Entertainment Guide to Fall 2022: What you should play, watch, and read this autumn

GamesRadar Fall Preview 2022
(Image credit: Future)

With the Fall season soon upon us, there's never been a better time to escape into new worlds. And as you start to think about easing into the autumn, 12DOVE is here to guide you through the biggest video games, movies, TV shows, comic books, and board games that are set to release before the end of 2022. 

Let's be honest: It's been a difficult year, and it feels as if we've been saying that with increasing regularity. But no matter how bleak things may appear outside, inside there is plenty to keep your mind occupied. There are massive blockbuster video game releases with God of War Ragnarok, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, and something for everyone in-between. 

Marvel is set to dominate the movie landscape with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, although it'll be facing stiff box office competition from DC's Black Adam and 20th Century Studios' Avatar: The Way of the Water. On TV we're getting season premieres for Cobra Kai Season 5 and new episodes of House of the Dragon and Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Oh, and there's a whole lot more happening in the realms of comics and tabletop gaming. 

12DOVE's fall preview looks ahead at the biggest releases across our favorite forms of entertainment. Join us all throughout September as this hub is updated with new upcoming video game previews, as well as looks at what is happening in the world of film, TV, comics, and beyond. 

There's some fantastic distractions coming your way in 2022, and you'll find more information on all of them right here. 

Fall 2022 Preview: Games

High On Life screenshot

(Image credit: Squanch Games)

Fall 2022: High on Life
Developer: Squanch Games | Publisher: In-house | Release date: December 13

Leading the 12DOVE Fall 2022 Preview is an in-depth exploration of High on Life. This comedy adventure from Squanch Games – the studio founded by Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland – is one of our most anticipated first-person shooters of the year, and for good reason. It's bold, hilarious, and there isn't anything else quite like it. High on Life equips you with an arsenal of talking guns and sends you off across the universe to save humanity from a dangerous alien drug cartel. We've played the game, and sat down with chief creative officer Mikey Spano and executive producer Matty Studivan to learn more. 


Grounded screenshot

(Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)

Fall 2022: Grounded
Developer: Obsidian Entertainment | Publisher: Xbox Game Studios | Release date: September 27

Microsoft's first major first-party release of the Fall 2022 window is Grounded, the scaled-down survival game with big ambitions. Fallout: New Vegas developer Obsidian Entertainment launched Grounded into Game Preview two years ago, and it's finally ready to leave early access on September 27. Grounded has come a long way since 2020, and as we argue in our hands-on preview of the most recent build of the game, it's a fantastic experience more people should be shouting about. 


FIFA 23

(Image credit: EA)

Fall 2022: FIFA 23
Developer: EA Vancouver | Publisher: EA | Release date: September 27

2022 is EA's final year at the helm of the FIFA franchise, and the publisher is going all out. We visited the EA Vancouver offices to learn more about the game, getting new details on why FIFA 23 is going big on crossplay, the World Cup, and Women's club teams. The transition to EA Sports FC isn't going to be easy, although it looks like FIFA 23 is going to generate enough goodwill to help close the gap.   


God of War Ragnarok

(Image credit: Sony Santa Monica (courtesy of Game Informer))

16 games that need to be on your radar for the rest of 2022
After a summer defined by a number of video game delays, many of you are no doubt looking to the Fall 2022 season for your fix of fantastic new video games. And we feel you on that one – there's only so much Elden Ring we can reasonably play at this point in the year. Thankfully, there are loads of great looking games coming out throughout the rest of the year. From the imminent release of Splatoon 3 and Disney Dreamlight Valley, to blockbusters like God of War Ragnarok and Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, there's plenty to hold your attention in the weeks ahead. Here we dive into 17 games that should be on your radar for the remainder of 2022. 


A Plague Tale: Requiem

(Image credit: Asobo Studio)

Fall 2022: A Plague Tale Requiem
Developer: Asobo Studio | Publisher: Focus Entertainment | Release date: October 15

Amicia and Hugo return for what is sure to be another emotionally wrenching adventure, with the brother-sister duo heading into southern France to flee both the Inquisition and skittering hordes of plague carrying rats. We've played A Plague Tale: Requiem and were so impressed that we drew a comparison to Naughty Dog's genre-defining The Last of Us Part 1. This could be the surprise hit of the year. 


New Tales from the Borderlands

(Image credit: Gearbox)

Fall 2022: New Tales from the Borderlands
Developer: Gearbox Software | Publisher: 2K Games | Release date: October 21

Following the dissolution of the original Telltale games in 2018, we had all but given up hope of ever seeing a sequel to one of the best Borderlands games. Thankfully, Gearbox Software is set to deliver with New Tales from the Borderlands this October. We spoke with the developers to learn how this unlikely sequel is set to keep the best (and cut the worst) of the old Telltale formula. 


Pentiment screenshot

(Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)

Fall 2022: Pentiment
Developer:
Obsidian Entertainment | Publisher: Xbox Game Studios | Release date: November 15

We were not prepared for just how weird Pentiment would be. This experimental narrative adventure comes courtesy of Obsidian Entertainment, the studio behind some of the best RPGs of all-time. Only this title is operating on a far more contained scale than its previous efforts, with most of Pentiment's action routed through carefully paced conversations and narrative puzzles that unfurl across medieval manuscripts. After getting our hands-on Pentiment, it's clear that it's going to be one of the more divisive upcoming Xbox Series X games for 2022, although we're certainly desperate to play more of it this November. 


Goat Simulator 3 screenshot

(Image credit: Coffee Stain)

Fall 2022: Goat Simulator 3
Developer: Coffee Stain | Publisher: In-house | Release date: November 17

Goat Simulator 3 is coming and we are not ready for the carnage it's going to unleash. Coffee Stain is so committed to the bit – that Goat Simulator is gaming's longest-running joke – and skipped the second installment to the series entirely. Here's the funny thing we learned after playing it though: Goat Simulator 3 is a bigger and bolder sequel that has massively expanded on the ideals of the original game, all without diluting the humor at its heart. 


The Devil in Me

(Image credit: Bandai Namco)

Fall 2022: The Dark Pictures Anthology – The Devil in Me
Developer: Supermassive Games | Publisher: Bandai Namco | Release date: November 18

When Supermassive Games first announced its experimental anthology series The Dark Pictures, we didn't know what to expect. Since 2019 we've had Man of Medan, Little Hope, and House of Ashes – arguably some of the best survival horror games in recent years – and now the studio is preparing to launch the season finale with The Devil in Me. We sat down with Supermassive to learn more about the H.H. Holmes inspired nightmare. 


Company of Heroes 3

(Image credit: Sega)

Fall 2022: Company of Heroes 3
Developer: Relic Entertainment | Publisher: Sega | Release date: November 17

Relic Entertainment is known for developing some of the best strategy games of all-time, such as Warhammer 40,000 Dawn of War and Age of Empires 4. But this November the studio is returning to one of our favorite franchises after a nine year hiatus, with Company of Heroes 3 set to massively expand the scope of play for the famed WW2 RTS. We've played a new demo of the game, and sat down with the studio to learn how a "player council" is functioning as co-developer to ensure that Relic gets Company of Heroes 3 right. 


Evil West screenshot

(Image credit: Focus Entertainment)

Fall 2022: Evil West
Developer: Flying Wild Hog | Publisher: Focus Entertainment | Release date: November 22

There's more to the Old West than Red Dead Redemption 2. Whether it's because of a lack of vision or the lingering impact of one of the best open world games of all time, there are precious few titles exploring this setting, and it's a great shame. That's one reason we're so excited to play more of Evil West, the Devil May Cry-style vampire hunting game from the devs behind the Shadow Warrior trilogy. 


Gungrave G.O.R.E. screenshot

(Image credit: Prime Matter)

Fall 2022: Gungrave G.O.R.E.
Developer: Iggbymob | Publisher: Prime Matter | Release date: November 22

If you're over the age of 30, there's a high probability that you have fond memories of the best PS2 games, and occasionally long for a return to the blocky, uncomplicated AA action games that were so prevalent on the system. Well, for better or for worse, Gungrave G.O.R.E. is set to make that a reality – this may be the closest you'll ever get to finding a new PS2 game released for PS5. 


Warhammer 40k: Darktide

(Image credit: Fatshark)

Fall 2022: Warhammer 40,000: Darktide
Developer: Fatshark | Publisher: In-house | Release date: November 30

Fatshark quietly developed one of the best co-op games of the modern era with Warhammer: Vermintide, and the studio is loudly announcing itself to the world with the release of Warhammer 40,000: Darktide. After getting hands-on with a brand new demo, we're convinced that Darktide could be a truly unmissable action-shooter for 2022 – regardless of whether you're a fan of the source material or not. Frantic combat, challenging enemy AI, and some truly beautiful staging put Warhammer 40,000: Darktide onto our radar, and we're eager to see what the full game can deliver this November. 


Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion

(Image credit: Square Enix)

Fall 2022: Crisis Core – Final Fantasy 7 Reunion
Developer: Square Enix | Publisher: In-house | Release date: December TBC

If you're getting ready for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth in 2023, then you should consider Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion as a vital detour. Square Enix is developing an ambitious remaster of one of the best PSP games, and it's an essential play if you want to better understand Cloud's original FF7 adventure. Everything we've seen of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake so far suggests that Crisis Core protagonist Zack Fair will play a bigger role than ever before, so don't skip this one. 


The Callisto Protocol screenshot

(Image credit: Krafton)

Fall 2022: The Callisto Protocol
Developer: Striking Distance | Publisher: Krafton | Release date: December 2

The Callisto Protocol is undoubtedly one of our most anticipated upcoming horror games of 2022, the spiritual successor to Dead Space we didn't know we needed. While we're yet to play the game for ourselves, we have had a behind-the-scenes look at brand new footage, and sat down with The Callisto Protocol's creative director Glen Schofield to learn more about this horrendously creepy looking project ahead of its release this December. 


The 12DOVE Fall 2022 Preview hub will be updated all throughout September with new insight into the biggest video games, movies, TV shows, comic books, hardware and tabletop gaming releases that you can expect to see before the end of the year.

Josh West
Editor-in-Chief, 12DOVE

Josh West is the Editor-in-Chief of 12DOVE. He has over 15 years experience in online and print journalism, and holds a BA (Hons) in Journalism and Feature Writing. Prior to starting his current position, Josh has served as GR+'s Features Editor and Deputy Editor of games™ magazine, and has freelanced for numerous publications including 3D Artist, Edge magazine, iCreate, Metal Hammer, Play, Retro Gamer, and SFX. Additionally, he has appeared on the BBC and ITV to provide expert comment, written for Scholastic books, edited a book for Hachette, and worked as the Assistant Producer of the Future Games Show. In his spare time, Josh likes to play bass guitar and video games. Years ago, he was in a few movies and TV shows that you've definitely seen but will never be able to spot him in.