Top Upcoming Sci-Fi Video Games of 2018

Note: Article was updated in August of 2018.

2018 is quickly approaching and with it will come a slew of new video game titles to look forward to playing. With that said, now’s a good time to start marking down what video games to keep an eye on when they officially launch next year. Let us lend a hand, in this list, in particular, we’re going over the top sci-fi video games launching in 2018.

Find More Upcoming 2018 Video Game Lists on Gameranx:

The Last Night

Developer: Odd Tales
Publisher: Raw Fury
Platforms: PC, XBO
Release: 2018

The Last Night is an upcoming indie platform video game by developers Odd Tales. In this video game, players are taken into a futuristic world where our protagonist, Charlie, is a man who lives within a lower-class system. Most of the menial work has been taken up by robots leaving Charlie to explore the city, talk with other civilians, and of course, get into some gunfights.

Originally, the video game was featured in a game jam which the title came out on top, leading the developers to continue on with the development for a full video game title release for the Xbox One and PC platforms.

Detroit: Become Human

Developer: Quantic Dream
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Platforms: PS4
Release: May 25, 2018

Set in Detroit, Michigan, and developed by Quantic Dream, gamers who enjoy choice-driven narratives will want to keep tabs on Detroit: Become Human. This is a futuristic neo-noir thriller that’s based off an old 2012 tech demo from Quantic Dream that became viral online.

Set in a sci-fi futuristic world, players will take control of three different characters, all of which are androids. You will have Kara, a female android that has escaped the factory from where she was made. There’s also Connor, who is a male android that is tasked with hunting down deviant androids. Lastly, there is Markus, another male android who has begun an android revolution against the human race.

This video game is all about choices and it certainly seems that there will be a ton of them to choose through within the game. In fact, there are so many choices that each will alter the narrative storyline and can have grave consequences with your characters.

Dual Universe

Developer: Novaquark
Publisher: Novaquark
Platforms: PC
Release Date: 2018

This is an upcoming title that very well might not officially release within 2017 as developers hope to release an alpha version next year. Overall, Dual Universe seems to be quite ambitious and even said to combine elements from Minecraft, No Man’s Sky, Eve Online, Star Citizen, and Space Engineers.

Players will share a massive single universe with the ability to edit game worlds by adding structures, altering terrain, along with creating ship scripts and constructs. Dual Universe will focus on collective gameplay with gamers exploring, mining, trading, crafting, and creating in-game politics.

Deep Rock Galactic

Developer: Ghost Ship Games
Publisher: Coffee Stain Publishing
Platforms: PC, XBO
Release: February 28, 2018 (Early Access)

Seeking to create a thrilling co-op experience, developers Ghost Ship Games is developing a title known as Deep Rock Galactic. This is currently an Early Access title that can be purchased today, though you can expect some changes and bugs until the final release launches.

Within the game, players are tasked with working together in digging into the underground as they collect valuable resources through cave systems in this upcoming sci-fi mining game. Caves are procedurally generated with enemies and loot to collect making it a new adventure every time you start. Currently, the game offers four-player cooperative gameplay with four unique classes to not only help fight against the enemy hostiles but to flesh out a team of miners.

BattleTech

Developer: Harebrained Schemes
Publisher: Paradox Interactive
Platforms: PC
Release: April 2018

BattleTech is a new upcoming turn-based strategy video game developed by Harebrained Schemes. The title is part of the BattleTech series where players will take on the role of being a mercenary commander who is leading a powerful group of combat vehicles known as Battlemechs.

Players will be able to select and customize various attributes to the mech models along with a faction to serve. Set in 3025, the game will follow the Succession Wars Era, which is similar to the BattleTech board game.

Originally, the game was set to release in August of 2017 but has been pushed back to help make some refinements to the game. So far, players can expect to jump into their mechs for battle sometime in April of this year.

Mega Man 11

Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Platforms: PC, NS, PS4, XBO
Release: October 2, 2018

We’re still looking at scarce information when it comes to Mega Man 11, but it looks like the long-beloved Mega Man franchise will receive a new main installment late 2018. There is certainly a strong following with the franchise and we know that this eleventh installment will feature 3D characters and environments and not a 2.5D video game.

From the announcement trailer, it looks like the same game mechanics are gameplay are present that the series is known for. Players will be controlling the protagonist as he progresses in a side-scrolling platformer.

The game will follow Mega Man as he faces against Dr. Wily from using the Double Gear system that was previously invented decades ago. As always, players will be going through a series of levels where Mega Man will be facing against Dr. Wily’s collection of Robot Masters but it looks like Mega Man is packing some extra gear.

Players will find that Mega Man will have new abilities such as slowing down time or delivering a more powerful attack when players are in a bind.

Starlink: Battle for Atlas

Developer: Ubisoft
Publisher: Ubisoft
Platforms: NS, PS4, XBO
Release: October 16, 2018

Starlink: Battle for Atlas is a new space adventure title developed under Ubisoft. The video game is also one of the few titles lately to use the toys-to-life game model where players can purchase physical tops that can be used in conjunction with the video game.

Overall, the game is set in the future where players find Equinox, their mothership, being shot down by an unruly force known as The Forgotten Legion. The center of the controversy is Wardens, a since expired race that has ancient technology left behind in ruins. It’s with this technology that The Forgotten Legion aims to study and use for their own advances.

Most of this game will be exploring worlds, meeting alien species to form an alliance along with building up your ranks. Also, as mentioned, the game does feature a toys-to-life component which means you can purchase various packs that will help equip specific upgrades to your ship or add in characters.

Fallout 76

Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Platforms: PC, PS4, XBO
Release: November 14, 2018

Fallout 76 is the latest upcoming installment to the Fallout franchise though it will be quite a bit different in comparison to past main installments. Bethesda has developed Fallout 76 to be an online multiplayer title that takes place before previous Fallout games.

Within the game, players take on a member from Vault 76 where their goal is to help rebuild the wasteland, twenty-five years after the nuclear war. While this is still an action RPG, the gameplay is centered on building up and maintaining settlements.

For instance, when players have managed to build up a base, they will have to defend it from the mutated monsters both old and new along with other hostile players. Luckily it seems that Bethesda has incorporated a feature that will save player creations when they are offline so you won’t have to start completely over.

Now because the game is set more or less prior to the other main Fallout installments it may not feature all of the weaponry. However, there is a big focus on nuclear war based weapons where players can even seek out nukes to use them against players in a certain region of the map.

Star Control: Origins

Developer: Stardock Entertainment
Publisher: Stardock Entertainment
Platforms: PC
Release: September 20, 2018

The developers who have brought out Offworld Trading Company and the Galactic Civilizations franchise is bringing out their latest video game release, Star Control: Origins. This is a strategy game that takes place in the year 2086 where humanity is being hunted down by an alien race. Players take the role of Earth’s first captain of Earth’s interstellar ship where your goal is to find other aliens to befriend and create an alliance with.

Within the game, players will explore the universe and take part in space combat. You’ll also be presented with various choices that can steer away from conflict or likely intimidate to gather information or resources.

One of the components that Stardock Entertainment will be including in the Star Control: Origins release is the ability to customize your ship. Your designs can later be uploaded online for gamers to download and enjoy in their own game.

While the game is set to release this September for the PC platform, it appears that the developers will also be releasing the game onto consoles, but so far there is no indication on when console ports will be ready for release.