December 2 is set up to be a huge day for the gaming industry, as three major releases will all be releasing at the same time. December is traditionally an especially slow month when it comes to new video game releases, but it looks like December 2022 is going to be an exception to the rule. While the latter half of December 2022 doesn't have much in the way of new video game releases, the first half of the month is looking incredibly solid.

December is kicking things off with the release of The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners Chapter 2 Retribution, scheduled to launch on December 1 for virtual reality devices, including PlayStation VR. The first Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners game is generally considered to be one of the better virtual reality games on the market, so hopes are high that the sequel will be able to improve upon the original game.

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Friday, December 2, though, is going to be the busiest day for gaming in the whole month of December. On that day, gamers can look forward to the launch of three distinct big budget, AAA games in the form of Marvel's Midnight Suns, Need for Speed Unbound, and The Callisto Protocol. All three of these games have serious potential, and it will be difficult for gamers to choose between them come December 2.

New Video Game Releases December 2022

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  • The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners Chapter 2 Retribution - December 1
  • Midnight Suns - December 2
  • Need for Speed Unbound - December 2
  • The Callisto Protocol - December 2
  • Hello Neighbor 2 - December 6
  • Dragon Quest Treasures - December 9
  • Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion - December 13
  • High on Life - December 13

For those unfamiliar with the games, Midnight Suns is a new strategy game based on the Marvel property of the same name. While licensed Marvel games can be hit or miss, Midnight Suns developer Firaxis Games' pedigree speaks for itself. Prior to Midnight Suns, Firaxis made critically-acclaimed new entries in the Civilization franchise, and it also successfully rebooted the XCOM series. Some fans are worried about Midnight Suns' card-based combat, but early previews of the game have been positive. Come December 2, those on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X will be able to try Midnight Suns for themselves, but anyone on older platforms or the Switch will have to wait until a later, undetermined date to play the game.

Joining Midnight Suns on December 2 is racing game Need for Speed Unbound, the latest entry in EA's long-running racing game franchise. Need for Speed Unbound is the first new Need for Speed game since 2019's Need for Speed Heat and the first with development led by Criterion Games since 2012's award-winning Need for Speed Most Wanted. Need for Speed Unbound will be a next-gen only release when it launches on December 2, which should allow the game to take full advantage of the added horsepower provided by the PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles. The game's use of an anime-inspired aesthetic is certainly a change of pace, and it will be interesting to see how it's received by racing game enthusiasts.

And finally, the third major new game releasing on December 2 is a brand-new IP and the freshman effort of Striking Distance Studios, The Callisto Protocol. Serving as a spiritual successor of sorts to the Dead Space franchise, The Callisto Protocol development has been led by Dead Space creator Glen Schofield. It blends sci-fi elements with classic survival-horror gameplay, with players coming face to face with all kinds of unspeakable horrors capable of brutally killing them. Hype is high for The Callisto Protocol, and it certainly stands a shot at being one of the best new horror games of the year.

The Callisto Protocol monster

December 2 seems like it will be the biggest day of the month when it comes to gaming, but there are other days in December to look forward to as well. Hello Neighbor 2 drops December 6, The Game Awards 2022 will take place on December 8, and Dragon Quest Treasures hits the Switch on December 9. However, if any day even somewhat matches December 2 in terms of big new releases, it's definitely December 13.

Tuesday, December 13 marks the last day of the month that will see a major new game release, but fans will have two games to look forward to that day. One such game is Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion, a remake of the classic PSP game, and the other is High on Life, a quirky first-person shooter from the mind of Rick and Morty creator Justin Roiland. High on Life is a day one Xbox Game Pass game, which may generate even more interest in the title.

It's possible December 2022 will be home to even more game releases than what's been announced so far, but that remains to be seen. For now, gamers can look forward to December 2 and all the big game releases it will bring, as well as the other new games that have already been announced for December.

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