December is not typically a big month for the gaming industry in terms of new releases or major events. Most of the time, the biggest releases happen in November, with publishers trying to get everything out in time forBlack Fridayand the holiday shopping rush. However, December is a little different this year, with one December date in particular standing out as especially crowded for gamers.
December 10 is set to be one of the biggest days of 2020 for the gaming industry. It will see the launch of what is arguably the year’s biggest and most significant release, as well as the start of a major event in one of the world’s most popular games. Not only that, but December 10 is also a day when gamers can expect to see some major announcements for titles that are in development for 2021 and beyond.
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Here is why December 10 is such a big date for the gaming industry this year.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War/Warzone Season 1
Call of Duty: Warzoneremains one of the world’s most popular games, sitting on top of the battle royale mountain alongside titles likeApex LegendsandFortnite. Come December 10,Call of Duty: Warzonewill be changing forever, as that’s when it will beintegrated with the recently releasedCall of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, the latest main series entry in Activision’s long-running shooter franchise.
Call of Duty: Warzone’s integration withBlack Ops Cold Warwill kick off the game’s Season 1, which will see all ofCold War’s guns added toWarzone. From that point forward, fans will have the option of using theirModern WarfareorBlack Ops Cold Warloadouts in the battle royale, which should lead to some interesting meta shifts, to say the least. Beyond that,Warzonefans may also be able to look forward to some significant new content in Season 1.
A newCall of Duty: Warzoneexperience has been teased as part ofBlack Ops Cold WarSeason 1. And while we know very little about it in an official capacity, it seems like it will feature a new area for players to explore, with one of the most persistent theories being thereturn of Alcatraz island. However, it should be stressed that Treyarch hasn’t explained its planned newWarzoneexperience, and it’s possible that it won’t even be added until a few weeks after Season 1 officially starts, so fans should keep that in mind.
Meanwhile,Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold Waritself should be getting a content dump come Season 1 on December 10. This will include new game modes, maps, and more, with Treyarch whetting fans' appetites with the recent release of theNuketown ‘84 map. What exactly Season 1 has in store remains to be seen, but more details should come to light as we get closer to the big December 10 start date.
Cyberpunk 2077
Another reason why December 10 is such a big date for gamers and the industry in general is thanks to the long-awaited launch of CD Projekt Red’sCyberpunk 2077. The highly-anticipatedCyberpunk 2077has been hit with multiple delayssince it was originally announced seven years ago, but now it seems that the long wait is finally coming to an end. The massively ambitious open world game is expected to be one of the year’s best, and it will be exciting to see if it lives up to the hype.
Cyberpunk 2077’s December 10 launchis an event in and of itself, with other game publishers actually moving their release dates around to avoid having to compete with it. CD Projekt Red has a tremendous track record when it comes to producing high-quality open world gaming experiences, and so here’s hoping thatCyberpunk 2077lives up to fan’s lofty expectations come December 10.
The Game Awards
And finally, December 10 is set to be a huge day for gamers thanks to the annual tradition known as The Game Awards. The Game Awards this year may not have a large audience like it usually does thanks to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, but it’s still set to be a huge night for the industry. It’s at the event wherehost Geoff Keighleyand a slew of special guests will announce the Game Awards winners, as well as reveal a host of world premieres.
The Game Awards’ world premieres have made it a can’t-miss event for anyone that follows the gaming industry, and this year should be no different. One of the biggest rumors is that theSilent HillPS5 rebootwill be at the show, but fans should keep their expectations in check. While this has been claimed by some reputable industry insiders, theSilent HillPS5 reboot has been rumored for events earlier this year as well, only for it to never show up.
Whether or not theSilent HillPS5 reboot is at The Game Awards remains to be seen, but regardless, fans should still be able to look forward to some big world premieres and plenty of surprises. The Game Awards will start on December 10 at 4pm PT/7pm ET, so fans should mark their calendars.
