HomeGamesAll 27 PS4 Exclusives of 2016

All 27 PS4 Exclusives of 2016

It’s undeniable that PlayStation had a big year in 2015. Look, we don’t care which console “wins” the “console wars,” but the fact remains that the PS4 outsold the Xbox One significantly throughout the year.

But what is making the PlayStation 4 so successful? Games, games, and more games. We’re not going to say that the PS4 has better games than Xbox One, because that would be an arbitrary claim, but what we will say is that Sony’s first party line-up was absolutely stacked in 2015. In fact, there were 33 PS4 exclusives in 2015 (some console exclusives, admittedly). With great games like Until Dawn, Rocket League, Axiom Verge, and of course, Bloodborne, the PlayStation 4 absolutely killed it in 2015.

But with the year coming to a close, it’s now time to look ahead to the PS4 exclusives of 2016. What does next year hold for PS4 players? Here is a list of all upcoming PS4 exclusives of 2016 (keep in mind that these are just the games we know about right now, and more will undoubtedly be announced throughout next year. All titles subject to release date changes).

1
The Witness

Developer: Thekla, Inc.
Publisher: Thekla, Inc.
Release Date: January 26, 2016

The Witness is an upcoming PS4 console exclusive (it’ll also be on PC and iOS) from Thekla Games and Jonathan Blow, maker of Braid. The adventure game will contain 3D puzzles that were inspired by Myst, and the game is set in a gorgeous world. Seriously, the footage we’ve seen from it so far is stunning. According to Blow, the final game will have nearly 650 total puzzles for your solving pleasure.

2
Street Fighter V

Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Release Date: February 16, 2016

Sony absolutely knocked it out of the park by securing console exclusive rights to the biggest fighting franchise of all time, Street Fighter, with the highly anticipated Street Fighter V. The game uses Unreal Engine 4, and it looks incredible. The gameplay looks tight, the visuals look stunning, and the new characters that have been introduced have us more excited than ever. The game will feature 16 characters at launch, with four newbies entering into the mix. In fact, the final new character to be revealed, F.A.N.G., will likely become every player’s main, although a newly bearded Dhalsim could steal some screen time from him. Either way, Street Fighter V is one of our most anticipated upcoming PS4 games of 2016.

3
Uncharted 4

Developer: Naughty Dog
Publisher: Sony
Release Date: March 18, 2016 Delayed to April 26, 2016

Sony saw a lot of success in 2015 with their release of Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection, which brought together all three of the previous Uncharted games into one fantastic-looking package. But now, we want new content, and we’re impatiently awaiting the already-delayed release of Uncharted 4 in 2016. In fact, it’s one of our most anticipated games of 2016.

Pre-order it here.

4
Ratchet & Clank

Developer: Insomniac Games
Publisher: Sony
Release Date: April 12, 2016

We’re excited for the upcoming Ratchet & Clank animated movie, but we’re even more excited for the duo’s debut on the PS4. We’ve been a big fan of the franchise for quite some time, and the Ratchet & Clank gameplay we’ve seen so far looks absolutely stunning. Insomniac Games can do no wrong in our eyes and their upcoming game is a re-imagining of the original Ratchet & Clank. We’re a little bummed that the game was delayed into 2016, but at least we have something to look forward to in April.

Buy it here.

5
No Man’s Sky

Developer: Hello Games
Publisher: Hello Games
Release Date: June 2016

The more we see and hear from No Man’s Sky, the more confused we get. We have no idea what we’re in for, really, but the world’s look beautiful, and it’s an ambitious game. The console exclusive is an adventure survival video game with procedurally generated open universe, which includes an almost infinite number of different planets and worlds. Each new environment will have their own set of flora and fauna. We have no idea what the point of the game is, and we probably won’t fully be able to grasp it until we get our hands on it in June, but man, does it have our interest.

Pre-order it here.

6
Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness

Developer: tri-Ace
Publisher: Square Enix
Release Date: TBA 2016

Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness is the next action role-playing game from Square Enix, with tri-Ace (the original creators of Star Ocean) doing the developing. The battle system will stay similar to other Star Ocean games, with players controlling one of the seven party members in battles. Players can switch between characters at will, and the game uses a real-time action battle system. The game was announced in April, and we haven’t heard much about it since. Hopefully, the game won’t be delayed into 2017. For now, we’ve got our eye on it.

7
Gravity Rush 2

Developer: Sony Team Gravity
Publisher: Sony
Release Date: 2016

The original Gravity Rush got a lot of love from PS Vita fans, with many calling it one of the best Vita offerings out there. So, we were a little surprised to see that the sequel won’t be coming to the PlayStation Vita, but it will, instead, be a PS4 exclusive. Strange? Sure. Are we mad? No. The PS4’s hardware is going to allow for a much more beautiful game for the series’ second entry. From the Gravity Rush 2 footage we’ve seen so far, the game looks slightly brighter than its predecessor. There are three gravity styles that can be used in the game, and the controls are simple. When styles are switched, players will see an entirely new set of movements, actions and special skills. You can pre-order Gravity Rush Remastered here (which will be out on February 2).

8
Detroit: Become Human

Developer: Quantic Dream
Publisher: Sony
Release Date: TBA

Quantic Dream, the developer behind Fahrenheit, Heavy Rain, and Beyond: Two Souls, announced Detroit: Become Human in October 2015, with a release date unknown. We’re including it on this list of 2016 PS4 exclusives because we have a strong feeling that this is going to see the light of day in 2016, because it seems pretty far along and it has the makings of an October or November game. We don’t know much about the game just yet, but it’s set in a sci-fi world revolving around an android named Kara who escapes the factory she was made in. According to director David Cage, she’ll explore her artificial consciousness. It feels like AMC’s Humans, the video game. The main character also looks so much like Jennifer Lawrence that we’re not sure how a lawsuit hasn’t been filed yet.

9
Gran Turismo Sport

Developer: Polyphony Digital
Publisher: Sony
Release Date: TBA 2016

Sony’s next big racing game isn’t Gran Turismo 7, but rather it’s Gran Turismo Sport. Sony made it clear that the game is separate from the rest of the franchise, and is a standalone entry that isn’t part of the numbered series. The game will include three different game modes, including Campaign, Sports Mode, and Arcade Mode, and the game will including both offline and online modes. The devs say that the game will feature more content than the Prologue games, but it won’t be a full-featured release.

Pre-order it here.

10
Dreams

Developer: Media Molecule
Publisher: Sony
Release Date: TBA 2016

Describing the Dreams game is still hard to do because we’ve only seen a little bit of it. Basically, it looks like a dream-sculpting LittleBigPlanet-esque game where the only limits are your imagination. There will be an emphasis on exploration and sharing between players in the online community, with players creating dreams for other players to experience. Dreams will somehow be interconnected so that almost anything can serve as a gateway to another dream. We’re certainly intrigued, and we hope to get our hands on it in 2016 (a beta has been confirmed for 2016).


11
The Last Guardian

Developer: Team Ico
Publisher: Sony
Release Date: TBA 2016

Waiting for The Last Guardian to hit the PS4 hasn’t been easy, as the game has been in development for quite some time. From the gameplay we’ve seen so far, we’re in for a real treat, and we can’t wait to get our hands on what is likely to be an epic journey. The story revolves around a massive eagle creature, and it’s expected to share thematic and stylistic similarities with Ico and Shadow of the Colossus.

12
Horizon Zero Dawn

Developer: Guerrilla Games
Publisher: Sony
Release Date: TBA 2016

Following this year’s E3, one of Sony’s biggest new IPs quickly became one of our most anticipated games of 2016. Horizon Zero Dawn is being developed by Killzone’s Guerilla Games, so there’s that, plus the fact that it appears to have a strong female protagonist in Aloy, a hunter and archer. The game is set 1,000 years in the future where robotic creatures have seemingly sent humans back to the prehistoric era, although there’s an obvious injection of new technologies as well. It looks absolutely incredible.

13
Hot Shots Golf 7

Developer: Clap Handz
Publisher: Sony
Release Date: TBA

Hot Shots Golf 7 was just debuted at the PlayStation Experience earlier this month, and it seemingly drowned in the sea of PS4 game announcements and forgotten about. We didn’t forget you, guys! The Hot Shots Golf games are always fun, and the PS4 game will likely follow right in line. No release date has been set, but we believe it will be out by the end of 2016 (we would guess Summer 2016).

14
Paragon

Developer: Epic Games
Publisher: Sony
Release Date: TBA 2016

I think the last thing the world wanted was another MOBA, but when it comes from Epic Games, we’re at least semi-interested. In fact, the Paragon trailer we saw looked great, albeit similar to Overwatch. Still, we can’t wait to get our hands on the upcoming PS4 exclusive.

15
Final Fantasy VII Remake

Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Square Enix
Release Date: TBA

We’re not positive that Final Fantasy VII Remake will be released in 2016, but since it was revealed to be an episodic game, we’d put money down that we will at least see Episode 1 (or whatever they’re going to officially call it) release in Fall 2016. We’re not going to underestimate it, either, as we firmly believe it’s going to strongly challenge the stigma that comes with being an episodic game. We don’t know much about it yet, but we’ll keep you posted here at Nerd Much.

16
Dragon Quest Builders

Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Square Enix
Release Date: January 28, 2016 (Japan)

A Dragon Quest version of Minecraft. Moving on…

17
What Remains of Edith Finch

Developer: Giant Sparrow, Santa Monica
Publisher: Sony
Release Date: TBA 2016

What Remains of Edith Finch has an interesting premise: it’s a collection of short stories about a cursed family in Washington State. And, the reveal trailer was one of the most intriguing game trailers we’ve seen in quite some time. The Finch family stories definitely has our interest, and we can’t wait to unravel the tales when it hits PS4 in 2016.

18
The Tomorrow Children

Developer: Q-Games
Publisher: Sony
Release Date: TBA 2016

The Tomorrow Children was just one of the many announced PS4 exclusives that caught our eye during Sony’s 2014 Gamescom conference. The game was originally set to be released at some point in 2015, but being that we’re midway through December with no official date, we’re thinking it’s coming early in 2016. The game will use an entirely brand new engine developed by Q-Games specifically for the game, and the new tech aims to render Pixar-like graphics. We’re not too sure what the hell we’ll be doing, but the game had a dystopian Minecraft look to it.

19
Drawn to Death

Developer: The Bartlet Jones Supernatural Detective Agency
Publisher: Sony
Release Date: TBA 2016

It looks like Drawn to Death will also be pushed into 2016, although it was planned for 2015. The game was originally announced at PSX in 2014, and we haven’t heard or seen much from the title since. Still, David Jaffe’s newest venture with his awesomely named new studio, The Bartlet Jones Supernatural Agency, looks interesting. It features a hand-drawn visual style that we haven’t seen before, especially when it comes to free-to-play third-person shooters (although, Madworld had a similar aesthetic). Still, we can’t wait to get our hands on the cool-looking shooter next year.

20
MatterFall

https://youtu.be/ERAXhzb6lGk

Developer: Housemarque
Publisher: Sony
Release Date: TBA 2016

Housemarque, the folks behind Alienation, Resogun and Dead Nation, announced Matterfall during Sony’s Paris Games Week conference. Honestly, we haven’t seen anything that looks too unique about the game so far, as it has a very familiar sci-fi shooter feel to it. Hopefully, we’re wrong, and Matterfall will be something for us to care about. But for now, meh.

21
Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue

Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Square Enix
Release Date: 2016

If you’re anxiously awaiting Kingdom Hearts 3+ like the rest of us, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue will be here to hold you over. The game will be an HD collection of the Kingdom Hearts series made for the PS4, paying as the successor to the Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix, and will include Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance HD, Kingdom Hearts X Back Cover, and Kingdom Hearts 0.2: Birth by Sleep-A Fragmentary Passage.

22
Shadow of the Beast

Developer: Heavy Spectrum
Publisher: Sony
Release Date: March 2, 2016

Shadow of the Beast PS4 is a remake of the original 1989 game of the same name, with players again controlling Aarbron. And, it’s set to be released in March 2016.

23
Kill Strain

Developer: Sony San Diego
Publisher: Sony
Release Date: TBA 2016

Kill Strain is a fast-paced top-down competitive multiplayer action game that we haven’t heard a lot about since its original announcement at 2014’s PSX. It’s a free-to-play PS4 game that aims to not punish players with its microtransactions or payments. The game will feature a 5v2v5 structure, and we can’t wait to learn more about the game. Like many others, it was originally slated to be released in 2015, but it appears to be unofficially pushed into 2016.

24
Let it Die

Developer: Grasshopper Manufacture
Publisher: GungHo Onnline Entertainment
Release Date: TBA 2016

We love violent games, and Let it Die, previously titled Lily Bergamo, certainly appears to fit that title. It’s an upcoming hack and slash PS4 only game that was unveiled at Sony’s E3 2014 conference. It looks like an arena multiplayer game that takes an over-the-top violent tone.

25
Amplitude

Developer: Harmonix
Publisher: Harmonix
Release Date: January 1, 2016

Amplitude is a reboot of the 2003 cult classic music game, and the incredibly fun gameplay will see visual upgrades fit for the PS4. The game is set to release January 1, 2016.

26
Hellblade

Developer: Ninja Theory
Publisher: Ninja Theory
Release Date: 2016

Hellblade is still in the very early stages of development, so we wouldn’t be surprised if we saw it pushed to 2017. But, for now, it is scheduled for 2016 at some point. It will be a PS4 console exclusive, as it will also be coming to PC. The plot is based on Celtic myth, although the development team says that the game’s development started fresh, scrapping some of the game’s original ideas. So, we’re fully expecting it in 2017.

27
Hardware Rivals

Developer: Sony
Publisher: Sony
Release Date: January 5, 2016

Sony just recently announced the Hardware Rivals release date, which is now set to hit PS4 and PSN on January 5, 2016. It’s a vehicle combat game that will serve as the follow-up to PS2’s Hardware: Online Arena. It’s going to be $20.

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Bobby Bernstein
Bobby is the Co-Owner of Nerd Much?. He's the former Games Editor and current Shopping Editor at Heavy.com, former Editor in Chief of Den of Geek, and former bylines at HiConsumption, Slickdeals, Gamedeveloper.com, and more! He is also on Opencritic. He has been writing about nerdy stuff on the web for over 10 years. The best way to reach him is on Twitter.

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