Every year, the video game industry experiences what's called the fall gaming rush, where publishers launch some of their biggest games to make sure they're out in time for the holiday season. However, November 2020 is set to be even bigger than usual, with a number of high profile video game releases and events currently scheduled to take place that month.
And the thing is, a lot of November has yet to even be filled out at the time of this writing. With Microsoft and Sony remaining mysterious about the PS5 and Xbox Series X launch dates, it has left the release dates for many of the biggest upcoming games up in the air. Once more information on the next-generation consoles becomes available, it will likely make November an even more significant month than it would be otherwise.
Here is why November 2020 is already stacked for games.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Ubisoft has announced the Assassin's Creed Valhalla release date to be November 17, 2020, with the game set to launch for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. Depending on when the next-generation consoles launch, it seems likely that Assassin's Creed Valhalla will be a launch title for one or both of them. In any case, the game is highly anticipated by fans of the Assassin's Creed franchise, with many positive reactions to its viking-themed world and the improvements it's made to the series' RPG-style gameplay. Assassin's Creed Valhalla is easily one of the most anticipated games of the year, and so it launching in November already goes a long way in ensuring that it's a big month for the industry.
Cyberpunk 2077
A game that's arguably even more anticipated than Assassin's Creed Valhalla is CD Projekt Red's Cyberpunk 2077. CD Projekt Red fans have been waiting years for the company's open world sci-fi epic, and it's finally nearing completion. While Cyberpunk 2077 has been delayed a number of times, it looks as though the game is finally set to launch, with fans able to get the game for their platform of choice beginning November 19.
Cyberpunk 2077 has generated a significant amount of hype since its initial announcement, with fans excited to explore its open world, interact with characters like Keanu Reeves' Johnny Silverhand, and see what the game's expansive story has to offer. Needless to say, Cyberpunk 2077 is set to be one of the biggest games of 2020, with many already pegging it as a potential Game of the Year contender. And with it coming out literally two days after Assassin's Creed Valhalla, November is set to be an extremely busy month for fans of open world games.
Destiny 2: Beyond Light
While some expected Bungie to move forward with a third Destiny game in light of the new consoles coming out, the studio has instead decided to focus its efforts on expanding the content in Destiny 2. Bungie's support for Destiny 2 will continue with the launch of a major expansion on November 10 in the form of Beyond Light, which is set to add a slew of new content to the popular live service game.
Once the Destiny 2: Beyond Light expansion launches, fans can explore Jupiter's moon Europa, gain a new power from the Darkness, battle it out on new maps, and complete plenty of co-op content. Bungie will also use the Beyond Light expansion in Destiny 2 as an opportunity to cycle in some of the more popular content from the original Destiny, while cycling out content in Destiny 2 that has proven to be unpopular.
Destiny 2: Beyond Light will be huge for fans of the game, and is also expected to usher in a new era for Bungie's shooter on next-generation consoles.
PS5 and Xbox Series X
Neither Sony nor Microsoft have actually announced release dates for the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X. However, it is highly likely that at least one, if not both, of the next-generation consoles will launch at some point in November. This would be in line with the pattern established by previous console generations, and with still no release dates announced for either platform, a November launch seems to make the most sense.
If the PS5 and Xbox Series X launch in November as expected, it means that their launch titles will be releasing then, too. Potentially, this means that November 2020 will include games like Spider-Man: Miles Morales as well as Halo Infinite. The start of a new console generation is always a momentous occasion in the gaming industry, and so if it happens in November as expected, it will make an already big month that much more exciting.
Beyond what's mentioned here, it's also likely that Nintendo will be launching a big Switch exclusive game of some kind in November. Nintendo typically releases big games in November, like Pokemon Sword and Shield last year, though sometimes it saves its big holiday game for October instead, like what happened with Super Mario Odyssey in 2017. Rumors are that Nintendo is preparing to launch a 3D Super Mario collection and may even be working on an F-Zero game, so Switch owners should have quite a bit to look forward to in November as well.