Top 10 Upcoming Video Game Sequels of 2022

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Upcoming Video Game Sequels of 2022.

For this list, we’ll be looking at the most anticipated follow-ups currently slated for 2022 releases, although the game industry has a habit of delaying titles. We’re excluding prequels and spinoffs.

Which video game sequel are you looking forward to the most? Let us know in the comments.

Remember what we said a few seconds ago about delays? Well, “S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2” has seen its fair share of setbacks since first being announced in 2010, getting canceled more than once. Developer GSC Game World fell on hard times in 2011. After the company made a comeback in late 2014, this sequel slowly reentered development. Although technically the fourth game in the franchise, “Heart of Chernobyl” is suspected to be the “proper” sequel to the original game that fans have been waiting for. Since “Shadow of Chernobyl” came out in 2007, we can expect a significant graphical upgrade on PC and Xbox consoles. The bar for open-world games has also been raised, opening Chernobyl to so many disturbing possibilities.

Considering the cute little green aliens at the forefront, you wouldn’t expect much scientific accuracy from “Kerbal Space Program.” A surprising amount of research went into the original space flight simulator, though, attracting the attention of NASA and SpaceX. While grounded in science for the most part, the game still gave players wiggle room to get creative. “Kerbal Space Program 2” aims to maintain what made its predecessor so unique while also going to bold new places. In addition to introducing multiplayer, interstellar flight, and the ability to construct colonies, the sequel will have more tutorials to help ease newcomers into the gameplay. So, even if you missed the original game, this follow-up sounds like a solid place to launch.

“The King of Fighters” never quite achieved the same levels of recognition as “Mortal Kombat” and “Street Fighter.” Nevertheless, the franchise has been a formidable contender in the fighting genre for more than two and a half decades. With the success of “The King of Fighters XIV,” Yasuyuki Oda seemed optimistic that a fifteenth main game would happen. While Oda is handing directorial duties over to Eisuke Ogura for “XV,” he is staying on as a producer. This installment will continue to establish Shun’ei as a major character, although he’s far from the only fighter. Benimaru Nikaido and Meitenkun will have his back as the so-called Shun’ei Saga continues. Arriving on PlayStation, Xbox, and Windows, this sequel promises to shatter all expectations.

“A Plague Tale: Innocence” drew inspiration from “Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons” and especially “The Last of Us.” While it didn’t push the envelope like those games did, “Innocence” was an atmospheric and powerful journey about the bonds of family. The game’s following seems to be growing and the ending left the door wide open for a sequel. “Requiem” promises to be another hard-hitting experience, picking up with siblings Amicia and Hugo against a perilous environment draped in death and rats… lots of rats. While its predecessor ended on a bleak yet hopeful note, we’re prepared to have our hearts broken in the sequel. Given everything that’s happened in real life since 2019, it’ll definitely be interesting returning to this eerily relatable world.

Nintendo has “Mario Kart,” but “Gran Turismo” will always be Sony’s definitive racing series. Revving up on PS4 and PS5, “GT7” marks the franchise’s first game coming to multiple consoles. That’s good news for those who haven’t upgraded yet, although PS5 owners will be rewarded with 4K resolution, 60 FPS, and the power of the DualSense controller. While “Gran Turismo” has always strived to simulate realistic racing, the DualSense has the potential to make this the most immersive experience yet, allowing the player to feel the anti-lock brakes. Although “GT7” looks to the future, it also draws inspiration from the past with the return of Simulation Mode. If the game sounds as great as it looks, we’ll be breaking out our Pulse 3D wireless headsets.

“Splatoon” meets “Mad Max: Fury Road?” Yeah, that sounds about right. Nintendo has always been a family-friendly brand. With “Splatoon” and its 2017 sequel, though, Nintendo proved that a third-person shooter can be a blast without being ultra-violent. In many respects, these two games did for shooters what “Mario Kart” did for racing, taking a popular genre and reinventing it with out-the-box thinking. While the world of “Splatoon” was already bonkers, this third installment is upping the insanity. Taking the Inklings and Octolings out of Inkopolis, “Splatoon 3” sets itself in the Splatsville, which has earned a reputation as the “city of chaos.” There’s nothing like a turf war in a desolate wasteland.

And we thought it was weird when Mario met Sonic. “Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle” proved to be an even stranger crossover. As if this pairing wasn’t perplexing enough, Mario and the Rabbids weren’t exactly associated with turn-based tactical RPGs. Although none of these elements should’ve gone together, they meshed in surprisingly wonderful ways. You might think “Sparks of Hope” sounds like the episode title of a “Star Wars” movie, and you’re not too far off. This “spiritual sequel,” as creative director David Soliani describes it, takes on a galactic theme with our heroes teaming up to defeat a force called Cursa and save creatures known as Sparks. In addition to new locations, expect a new combat system and “a new take on the tactical genre.”

It’s been almost a year since the sequel to 2018’s “God of War” was officially announced during the PS5 Showcase. Aside from confirming that the game will also be on PS4, Sony has been mostly secretive about Kratos and Atreus’ next journey. We don’t even know for sure if the sequel will be subtitled “Ragnarök.” As the teaser states, though, “Ragnarök is coming.” Ragnarök, of course, references the end of days in Norse mythology. As such, our money is on Kratos to be the last God standing, even if a certain hammer-wielder shows up. Of course, this could put Atreus in a difficult place, considering everything we learned about him at the end of the last game. In any case, it’s gonna be savage.

In June 2021, PlayStation Studios head Hermen Hulst suggested that the sequel to “Horizon Zero Dawn” was “on track to release this holiday season.” About a month later, however, several outlets reported that Aloy’s next adventure would be pushed back to Q1 2022. As of writing, Sony has yet to formally confirm the delay, although all signs seem to be pointing to next year. As eager as we are to explore the ruins of San Francisco and the Yosemite Valley, the last thing we want is for Sony to release an unfinished product. With or without the holiday rush, anyone who owns a PS4 or PS5 is pretty much guaranteed to pick up a copy. We’ve waited since 2017. We’ll wait a little longer.

While there are over a dozen “Zelda” games, not all of them have gotten direct sequels. Even after exploring every inch of “Breath of the Wild,” we weren’t ready to say farewell to this open world. We all rejoiced when Nintendo officially announced a follow-up, but what kind of sequel should we expect? Will it be more of what made the first game so gripping or will it take the “Majora’s Mask” route, delivering something completely different? Ideally, the sequel would build upon the open-world mechanics while maturing with a darker tone like “Majora.” Judging from the footage thus far, that just might be the direction Nintendo is going in. The game may also borrow from “Skyward Sword,” taking Link’s adventure to the skies.