Best Holiday Video Game Releases
Every year more epic video games are being released, and the holiday season is no exception. This isn’t an accident, since Christmas is a pivotal time of year for video game sales. Between travel, decorations, food, gifts and booze, Australians are set to spend $1,325 per person during the holidays. On top of showcasing our unbridled holiday spirit, these figures add up to a staggering $25 billion. Even though 43% of Australians are aiming to curb their holiday spending in 2019, this is still a bonanza for retailers and holiday video game releases alike.
Everyone is trying to get a piece of the holiday action, and video game developers are no exception. Currently, over two thirds of Australians play video games. That breaks down to 62% of all working adults, which is a demographic too enticing for any developer to ignore. Now that video games have gone mainstream, they are a massive part of daily life in Australia. Last year Aussies spent $4.029 billion on video games and hardware. That marked a 25% increase in spending than 2017, and 2019 is poised to be another banner year.
As Australia gears up for the holidays, plenty of freshly released video games are making onto our shopping lists. Thanks to the constant flood of new releases, Aussies are inundated with choices. Picking the right video game can be a daunting task, since there are literally too many games for one person to play. To shed some light on what’s available, we compiled a list of the best holiday video game releases. These games made their debut just in time for Christmas, so discover which ones are stealing the show!
Top Holiday Video Game Releases in 2019
Video Game #3: Civilization VI – When Firaxis Games released this PC strategy game in 2016, they shook up the entire industry. Players were enchanted by the process of surviving in this marvelous series of 18 fantasy worlds. From Victorian England to the Mongol Empire, this game allowed users to indulge in various civilizations. Even though the periods and empires couldn’t have been more different, the base strategy remains the same. The clock is ticking to collect resources and build up your civilization before it gets destroyed by your enemies.
Expanding civilizations and transforming barren land into thriving cities proved to be a winning combination. Over 1 million units of Civilization VI were purchased within its first two weeks of release, which made it the fastest selling addition of the franchise. By May 2017, it surpassed 2 million sales. This wild popularity led to the game expanding to multiple platforms. In November 2019, Civilization VI made its highly anticipated debut on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Players can finally get a piece of the action on consoles, so add this strategy game to your holiday gift-list!
Video Game #2: Death Stranding – Through a rare combination of talented actors and an original storyline, this stealth game takes users on the adventure of a lifetime. Death Stranding showcases the aftermath of the invasion of creatures that linger in-between the realms of life and death. Players are plunged inside a cargo delivery man’s routine as he tries to deliver packages to remote outposts. This post-invasion version of the United States is infested with otherworldly monsters and gangs of bandits, which makes completing the missions a complicated task. This game was developed by the creators of Metal Gear Solid, so dive back into their delightfully unique game style!
Video Game #1: Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order – Even though there’s no shortage of Star Wars games, this one manages to stand out. Respawn Entertainment went to great lengths to make this releases unique, and most critics agree that they succeeded. Players get to accompany a young Jedi Padawan named Cal Kestis as he tries to evade capture by the Galactic Empire. The Inquisitor known as the Second Sister is hot on his trail, so he has to flee throughout the galaxy. The game recently got released on November 15th, which is perfect timing for the holidays. It’s currently available on Windows, Playstation 4 and Xbox One, so don’t miss out on this intergalactic adventure!