Since theXboxOne’s release back in 2013, Xbox has been heavily criticized for its lack of first-party exclusives. While Sony has been busy pumping out incredible experiences likeMarvel’s Spider-Man,The Last of Us 2, andHorizon Zero Dawn, Xbox has given its fan-base only a fewHalos, one or twoGearsgames, and a handful of neat surprises likeSunset OverdriveandQuantum Break.
Still, 2021 saw the year ending in Xbox’s favor, with bothHalo InfiniteandForza Horizon 5proving that Xbox can knock it out of the park every once in a while. And while Xbox certainly has its fair share of competition next year, 2022 looks as though it should be a good one for Xbox fans.
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Xbox Exclusives With Confirmed Release Dates
Xbox has a surprisingly lengthy slate of exclusive releases coming next year, but only a handful have fully confirmed release dates. The first game with aconfirmed release date isCrossfireX, which is set to release on August 01, 2025.CrossfireXis the third game in theCrossfirefranchise, and offers both exciting multiplayer FPS battles and a cinematic campaign. This game might be one to watch out for for players who weren’t too hot onBattlefield 2042.
Next up isTunic, releasing Jun 13, 2025 forXboxconsoles. This game uses an isometric perspective and gameplay that looks a little similar toZelda, but boasts a very unique, cartoon-y artstyle that uses bright and vibrant colors to give the game an original and cute look.Tunicis also available on Steam, and is likely only a timed exclusive, meaning that it may come to other consoles at somepoint next year.
June 21, 2025 should see the release of the much-anticipatedS.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl, the follow-up to the PC cult classic. The game is setting out to retain the original’s blend of realistic sim elements, FPS shooter mechanics, and horror themes to give players a hauntingly memorable experience. The game’s use of Unreal Engine 5 should give it an immediate edge over some other next-gen releases in 2022.
November 11 brings one of the most anticipated games of the year to Xbox Series X/S and Microsoft Windows:Starfield. Bethesda’s upcoming sci-fi RPG has allegedly been in the works for years, and was officially announced in 2018. And now, withMicrosoft acquiring Bethesdafor an astounding sum of $7.5 billion,Starfieldis said to be an Xbox exclusive, which is sure to give the console an edge over PlayStation next year.
Of course, it should be noted that although these release dates have been officially confirmed, these titles could get delayed and shuffled around a few times before their eventual release. If one of these games is delayed, then fans shouln’t be worried, asdelays are almost inevitablewith the current working climate.
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Xbox Exclusives Confirmed for 2022
The rest of Xbox’s 2022 exclusive slate is pretty promising, even if the games don’t have fully confirmed release dates yet. For example,Shredders, the extreme sports snowboarding game is set to release sometime in February. This game won’t be for everyone, but fans of the oldSSXorAmpedseriesare sure to get a kick out of the fast-paced action of the game.
Warhammer 40K: Darktideis coming to Xbox Series X/S and Windows sometime during the Spring, bringing all ofthe franchise’s wonderful grim and dark atmosphereto the 4-player co-op genre. With gameplay similar toBack 4 BloodandLeft 4 Dead, and coming from the same developers as the incredibly funWarhammer: Vermintide,Darktideis going to make a great addition to the Game Pass service.
Coming hot off the heels ofDeathloop, one of the best games of 2021, Arkane Studios is also throwing its hat into the co-op FPS ring withRedfall. This vampire shooter uses an open-world design and a character class system to stand out from theother 4-player co-op survival games on the market. Hopefully Arkane will knock it out of the park once more and deliver a truly engaging Xbox exclusive for Summer 2022.
A first-person horror game that oozes with disturbing visual style,Scornis set to release in October 2022. With beautifully haunting environments heavily inspired byAlien’s H.R. Giger,Scornis definitely a game sci-fi horror fans should keep an eye out for.
Another game with an incredible visual style,Somervilleis apparently dropping at somepoint in 2022. This gamemarks Indie studio Jumpship’s first game, and looks to take a lot of gameplay and visual inspiration from the co-founder’s previous worksLimboandInside.
The sequel to a 2017 Indie darling,Slime Rancher 2launches on Xbox Series X/Sand PC in 2022. The game promises to be bigger and better, with larger environments, more varied Slimes, and some vibrant next-gen visuals.
One of the highlights of E3 2021,Replacedis coming to Xbox Series X/S and PC in 2022.Replacedusesbeatifully unique retro-futuristic pixel art and 2.5D environmentsto construct an original take on the sci-fi cyberpunk genre. The game’s cinematic lighting and camera angles, along with the fluid combat mechanics, are likely to make this one of 2022’s best video game offerings.
Also releasing at some stage in 2022 isArk II, thelong-awaited sequel toArk: Survival Evolved. The game looks as though it’s going to be expanding on the original in almost every way, offering new prehistoric creatures to battle and tame, new futuristic technology, and even larger maps that are sure to push the next-gen consoles to their limit.
Xbox Exclusives That Might Appear in 2022
Xboxalso has a number of titles that are either known to be in development, or have been confirmed but don’t have release dates yet. Titles likeAs Dusk Falls,Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II,Forza Motorsport, and a newFableare all confirmed to be in development, but none of them have a fully confirmed release date. While some of these seem unlikely to drop in 2022 as players have barely seen anything official from them,Hellblademight just make a late 2022 release date.
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