6 Most Anticipated New Video Game Releases for 2014

by Adam Benjamin | December 24, 2013 8:39 am

The New Year is just around the corner, and this year, gamers have a pair of new video game consoles to play while they’re waiting for the ball to drop. And those new consoles mean a slew of new video game releases in 2014.

new-video-game-releases-2014Next year looks promising for new video games. All the games that didn’t make it on the Microsoft (MSFT[1]) Xbox One or Sony (SNE[2]) PlayStation 4 will be coming out in 2014, which means plenty of new video game releases scattered throughout the year.

Here’s a look at six of the most anticipated new video game releases for next year, in a variety of genres: fighting, RPG, racing, adventure, first-person shooter, and MMORPG.

New Video Game Releases 2014 – Super Smash Bros.

new-video-game-releases-smash-brosEver since the original Super Smash Bros. brought together some of Nintendo’s (NTDOY[3]) most iconic characters on the Nintendo 64, the series has been a staple on every Nintendo console since.

The new video game will put Smash Bros. on the Wii U, which might give the console a much-needed sales boost. Gamers just can’t resist the opportunity to throw Mario, Link, Samus and Pikachu in the ring together and beat each other with paper fans and pokeballs.

Smash Bros. is known for its quick-and-crazy play style, and nostalgia-inducing rosters. Expect the new Super Smash Bros. to be one of the hottest new video game releases next year.

New Video Game Releases 2014 – Dragon Age: Inquisition

new-video-game-releases-dragon-age-inquisitionBioWare has a reputation for rock-solid RPG entries, including franchises like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Mass Effect. The first entry in the Dragon Age series — Dragon Age: Origins — was praised for the depth of its mechanics and the immersive fantasy world it created. The sequel was less-loved, which has only made gamers more anxious for 2014’s new video game releases.

The new video game Dragon Age: Inquisition is bringing back some of the features that were dropped in Dragon Age II, giving gamers hope that BioWare learned from its mistakes (and its successes).

And with the power of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 processors behind it, the game is sure to be even more expansive and immersive than its predecessors.

New Video Game Releases 2014 – Watch Dogs

new-video-game-releases-watch-dogsUbisoft (UBSFY[4]) has generated a lot of buzz with Watch Dogs, which is widely expected to be one of the best new video game releases in 2014.

The new video game focuses on technology, allowing players to hack into security systems and a host of other tech to complete your missions.

Watch Dogs looks equal parts dark and slick, and should be an exciting cyberpunk adventure for gamers. It should also be a good way to distract yourself from wondering whether the government is using your Xbox One Kinect to spy on you.

New Video Game Releases 2014 – Mario Kart 8

new-video-game-releases-mario-kart-8How many Mario Kart games do we need? As far as Nintendo is concerned, as many as we can get.

Much like Super Smash Bros. will do for the fighting series, Mario Kart 8 will bring the popular racing franchise onto the Wii U. The Mario Kart franchise has long been considered the definitive racing experience on Nintendo consoles (sorry, fellow F-Zero and Diddy Kong Racing fans), and the new video game looks to keep that streak alive.

Mario Kart 8 takes a familiar formula (Mario and friends racing go-karts) and adds a few new twists (antigravity tracks). It’s not a revolutionary overhaul of the Mario Kart system, but then again, it doesn’t need to be.

Mario Kart 8 will succeed as one of the hottest new video game releases for the same reason its predecessors did: Nothing’s better than shooting your first-place friends with blue shells.

New Video Game Releases 2014 – Destiny

new-video-game-releases-destinyFirst-person shooters can be big-budget affairs with astoundingly high production values, and no one does it quite like Bungie, the studio behind the original Halo games. After handing off the series to Microsoft’s (MSFT[1]) 343 Industries, Bungie started working on Destiny, which is already being looked at as one of the most anticipated new video game releases in 2014.

Destiny is an open-world shooter that combines elements from role-playing games and first-person shooters, similar to games like Borderlands. And typical of Bungie, the game appears to be dripping with interesting gameplay and story elements. Players will create a character from one of three classes and set out to defend their homeland from hostile alien forces in a post-apocalyptic future.

The new video game will feature live events that aren’t necessarily planned by the programmers, bringing a fresh element to the gameplay and marking a significant advancement in gaming AI. Destiny releases onto Xbox and PlayStation consoles in September.

New Video Game Releases 2014 – Elder Scrolls Online

new-video-game-releases-elder-scrolls-onlineThe Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was one of the most successful video games of 2011, selling millions of copies in the first week and winning dozens of awards for its gameplay.

Now, Bethesda Studios is looking to expand its single-player RPG success into the world of massively mutliplayer online RPGs. Elder Scrolls fans have been calling for a multiplayer game ever since World of Warcraft became a huge hit for the PC. And after years of development, the game is finally ready to deliver.

The game will release on computers in April before joining the new video game releases on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 in June.

As of this writing, Adam Benjamin did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities, but he may preorder of Destiny in the next 48 hours.

Endnotes:

  1. MSFT: http://studio-5.financialcontent.com/investplace/quote?Symbol=MSFT
  2. SNE: http://studio-5.financialcontent.com/investplace/quote?Symbol=SNE
  3. NTDOY: http://studio-5.financialcontent.com/investplace/quote?Symbol=NTDOY
  4. UBSFY: http://studio-5.financialcontent.com/investplace/quote?Symbol=UBSFY

Source URL: https://investorplace.com/2013/12/new-video-game-releases-2014/