We’re still waiting around for Sony to officially reveal the PlayStation 5, alongside a (no doubt) stellar line-up of PS5 games.
Right now we don’t know much about what we’ll be playing on the PS5. A handful of third-party developers have confirmed that they are developing titles for the next PlayStation, but we're still in the dark about what the PS5’s launch titles will be - in other words, the games which will release alongside the console itself.
So, here at TechRadar, we’ve put together a list of potential launch titles that would have us rushing out to buy a PlayStation 5 pre-order. They’re not all winners, some aren’t even plausible, but that’s part of the fun, right?
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God of War 2
Vic Hood: Gaming Writer
Following the success of God of War on PS4, it’s likely we’ll see God of War 2 on PlayStation 5 - well, I hope so. It would seem odd not to have Kratos, one of Sony’s main mascots, leading the charge into the next generation. God of War remains one of the best Sony exclusives to date, so just imagine what Sony Santa Monica could do with the power of the PS5.
There are a few signs suggesting that we will be seeing God of War 2 on PS5, including SIE Santa Monica Studio job listings and the lack of DLC for the PS4 title. However, the game itself hasn’t been confirmed by Sony, so whether God of War 2 will be a PS5 launch title - or even exist at all - is still a mystery.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Nick Pino: Senior Editor - Home Entertainment
One of the main features Sony has been hyping up about its next-gen system is its ability to load games at incredible speeds. A few months back, Sony was even using Marvel’s Spider-Man as an example of how fast these load times would be with side-by-side comparisons against the PS4 Pro. It was shocking to go from the game’s main menu to Spider-Man’s sprawling, feature-rich metropolis on-screen in under a second, and yet, there it was happening live in front of the audience.
Now, a tech demo doesn’t always mean that there’s a project in the works - but Spider-Man’s usage on-stage got us thinking about a next-gen version of the game, and just how great that would be. Sure, it might be hard to crank out another Spider-Man game in two years, but a sequel to Marvel’s Spider-Man with better load times, better visuals and an even larger map would definitely be one way to convince people to invest in new hardware on day one.
Starfield
Tom Bedford: Staff Writer - Phones
I’m a huge fan of all Bethesda games (yes, even Fallout 76) and if any game from the company is announced for the PS5, you can sign me up. Realistically that’s going to be Starfield, the company’s upcoming space game. I’m excited to see how Bethesda manages to replicate the Fallout and Elder Scrolls joy of aimlessly wandering around and bumping into hidden stories; when you’re actually bumming around in a spaceship.
GTA 6
John McCann: Deputy Editor
It’s no secret, I’m a boring PlayStation gamer. I pretty much play two games; GTA and FIFA. As we can be relatively assured FIFA 21 will come to Sony’s next-gen console at launch, it isn’t an overly enticing draw. What would really grab my attention, and would make the PS5 a must-buy come launch day, would be the arrival of Grand Theft Auto 6 alongside the shiny new console.
I’ve been patiently waiting for the next major instalment of the Rockstar series for over half a decade now. I enjoyed GTA V so much I purchased it twice - the first time on PlayStation 3, and then again when I bought my PS4.
There’s no question that I’ll buy GTA 6 when it’s available, and to avoid a double purchase there would be no hesitation on picking up the PS5 at launch if it was bundled with this game.
Horizon Zero Dawn 2
Samuel Roberts: Senior Entertainment Editor
PS4 exclusive Horizon is over three years old, now, and a follow-up that hits PS5 in time for launch feels possible. Developer Guerrilla Games has always been good at showing off the technical capabilities of PlayStation hardware – and Sony will want to continue that as the PS5 tries to make a big splash. What does that better than more robot dinosaurs and beautiful sci-fi environments?
Horizon Zero Dawn 2 feels more likely to hit PS5 at launch than the likes of a Spider-Man sequel – a lot of Sony's studios have produced games deep into the PlayStation 4's lifespan, like Insomniac, Naughty Dog and Sucker Punch Productions. Guerrilla is more of a dead cert for a launch game.
Shadow of the Colossus
Henry St Leger: Home Technology Writer
Indisputably one of the most revered games of all time, Shadow of the Colossus is a thoughtful and unnerving game that sees you felling massive and beautifully-rendered colossi to bring your lost love back from the dead – and which is fully due a reboot to make use of the PS5 hardware.
Originally a PS2 game, it did recently get a remaster for the PS4, which brought it back under the spotlight. If Sony managed to give it the same treatment as the 2017 God of War reboot, expanding the world without losing the emotional heart of its story, we could be looking at a real winner. I’d certainly be buying a PS5 on launch day.
Motorstorm Rebooted
Gareth Beavis: Colossus of the Tech World / Global EIC
I’m still dismayed that Motorstorm was caught on the PS3 and never made it to the PS4. The combination of multi-route tracks that suited different vehicles, the boost gauge that would overheat (and could be cooled through certain routes) and the sheer madness of the physics engine made me equally frustrated and happy to play it.
While Sony seemingly is sitting on the IP, the power of the PS5 could offer something beautiful here - large, expansive games that allow you to not just try small sections of an island or a crumbling city, but a huge space with multiple tracks all around. All filled with boost-gauge-powered madness. Make it happen, Sony, please.
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