alcoholic with a shaved head and a dirty tank top. Also intriguing: The franchise is moving from the noir-gritty urbania of the first two games to glittery Brazil.
Expected release date: March

10 of 17

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

11 of 17

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

Metal Gear Rising Revengeance

Why We're Excited: The Metal Gear franchise was always famous for its emphasis on the stealth. Based on the hyperkinetic, blood-drenched trailer, Revengeance is takingÂ…

Why We're Excited: The Metal Gear franchise was always famous for its emphasis on the stealth. Based on the hyperkinetic, blood-drenched trailer, Revengeance is taking a decidedly different tactic. There are plenty of reasons to doubt this game: It's the first Metal Gear game not directed by Hideo Kojima; during the long development process, it transformed from a prequel to a sequel; the title of the game is Revengeance. Still, such a complete break from the franchise's main mode of gameplay — and the slight suspicion that the whole thing is supposed to be over-the-top — make this one to watch.
Expected release date: Late 2012

11 of 17

Advertisement
Advertisement

12 of 17

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

The Last Guardian

Why We're Excited: Eternally delayed and captivatingly mysterious, The Last Guardian is the third game from designer Fumito Ueda and Team Ico. We're guessing itÂ…

Why We're Excited: Eternally delayed and captivatingly mysterious, The Last Guardian is the third game from designer Fumito Ueda and Team Ico. We're guessing it will be worth the wait, since their first two works — 2001's Ico and 2005's Shadow of the Colossus — are two of the best and most distinctive videogames ever. Sony recently announced that Ueda has officially left Sony to focus on personal projects, though he's apparently finishing work on Guardian in a freelance capacity. Guardian might be his magnum opus...or his overreaching Apocalypse Now. Either way, it sure beats Call of Duty.
Expected release date: Someday, maybe

12 of 17

Advertisement
Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement

13 of 17

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

Fifa Street

Why We're Excited: The Fifa Street trilogy was sort of an afterthought in the mid-00s. The upcoming reboot — designed by some of the sameÂ…

Why We're Excited: The Fifa Street trilogy was sort of an afterthought in the mid-00s. The upcoming reboot — designed by some of the same people who worked on this year's great Fifa 12 — promises to be a complete rethinking, including more realistic character models and a more cerebral approach to gameplay.
Expected release date: March

13 of 17

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

14 of 17

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

Street Fighter X Tekken

Why We're Excited: A fascinating exercise in creative cross-pollination, or just a shameless cash grab? Either way, the decision to create two separate mash-ups ofÂ…

Why We're Excited: A fascinating exercise in creative cross-pollination, or just a shameless cash grab? Either way, the decision to create two separate mash-ups of the iconic Street Fighter and Tekken fighter-franchises — one designed by Street Fighter developer Capcom, the other by Tekken creator Namco — makes for an interesting experiment. Capcom's version will arrive next year, and come on: Who's not excited about the Zangief-Kuma showdown?
Expected release date: March 6

14 of 17

Advertisement
Advertisement

15 of 17

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

Transformers: Fall of Cybertron

Why We're Excited: The eye-popping VGA trailer for Fall of Cybertron demonstrated the game's fascinating visual aesthetic: an intriguing blend of retro-chic cartoonishness and bleakÂ…

Why We're Excited: The eye-popping VGA trailer for Fall of Cybertron demonstrated the game's fascinating visual aesthetic: an intriguing blend of retro-chic cartoonishness and bleak grit. (Also: F---ing Grimlock!) This might just be another Dead Island — a great trailer for an eventual mediocrity — but the game promises to expand and improve on 2009's War for Cybertron. And aren't we do for something good to come out of the Transformers universe, already?
Expected release date: Fall

15 of 17

Advertisement
Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement

16 of 17

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

The Witness

Why We're Excited: Indie game hero Jonathan Blow created the poetic Braid , 2008's eerily profound side-scroller. His follow-up is a puzzler set on aÂ…

Why We're Excited: Indie game hero Jonathan Blow created the poetic Braid, 2008's eerily profound side-scroller. His follow-up is a puzzler set on a mysterious island. Blow's devotion to a DIY philosophy is inspiring — he occasionally tracks the game's progress on his blog — and The Witness could prove to be a showcase expansion for all his ambitions.
Expected release date: Late 2012

16 of 17

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

17 of 17

FB
Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message

Wii U

Why We're Excited: Nintendo's new game console promises to integrate the expanding industry of mobile gaming. The fascinating new controller comes with a built-in touchscreenÂ…

Why We're Excited: Nintendo's new game console promises to integrate the expanding industry of mobile gaming. The fascinating new controller comes with a built-in touchscreen that can also function as its own console. It's an interesting gamble...although it's arguably less crazy than the Wii motion-controllers, which helped usher in a mid-decade casual-gamer revolution. Rumors indicate that the launch titles will include the return of Shigeru Miyamoto's pet project, Pikmin. With overall industry sales suffering a bit in 2011, the Wii U could be an exciting step forward into the videogame future.
Expected release date: Summer

17 of 17

Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

  • By Darren Franich @DarrenFranich

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 17 BioShock Infinite
    2 of 17 Twisted Metal
    3 of 17 3
    4 of 17 Journey
    5 of 17 Assassin's Creed III
    6 of 17 Diablo III
    7 of 17 Grand Theft Auto V
    8 of 17 Halo 4
    9 of 17 The Last of Us
    10 of 17 Max Payne 3
    11 of 17 Metal Gear Rising Revengeance
    12 of 17 The Last Guardian
    13 of 17 Fifa Street
    14 of 17 Street Fighter X Tekken
    15 of 17 Transformers: Fall of Cybertron
    16 of 17 The Witness
    17 of 17 Wii U

    Share & More

    Tweet Pinterest Email Send Text Message
    EW.com

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
    • Advertise this link opens in a new tab
    • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Meredith© Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright EW.com. All rights reserved. Printed from https://ew.com

    View image

    Most Anticipated Videogames of 2012
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.