The Game Releases of November 2011 Make it the Best Gaming Month Ever

I don’t think you realize how crazy November 2011 will be

By Brian Shea on 09 August 2011 in BrainCandy, Shea's Say with 42 Comments

Alright, alright we get it. November is going to be ridiculous, we’re all going to be broke, and we should probably just spend all our vacation time that we were saving up for the holidays in November. Here’s the thing: you don’t even realize how crazy it will be. You may think you do, but, quite frankly, you don’t.

Let’s put things into perspective here. On one day, November 15th, there will be more AAA titles released than there have been in any entire month up to this point in 2011. That’s just one day! That doesn’t include what will likely be the top-selling game of the year, if not all-time, which is set to release right before that date! This month is just so stupidly busy. In fact, I would wager that November 2011 will be looked back upon as the greatest month in gaming history. Check out the games below and you’ll begin to understand this mindset.

So why are all of these games coming out so close to one another? Well, during our discussion with Drew Holmes, writer for Saints Row: The Third, he told us that many of the release dates are set long before any of the other dates are announced by rival studios. This could certainly explain the incredible mash-up that will be occurring on November 15th, but the real question is: why not delay a game that comes out around that time?

Well, the answer to that question is certainly revolving around getting the games out in time for holiday shopping, particularly Black Friday, which kicks off that exact season. This year, Black Friday falls on November 25th, after all of the games mentioned earlier in this article have launched. Best Buy is always known for its insane early-bird sales, and Amazon.com is definitely going to have a game or two from this list available at a discount for their Cyber Monday sale, which will occur on November 28th this year.

REQUIRED GAMING

Perhaps the worst part about this month is that there are very few missable titles for the hardcore gamers. Let me explain. Nearly every title listed is a sequel in a franchise that a large percent of the gaming population is already invested in. That means that everyone who played and enjoyed The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion is likely going to want to pick-up Skyrim. The same goes for people who played Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. Keep in mind that none of these groups are mutually exclusive. Just because someone is loyal to the Elder Scrolls series doesn’t mean they don’t adore Call of Duty.

Also, there are three huge remake-style titles releasing in November, meaning that people who love the nostalgia of playing an old favorite with a fresh coat of paint and new list of features will want to check out Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, and the most fully-featured remake-style game, Sonic Generations. In fact, Sonic Generations will be particularly difficult to skip, thanks to it having the potential to be the strongest title in the classic series since before the Dreamcast.

Keep in mind, there are plenty of huge titles coming out just before the start of this month as well, including Battlefield 3, Batman: Arkham City, and Gears of War 3 within 45 days of the start of November. So how on earth can gamers even hope to keep up with these game releases? As far as money is concerned, the best way will obviously be to budget for the games. Start prioritizing your November releases now and set out your plan of attack. If you need help with that, I’ve got another article coming down the pipeline that you may be very interested in.

As far as keeping up with these releases in terms of having the time to play them all, well, you’re left to your own devices to figure that one out. All I can say is “good luck!”

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Written by Brian Shea (410 Posts)

Obsessed with music and video games, associate editor Brian Shea has worked for several different rock music and gaming sites over the course his writing career. He contributes such regular features to VGW as “Shea’s Say” and “Essential Gaming." He also co-hosts VGW's "Unlimited Ammo" podcast. Follow him on Twitter for opinions, rants, and an occasional awful joke.