5 Video Game Sequels We Can’t Wait For Much Longer
By: Bre Venanzio
Tags: Technology, Gaming, Features, Culture, Videogames

5 Video Game Sequels We Can’t Wait For Much Longer

I mean, we will…but we really don’t want to

As someone whose primary introduction to the gaming world came in the form of the Kingdom Hearts franchise, I’m no stranger to waiting half a lifetime for a sequel to release. Unlike many other branches of the entertainment industry, video game sequels are often just as good as or even better than the original game, making it possible for a very long story to be told over the course of multiple games. I don’t know a single gamer who scoffs at the idea of their favorite solo game being turned into a full-blown series. Unfortunately, good games take time, and we as consumers are not patient, and I’m here to fan the flames of your discontent with five sequels we just can’t wait much longer for — but totally will if you insist.

Source: Nintendo.

Metroid Prime 4

This one hurts a little. The original Metroid games were classics, with iterations on the NES, Gameboy, and SNES. The end of Metroid when Samus, the armored super-soldier protagonist, is revealed to be a woman, is legendary, and still resonates with me today. The Metroid Prime story arc takes place between the original 1986 NES release and its 1991 Gameboy sequel Metroid II: Return of Samus. Unfortunately, since its original announcement at E3 in 2017, Metroid Prime 4 has been delayed significantly. Nintendo EPD General Manager Shinya Takahashi released an official video in 2019 stating that development was not progressing to their standards, and Retro Studios, who produced the original trilogy, would be taking over. Though this does mean that development is more or less starting from scratch, it also hopefully indicates that, when we do get the finished product, it’s going to be completely worth the wait.

Source: Microsoft.

Halo Infinite

Oh, Halo, you big, beautiful monster of an open-world shooter. There’s almost no argument that the Halo franchise has been one of the most influential in the gaming stratosphere, and it looks like Halo Infinite is going to just build onto that reputation even more. It was initially meant to release as an Xbox Series X launch title at the end of this year, but — well, you know. Delays are the bread and butter of 2020, and Halo Infinite was yet another casualty. Though fans won’t be getting their next adventure with the Master Chief until 2021, the delay will hopefully mean 343 Industries can refine and improve the game to be the Halo masterpiece everyone wants it to be. Despite the development snags, it’s looking like Halo Infinite is going to be a solid entry in the series, and could attract a slew of brand new players for the franchise in the process.

Source: Nintendo.

Bayonetta 3

North America was blessed with the sexy occult fever dream that is Bayonetta in January of 2010, followed by Bayonetta 2 in September 2014. With both games being released as ports for the Nintendo Switch, an entirely new fanbase was born. That fanbase was also immediately introduced to the agony of waiting for Bayonetta 3, which was announced to be in development as a Switch exclusive at the same time the ports were revealed. It has been almost three years since the announcement and teaser trailer were revealed at The Game Awards 2017, and there is still no official release date. Aside from the occasional one-line statement from Platinum, it’s been radio silence. Until more information comes out, fans are just going to have to be satisfied with trying to kill angels on Non-Stop — Climax mode and beating everyone senseless on Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Source: Sony.

Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 2

Waiting for Square Enix games is at least 75% of my identity in the gaming world. The first video game I ever truly fell in love with was Kingdom Hearts. I’ve played through the first two mainline titles in that series so many times that I can recite several of the pre-boss fight cutscenes by memory. One of my favorite ways to distract myself from waiting for Kingdom Hearts III was to also wait for the Final Fantasy VII remake. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that even after it was released, I was going to have to continue to wait for it. Luckily, all signs point to a short wait, as Square Enix leadership confirmed that Part 2 was already well underway back in November 2019, so though we don’t have an official release date for the follow-up, it doesn’t look like it’s going to be the 14 years that Kingdom Hearts fans had to suffer between Kingdom Hearts II and Kingdom Hearts III. The first part of the remake was stunning, and the plot changes were subtle enough that the story was still recognizable, but not so similar that you know exactly what’s coming next. After seeing just how stunning Midgar looked on the PS4, it’s going to be pretty incredible to see just how gorgeous the wider planet is going to be when it’s running on the PS5. The original game is a classic for a reason, and the re-imagining is likely to follow right in its predecessor’s footsteps.

Source: Nintendo.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2

Zelda fans are passionate. With the release of the Switch, they have plenty to celebrate. Not only have they been gifted one of the best games in the series in the original Breath of the Wild, but a sequel was announced at E3 2019. Outside of a brief trailer that came out with the announcement, not much is known about the highly anticipated sequel. We know it’s being developed for the Switch, but that’s about it. It’s extremely likely that it won’t be released until at least 2021, though a recent pre-order listing from a UK retailer listed it as available on December 31, 2020. This is probably just a placeholder, unfortunately. Nintendo has been keeping their plans for the game close to their chest, but with all of the development delays that 2020 has brought, a holiday release for this year is unlikely. Conversely, the Breath of the Wild engine is already fully developed and ready to go, so it’s possible that there was much less work to be done on a sequel from the beginning. With over a minute’s worth of animation being available for the trailer last year, perhaps we’re closer to a finished product than Nintendo is letting on. At any rate, unlike several of these much-anticipated sequels, Zelda fans don’t have to wait for a next-gen console to release as it looks like the Switch is sticking around.

Bre is a part-time writer with a day job in the fitness industry. She is based in Orlando, FL along with her handsome fella and two cats. She enjoys writing about social issues, politics, spirituality, mental health, gaming, and, every so often, fiction. She’s still working on her personal website, but you can find her anytime on Twitter or Instagram.