It's a little strange to think we're almost two full weeks into September. 2020 has been one long slog for a number of different reasons, but for gamers, the next few months are going to be some of the most exciting in history.
Not only have we got the next generation of Xbox and PlayStation consoles set for release, but there are a slew of brand new video games making their way to the shelves.
Here are 15 of the biggest gaming releases that we can't wait to get our hands on...
Super Mario 3D All-Stars - Released September 18th for Nintendo Switch
Celebrating Super Mario's 35th anniversary was always going to be a big event for Nintendo, and now fans will finally be able to revisit some of the Italian plumber's most celebrated titles in Super Mario 3D All-Stars!
Take Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario Galaxy for another spin in the limited-time release, that will only be available until the end of March 2021.
WWE 2K Battlegrounds - Released September 18th for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Google Stadia and Microsoft Windows
Whilst we're not getting our usual WWE 2K game this year, we are going to be able to enjoy arcade brawler Battlegrounds, which brings some of our favourite WWE Superstars of the modern era and those gone by, allowing them to compete in some of the strangest settings a game of this type has ever seen.
With over 70 playable Superstars and Legends, this over-the-top multiplayer game features interactive environments and devastating power-ups. Ever wanted an alligator to enter the squared circle? Now's your chance!
RollerCoaster Tycoon 3: Complete Edition - Released September 24th for Nintendo Switch and Microsoft Windows
The magic of the RollerCoaster Tycoon franchise returns in the Complete Edition of the third game, coming to Nintendo Switch and PC. Remember all those countless hours you spent building theme parks, only for guests to come in and trash it, whilst flying off rides that didn't seem to ever work properly? Now you can get it done all over again, in the best version of the game Frontier has ever offered up!
Mafia: Definitive Edition - Released September 25th for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Microsoft Windows
The Mafia games have been some of the most celebrated in the industry, so when we heard the original would be rebuilt from the ground up along with the second and third being remastered, and all three being released in one package, we couldn't have been more excited.
Originally released in 2002, the first game was critically-acclaimed, but many people never got the chance to experience it due to new-generation consoles and the industry moving on. Now, they'll get the opportunity to go back and fight through the story in a retelling that'll go down in history.
Star Wars: Squadrons - Released October 2nd for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Microsoft Windows
EA are inviting Star Wars fans into an exciting new gaming experience, as starfighter pilots unite on both sides of the Galactic Civil War. The second Death Star may be gone, but the chaos rages on in Squadrons.
Intense fleet battles and five versus five dogfights will see players pushed into the cockpit as a team, tasked with completing tactical objectives across never-before-seen battlefields. Customisation is your key to success; so just how will you fight?
Crash Bandicoot 4 - Released October 2nd for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One
When the fourth Crash Bandicoot game was officially announced, players were super excited to see that they'd not only be able to play the titular hero, but his sister Coco Bandicoot and even the nefarious Doctor Neo Cortex. Since that point, announcements have been made in regards to playing other fan-favourite characters, including Dingodile and Tawna. We imagine there will be even more to control when the game's released!
The narrative here sees Doctor Cortex escape from his space-time prison, alongside Doctor Nefarious Tropy and Uka Uka, creating a rip in the fabric of time and exposing a multiverse in doing so. Crash and Coco must work with the four Quantum Masks to stop the crisis, restoring order to the multiverse in the process.
Expect some of the most challenging levels of all time!
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands - Released October 27th for Microsoft Windows
Sylvanas Windrunner has destroyed the veil between life and death in World of Warcraft's eighth expansion, which opens players up to an entirely new universe where souls remain following their death. There's also the addition of Covenants, though they are not without their controversy because of their potentially game-changing abilities they offer to players!
One of the most exciting things about the expansion is the addition of an endlessly replayable and ever-changing dungeon, which players can tackle either alone or in a group.
MORE: Everything you need to know about Shadowlands
Watch Dogs: Legion - Released October 29th for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Google Stadia and Microsoft Windows
My personal most-anticipated game of 2020 is the third instalment in the Watch Dogs franchise, Legion (and Stormzy's addition just makes it all the more exciting!).
Take to the streets of London and recruit ordinary members of the public to your team of Resistance against the oppressive regime that has taken over. Whether it be an old granny with exceptional skills, or a street artist who uses a paintball gun as a weapon, there are unlimited possibilities for players here.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War - Released October 29th for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox One and Microsoft Windows
The Call of Duty: Black Ops series continues again this year with a brand new instalment called Cold War. It looks to be one of the most engaging and entertaining campaigns that Black Ops has ever offered up, and if that wasn't enough, the Multiplayer modes also look to be utterly compelling.
Set during the early 1980s of the Cold War, the campaign will follow CIA operative russell Adler as he pursues an alleged Soviety spy, whose state goal is to tilt the balance of power.
The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope - Released October 30th for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Microsoft Windows
Following the huge success of their first release, Man of Medan, a new spooky tale will come from The Dark Pictures Anthology. The survival horror game will once again be played from a third-person perspective, and allow gamers to team up to take on the story, or enjoy it in a theatrical single-player experience.
Five different characters will be under the player's control, as you make decisions that effect the narrative and the relationships each of them share. In Little Hope, those characters are trapped in a ghostly town and must discover their connection to the group of settlers from the past who look exactly like them.
Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla - Released November 10th for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Google Stadia and Microsoft Windows
Launching on the same day as the Xbox Series X and Series S consoles, Assassin's Creed: Valhalla is a game that was rumoured to be coming for many months before its official announcement. As the 12th major instalment in the series, and the 22nd overall, it's got a lot to do to impress, but early first look teasers have certainly kept us intrigued.
Gamers take up the role of Eivor - either a male or female viking who has been raised to be fearless in all aspects of their chaotic life. As the leader of a clan, you will move from desolation in icy Norway to a brand new home, in ninth-century England. Settling there isn't going to be a piece of cake however and, in order to conquer this new and hostile land, you're going to have to get down and dirty in violent confrontations.
Cyberpunk 2077 - Released November 19th for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, PlayStation 4, Google Stadia, Xbox One and Microsoft Windows
Years in the making and with more delays than we can remember, Cyberpunk 2077 will finally see its release this November. The open world, narrative-driven RPG is set in the universe of the classic pen and paper RPG system Cyberpunk 2020, and has countless fans anxiously anticipating what they hope will be one of the best video games in memory.
You will play as mercenary outlaw V, who's tasked with obtaining a one-of-a-kind implant that grants immortality. Of course, you're not the only one on its tail...
Immortals: Fenyx Rising - Released December 3rd for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Microsoft Windows
Formerly known as Gods and Monsters, Ubisoft's Immortals Fenyx Rising sees gamers take on the role of the titular character, a new winged demigod on a quest to save the Greek Gods and their home from an evil curse.
Both recognisable and unique mythological beasts will push players to the limits in a test of strength and determination, with the deadliest Titan in Greek mythology, Typhon, hoping to gain ultimate power.
Twelve Minutes - Release date TBC, before the end of 2020 for Xbox Series X, Xbox One and Microsoft Windows
Indie games still aren't getting enough attention. Annapurna Interactive hope to change that with the release of their new title, Twelve Minutes, starring James McAvoy, Daisy Ridley and Willem Dafoe.
Developed by Luis Antonio, the game takes place in a small apartment suite and its surrounding areas, asking players to repeatedly play through the events of the same 12-minute cycle in a bid to solve a mystery. It's a novel idea, and with so many different branching possibilities, one that will likely keep people occupied for hours, despite the title!
Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales - Release date TBC, holiday 2020 for PlayStation 5
Though there was some confusion surrounding the game as soon as it was announced, Sony did remedy that by announcing that Miles Morales would indeed be a standalone game, rather than an extended DLC for the 2018 release of Marvel's Spider-Man.
The narrative here will however continue on from that game and its downloadable content, where players saw Miles bitten by a genetically-enhanced spider. Now, with powers similar to those wielded by Peter Parker, he's fully-integrated himself into the red and black suit as an experienced superhero, defending both Harlem and the rest of New York.
Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales is expected to be a launch title for the PlayStation 5, so let's hope we hear a release date and price point from Sony in the very near future, now that Microsoft have shown their cards!
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