Sony’s PlayStation 5 is coming later this year, and the wrappers finally came off recently, unveiling the console’s bold new look to give us a fuller sense of what it’s going to offer alongside its groundbreaking SSD storage and the 3D audio of its Tempest card. Sony gave us a look at loads of games coming for its new console, whetting our appetites very nicely indeed.
We’ve gathered the best contenders, right here for you, from confirmed releases to games that we’re certain are in the pipeline, including new trailers wherever they exist.
Spider Man: Miles Morales
- Release date: Holiday 2020
- PS5 exclusive: Yes
- Publisher: Insomniac
Spider Man was one of the best games of the last generation, and Insomniac isn’t hanging around – it’s already got a sequel locked and loaded, ready for the PS5’s launch. This time, Miles Morales will don the suit to defend his city, after learning how to be a hero in the last game. The brief look we’ve had at it suggests it’s going to be another stunner.
After all, it was a Spider Man tech demo that first set people’s imaginations ablaze about the massive potential that Sony’s new SSD would unlock – we can’t wait to see how it plays.
Godfall
- Release date: December 2020
- PS5 exclusive: Yes
- Publisher: Gearbox
Godfall is one of the only confirmed launch titles for the PlayStation 5 – it’ll be releasing alongside the new console. It’s a third-person loot shooter in the mold of a Destiny or The Division 2, and looks like it should take advantage of the console’s increased power with some pretty impressive visual wizardry.
Outriders
- Release date: Holiday 2020
- PS5 exclusive: No, also on Xbox Series X, PS4 and Xbox One
- Publisher: Square Enix
Stop us if you’ve heard this before, but outriders is a loot shooter, in the mold of the likes of Destiny or The Division 2 – it’s got a focus on multiplayer action, but is pretty different-looking from Godfall, above. It’s got a far grittier tone, and also has a bunch more gameplay out there for you to watch.
The game is in development as a cross-generation title, meaning that it will launch on both the PS4 and the PS5, although obviously players on the latter hardware can expect a boost in performance and graphics.
Cyberpunk 2077
- Release date: 4 September 2020
- PS5 exclusive: No, also on Xbox Series X, PS4, Xbox One and PC
- Publisher: CD Projekt Red
We know that CD Projekt Red is planning to release its upcoming sci-fi magnum opus on next-gen consoles largely thanks to the Xbox Series X, actually – that console’s new ownership scheme will sese Xbox One purchasers get the game for free on Xbox Series X, too. Unless there’s a massive, secret exclusivity deal behind the scenes, that means that the PS5 is all but certain to get Cyberpunk 2077, too.
It’s looking absolutely stunning so far, a dystopian adventure set in a massive open-world city with myriad ways to play and choices to make, from the developers of the superb Witcher 3. We can’t wait.
Rainbow Six: Siege
- Release date: Holiday 2020
- PS5 exclusive: No, also on Xbox Series X, PS4, Xbox One and PC
- Publisher: Ubisoft
Rainbow Six: Siege has been one of the slow success stories of the current console generation, starting out as an interesting reimagining of Rainbow Six’s tactical gameplay, before slowly and carefully evolving into a really popular online shooter that’s not going anywhere.
The game’s director, Leroy Athanassof, recently made an interesting statement, though, indicating that the game would be available to play on next-gen consoles at launch. Whether that will involve cross-generational play or not, it’s great to know that you’ll be able to pick up Siege on PS5 from day one.
FIFA 21
- Release date: Holiday 2020
- PS5 exclusive: No, also on Xbox Series X, PS4, Xbox One and PC
- Publisher: EA
There are some things you can rely on like clockwork, and an annual FIFA release is right up there with them. There’s no possible way that EA Sports will miss out on getting FIFA 20 ready for the PlayStation 5’s launch, as far as we can imagine, so you’ll almost certainly be able to pick it up with your new console.
It’ll be interesting to see what changes come this year, after the introduction of Volta football in FIFA 19, especially in light of how incredibly disrupted the real life game is at present.
Gods and Monsters
- Release date: Holiday 2020
- PS5 exclusive: No, also on Xbox Series X, PS4, Xbox One, Stadia and PC
- Publisher: Ubisoft
This delightful-looking adventure title from Ubisoft looks like a mixture of The Legend of Zelda with its trademark Assassin’s Creed series, with a gorgeous painterly style that we can’t wait to get stuck into. The game hasn’t officially been confirmed for PS5, but given its release date and the resources that Ubisoft can bring to bear, we’d be really surprised if it didn’t hit next-gen platforms.
Watch Dogs: Legion
- Release date: Holiday 2020
- PS5 exclusive: No, also on Xbox Series X, PS4, Xbox One, Stadia and PC
- Publisher: Ubisoft
Another of Ubisoft’s upcoming games, delayed to the end of the year, is the really intriguing Watch Dogs: Legion, and we’d expect it to hit the PS5 for all the same reasons as Gods and Monsters.
It’s another open world game in the Watch Dogs series, but with a new twist that lets you play as literally any NPC in the city of London where it’s set. That opens up huge worlds of possibilities in terms of how you want to approach any tasks or missions.
Dying Light 2
- Release date: 2020
- PS5 exclusive: No, also on Xbox Series X, PS4, Xbox One, and PC
- Publisher: Techland
We don’t know for sure that Dying Light 2 is coming to next-generation consoles but its lengthy delays seem a little suspicious to us, to the point where we’d again be pretty surprised if it was only for the current generation.
We’ve seen plenty of gameplay already, though, and it looks like Techland is making another hard-hitting parkour-and-zombies mashup that should be perfect for fans of the first game.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 5
- Release date: 2020
- PS5 exclusive: No, also on Xbox Series X, PS4, Xbox One, and PC
- Publisher: Activision
A bit like FIFA, above, you can be pretty confident that a new Call of Duty title is around the corner at any given time. After the success of last year’s Modern Warfare reboot, and given the renewed popularity it’s enjoying thanks to the new battle royale mode, Warzone, Call of Duty is riding high again.
Multiple reports have indicated that the next game will return to the Black Ops franchise, and be set in the Cold War, making for another change in setting and equipment for players.
Hitman III
- Release date: January 2021
- PS5 exclusive: No
- Publisher: IO Interactive
After the slow-burn success that IO’s enjoyed with Hitman and Hitman 2, it’s completing its new trilogy with a third instalment that looks absolutely beautiful. The trailer we’ve seen shows locations as ambitious as anything we’ve played yet, and we’re anticipating more ways to finish off our targets than ever before.
Releasing in January 2021, it’ll be one of the first big third-party games for next-gen consoles, which is always a thrilling time.
Resident Evil 8
- Release date: 2021
- PS5 exclusive: No
- Publisher: Square Enix
The next chilling chapter in Square Enix’s long-running and beloved series will indeed be coming to PS5, unsurprisingly, although we honestly didn’t expect an announcement this early. It looks like another terrifying chapter, this time returning to a more rural setting that’s reminiscent of the classic days of Resident Evil 4.
We know it’s coming in 2021, so shouldn’t have to wait too long to find out more.
Horizon: Forbidden West
- Release date: 2021?
- PS5 exclusive: Yes
- Publisher: Guerilla
Horizon: Zero Dawn was a cult hit from the PS4 era – it garnered rave reviews at launch and has attracted more and more players to its lush singleplayer adventure over time. People were crying out for a sequel and they’re getting it – it looks like Aloy’s journeying to what remains of the US this time around.
It looks absolutely gorgeous from this showing, with new mechanical monsters and adversaries to overcome, and is set to be a showcase for the PS5’s graphical capabilities. Sadly, we don’t have a release window yet, so we’d be surprised if it came before 2021.
Gran Turismo 7
- Release date: 2021?
- PS5 exclusive: Yes
- Publisher: Sony
One of the grand old names of racing games is coming to the PS5, just as we hoped it would – the next Gran Turismo looks like it will once again push the envelope in terms of graphical fidelity and realism – with a revamped campaign mode that should be a little easier for players to get to grips with.
The extended trailer above makes it look just as awesome in motion as you’d want, although we don’t have a firm release date yet. That’s a slight issue, because we all know that Gran Turismo games don’t tend to get rushed out of the oven.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart
- Release date: 2021?
- PS5 exclusive: Yes
- Publisher: Insomniac
Insomniac is really doing the business for Sony nowadays, surprising nobody, and alongside the next Spider Man, it’s got a brand new Ratchet and Clank adventure, in the form of Rift Apart. It looks like another colourful, joyous romp, with a new twist.
Players will be moving trans-dimensionally at a rate of knots, it would seem, which should act as a marvellous showcase for the PS5’s lightning-quick SSD’s load times. It should be a barrel of laughs and fun!
Demon’s Souls
- Release date: 2021?
- PS5 exclusive: Yes
- Publisher: Sony
Bluepoint Games is arguably now the world’s foremost expert when it comes to remasters – just look at the stellar work it did on Shadow of the Colossus for proof. Now it’s turning its hand to another beloved classic – Demon’s Souls. The first Souls game, its legendary challenge is coming to PS5 with a fully updated set of graphics.
It’s set to grind down another generation of players with its difficulty, and win them over with the reward that comes hand in hand with it. We can’t wait to get into it again, although exactly when that’ll happen isn’t set in stone yet.
Grand Theft Auto 6
- Release date: TBC
- PS5 exclusive: No, also on Xbox Series X and PC
- Publisher: Rockstar
There are almost too many rumours swirling around Rockstar’s likely next game in the Grand Theft Auto franchise to adequately summarise, but suffice to say that it almost has to be on the way. It’s also really likely that it will appear on next-gen consoles, especially given that we’re not sure it’ll see the light of day in 2020 at all.
At the moment speculation is rife that it will see players return to Vice City and the surrounding area, but nothing is confirmed yet. Still, it’s almost guaranteed that one of the world’s biggest entertainment franchises will make its way to the PS5 before long.
The Elder Scrolls 6
- Release date: TBC
- PS5 exclusive: No, also on Xbox Series X and PC
- Publisher: Bethesda
The above teaser trailer, in retrospect, feels a bit premature given that we’ve heard almost nothing about the next Elder Scrolls game in the meantime, but we’re still awash with excitement at the idea of a sequel to Skyrim on next-gen hardware.
There’s no way of knowing where it’s set yet (although our money is on Hammerguard, personally), but it’s for sure on the way. Don’t expect a release date anytime soon, though, sadly.