5 Reasons Why Gamers Should Book This October Off

You know how there's usually that one month of every year that's a little too big for its boots? Well, this year it's October that's bursting at the seams, with new releases scheduled to drop left, right and center. And so, to save the struggle of trying to cram every single journey in, gamers are beginning to plan ahead. And honestly, you should probably do the same. That is, providing you're interested in playing some of the most anticipated games of Q3/Q4 2022, of course.

The good news is, you'll have a few days to gather your bearings before jumping head first into the October festivities. After October 4th, though, you'll have three, maybe even four weeks of gaming to cram under your belt. So, what's actually coming out, and what makes each game worthy of your time? Well, here's the low-down.

5. Overwatch 2

Blizzard will be launching its sequel to the critically acclaimed hero shooter, Overwatch, on October 4th. While bringing the same amount of immersive PvP action as its original, Overwatch 2 will also look to build on its kingdom, mostly by introducing a reworked five-versus-five format and a number of co-operative modes.

New to 2022, players will have the chance to trial 30 different playable heroes, all of whom come strapped with unique talents and special abilities. Think of it as Overwatch, but with twice the amount of online functions and features to juggle along with the base experience. That's it, in a nutshell, and we have every shred of confidence that Blizzard will knock it out of the park come Halloween season.

Overwatch 2 will launch on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Switch, and PC on October 4.

4. Marvel's Midnight Suns

Marvel has been making a killing by producing video game adaptations as of late. In light of this, the firm will now pave the way for Midnight Suns, an upcoming tactical role-playing game that is set to launch on October 7th. So, what can we expect from Marvel's underdog faction? Well, here's what we know.

Marvel's Midnight Suns puts you in the boots of “The Hunter,” a powerful warrior whose purpose is to prevent an evil force from being revived. With the help of the Midnight Suns, as well as the beloved Avengers, you will work to stabilize the looming threat and abolish a prophecy that dares to dismantle the world's axis. With that, you can expect plenty of strategy-based combat, a whole lot of skill trees and progression wheels, and oceans of customization tools to tweak your chatacter to Marvel's highest standards.

Marvel's Midnight Suns will launch on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Switch, and PC on October 7.

3. A Plague Tale: Requiem

Asobo Studio returns to the frontline with the sequel to 2019's award-winning story-driven adventure game, A Plague Tale: Innocence. Once again casting its focus on the de Rune siblings, Amicia and Hugo, players will return to the rat-riddled cloisters of 14th century France in a bid to unlock the secrets that flow through the veins of the family tree.

A Plague Tale: Innocence waltzed away with a number of awards following its 2019 debut, most of which were given for its compelling narrative and art design. Requiem, being a direct sequel crafted from the same materials, will only look to build on this and take the series to new and improved heights. And the best part is, it's coming to Game Pass as a day-one exclusive this October.

A Plague Tale: Requiem will launch on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, Switch, and PC on October 18.

2. Gotham Knights

A decade has come and gone since WB Games Montréal served us Batman: Arkham Origins, the third chunk of the critically acclaimed beat 'em up saga. And with that, we can now cast our eye on the studio's latest venture, Gotham Knights, another original—you guessed it—beat 'em up chapter set in the same world.

Batman is dead, and Gotham is on the brink of collapse. As his former protégés, you and your team of highly skilled superhero compadres must continue the Dark Knight's work by restoring balance to the crime-riddled backstreets of Gotham City. As one of four playable heroes, Nightwing, Batgirl, Robin, or Red Hood, you must establish a new line of defense and keep the world from yielding to an up and coming criminal organization.

Gotham Knights will launch on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC on October 25.

1. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II

With Infinity Ward rebooting the Modern Warfare series for current-gen consoles from scratch, it doesn't really come as much of a surprise seeing its second chapter on the horizon. Needless to say, we're just as excited to see the direct sequel come to fruition this October.

So what's new with the remake? Well, on top of the newly refurbished AI system and revamped mechanics, Modern Warfare II will also see a massive change in its multiplayer modes. With that, you can expect new types of online matches, along with a number of technical enhancements and customization tools. Cap it off with a reimagined campaign, and you've got yourself quite the revival on your hands.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II will launch on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC on October 28.

Anything else?

As it happens, there will also be a few other noteworthy titles coming to the market this October. So, if you thought you had time to sneak in a few rest days, you might want to reconsider and shuffle the diary around a tad. Here's a few more heavy hitters that are due to land this Halloween season.

• No More Heroes 3 (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC) — October 11

• Dragon Ball: The Breakers (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Switch, PC) — October 14

• Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope (Switch) — October 20

• Scorn (Xbox Series X/S, PC) — October 21

• Star Ocean: The Divine Force (Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Switch, PC) — October 27

• Bayonetta 3 (Switch) — October 28

So, what's your take? Will you be taking some time away this October to play the above games? Let us know over on our socials here or down in the comments below.