The holiday video game season officially kicks off in October. From now until December, you can expect at least one major game release each week. Here’s a look at some AAA titles coming out in October.
Mafia III (PC, PS4, Xbox One) – October 7
The Mafia series returns in early October with their third installment, Mafia III. The third-person action-adventure shooter looks to build off the critical success of Mafia II (2010).
The long-awaited successor is set in New Bordeaux, a fictional rendition of New Orleans, in 1968. With gamers playing as a biracial orphan and Vietnam War veteran, the developers said they wanted to depict the racism and prejudice in the southern United States as you take your revenge on the Italian mob.
In terms of gameplay mechanics, this Grand Theft Auto-esque game stays true to the series, but it takes a much different setting with reportedly loose ties to Mafia II.
PlayStation VR – October 13
If you’re looking to jump into the virtual reality craze and you have a PlayStation 4, then PlayStation VR may be for you. The latest in VR headsets will begin shipping on October 13.
The headset sports a 1920 x 1080 resolution and close to a 100-degree field of view. There are 50 game titles scheduled to be released by the end of the year, with 160 confirmed to be in development right now. Though PlayStation VR will set you back $399, early reviews have been positive.
Battlefield 1 (PC, PS4, Xbox One) – October 21
Battlefield 1 may be the most highly anticipated release of 2016. The 14th installment of the Battlefield series brings the multiplayer first-person shooter back to World War I.
Positively received in the recent open beta, multiplayer game modes will support up to 64 players. Developers EA DICE said more than 13 million players participated in the open beta.
If you aren’t interested in multiplayer, don’t worry because there will still be a large single-player campaign for you to enjoy. If you are a fan of FPS games, Battlefield 1 looks like a smash hit already.
Civilization VI (PC) – October 21
One of the most popular turn-based strategies games is returning in October with Firaxis Games’ Civilization VI, the latest installment since Civilization V in 2010. Developed by the same team who made the Civ V expansions, Civ VI will be a much-anticipated update to the series.
If you’re unfamiliar with Civilization, you take control of a small tribe competing with other human or computer-controlled tribes as you try to take over the globe through several periods of development. There’s not much more to say — for decades, the Civilization series has been the gold standard in turn-based strategies games, and Civ VI is sure to continue the trend.
Titanfall 2 (PC, PS4, Xbox One) – October 28
If Battlefield 1 with its World War I setting isn’t your style, then Titanfall 2 may be the FPS for you. The sequel to Titanfall (2014) is a fast-paced FPS that includes features like parkour mechanics and giant mechanical exoskeletons, which players can pilot.
Titanfall was praised for its balanced gameplay, fast-paced mobility and accessibility to players of all skillsets. Titanfall 2 looks to build on this foundation while adding new features such as grappling hooks, sliding mechanics and six new classes of Titans.
Providing a stark contrast from Battlefield 1, Titanfall 2 makes sure everyone will be able to scratch their FPS itch in October.