2020 almost felt like there was a big new game coming out every single week, but early 2021 has definitely slowed things down a bit. Whether this is due to COVID delays or just game release schedules in general, the first few months of the year were definitely pretty lackluster. Spring is now here though and with it come a number of new game releases that will be keeping players busy in the next few months. As a result, we’ve gathered a list of the top 15 video game releases coming in spring 2021. This is not the end all be all list, as games on this list could be delayed, new games could be announced for release in the spring, or we may just have forgotten one of your favorites. For now though, this is our Top 15 Video Game Releases Coming In Spring 2021.
MLB The Show 21 – PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One (April 20)
Spring has sprung and with that meant the start of the Major League Baseball season. This of course also means that the latest MLB The Show game is also releasing soon, but there are some special things about this year’s iteration. First of all, this is the first game in the series that will not be exclusive to PlayStation platforms, as it will be branching out to Xbox as well. On top of that, it will be coming to Game Pass on day one as well, which is a major win for Microsoft. MLB The Show 21 is also the first entry in the series on the new current generation consoles, meaning you can experience the game on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. This series is also one of the best visual showpieces out there, so it will be great to see it look better than ever.
NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… – PS4, Xbox One, PC (April 23)
NieR Replicant is one of the more interesting games on this list due to its history. Many will think this is a brand new game, but this is actually a remaster of the original NieR game that released. However, the Western version of the game replaced the young boy protagonist with an old man, who is trying to protect his daughter rather than his sister. This new release is based on the original one that came out in Japan, now with additional content to make it even more worthwhile. The original became a cult classic and then NieR Automata really put the series on the map, so this one should definitely have a lot more eyeballs on it than the original had.
New Pokemon Snap – Nintendo Switch (April 30)
Pokemon Snap originally released back on the Nintendo 64 and garnered a major following as a very unique spinoff of the series. You should make almost anything Pokemon related and it be successful then, but there was something more to Pokemon Snap. Fans have been asking for a sequel for years and we are finally getting it with New Pokemon Snap. There is much more to this game than the original and we can’t wait to unlock all the secrets found within upon its release.
Returnal – PS5 (April 30)
This PS5 exclusive may turn out to be one of the most unique games on this list, as it’s an interesting twist on the traditional shmup genre. These shooters are usually old school style, but Returnal is a third-person bullet hell shooter. This is one of those that we hope turns out well, but we’ll really have to actually try it out for ourselves before we can truly judge that.
Resident Evil Village – PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, PC, Stadia (May 7)
The Resident Evil franchise has been on fire as of late, even if it cooled down a little bit with Resident Evil 3 last year for some people. Following a couple remakes, Capcom is ready to take the franchise forward yet again with the latest in the mainline franchise. This serves as a direct follow-up to Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, with you playing as Ethan once again. This is definitely at the top or near the top of spring game releases for this year at the very least.
Mass Effect Legendary Edition – PS4, Xbox One, PC (May 14)
Mass Effect was on top of the world a decade ago following the critically acclaimed first two games and the hype for the conclusion to the trilogy being incredibly high. The third game’s ending did cause some issues, but the game itself was still fantastic as a whole. The release of Mass Effect Andromeda in 2017 nearly killed the series though, which has been pretty quiet over the last few years as a result. Not only are we getting a new Mass Effect in the future now though, but also the much asked for remaster as Mass Effect Legendary Edition. While it is not getting an actual current-gen console release, these upgrades have us excited to jump back into the franchise once again.
Famicom Detective Club – Nintendo Switch (May 14)
Famicom Detective Club is a very interesting release for those outside of Japan not only for the game series itself, but just the fact it has Famicom in the title. For those that don’t know, the Famicom was the Japanese name for the Nintendo Entertainment System and it had a series of games known as the Famicom Detective Club. These couple of adventure style games have now been remade for the Nintendo Switch and are releasing outside of Japan for the first time as Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir and Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind. In fact, these remakes are releasing worldwide on the same day, so we’ll have to see how they hold up today overall.
Miitopia – Nintendo Switch (May 21)
The Nintendo Switch is definitely relying on some remakes and remasters to get through part of 2021, with games like Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury already releasing and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD coming in July. While not on the scale of those games, the remaster of the 3DS game Miitopia is still an exciting one. Miitopia originally released back in 2017 for the 3DS and is an RPG that utilizes your various Miis as you play through it. The game may not have garnered the highest reviews, but this one is coming with some additional features and likely will find new life on the Nintendo Switch.
Biomutant – PS4, Xbox One, PC (May 25)
Biomutant had to be on this list for the fact that it seems to actually be coming out finally. First revealed back in 2017, people were intrigued by this unique action role-playing game in an open world setting where you play as a customizable animal that can be upgraded with tech as you play through the game and face off against mutated creatures. This game has felt like it’s been pushed back again and again to the point that some thought it might be canceled, so we are glad to see that is is finally releasing very soon.
Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster – Nintendo Switch, PS4, PC (May 25)
While fans have been anxiously awaiting the release or even just more info about Shin Megami Tensei V, Atlus surprised us with the announcement of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster during the Nintendo Direct Mini Partners’ Showcase last year. Coming to PS4 and PC as well, this fan favorite in the series is coming with a new difficulty to make it more approachable than before for newcomers. This also serves well as an introduction to the franchise for people that have never played, but were interested in the Shin Megami Tensei V trailers.
The Elder Scrolls Online: Blackwood – PC, Stadia (June 1) PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One (June 8)
This entry on the list is sort of a two in one, as it’s the next expansion release for The Elder Scrolls Online with Blackwood, but also the debut of the game on the new generation consoles. On June 1, the Blackwood expansion for The Elder Scrolls Online will hit PC and Stadia. Then on June 8, The Elder Scrolls Online will release for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S along with the Blackwood expansion, which will also release for PS4 and Xbox One on the same day. As one of the biggest MMORPGs in the game, a new expansion is a big deal, so there was no way we couldn’t include it on this list.
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade/INTERmission – PS5 (June 10)
This next entry on the list is also a bit of an interesting one, while also being a bit confusing. Final Fantasy VII Remake will be getting its free upgrade to PS5 on this date, as long as it’s not from the PS Plus version, making the game even better. Those who do not own the game already can buy it as a standalone known as Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade on PS5, which includes a new episode titled INTERmission that follows Yuffie. For those that already have the non-PS Plus version of the game, you can instead just pay to get the INTERmission episode after you get the free upgrade. Either way, there will be new Final Fantasy VII Remake content on June 10 and we are very excited.
Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection – Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC (June 10)
This game is one of the few games on this list we hesitated on due to some more recent information. Rather than including Ninja Gaiden Black and Ninja Gaiden II alongside Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge, Team Ninja revealed that the source code for the original two were not available, so this collection has Ninja Gaiden Sigma 1 and 2 instead, which were “upgraded” and really different games in a lot of ways. However, even while not the versions most people wanted, these games are still very enjoyable and it will be fun to be able to play through them again. We also hope this may lead to a new entry in the franchise, which is sounds like is dependent on the success of this collection.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart – PS5 (June 11)
One of the first PS5 exclusives ever show off, if not the very first, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart looks absolutely phenomenal. While the 2016 reimagining was a great game in of itself, fans have been wanting a brand new Ratchet and Clank game for years now and Rift Apart looks like it’s going to deliver. There is little doubt that Insomniac Games is going to take full advantage of the PS5’s capabilities with the dimensional rifts and everything to make this one a real contender for one of the best PS5 games yet.
Guilty Gear Strive – PS5, PS4, PC (June 11)
Arc System Works has truly become one of the best developers in the industry over the last number of years, with the Guilty Gear series playing a large part in that. Seen as one of the best fighting series in the genre, Guilty Gear Strive is the seventh mainline entry in the series, which is the first new game in the series since 2017’s updated Guilty Gear Xrd Rev 2. With this being the first release on PS5, we are really excited to see truly how fluid this series will look when it releases in a couple months.
As you can see from the above list of 15 games, there is plenty of gaming in the coming few months after a lull to start the year. The good news is that they are pretty well spread out across the couple months as well outside of the last few on the list coming within a day or two of one another. Are there any major games we forgot or maybe some under the radar games you are excited for? Make sure to let us know in the comments below.
