Top 10 Most Anticipated PC Games
August 1st, 2006 by Matt Stone in Articles, DrivingAfter much talk about PC gaming being dead with the arrival of powerful next-get consoles, here’s a list of games that prove PC gaming isn’t dead at all, there’s more reason for optimism for a PC gamer than for any console owner.
10: Half Life 2: Episode Two
Valve has promised the second episode this winter, continuing the story of Gordon, Alyx and the destruction of City 17. The second episode will be packed with an all new version of Team Fortress and the new Portal game, making Half Life 2: Episode Two one of the most anticipated shooters this winter. It gets our 10th spot.
Check out the remaining 9 games after the jump
9: Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars
One of the greatest RTS franchises in PC gaming history is returning in 2007. EA is bringing back live motion videos known from the previous games, contributing to the interesting story. C&C 3 follows GDI and Nod in their battle for Tiberuim, the one reresource crucial to both parties. EA has promised “fast, fluid and fun” gameplay, in both single- and multiplayer.
8: Enemy Territory: Quake Wars
Enemy Territory: Quake Wars is a Battlefield style shooter, focusing on teamwork and fast paced action. Set in the Quake universe, it’s the humans vs. the Strogg, a battle fought over a dozen new maps featuring a new technology where every level has one single texture, resulting in huge amount of details and eye-candy. Unfortunately, the game has been delayed for 6 months, and will be available in early 2007.
7: Neverwinter Nights 2
The sequel to the cricically acclaimed and best selling Neverwinter Nights is just months away from being released. The game won several awards at this years E3, for best RPG, and for a good reason. It will feature a single player campaign stretching over 50 hours, with an online multiplayer mode as well. You will be able to customize your character like never before, and will include tools so you can create your own dungeons etc.
6: Warhammer Online Age Of Reckoning
Mythic Entertainments MMORPG based on the popular Warhammer franchise looks like one of the title that could challenge World of Warcraft in the MMO universe. The game is based on the dark world of Warhammer, where everyone looks a bit evil and fights vicious battles. It will feature PvE a well as PvP environments, where every character looks different depending on their advance and level.
5: UT2007
UT2007 will try and succeed UT2004 as one of most popular online multiplayer shooters out there. It will be the first PC title to show off Epic’s new Unreal 3 engine. You’ll be able to choose between two sides, the Axon and the Nexris, and will include pretty much every official map that was used in the previous games. New maps with vehicle based combat will also be included. The PC version will support Ageia’s PhysX card, resulting in jaw dropping explosions and realistic physics. The game will ship in Q1 2007.
4: S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. has been delayed for a long time now, originally scheduled for a 2003 release and was considered a serious competitor to Half Life 2. The developers have recreated the entire city of Chernobyl, where you’ll be fighting monsters and soldiers throughout the game. THQ has promised a Q1 2007 release, we’ll see what happens.
3: SPORE
Will Wright’s SPORE received massive critical acclaim when it was showcased for the first time a few months ago at E3 2006. The game, which is hard to describe to the average gamer, let’s you create your own world, from the first few cells to entire galaxies. You can customize your creature completely, adding an extra pair of legs or arms, or something third. Then you’ll be off to share your world with others, visiting planets other players created in what Wright describes as “Massively Single Player” gaming.
2: Crysis
Crysis is one of those games everyone knows about long before the it hits the stores. The impressive gameplay videos shown at this year’s E3 were just the tip of the iceberg. The demos ran using current DX9 hardware, the full DX10 version of Crysis might end up being the best looking game ever released on the PC, which is more than enough for most people to check it out.
1: Supreme Commander
In 1997 Total Annihilation was a groundbreaking RTS, Supreme Commander is the spiritual successor, and looks to be just as groundbreaking as the original was back in 1997. It will feature maps that are far bigger than on any other RTS games, huge worlds for land, sea, and air units to fight in. The entire map will feature destructible environments, tanks will run over trees or entire forests will catch fire in combat situations. Supreme Commander will be out early 2007, a good 10 years after one of the greatest RTS games ever.
Honorable Mentions: World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade, Star Trek Online, Battlefield 2142, Hellgate: London, Fallout 3
[Update: Added honorable mentions]
Tags: Articles, Driving
August 1st, 2006 at 8:04 pm
Nice list! Although I would have put Episode 2 a bit furhter up. And crysis as #1 and SC as #2
August 2nd, 2006 at 4:36 am
Erm…where is Alan Wake? I have the feeling that it will be very gooood
August 2nd, 2006 at 4:44 am
Whats Alan Wake, never heard of it?
Anyhow I think SC deserves its spot at #1 since its a continuation of a series over 10 years old theres alot of gamers dying to get back into the TA realm. Unlike Crysis which is just another NEW KID on the block deal boasting bitchin graphics.
August 2nd, 2006 at 4:44 am
Alan Wake doesn’t count because it’s for Xbox360 aswell.
August 2nd, 2006 at 5:13 am
Wheres Company of Heros???
August 2nd, 2006 at 5:20 am
what about D.N.F Duke forever????????
August 2nd, 2006 at 5:27 am
Bioshock a.k.a System Shock 3 anyone?
August 2nd, 2006 at 6:40 am
What about Rise Of Nations: Legends?
it’s RON with magic ‘n shit!
August 2nd, 2006 at 7:36 am
What about Bethesda’s Fallout 3 as honorable mention?
August 2nd, 2006 at 8:44 am
honorable mention World In Conflict
I only say three things “BIG ASS NUKE”
August 2nd, 2006 at 10:28 am
PC gaming is still going strong. Nice list above, and I’d add Sid Meiers Railroads, and the new Sam & Max to the list.
August 2nd, 2006 at 11:19 am
Yeah and id add about 50 other titles too… word of advice stfu…
Its the top 10 not the top 50!
August 2nd, 2006 at 3:46 pm
Where is Diablo III ?
August 2nd, 2006 at 5:03 pm
Consider the fact that no one knows jack shit about Diablo 3 therefore I wouldnt say its one of the most anticipated.
August 2nd, 2006 at 5:04 pm
Another honorable mention should be Tabula Rasa
August 2nd, 2006 at 6:37 pm
Replace UT2007 + S.T.A.L.K.E.R. with Gothic 3 + Bioshock and add Alan Wake as the 11th game and I’m happy.
August 2nd, 2006 at 8:28 pm
Hey READ THE TITLE .. most ANITCIPATED games …
I think 10 years is a LOT of anticiapation
August 2nd, 2006 at 8:42 pm
OMG - I am going to have to get a new high spec PC in 2007 just to play some of these games on max graphics and Vista obviously. Better start saving.
Who needs a console when you have games like this on the PC? Having said that - I do have a 360.
These will be the 1st truly next gen games - bring ‘em on!
August 2nd, 2006 at 11:05 pm
Where the hell is Hellgate: London and why is STALKER on that list?
August 3rd, 2006 at 4:29 am
because nobody knows wtf these random games you guys are mentioning, thats why its not on the list…
anyways i dont have a computer that could handle these things except spore which i think will be best of all of them
August 3rd, 2006 at 3:28 pm
OMG !!!
or How about Space Invaders ?
I cant belive Tetris didn’t make the cut
I’m not going to upgrade my pc (commodore 64) just yet…
Happy Gaming Dudes
August 3rd, 2006 at 3:33 pm
Might & Magic: Dark Messiah… awsome lookin game!
August 3rd, 2006 at 7:20 pm
Well this list seems mostly accurate, though I don’t see HL2 Ep2 being nearly as anticipated as Company of Heroes (Relic’s next big innovation in the RTS genre), Hellgate:London, Bioshock, or BF2142.
I’d yank HL2 Ep2 totally from the list, move Spore up the list (it’s the only game I hear EVERYONE talking about) and add the aforementioned games.
The reason Alan Wake isn’t even on the list is that the designers of Max Payne (and also Alan Wake) haven’t shown us any gameplay or anything interesting other than some mildly intriguing movie-style trailer with no other info. That doesn’t work for most of us, nice try. Show us something solid, or anything at all about the gameplay and MAYBE, just maybe it could crack this list.
Also, the online Warhammer game? Not anticipated, and you’ll see that when it releases and immediately has to close several servers. Get that crap off the list, it has no place there. Hell, I go to tons of lans, frequent tons of gaming forums, and have spoken to every gamer friend I have and I’ve not heard a SINGLE mention of this game, that’s proof enough for me that it’s not wildly anticipated.
I’d suggest a list like this:
10. Neverwinter Nights 2
9. UT2007 (due to being created for consoles also, this will be watered down and not as appealing)
8. BF2142 (slips a little due to ill-will against EA for their haphazard handling of BF2)
7. Command & Conquer 3 (with many other valid RTS franchises now available, this is not as anticipated as it once was)
6. Hellgate: London
5. Quake Wars: Enemy Territory
4. Bioshock
3. Crysis
2. Supreme Commander
1. Spore (I’m not terribly keen on this game but word of mouth is huge all over the place plus the fact that this game will have MASSIVE cross-appeal to non-gamers as well and you have the makings of probably the biggest gaming hit of the entire year, consoles OR PC-related.)
Honorable Mentions: Company of Heroes, Warhammer 40k:Dawn of War: Dark Crusade expansion, Warhammer: Mark of Chaos, Star Trek:Legacy, Sid Meier’s Railroads, Medieval 2, and the expansion for WoW.
August 3rd, 2006 at 8:28 pm
Honestly I think most of your honorable mentions are more highly anticipated than your top 10.
August 3rd, 2006 at 8:34 pm
How is Spore not first? How does Crysis beat Spore? Crysis is just graphics, and who cares anymore about that? It’ll probably have a stupid story ruined by some animal/monster like most FPS’s these days too. Farcry was great until they started throwing those animal things at you. I got bored real quick and stopped playing.
August 4th, 2006 at 2:54 am
Hell yeah, supcom is and should be #1!
August 4th, 2006 at 9:09 pm
Go SUPCOM! It deserves #1.
August 5th, 2006 at 8:56 am
assassin’s creed should be on there
August 6th, 2006 at 9:26 am
Hi!
My first question, before buying one of these “great” games, is, “Will it run on my computer?”
I’ve purchased about 40 PC games, of which 2 have run on my pc. The other 38+ I’ve thrown away, as to get them to play I’d have had to spend hours and hours on the phone with technical support to have any hope of them running.
That’s why I’ve switched to PS2 (waiting for PS3) because every game I’ve bought for PS2 has run perfectly.
Are PC games today written well enough that they will run on my PC without any effort from me? If not, I’ll never buy another PC game again.
cliff
YIP
August 6th, 2006 at 10:09 pm
My guess is that if you bought 40 pc games, and only 2 worked, that either your computer is about 8 or 9 years old, or it is actually a Mac. Throw your computer away, and buy a new one.
August 7th, 2006 at 5:32 pm
I shouted ‘hell yes’ when I saw SC at #1. Way to go, Chris Taylor, in first place yet again :]
Hopefully it’ll meet everyone’s expectations, which if it continues on TA’s legacy, I have no doubt.
August 7th, 2006 at 7:14 pm
“Honestly I think most of your honorable mentions are more highly anticipated than your top 10.”
I agree, I have’nt heard of half of those games. I have been waiting for hellgate london for a long time and can definetly say that Burning crusade is going to be a big hit.
August 8th, 2006 at 8:40 pm
SC at #1. great
August 10th, 2006 at 6:42 am
LMAO!!!!!
Yea buy a new computer man if 40 + titles didnt work
and you bought them without knowing the specifications
than your a total N00B sorry but its true
It’s really not that hard to look at the specifications
and its good if you dont wanna spend money I think
that with 38+ games that u never used you shoulda
instead bought a new computer and yea I think i pretty
much agree with this list
August 10th, 2006 at 8:43 pm
Hi!
Actually, my computer was new, and I spent over $3,000 on it, and all the games were supposed to run on my computer-they all met the specs. It was one of the 1st W95 computers, and one of the reasons that I’m loathe to buy more computer games today.
I’ve never had a problem with console games.
cliff
YIP
August 12th, 2006 at 6:32 am
Lol, win95.
August 13th, 2006 at 5:59 am
I’ve been playing the Company of heroes open beta and although it has some cool features I don’t think it deserves a spot on that list.
August 14th, 2006 at 6:54 am
cliff=noob tard
Buy a new computer
August 16th, 2006 at 1:06 am
One of the first win 95 computers? and its 2006 now? That is an *old* computer, of course it can’t run recent games….
Consoles have appeal because they are easy, people who are totally computer inept can run them, if you don’t know computers at all, consoles are the best bet.
Anyway, *so* looking forward to SupCom.
September 1st, 2006 at 5:24 pm
Half life 2 I play through once.
Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars I eagerly await and will probably enjoy immensively.
Enemy Territory: Quake Wars will hopefully be the new CounterStrike. A smashhit on all LANs.
Warhammer Online costs money and WoW exists so why does this game exists..?
Neverwinter Nights 2 I’m not interested in. Never tried 1 and with all great games I’ve yet to play I don’t see much time for this sequel. I don’t even know what genre this is LOL!
UT2007 is an multiplayer shooter which I don’t got much interest in.
Stalker I’ll play through once just like halflife 2.
Spore I actually don’t give a s*** about since it seems to be not for my tastes.
Supreme Commander looks incredible. Me and my brother were very impressed by the trailer.
And Cliff….you’re the worst n00b I’ve ever seen….
September 6th, 2006 at 2:39 pm
myself i wouldent even put half life 2 ep 2 in the list i think steam are just pure poo the game was great when it came out but now it has gone right over the top
and they are trying harer to get more ppl back into it
E.T. quake wars i would most def number 1 and also cryis
but thats just me
September 7th, 2006 at 7:47 am
I’m a fag.
Yada yada yada.
September 9th, 2006 at 11:38 pm
SupCom rocks !
That’s the #1 with a reason !!!
looking forward to Quake wars,that will be 10x better than WOW
September 11th, 2006 at 5:56 pm
Cliff are you like 7 years old?
Couse u really s***.
A w95?
u can use, yes, to hear music well.
your the worst lol Ive ever seen!!
AND FPS s***’s
All hail ROL and RTS new era!!!!!
December 30th, 2006 at 8:50 pm
Chrono Trigger 3
#1 most anticipated game of all time.
December 31st, 2006 at 3:38 am
I’ve been anticipating Spore for a long time now, and I just found out its delayed even further… if it didnt say to keep language as clean as possible there would be some very colourful language right now.
Still, that Supreme Commander game also looked good, maybe I’ll get that in the mean time (so long as it doesn’t require Vista - no game is good enough for me to go that far)
December 31st, 2006 at 3:40 am
—mispelt my email and wanted to hear about replies—
December 31st, 2006 at 3:56 am
Supreme Commander will probably be the first RTS that I actually learn to play and finish the campaign. I have tried others but man the learning curve for RTS games is so steep I have just been put off. But Supreme Commander and Halo Wars will make me change my mind.
December 31st, 2006 at 3:59 am
Forgot to add that maybe I will try C&C 3 … it does look really impressive … but of course my most anticipated game is UT2K7 … not as much for the game but for the chance to get to work on a cool azz mod … and I have been thinking and finally I am starting to get a great story together. Man I can’t wait for that game and I don’t care what any review says … that is going to be the MP game to beat come 2007 … at least on the PC.
December 31st, 2006 at 5:34 am
UT is the best MP experience imo. I’m mostly waiting for:
1.Mass Effect (not PC)
2.Crysis
3.Alan Wake
4.UT07
5.Halo 3 (not PC)
6.HL2: Ep2
7.Bioshock
8.Gears 2 (not PC, not out for quite a while)
There are heaps more I’m waiting for, and I might even end up enjoying some of them more than my current top 8.
December 31st, 2006 at 9:39 am
Alan Wake is delayed until 2008 … And what gets me is that no one is looking forward to TimeShift … another title I forgot to add. Looks like someone is only into shooters.
December 31st, 2006 at 9:47 am
Also if you are going to list NON-PC games then of course I am looking forward to Too Human, Mass Effect, Stranglehold, Crackdown, God of War II, Halo 3, Lost Planet, Asteroids, Fall of Liberty, Hellboy, and a couple of good Wii titles just too rattle off a few.
December 31st, 2006 at 10:02 am
“Anuban Says:
Alan Wake is delayed until 2008 … And what gets me is that no one is looking forward to TimeShift … another title I forgot to add. Looks like someone is only into shooters. ;)”
Me? Hah! I’m not only into shooters, I play every good genre out there, I would never limit myself to only 1 genre. How boring would that be. Look at my most anticipated game, it’s an RPG.
I had a quick look at TimeShift, isn’t that already out? It looks alright, it reminds me of Unreal II and somewhat reminds me of Serious Sam, which I liked. I’ll have to read up about it.
“Anuban Says:
Also if you are going to list NON-PC games then of course I am looking forward to Too Human, Mass Effect, Stranglehold, Crackdown, God of War II, Halo 3, Lost Planet, Asteroids, Fall of Liberty, Hellboy, and a couple of good Wii titles just too rattle off a few.”
Again yeah, I don’t limit myself to platforms either, that would also be boring. Most games I look up are for PC because it’s the platform I use the most. I’m looking forward to MGS4 heaps, but I wont be playing it for quite a while because 1 game is not enough for me to justify getting a PS3. Most other good PS3 games are on other platforms anyway.
December 31st, 2006 at 10:19 am
Btw, sad news that Alan Wake is delayed until 2008, that’s too far away. It’s a great looking game.
December 31st, 2006 at 2:58 pm
Perhaps shooters are my favorite genre, and perhaps I’m mostly looking forward to games from that genre, but to say that I’m only into shooters is a massive assumption. I play games from all genres, you can get an awesome experience from any genre. Company of Heroes is among my most favorite games ever, and it’s by far the best RTS I’ve played. I also play heaps of various RPG’s.
I’ve seen TimeShift available at online stores in Australia, not sure about over there. I re-checked them, and it seems the game is on back-order. It’s definitely out
December 31st, 2006 at 3:12 pm
Perhaps shooters are my favorite genre, and perhaps I’m mostly looking forward to games from that genre, but to say that I’m only into shooters is a massive assumption. I play games from all genres, you can get an awesome experience from any genre. Company of Heroes is among my most favorite games ever, and it’s by far the best RTS I’ve played. I also play heaps of various RPG’s. CNC3 looks pretty interesting, but I havent looked up enough information about it for it to be on my most anticipated. I’ll probably like it as much as any of those games.
I’ve seen TimeShift available at online stores in Australia, not sure about over there. I re-checked them, and it seems the game is mostly on back-order. It’s definitely out here though. It was released on the 21st of September.
I’m not much into online play either, but I’m still interested in how QW and Huxley will turn out.
December 31st, 2006 at 4:44 pm
Timeshift is not out man … check their site:
“TimeShift shifts time to 2007
Vivendi Games confirms new release date for Saber Interactive’s first-person shooter; extra dev time given “to fulfill its potential.”
December 31st, 2006 at 5:04 pm
GameSpot says this:
Publisher: Vivendi Games
Platform: PC
Release Date: Oct 5, 2006
Release Region: Australia
Publisher: Sierra Entertainment
Platform: PC
Release Date: Q1 2007 (US)
Release Region: North America
It looks like us Aussies got it months ago.
December 31st, 2006 at 5:08 pm
the european version is still TBA:
Publisher: Atari
Platform: PC
Release Date: TBA (EU)
Release Region: Europe
All 3 different publishers!
December 31st, 2006 at 5:49 pm
But it never did ship … not the legitimate version. The Atari version has ling been dead … Atari sold it it to Vivendi. If it was out anywhere the official forums would be talking about it. You Aussies didn’t get it. If you KNOW someone first had who has it then I might be tempted to believe you but it is not out just yet. Again go the official website and you will see.
December 31st, 2006 at 5:52 pm
Also if it was out there would be at least one actual review on it … it was too big of a title not to be reviewed … just about everyone has been waiting for it. Look I am not going to get into a debate about a product that is not out yet. Believe what you want to believe … but at least have some real proof to back up what you say.
December 31st, 2006 at 6:16 pm
I wasn’t debating about it, I was just comparing facts. It just looks like it’s released in Australia. I even found one site that said it was in stock, but most say Out of Stock. Many others have it on Pre-Order. I don’t totally believe it’s out, but a lot of things seem to suggest it is. If it ever was out, I’m guessing it wont be restocked until it’s released in America.
February 24th, 2007 at 3:38 am
God bless Satan 3, may it be scary simple and fun w/ DirectX 10, games these days are so boringly complex.
I will forever play Diablo III.
March 9th, 2007 at 2:33 pm
RTCW2 WHERE IS THAT SH*T AT
March 23rd, 2007 at 4:07 pm
Crysis is the killer this year.direct X10 is going to be a bummer if u have a x9 card!!!unreal 07 is going to keep me busy,fire fast and live long.
July 7th, 2007 at 9:07 pm
i think granado espada shoould be the number 1 online game for 2006
August 25th, 2007 at 6:01 pm
YO tabula rasa should get a honorable metion for sure maybe even in the top ten ITS GONA KICK ASSS
November 2nd, 2007 at 10:25 pm
the gears of war isn’t on here man, it should be, it is the best game
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:58 pm
wheres world of warcraft wtf wtf
1 wow
oh fucking yea
December 3rd, 2007 at 8:30 pm
Well I have to say I was disappointed by Crysis and I think the best game this year on the PC may well be Gears or UT3 … both run so much better than Crysis but they have their own bugs and issues. Still Epic is working hard to address these.deficiencies so in another month or two both games should be pretty stable and the major problems resolved.
December 7th, 2007 at 1:24 pm
Supreme Commander is the best . waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah
January 18th, 2008 at 9:15 am
Guys, fallout 3 is most anticipated game of DECADE not year. Thoose who don’t think so are born after 1985 or something and it is pure ignorance…
January 18th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
MAtej - I’m not sure you can anticipate a game for a decade that was cancelled and only re-announced recently.