Chances are you played a lot of games in 2020. Whether you now know the final cutscene of your favourite game of 2020 to a tee, have played through a game from last year more than once or weirdly find yourself singing a game’s soundtrack at unexpected, or even inappropriate moments, the reality is it’s time to get set for some upcoming game releases.

With a brand-new year comes a plethora of exciting game launches, which means endless opportunities to escape reality and immerse ourselves in other worlds.

Whether you’re a loyal fan awaiting Far Cry 6, looking forward to unravelling mystery on Open Roads, or eager to play the long-anticipated Skull and Bones, there are plenty of upcoming titles to get excited about in 2021.

With that in mind, Alienware spoke to some of Australia and New Zealand’s best streamers – Rudeism, XimOpti, Fangetta and MoonlitCharlie about the games they’re most looking forward to playing this year.

MoonlitCharlie:

MoonlitCharlie is the Fortress Melbourne Manager and Community Manager for Alienware ANZ. In her spare time, you’ll find her playing survival-themed multiplayer RPGs or dominating at Fallout and Overwatch.

“I am excited for the second Forest game – Sons of the Forest – to come out this year. I love open world survival games and to have another one that follows along with a game I adore is going to be so much fun. The updated graphics are going to make my log cabin camps feel even more satisfying and I’m looking forward to new bosses and more mysteries to solve.

“I also can’t wait for the next addition to House Flipper, the Luxury DLC. I have replayed this game so many times and to be able to now flip mansions will be great. I am really looking forward to all the new houses and new items to decorate with.”

ximOpti:

When he’s not studying history or sharing his love of gaming tech on YouTube, self-described “huge nerd” ximOpti can be found playing a range of games – everything from the fun simulation of Sims 4, to the neon streets of Cyberpunk 2077 – and always with a laugh.

“I’m looking forward to a few titles this year including Resident Evil Village! I only recently found a love for the Resident Evil franchise. With this game being the sequel to the 7th game, which was just fantastic, I am very interested to see the direction that the story takes. Of course, there are also the jump scares, along with the fantastic visual design.

Gotham Knights is another title I cannot wait for. Being a lifelong DC and superhero fan, this story puts a unique spin on the traditional Batman story you usually find in Batman-related video games, which is awesome to see. I want to try out all of the four protagonists in the game and see how their unique gameplay works!”

Fangetta:

A New Zealander who now calls Australia home, Fangetta can be found playing everything from Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, indie survival game Phasmophobia, to action-packed games like Monster Hunter: World.

“My most anticipated PC game of 2021 would have to be Deathloop! I think the concept and story of the game is super unique and intriguing, and I’m excited to see if it’s everything the hype has implied it will be.

I’m a sucker for FPS games, and with Deathloop being a game around assassins and a first-person style combat, it’s right up my alley. Arkane Studios did such a great job with Dishonored and Prey, I expect the gameplay and mechanics of Deathloop will be great, and I will be surprised if there is something that I don’t like about the game. The whole plot of having assassins facing off, time loops and breaking the cycle by learning and then making changes from mistakes, sounds super fun both to play and to stream.”

Rudeism:

Known for making insanely cool custom controllers out of everything from jellybeans, to Ocarinas and even eggplants, Rudeism is a creative New Zealand-based streamer, who can often be found on energetic adventures through the colourful world of Fall Guys.

“I’m a huge fan of the SSX series for the crazy arcade-y direction they took with snowboarding, and it feels like Riders Republic is doing a similar thing, based on what I’ve seen from trailers. It seems a very ambitious game in its scope, but I’m a hopeful kind of guy. If they can manage to make all the different modes of transportation feel good, I think they’ll be on to a serious winner. It’s being made by the same studio that made Steep, which I loved because of how it felt to traverse the world, so I’m choosing to believe for now!

Or maybe, Skatebird. It’s Tony Hawk Pro Skater if all the skaters were cute birds. What’s not to love about that?”

Huge thanks to the folks over at Alienware for putting this one together for us.