Could 2016 end up one of the biggest years in video games?
For starters, video game players might see a new console from Nintendo make its debut, three years after Microsoft’s Xbox One and Sony’s PlayStation 4 entered the market.
Then there’s the long-awaited arrival of virtual reality,fueled by the expected launches of HTC’s Vive, PlayStation VR and the device that really drove the VR buzz — the Oculus Rift.
Of course, what’s good hardware without a strong selection of video games to play on them? The next 12 months promises plenty.
Here’s a peek at 10 highly-anticipated games to have on your radar:
1. Battleborn
Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Details: Get ready to hear the term MOBA — Multiplayer Online Battle Arena — used often this year. Games like League of Legends and Dota 2 sparked a wave of similar hero-friendly action games from big publishers including this "hero shooter" from Gearbox Software (Borderlands). Players compete in a variety of competitive and story-driven matches as one of dozens of heroes, each boasting unique powers and sets of skills.
2. EVE Valkyrie
Platform(s): Oculus Rift, PlayStation VR
Details: Perhaps the greatest showcase of virtual reality’s potential lies in this intergalactic dogfighting game from the Iceland-based makers of the popular role-playing game Eve Online. Players sit inside the cockpit of a space ship, attacking enemies with a variety of missiles and other weapons. Player will have 360-degree views, looking in all directions for potential targets.
3. The Last Guardian
Platform(s): PS4
Details: This is not a drill. This longed-for action game, first revealed in 2009, is finally expected to launch. The action game from creators of PlayStation classics Ico and Shadow of the Colossus features a young boy and Trico — a giant beast equal parts eagle and dog — working together to navigate dangerous ruins.
4. The Legend of Zelda
Platform(s): Wii U
Details: This is seemingly the year of long-awaited games finally ready for launch. Little is known about the latest epic in Nintendo’s adventure series, but expect lots of dungeon-crawling and puzzle-solving in a more open landscape.
5. Mass Effect Andromeda
Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox One
Details: BioWare has remained silent on the next chapter of its Mass Effect series since it debuted at last year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo. Here’s what we know: it takes place well after the events of the original trilogy -- which concluded with a massive battle between Commander Shepard and the Reapers -- and includes an upgraded version of the Mako land rover.
6. No Man’s Sky
Platform(s): PC, PS4
Details: Arguably one of the most ambitious games launching this year, No Man’s Sky lets players explore countless planets and galaxies generated at random as you explore deeper into the universe. The game never stops creating new planets no matter how far you explore. Good luck, video game completionists.
7. Overwatch
Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox One
Details: The makers of World of Warcraft join the MOBA craze with a team-based shooter in which players choose one of 21 different heroes, including angelic field medic Mercy and Wild-West inspired gunslinger McCree.
8. Paragon
Platform(s): PC, PS4
Details: Epic’s foray into MOBAs follows a more traditional line, following in the footsteps of League of Legends and Dota. The game boasts a classic approach, as two teams of five battle to eliminate their opponents’ towers and claim victory. Among the big differences is the inclusion of a card-based system for earning items.
9. Star Fox Zero
Platform(s): Wii U
Details: Fox, Falco and the rest of the crew return in a new aerial adventure in this cherished Nintendo series. Players view action on the TV, while enjoying a first-person view from the cockpit through the Wii U’s GamePad. And, yes, you can still do a barrel roll.
10. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
Platform(s): PS4
Details: Studio Naughty Dog is back with beloved treasure hunter Nathan Drake, pulled away from retirement by his brother, Sam, for one last big score -- a fabled pirate treasure. Added to Drake's arsenal is a grappling hook used to navigate difficult terrain.
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