2020 was a bit of a bust with the coronavirus health pandemic outbreak. This virus was the reason so many games got pushed back out of 2020 with developers transitioning to working remotely. However, this means that 2021 should be a rather filled year for video game releases. In this list, we’re going to showcase some of the most anticipated survival titles coming out in 2021.
Update Disclaimer: We had removed Wild, Occupy Mars: The Game, Dead Matter, The Day Before, and State of Decay 3 due to being delayed. Meanwhile, Dreams Engines: Nomad Cities didn’t quite make the cut to stay on this list.
#14 Icarus
- Developer: RocketWerkz
- Publisher: RocketWerkz
- Platforms: PC
- Release: November 20, 2021
- Co-op: Online
- Competitive Multiplayer: N/A
From the creator of DayZ comes Icarus. This is a new upcoming free-to-play survival title that puts players onto a newly discovered planet. Here companies can bid on sections of the land to mine for new exotic resources. However, being on a foreign planet, you’ll need to ensure that you are prepared for the dangers that are within the planet, along with keeping your vitals in check. This means having shelter, food, and water. Likewise, there are different missions to take on, which can become more challenging and longer to endure as you progress. To top it off, this does offer online cooperative gameplay support so you and a crew of friends can join together in the hunt for valuable goods.
#13 Outpost: Glacier
- Developer: Doomlord Interactive
- Publisher: Doomlord Interactive
- Platforms: PC
- Release: 2021
- Co-op: Online
- Competitive Multiplayer: TBA
Outpost Glacier is an upcoming game from indie development team Doomlord Interactive. In this game, players work as a member of ApolloCorp who is sent to work on an abandoned northern outpost. The problem here is that the outpost is surrounded by tundra. This means to survive, and you’ll need to gather resources and scavenge for food, all while ensuring the outpost can sustain power throughout the night. We’re eager to see more about this game, and fortunately, you can even play an early alpha build right now through Itch.io. However, with that said, this alpha build is only a single-player, so you’ll have to wait a bit longer before you can enjoy this game as a multiplayer experience.
#12 Smalland
- Developer: Merge Games
- Publisher: Merge Games
- Platforms: PC, NS, PS4, XBO
- Release: 2021
- Co-op: Online
- Competitive Multiplayer: Online
Smalland is a game that you might find very familiar with another title out in the market today, Grounded. In this game, players are transformed into a size of a small pebble, where you will find that the world has become even more dangerous than ever before. To figure out what is going on, you’ll have to go through a profound journey, but as you can probably guess, you’ll need to gather resources. With new predators now lurking about in the woods, it’s a battle to keep safe and your vital signs in the green. Unfortunately, the game doesn’t have a specific release date attached quite yet, but when it does launch, we can expect not only cooperative online gameplay support but PvP as well.
#11 Chernobylite
- Developer: The Farm 51
- Publisher: All in! Games SA
- Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, XBO, X/S
- Release: July 28, 2021
- Co-op: N/A
- Competitive Multiplayer: N/A
Chernobylite is a game worth checking out, although it’s more of a survival horror game. In this title, players are taking the role of a former employee of the Chernobyl power plant. Set years after the disaster, our protagonist decides to venture back to the area to solve his wife’s disappearance. However, there is plenty of hostilities within the area that’s now radioactive. From military, other stalkers, and mutated creatures, players will always need to be on their guard. Overall, you’ll have a small base as a command center where you’ll work with resources to craft gear and make upgrades. Also, you’ll get to recruit various characters to aid you during your adventure. Unfortunately, there is a game of appeasing relationships between your party, which might turn off for some players. If you don’t mind managing relationships then this might be a survival game experience worth checking into.
#10 Little Devil Inside
- Developer: Neostream Interactive
- Publisher: Neostream Interactive
- Platforms: PS5, PS4, PC, XBO, NS
- Release: 2021
- Co-op: Online
- Competitive Multiplayer: N/A
Little Devil Inside will probably catch your attention immediately from a visual standpoint. It’s a rather unique-looking 3D action-adventure survival title from indie studio Neostream. Overall the game puts players into the task of hunting down and taking out creatures that lurk in the world. From what the developers have claimed, Little Devil Inside takes on the same mechanics as the Harvest Moon titles. So it looks as if Little Devil Inside is a game that mixes survival and simulation mechanics. This was a game suppose to release into the marketplace back in July of this year. However, we haven’t seen much of this game in a good while. So there’s a good chance this title is being pushed into 2022.
#9 Sons of The Forest
- Developer: Endnight Games
- Publisher: Endnight Games
- Platforms: PC
- Release: 2021
- Co-op: Online
- Competitive Multiplayer: TBD
The Forest from Endnight Games was a survival title as players were stuck in a thickly forested area looking for a means of escape. It was a mixture of standard survival elements like resource gathering and maintaining vitals. However, there was also the constant threat of hostile mutated enemies that left fans on edge. Now a new sequel is in the works called Sons of the Forest. Players are seemingly taking a trek back into the woods as a means to hunt down the supernatural elements that lurk within it. From what we can tell so far, there is more emphasis on survival, with the player having to gather various resources, but details are a bit scarce. Of course, the hostile enemies lurking within the woods will play a vital role in the gameplay, just like the last installment. You’ll find that they can attack not only you but also destroy your fortified base, which means having to ensure you have resources readily available to make repairs. Unfortunately, we’re still waiting on a specific release date for this game.
#8 Winter Survival Simulator
- Developer: Drago Entertainment
- Publisher: Movie Games S.A.
- Platforms: PC
- Release: 2021
- Co-op: N/A
- Competitive Multiplayer: N/A
Winter Survival Simulator is a game that tells you just about everything from the title alone. Players end up having a bad fall within a mountain hike during winter, and now they’re stranded. With your gear gone, it’s a battle to stay alive and safe. You’ll need to manage your basic vitals like thirst, hunger, and temperature. However, while the area is secluded, it’s possible to find some old shelters and buildings you make use of around the area. Essentially, you’re finding supplies, resources, and traps to hunt down some food potentially. This is all to keep the protagonist alive. The main goal here is to reach an abandoned ranger station to call for help. It’s a long trek so having resources to keep you alive and maintaining a safe space away from dangerous wildlife is pretty crucial. Although, the ranger station doesn’t mean immediate survival. It could be days before rescue is available, so that means trying to stay alive until help arrives.
#7 Scrapnaut
- Developer: SpiffyBit
- Publisher: RockGame S.A.
- Platforms: PC
- Release: September 15, 2021
- Co-op: Online
- Competitive Multiplayer: N/A
If you’re looking for an indie game that’s a bit relaxing to play with survival elements, then check out Scrapnaut. It’s a bit of a top-down base-building game. In this title, players are wandering around different biomes, gathering resources, building up bases, making upgrades, crafting armor, weapons, and tilling the land. You’ll tend the farmland and use the food to create new dishes for your protagonist. However, there’s the chance the base will be raided, so it’s best to be on your toes. Fortunately, you can hop online and connect with up to four players to go through your game together.
#6 Valheim
- Developer: Iron Gate AB
- Publisher: Coffee Stain Publishing
- Platforms: PC
- Release: February 2, 2021
- Co-op: Online
- Competitive Multiplayer: N/A
If you ever wanted to spend some time in a Norse-inspired purgatory, then you’re in luck! Valheim throws players into this world where you, a once Viking warrior, ends up in this limbo. Now to roam the halls of Valhalla, you’ll need to prove your worth. To survive this new Valheim world, you’ll have to craft weapons, build up your shelter, and take on enemies of Odin. For those that might find the game to be a bit dated, this was done on purpose as the developers wanted to craft a game that looks like the styles of 3D gaming we would have seen during the days of the original PlayStation console. Furthermore, when this game comes out in early access, players can expect a title that can be enjoyed either completely solo or with some friends online. You can purchase this game right now, but it’s in early access, so you can expect some changes from the development team.
#5 Bum Simulator
- Developer: Ragged Games
- Publisher: Ragged Games, PlayWay
- Platforms: PC
- Release: August 26, 2021 [Early Access]
- Co-op: N/A
- Competitive Multiplayer: N/A
Bum Simulator is undoubtedly a wacky game on this list. Players step into the role of a man who lives on the streets. You need to adapt, survive and become a living legend, according to the developers from this game. The gameplay is a bit silly, where players are going through a crazy world searching for goods to sell at the pawn store, gathering gear, making up a shelter, and using their inner bum powers to defeat their enemies. This could be anything from a mighty burp through alcohol alchemy or sending your pigeons to attack a target. At the moment, this game is slated to release sometime this year as a Steam early access title.
#4 Subnautica: Below Zero
- Developer: Unknown Worlds Entertainment
- Publisher: Unknown Worlds Entertainment
- Platforms: PC, NS, PS4, PS5, XBO, X/S
- Release: May 14, 2021
- Co-op: N/A
- Competitive Multiplayer: N/A
Fans of the Subnautica video game might have already gone through this Subnautica: Below Zero installment. Players are going back to 4546B and dealing with a new arctic region in hopes of finding out what happened to their sibling. Seeking answers that a corporation might be hiding away, our protagonist will be exploring the aquatic depths and the harsh biomes to gather clues. If you played the first Subnautica game, then you know what to expect by keeping your vitals up while exploring the area, one of the biggest being oxygen. However, since this game has a spin on cold, harsh weather, there’s now a focus on keeping your temperature up to avoid the deathly chill. You’ll spend time crafting up bases, collecting resources, constructing tool, and exploring both depth below the water surface along with some of the larger land-based areas.
#3 Away: the survival series
- Developer: Breaking Walls
- Publisher: Breaking Walls
- Platforms: PC, PS4,
- Release: September 28, 2021
- Co-op: N/A
- Competitive Multiplayer: N/A
Away: The Survival Series is a unique survival game that was inspired by nature documentaries. In this game, players take on the role of a sugar glider who is escaping the storms hitting the open world. Unfortunately, natural disasters have begun to threaten the survival of all living life on the planet. Being a sugar glider, you will need to maneuver around the world to stay alive carefully. Overall, the game focuses on avoiding being devoured by a bigger critter. However, being a tiny sugar glider, you can glide, jump, climb, and have agility. Created by an indie development studio known as Breaking Walls, several industry veterans are attached to the project that has worked on big AAA video game franchises such as Assassin’s Creed to Far Cry.
#2 Undying
- Developer: Vanimals
- Publisher: Vanimals
- Platforms: NS, PS4, XBO, PC
- Release: 2021
- Co-op: N/A
- Competitive Multiplayer: N/A
Undying is an emotional roller coaster of a survival game. This title puts players into a zombie apocalypse where you take the role of a mother named Anling. Anling is bitten and has become infected, but before turning, she has to fight to keep alive long enough to teach her young son Cody all the skills he’ll need to stay alive in this world. Players will have to manage their daily routine of scavenging for items and ensure that they have enough resources to craft, feed, and take care of both individuals. A good part of this game is teaching Cody various skills and ensuring that he knows what to do for multiple situations that may come up. After all, there will come the point in which Anling will not have the ability to continue and must rely on Cody until her time comes to an end. While the game was initially slated for a 2020 launch, it has been pushed towards a release in 2021.
#1 Green Hell
- Developer: Creepy Jar
- Publisher: Creepy Jar
- Platforms: PC, NS, PS4, XBO
- Release: June 9, 2021 [PS4, XBO]
- Co-op: Online
- Competitive Multiplayer: N/A
Green Hell is not a brand new video game. This title came out back in 2019. However, we have it on this list because both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One platforms had received this game in 2021. It’s a rather popular survival and psychological thriller game. In this title, players are stranded in the Amazonian Rainforest, where you’re trying to not only survive but find your missing wife. There are a few survival aspects players will need to keep track of during the game. You’ll have areas like thirst, hunger, and sleep. Meanwhile, you’ll need to ensure that you don’t get any significant injuries or poisoned by the fauna and wildlife. Of course, being alone and in a seemingly endless rainforest, your mind can toy with you. Our protagonist will suffer from hallucinations making it tough to know what’s real or not.
