Top Pre-Order Guides For Upcoming PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, And PC Games
GameSpot may receive revenue from affiliate and advertising partnerships for sharing this content and from purchases through links.
From free in-game bonuses to physical items and limited special editions, there are plenty of reasons to pre-order a game. And with all the hyped-up games to look forward to in 2018 and 2019, it can be tough to stop yourself from locking down your copy long before release. There's nothing wrong with that, but if you're going to place a pre-order, you'll want to come prepared.
Game releases nowadays can be complicated things, with numerous editions and pre-order bonuses, all offering different sets of goodies to anyone who buys. Retailers sometimes even have exclusive bonuses, so where you place your pre-order can be just as important as which edition you pick. It's a heap of information, all spread out across the internet. If only there were somewhere you could go to get all the information you need in one place.
Turns out there is, and you've found it. We've whipped up guides for all the biggest games you can pre-order now, most of which will be coming out in 2018 or 2019. These guides have all the information about pre-order bonuses you stand to receive, what comes in each special edition of the game, and how much everything costs across different retailers. With all of the info in one place, you can make an educated buying decision and pre-order the right edition for you, at the best price available.
A few cautionary notes before you whip out that credit card. When it comes to pre-orders, some things are subject to change. Games get delayed all the time, and sometimes advertised features don't make it into the final game. It's also wise to look at the fine print before pre-ordering a game. Some retailers require you to put down a bit of money up front, while others require full payment at the time of pre-order and don't offer refunds. Others, like Amazon, let you lock in your pre-order without putting any money down, and let you cancel at any time.
With that out of the way, let's dive into pre-order guides for some of the biggest games releasing soon.
Some links to supporting retailers are automatically made into affiliate links, and GameSpot may receive a small share of those sales.
Anthem
A new shared-world shooter is on the horizon. It's called Anthem, and it's set to release February 22, 2019 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One. Developed by BioWare, Anthem is a sci-fi action RPG that puts players in the role of Freelancers, soldiers who wear high-tech customizable suits called Javelins.
Pre-ordering Anthem gets you special beta access as well as some other goodies. There's also a special Legion of Dawn edition you might consider. Click below for full details.
Assassin's Creed Odyssey
Assassin's Creed Odyssey will take us to Ancient Greece. We're hoping it will have the grandeur of Assassin's Creed Origins' cities, but also more going on outside of the cities to justify such a large game world. It will release for Xbox One, PS4, and PC on October 5.
Assassin's Creed Odyssey is one of the more complicated releases of 2018, coming in no fewer than six different editions. Click below for details.
Battlefield 5
EA has announced Battlefield V will release for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on October 19. The series has hopped around between conflicts and time periods, but Battlefield V is bringing us back to World War II. It will have a single-player campaign that's divided into short stories--much like 2016's Battlefield 1--plus an array of multiplayer modes that include both fan favorites and new modes like Airborne. For more information, here's everything we know about Battlefield V.
Pre-ordering Battlefield V gets you access to a handful of pre-order bonuses; the game also comes in two editions. Click below for full details.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
Activision has revealed this year's installment of the annual Call of Duty franchise. It's Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, and it's coming to PS4, Xbox One, and PC on October 12. While it won't feature a traditional campaign like previous installments, it will come with single-player missions, plus loads of multiplayer content--including a battle royale-style mode--plus, of course, Zombies.
Pre-ordering Black Ops 4 gets you beta access. The game also comes in a number of different editions. Click below for details.
Cyberpunk 2077
From the minds that brought you The Witcher 3 comes a new RPG, set in a completely different universe. Cyberpunk 2077 will be a single-player RPG driven by choice and in-depth character customization. We're expecting to see it released on PC, and possibly PS4 and Xbox One.
This is a pretty basic pre-order so far, but we'll update the article if more editions are announced down the line. Click below for details about where you can pre-order the game and how much it costs.
Death Stranding
Game director Hideo Kojima might be done with the Metal Gear series, but that doesn't mean he's done with video games. After parting ways with Konami in 2015, Kojima opened a new studio with the help of Sony. The company's first project is the PS4 exclusive Death Stranding, a mysterious game that somehow becomes even more cryptic with the release of each new trailer.
Pre-order information is scarce at the moment, but you can lock in your pre-order at a handful of retailers right now.
Destiny 2: Forsaken
Developer Bungie has revealed Destiny 2's big year-two expansion. It's called Forsaken, and it launches on September 4. Just like The Taken King for the original Destiny, Forsaken is a standalone expansion you'll have to buy separately even if you purchased Destiny 2's expansion pass. In fact, you can even buy a new "annual pass" to pre-order three additional content releases that will come out after Destiny 2: Forsaken.
You can pre-order Destiny 2: Forsaken in a number of different configurations. Details at the link below.
Dragon Quest IX: Echoes of an Elusive Age
Dragon Quest 11: Echoes of an Elusive Age is a standalone story that will follow an unnamed hero and his friends as he embarks on a new journey to save the world as a Luminary. It will launch on September 4 on PS4 and PC.
You have a couple of options for pre-ordering the game. Find all the information you need at the link below.
Fallout 76
For anyone wondering when we'll get to return to the wasteland after 2015's Fallout 4, Bethesda has answered that question with the announcement of Fallout 76. The game has been confirmed for PC, PS4, and Xbox One. It appeared during Bethesda's presentation at E3 2018, where we learned a ton--including the fact that it's an online, multiplayer-enabled game. We also got a release date: November 14, 2018.
You can pre-order the game to get access to a beta, but you'll have to choose which edition to buy first. Details at the link below.
FIFA 19
FIFA 19 is coming to Xbox One, PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch on September 28. The title marks the first game in the franchise to hold the official Champions League license since the 2007 spin-off UEFA Champions League 2006-2007, giving FIFA a near monopoly over the world's major soccer licenses.
A number of editions of FIFA 19 are coming out. You can find everything you need to know to pre-order it at the following link.
Forza Horizon 4
Playground's latest open-world racing title, Forza Horizon 4 was revealed at E3 2018's Xbox briefing. This time around the game will be set in Britain, with a shared open-world and dynamic seasons. Forza Horizon 4 will release on October 2 for Xbox One and PC.
You have some options for buying Forza Horizon 4, which are laid out at the link below.
Ghost of Tsushima
Ghost of Tsushima will be heading exclusively to PlayStation 4, though no release date has been announced yet. Made by Sucker Punch, the developer behind the Infamous series, Ghost of Tsushima is an open-world action game set in feudal Japan. You play as one of the only samurai to survive the Mongol invasion of the island of Tsushima in 1274. Your job is to sneak around, fight enemies, and take the island back. We still don't have a release date quite yet, but you can pre-order it for PS4 right now.
There's not much pre-order info on this one yet, but we'll add more as it comes in. In the meantime, you can find what we know at the link below.
Hitman 2
It's official: Hitman 2 is coming to PS4, Xbox One, and PC on November 13, 2018. Developed by IO Interactive and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Hitman 2 follows the further bloody adventures of everyone's favorite bald, barcoded assassin, Agent 47.
A number of different editions are coming out for this game, so be sure to check out the details at the link below.
Just Cause 4
Just Cause 4 was just revealed at the Xbox E3 2018 press conference, and the series is back with more explosions and absurdity. This time around, we'll be spending some time with returning protagonist Rico Rodriguez in the thick of the jungle. Familiar gadgets such as grappling hooks, wingsuits, and parachutes will return, as will vehicles such as jets and boats. Just Cause 4 will launch December 4 on Xbox One, PS4, and PC.
You have two editions to choose from when pre-ordering Just Cause 4. Details at the link below.
Kingdom Hearts III
Five years after its reveal at E3 2013, Kingdom Hearts 3 finally has a release date, and it's open for pre-orders now too. We know that this will be the closing chapter to the overarching saga of the core titles and will take us through several beloved Disney worlds such as Toy Story, Hercules, and Monsters Inc. Kingdom Hearts 3 is set to release on January 29, 2019 on Xbox One and PS4.
A number of editions are available for pre-order. Get all the information at the link below.
The Last of Us Part 2
The 2013 game The Last of Us is widely considered one of the best games of the PS3 generation. It was impeccably crafted, with cinematic style, satisfying game mechanics, and a story that cut right to the bone. All of which is to say, if you're excited for The Last of Us Part 2, you're far from alone. While we don't have a release date for this PS4 exclusive, you can already lock in your pre-order.
There's not much info yet, but you can pre-order it at Best Buy right now. We'll add more information to the link below as it comes in.
Madden NFL 19
It may not be a surprise, but it's official: Madden NFL 19 is coming to PS4, Xbox One, and PC on August 10. This year's installment features improvements to the graphics and animation, thanks to Real Player Motion Technology. Players will also have better tools for building their roster and new ways to train and develop the players. You can find more details here.
The game is getting a couple of editions you can pre-order now, with details at the link below.
NBA 2K19
At this point it's no surprise when publisher 2K reveals a new annual installment of the official NBA basketball video game. NBA 2K19 is slated to come out for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC on September 11, 2018, but you can pre-order a copy now.
Two versions of the game will be available at launch, and you can find the full details at the link below.
Pokemon: Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee
The Pokemon invasion of your Nintendo Switch has begun. The "free to start" RPG Pokemon Quest is already available, and a new core Pokemon game is heading our way in late 2019. But the lovable critters aren't done with Switch yet. Coming November 16, 2018 are Pokemon: Let's Go Pikachu / Eevee, a pair of games designed for newcomers to the franchise and for players who got their start with the mobile game Pokemon Go.
While there's not much news yet about various editions for this pair of games, you can pre-order now to get an adorable keychain. Details at the link below.
Rage 2
Rage 2 is an open-world shooter set in a Mad Max-like post-apocalypse that's coming to PS4, PC, and Xbox One sometime in Spring 2019. Pre-ordering Rage 2 gets you an exclusive mission as well as some other in-game items. You have a selection of editions to choose from, including one that comes with a gross talking head statue. Details at the link below.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Judging by the amount of fan fervor it's produced, Red Dead Redemption 2 promises to be one of the biggest games of the year. It stars Arthur Morgan and the Dutch van der Linde gang--whose members include John Marston, the star of the original game. Red Dead Redemption 2 is coming to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on October 26, 2018.
You have quite a few options for buying this game, and each edition comes with its own physical and/or in-game extras. Check out the details below.
Resident Evil 2
Resident Evil 2 originally launched on the PS One in 1998, but just like the zombies in the game, it's getting a new lease on life. A Resident Evil 2 remake is set to launch on January 25, 2019 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. It will cover much of the same ground as the original, but from a whole new perspective.
Two editions of this game are coming out. You can read about them--and the pre-order bonuses--below.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider
When Shadow of the Tomb Raider releases on September 14 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC, developer Crystal Dynamics says, we will finally experience the "defining moment as she becomes the Tomb Raider." This rebooted series has been terrific, so let's hope Shadow of the Tomb Raider is a fitting end to the beginning of Lara Croft's story.
This game has editions galore, so click the link below to find which one is right for you.
Shenmue I & II
A collection of Shenmue I & II is heading to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on August 21. This collection contains the original Shenmue, which launched on the Dreamcast in 1999, as well as the 2001 sequel, which came out on both Dreamcast and the original Xbox. The suggested retail price for the collection is $30.
No pre-order bonus or special editions here, but you can save a few bucks by buying this collection from certain retailers. Details at the link below.
Skull & Bones
Set sail on the Indian Ocean, a frontier region that's rife with riches. It's also a battleground between pirates, trading corporations, and colonial forces. This is Skull & Bones, an upcoming shared-world game that has you assemble a crew and engage in various modes of naval combat. It's expected in 2019, but you can pre-order it now. Check the link below for details.
Spider-Man
Insomniac's next game is Spider-Man, an action-filled game that doesn't just rehash the hero's origin story. Instead, it finds an experienced Peter Parker and his superhero alter ego defending New York City from a super villain threat. The game launches September 7 exclusively for PlayStation 4.
Lots of pre-order bonuses are attached to this game, and it comes in a number of editions. Find the full details at the link below.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
The list of things in life that are totally dependable is short, but it contains things like death, taxes, and a new Smash Bros. game on every Nintendo console. Nintendo's latest hardware is no exception--the company has announced that Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will be coming to Nintendo Switch on December 7, 2018.
No special editions or pre-order bonuses so far, but you can save some money at a couple of retailers. Details at the link below.
WWE 2K19
The next edition of WWE's flagship wrestling game franchise is now available for pre-order. The cover athlete for WWE 2K19 is AJ Styles, and Publisher 2K promises the game will contain a sizable roster of WWE and NXT superstars and legends. It's slated for release on October 9, 2018 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC, but you can reserve your copy now.
Several editions are available, so check out our pre-order guide below to choose which one is right for you.