The video game industry constantly tells us that every studio is one bad game away from collapse. In fact, if you want your favorite studio to stay open you better buy the super deluxe edition for $150. And you would be right in thinking it would make sense for the industry at large to try and figure out release dates that would allow consumers to buy as many games as they can. And because you thought that way, you’re an idiot. ITS THUNDERDOME TIME! TOO MANY GAMES ENTER! ONLY ONE LEAVES!

Hilariously, I sat on this article for too long because as it turns out, Ubisoft agrees with me. Originally, the point of this article was to point out why every major game coming out this month wouldn’t have to worry about fighting for an audience except for one. Regardless of whether or not I think the upcoming Assassin’s Creed looks good or not, Ubisoft seems to have done everything it can to take away all of that game’s hype. And with no buzz surrounding it, it was dead on arrival. With the game being moved to March, it not only gives Assassin’s Creed a new lease on life, but it also forces me to do something that’s incredibly unpopular when talking about video games. I get to be nothing but positive. With Assassin’s Creed out of the way, I now think every major title release for February can bypass the Thunderdome and move straight on to Paradise City. The city where every game hopes to go. Where every sales prediction is hit and no one is forced to live on the streets because the CEO of the company decided to buy a new car rather than put money aside for their employees.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

We’re already starting to see Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 make headlines as their latest preview event is coming to a close. Whether you played the first installment or not, it seems like everyone is coming away from their experience blown away. KC 2 seems to be taking what it did so well in the first game and perfecting it even more. As someone who enjoyed the first game, despite its many technical issues at launch, everything that’s out there about this upcoming title is music to my ears. But besides these glowing previews, there’s another reason to be confident that a game like Kingdom Come will find its audience.

Over the course of the first game’s 6-year life span that saw multiple DLCs, Kingdom Come Deliverance sold 8 million copies. I’m not saying this has the potential to be the next Baldur’s Gate 3, but there were two types of people at BG3’s launch: those who knew the talent level of Larian Studio and those who were caught completely off guard. While Kingdom Come 2 may not reach the heights of BG3, I believe that by the end of the month or even year, people who didn’t see this game coming will be shocked to learn of the success of Warhorse Studio.

Civilization 7

I feel like I don’t need to spend a lot of time on this one. It’s Civilization, maybe you’ve heard of it. After nearly 35 years, the Civ franchise has never been stronger with the last entry in the franchise, Civilization 6 being the series’s most successful. And now with the franchise finally coming to console and PC simultaneously, I believe this opens the door for the long-running franchise to become even more successful.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage

I’m still making my way through Life is Strange: Double Exposure, but considering the first game is one of my all-time favorites, it’s safe to say that Double Exposure is leaving me a bit cold. And it’s not just me, there are a lot of long-time fans who are disappointed with the latest entry. And while I’m not interested in pitting studios against one another, DON’T NOD and DECK NINE might as well be twins. DON’T NOD rose to fame with the original Life is Strange and Life is Strange 2 but while their next few games seem to struggle to find the same level of audience, DECK NINE came in with the prequel to the original Life is Strange with Before The Storm and they would eventually release the beloved entry into the franchise Life is Strange: True Colors. But with DECK NINE’s recent release of Double Exposure, it appears to be DON’T NOD’s time to shine with Lost Records.

I believe fans of these types of games are starving for a memorable journey with new and interesting characters they can fall in love with and a story that will hopefully keep us all talking for years to come. Lost Records is returning to something closer to an episodic release so whether it’s “Tape 1’s” release on February 18 or “Tape 2’s” on March 18, I’m confident that as long as this game delivers a quality experience, it will find a passionate audience.

Avowed

GamePass… I know it’s lame to say, but because of GamePass, until Xbox starts putting out all of its games across all platforms, sales numbers really don’t matter. At this point, Xbox’s main concern is putting out good games. Indiana Jones seemed to be a good first step in the right direction. If Avowed can continue that momentum, then I think Xbox will be primed for a solid year.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii

Similar to my points on Civilization, I don’t think there’s any point to worry about the Yakuza franchise. This franchise has turned into pizza. It doesn’t matter if it’s from New York, or Chicago, cut into slices, put on a bagel, turned into a soup, or hidden inside a hamburger, if it says pizza, the people will come. Seriously, this franchise can be turn-based or an action brawler, set in Japan or Hawaii, it doesn’t matter. People love this franchise and I think that’s great! I have no intention of playing Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii but I’m excited to listen to everyone explain how much fun it is.

Monster Hunter Wilds

I mean, it’s the next Monster Hunter. Monster Hunter Worlds sold nearly 21 million units and its spin-off, Monster Hunter Rise, sold another 15 million. This game is not only going to be a huge success but depending on what else comes out for the rest of the year, has the chance to be one of, if not the, biggest game of the year.