It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, it’s a New Year for games, and they’re feeling good. Or, I assume they are at least. This article has been written up before Christmas, so we’re guessing that the January 2021 games mentioned in this list are actually decent. I might be a brilliant games writer, but one thing I cannot do is predict the future.
Historically, January is typically the slowest month for new games as a whole, as we need some kind of break to beat all the games we’ve bought over Christmas. 2021 is no exception, it seems, especially considering Prince of Persia has been delayed until March. Still, some smart developers and publishers have taken to launching their games in the first month of the year to take advantage of the quiet period. Here are the biggest new game releases of January 2021 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X | S, and Switch.
January 2021 Games Release Schedule
| Game | Platforms | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| King Arthur: Knight's Tale | PC | January 12th, 2021 |
| Scott Pilgrim Vs The World: The Game - Complete Edition | PC, PS4, XB1, Switch | January 14th, 2021 |
| MXGP 2020 | PS5 | January 14th, 2021 |
| Hitman 3 | PC, PS5, XSXS, PS4, XB1, Stadia | January 20th, 2021 |
| Ride 4 | PS5, XSXS | January 21st, 2021 |
| The Medium | PC, XSXS | January 28th, 2021 |
| Stronghold: Warlords | PC | January 26th, 2021 |
Biggest New Games of January 2021
King Arthur: Knight’s Tale | January 12th
Developer: NeocoreGames
Publisher: NeocoreGames
Platform(s): PC (via Steam Early Access)
King Arthur’s tale has been told a number of times already across media, films mainly, but now its time for games to have a real crack at it, but NeocoreGames might just have the most interesting take yet, as King Arthur: Knight’s Tale is a strategy game that focuses on the aftermath of Arthur’s death, and the effect it has on the island of Avalon.
Instead of playing Arthur, you control Sir Mordred, the man responsible for murdering King Arthur. After the Lady of the Lake takes his dying body to Avalon, the king becomes immortal, but his constant anguish has warped Avalon into a nightmarish realm filled with monsters. You also died in your first fight with Arthur, but the Lady has brought you back too to finish what you’ve started.
Scott Pilgrim Vs The World: The Game – Complete Edition | January 14th
Developer: Ubisoft, Engine Software
Publisher: Ubisoft
Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, Stadia
Originally scheduled for a December 2020 release, Scott Pilgrim Vs The World: The Game – Complete Edition has now been given a release date: January 14th. If nothing else, it marks the long anticipated re-release as the first big launch of 2021, and given how 2020 has been the worst year ever, it’s exciting to be able to start the new year with one of the best beat ‘em ups ever made.
Players control either Scott, Ramona, Steven or Kim (or Knives and Wallace via the DLC) in up to four player co-op in order to take on Scott’s 7 evil exes, and Nega Scott as well. While it’s a typical beat ‘em up, the game also includes RPG-esque levelling mechanics and the ability to purchase items to upgrade your stats. It’s deeper than you’d think, and well worth playing, even if you’re like me and are still holding out for that physical release.
Hitman 3 | January 20th
Developer: IO Interactive
Publisher: IO Interactive
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X | S, Switch
The World of Assassination Trilogy is coming to an end, and if Hitman 3 has its way, it’s set to go out with the biggest bang yet.
Players will once again step into the rather nice dress shoes of Agent 47 as he travels around the world and engineers a series of unfortunate accidents, or just gets frustrated and opens fire on everyone in the vicinity. Both are valid options, I guess.
Just like Hitman 2 before it, Hitman 3 will let players revisit the levels from the first two games for free if you already own them, and these levels will be enhanced for next-gen consoles to boot, making for a content stacked release. Couple that with the fact that the PlayStation 4 release will also support PSVR, and you’ve got the biggest and most experimental entry in the series to date.
The Medium | January 28th
Developer: Bloober Team
Publisher: Bloober Team
Platform(s): PC, Xbox Series X | S
We’ve mentioned it before on this website, but Bloober Team is becoming a dependable horror studio, so hopefully the timed Xbox exclusive The Medium will continue this positive streak for the developers. The fact that its a third person horror game instead of a third person one is a bit of a departure from the norm, but hopefully the change in direction will work to the game’s benefit.
As Marianne, the titular Medium, you’ll be able to travel between the real world and the spirit realm, using the ability to go between each world to solve puzzles and murder monsters with your psychic abilities. Perhaps most exciting of all, The Medium includes a soundtrack that features Silent Hill composer Akira Yamaoka, so the game’s score should be enough to turn your pants brown by itself.
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