We list you all the games that are coming later in 2021 or even have no release date at all – and clarify their postponement reasons.
In 2021, the list of postponed games is getting longer and longer: How we PC gamers rubbed our hands in anticipation of the year’s big releases at the beginning of 2020. Open worlds, role-playing games, MMOs and strategy games from the really big developers were on the schedule – at least until the first big wave of postponements washed them further and further back.
In the meantime, the really big fish don’t appear until sometime in 2021 or 2022. Some others have even been postponed indefinitely. That’s why we’ve compiled all the postponed 2020 and 2021 releases for you – including their new release dates and reasons for postponement.
Postponed PC games to come in 2021
Humankind
Why was it postponed? The hotly anticipated strategy game Humankind was announced for 2020, but then fell victim to difficult pandemic working conditions and was moved to 2021. Instead, the developers launched a kind of Early Access, for which players could sign up to provide helpful feedback for the final release.
But now Humankind has been delayed again, from April to August 2021, with the developers stating that they want to work on “accessibility, pacing, balancing, diplomacy and AI. “
New World
Why was it postponed? Amazon Game Studios first announced their MMO New World back in 2016 and have since gone through several major revamps with their project. While it was still designed for PvP purists and sandbox players at the beginning of development, the MMO came back with a new focus on PvE in 2019 due to the mixed alpha reviews.
In April 2020, Amazon pushed back the release date for New World from May to August 2020 due to the acute situation of the Corona pandemic, but a short time later they finally moved the date to May 2021. The developers cited feedback from alpha testers, who wanted more mid- and endgame content, as the reason. After we asked the developers your questions about New World in the interview, we came to the conclusion: Amazon cannot continue like this.
Finally, the developers announced to postpone the release one more time to 31 August 2021 in order to include more end-game content and make improvements. We have already played New World in its current version and reveal what it really offers role-playing game fans:
Deathloop
Why was it postponed? In a video on Twitter, the developers explained that it was a difficult decision to postpone the game from May to September. Among other things, the reason given was the difficult working conditions caused by the Covid 19 pandemic, which also caused other studios to postpone. The developers emphasise that they want to do everything to protect the health and safety of their employees.
It is important to the team not to make any compromises in terms of quality. Therefore, they want to make good use of the next few months to finalise Deathloop.
Rainbow Six Extraction
Why has it been delayed? Rainbow Six Quarantine – sorry – Parasite, nah wait … Extraction has been delayed twice in 2019 and 2020. In the first postponement, Ubisoft explained that Ghost Recon: Breakpoint falling short of expectations had had a big impact on the timetable.
The second postponement in October then cited the 2020/21 financial year as the new release period and Corona restrictions as the reason for postponement. Meanwhile, the variation on the old familiar Rainbow Six Siege has been given its final name with Extraction and received detailed gameplay during E3 2021. The co-op shooter is now scheduled for release in mid-September.
Far Cry 6
Why has it been postponed? Originally Far Cry 6 was officially announced for February 2021 and just three months later it was postponed to the 2021/22 financial year. Ubisoft cited the Corona working conditions as the reason, but above all the resulting difficulty in maintaining secrecy, which was necessary for such large projects.
Far Cry 6 is now scheduled for release on 7 October 2021. What we know so far about the shooter part with Giancarlo Esposito as the villain, we reveal to you in the following preview with new gameplay:
Dying Light 2
Why was it delayed? The expectations for the zombie open world of Dying Light 2 are huge. On Steam, it was at one point the second most wanted PC game – only one place behind Cyberpunk 2077. The developers also cited this high expectation as one of the reasons when they postponed Dying Light 2 indefinitely in January 2020 to meet their “own high standards and the expectations of the fans.”
But rumours of chaos behind the scenes at the developer persist. According to anonymous Techland employees, there are said to be constant changes to basic features and game direction. However, the studio’s chief programmer and other employees denied these statements and promised that Dying Light 2 is “in good shape.”
In the meantime, there has been an update after a long silence, according to which the developers are sticking to a release date for 2021. In fact, the release date is now set for 7 December, while the developers are currently sharing more and more information with the public:
Halo Infinite
Why was it delayed? Halo Infinite was supposed to be the big Microsoft-exclusive launch title for the Xbox Series X/S. But after a first gameplay presentation, the feedback from the fans was not very enthusiastic. Above all, the graphics did not exactly give rise to next-gen feelings.
A short time later, the developers at 343 Industries announced that they were postponing the release of Halo Infinite until 2021. They would use the extra time “to deliver the most ambitious Halo game ever with the quality our fans expect.” The pandemic, he said, had contributed to the team’s inability to finish in the time they had planned.
Postponed PC games not coming until 2022
Vampire The Masquerade – Swansong
Why was it postponed? So far there is no information why the role-playing game Vampire The Masquerade – Swansong was postponed. The developers from Big Bad Wolf Studio had originally planned the release for 2021.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong is an action-based role-playing game in the fantasy scenario of World of Darkness. It will feature the stories of three vampires from different clans, all of whom belong to the large vampire sect Camarilla. According to the developer Big Bad Wolf, the three stories are closely linked; there are power struggles and intrigues among the vampire clans. Our vampire expert Géraldine sees Swansong as the last hope for a battered role-playing series.
Ghostwire: Tokyo
Why was it delayed? Alongside Deathloop, Ghostwire: Tokyo is the second game from publisher Bethesda to be announced as a time-exclusive for the PlayStation 5 and PC before the Microsoft takeover. The horror game, which, true to its name, is set in the Japanese metropolis, needs a little more development time, however.
As the developers from Tango Gameworks themselves announced on Twitter, the release will be postponed from 2021 to the spring of next year. The team wants to release Ghostwire: Tokyo in the best possible condition, but at the same time also protect the health of their own employees.
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum
Why was it delayed? Publisher Nacon and Daedalic Entertainment announced via Twitter at the end of January 2021 that Gollum would be delayed until 2022. However, there is no exact release date. The time frame has since been narrowed down to “Fall 2022”. Actually, the Lord of the Rings game by the German developer was supposed to be released this year for PC and consoles. Concrete reasons for the postponement are not revealed in the update, but fans are promised new information for the foreseeable future.
But if you already want to know more about the upcoming adventure in the role of the tragic Tolkien character, we will provide you with the five most important facts about Gollum in the following article. The Daedalic game itself is based on the Unreal Engine, and in terms of gameplay, the Lord of the Rings title will offer stealth, climbing and jumping passages – there will be no real battles.
Gotham Knights
Why has it been delayed? The co-op Batman game (almost) without Batman will no longer be released in 2021, Warner Bros Montreal (Arkham Origins) announced in March 2021. Fans of Nightwing, Robin, Batgirl and Red Hood will have to wait until 2022 to bring law and order to Gotham City’s criminal rabble.
Warner Bros. Montreal does not comment on the exact reasons behind this decision. They simply want to give the game more time to give fans “the best possible experience”. It would only be obvious if the ongoing Corona pandemic had an influence on the development of Gotham Knights here as well.
Hogwarts Legacy
Why was it delayed? Hogwarts Legacy is one of the most anticipated upcoming role-playing games. So it was all the more disappointing to learn that the Harry Potter RPG will no longer be released in 2021 but in 2022. The developers’ explanation was short and sweet: they wanted to give the game the time it needed to “create the best possible gaming experience. “
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time – Remake
Why was it delayed? The remake of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time caused a rollercoaster ride of emotions among fans of the series. First joy at the announcement, then bitter disappointment at the weak graphics. Ubisoft Mumbai reacted with an explanation that met with little understanding from many: They had deliberately chosen a “special style”.
Nevertheless, the loud criticism apparently did not fall on deaf ears. At the end of 2020, the developers announced that the remake would be postponed. This was followed by the second postponement – this time to the release date at the end of 2021. According to the official statement, they had looked at the feedback and decided to postpone the release in order to deliver the best possible experience. There is no concrete, new date yet.
Shortly before E3 2021, there was the latest update regarding the release of Prince of Persia: The remake of Sands of Time is to be released in 2022 – Ubisoft does not get more specific than that. Unfortunately, sadly, there is also no new info or new material on this year’s game show. So fans must continue to stay strong.
Skull & Bones
Why was it postponed? The pirate MMO was first unveiled by Ubisoft in 2017 and since then has been repeatedly delayed to 2019, 2020 and then 2021. In the meantime, it has been announced: Skull & Bones will not come until the end of 2022 at the earliest, maybe even 2023.
This emerged in May 2021 from an investor call by Ubisoft, in which CEO Yves Guillemot and CFO Frederick Duguet talked about the game and its potential release. In the summer of 2020, an anonymous source also rumoured that the game would undergo a complete reboot and development would start all over again. That Skull & Bones had changed its vision was later confirmed by creative director Elisabeth Pellen.
Kerbal Space Programme 2
Why has it been postponed? The first postponement of Kerbal Space Program 2 was attributed to the constraints of the pandemic labour situation – but the space sim has since been postponed a second time, to an unspecified date in 2022.
Earlier this year, it was announced that Kerbal Space Program 2 would no longer be developed by Star Theory, but by Intercept Games – but even before that, the Squad team was pulled from development. It’s quite possible that these structural changes contributed to the postponement.
Postponed PC games, currently without release date
Hytale
Why was it postponed? Hypixel was acquired by Riot Games in 2020. The acquisition provides additional resources, which were also used to recruit new staff. The game is considered one of the biggest competitors for Minecraft.
The biggest challenges in development are crossplay, advanced character creation and the new battle system. Furthermore, Hytale is being co-developed for the PC and additionally for consoles and smartphones. In order for as many players as possible to be able to play together in the future, one would have had to take a few steps back during development. In this way, they want to avoid different versions separating players – as is the case, for example, in Minecraft with the Java and the Bedrock versions.
“In the official blog post, the developers write, “The first half of 2021 has been a time of significant change, both for Hytale and Hypixel Studios. We have continued to recruit new team members whose talents and unique perspectives have expanded our vision of what Hytale can be. “
Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
Why was it postponed? Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga might become the most ambitious Lego (-Star Wars) game from the developers of the studio TT Games. The game includes all the adventures of the heroes of the Skywalker saga (i.e. episodes 1 to 9), as we have already seen them in the cinema. And we will get to play up to 500 sometimes more, sometimes less well-known characters of the War of the Stars universe.
In view of this, developer TT Games refrains from being modest about its own ambitions and explains on Twitter that “the biggest and best Lego game ever” simply needs more time. There is currently no new release date for Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga – so fans will have to be patient in this regard for the time being.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2
Why has it been delayed? The sequel to the 2004 role-playing secret is currently making some fundamental changes to the team. After the dismissal of lead writer Brian Mitsoda and creative director Ka’ai Cluney, story lead Cara Ellison also left the team of Vampire Bloodlines 2. All three were considered leading creative minds of the role-playing game.
In the meantime, the next blow followed: Publisher Paradox Interactive dismissed the previous developer Hardsuit Labs and postponed the role-playing game indefinitely. It is currently unknown who will now take over the development of Bloodlines 2.
The Settlers
Why was it postponed? The Settlers has always been fairly tight-lipped about its exact release date since it was announced, but was pushed back to an unspecified 2020 date at gamescom 2019. Finally, the developers announced that they would not be able to keep to this year either and did not name a new release date this time.
The reason, they said, was feedback from early testers: “As we conducted playtests and diary studies, one thing became clear: while we’re on track to deliver a great game, we want to create a truly exceptional gaming experience. “
Star Citizen: Squadron 42
Why was it delayed? The single-player spin-off of the giant Star Citizen project has had an eventful postponement history, just like its main game, but in 2019 Chris Roberts announced that Squadron 42 was to go into alpha for 6 months in early 2020, followed by beta. A release was then also within reach.
This was followed by half a year of radio silence on the single-player spin-off. The corresponding roadmap no longer exists and Chris Roberts announced in a Q&A session that he was postponing Squadron 42 indefinitely because he did not want to “compromise on a game that means everything to him.
