The Video Games We’re Most Looking Forward to in 2021

This light-hearted, silly adventure seems to fuse person-to-person coordination, strategy, and reflexes—a welcome combination of things for folks who have spent 365 days stuck inside with their roommates. —Cecilia D’Anastasio

Platforms: PS5, Xbox X/S, PS4, Xbox One, PC

Release date: March 26

Halo Infinite

Everyone’s waiting on the Master Chief to make his appearance. Ideally a game that would have been a launch title for the Xbox Series X and Series S, but wound up delayed because of, well, everything that happened in 2020, Halo Infinite is reportedly coming in 2021, and when it does, it will—reportedly—show us what the new Xbox consoles can do (although the game will be released for PC and Xbox One, as well). Story-wise, Halo Infinite skips us forward in time from the events of Halo 5: Guardians, and potentially brings the Master Chief back into the fray right when humanity needs him the most. Again.

Microsoft has said that the Master Chief will play a more central role in Halo Infinite than he did in Halo 5, and he’ll be more personal as well, ideally giving us more of a window into the character’s background and motivations, something that the games have, at times, eschewed in favor of letting players self-insert. The game is also the final chapter in the so-called Reclaimers Saga, which ideally will mark the end of the current storyline, and, knowing this franchise, probably start us fresh onto another. —Alan Henry

League of Legends: Wild Rift

Riot Games’ cult favorite MOBA League of Legends is finally coming to phones and consoles. It’s been in beta for what feels like forever, but with the first ranked season beginning at some point in 2021, it’s safe to assume that it’ll be officially released for all players sooner rather than later. Much of the gameplay will be the same as what PC players are familiar with: Two teams of five face off, with the goal of destroying the enemy nexus. ARAM mode will be available, too, and Wild Rift champions will be the same as their League counterparts. More champions will be released each month, but the current roster features 40 standbys from the League universe. Riot Games has said the controls are revamped and matches are streamlined. Otherwise, Wild Rift matches should play out the same way League games do.