Every Game Delay Announced in 2021 (So Far)

Game delays have become even more prevalent in 2021 as the pandemic has progressed, with productivity continuing to be affected by the logistical challenges and limitations of working from home. And with the pandemic still affecting how studios operate for the foreseeable future, that trend will likely continue throughout the year. To track the pandemic’s continued impact on game development, we’ve compiled a list of every game and notable DLC delay announced this year (so far). This article will be updated as more release dates and windows are inevitably pushed, but for now, here are all 25 delays announced in 2021. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-game-delay-announced-in-2021&captions=true"]

Outriders

• Delayed from February 2 to April 1, 2021

Developer People Can Fly announced the delay in early January, saying, “We have decided to move the release date of Outriders to April 1st 2021 (no joke!). We will spend this extra time fine tuning the game and focusing on delivering a fantastic play experience at launch.”

This is Outriders’ second delay; it was previously pushed from Holiday 2020 to February 2021.

Pragmata

• Delayed from 2022 to 2023

Pragmata’s delay was quietly revealed at the end of a sizzle reel shown during Sony’s 2021 CES panel. Capcom’s mysterious new game was initially given a 2022 release window.

Elite Dangerous: Odyssey

• Delayed from Early 2021 to Late Spring (PC) and Fall 2021 (Console)

Frontier Developments delayed its upcoming Elite Dangerous expansion due to the “ongoing impact of the pandemic.” The studio said the effects of the pandemic, “including the [U.K.’s] renewed lockdowns in 2021, continues to put added pressure on our teams and ultimately our development timeline.”

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Hogwarts Legacy

• Delayed from 2021 to 2022

On January 13 Portkey Games announced it was delaying its open-world Harry Potter action-RPG by a year. “Creating the best possible experience for all of the Wizarding World and gaming fans is paramount to us so we are giving the game the time it needs,” read a statement from the developer.

Cyberpunk 2077 Free DLC

• Delayed from Early 2021 to later in 2021

CD Projekt Red initially planned to begin releasing free Cyberpunk 2077 DLC in early 2021. However, that DLC may no longer hit its target window, as the developer has prioritized “working on the most important fixes and updates,” specifically for the poorly optimized PS4 and Xbox One versions of Cyberpunk.

Riders Republic

• Delayed from February 25 to later in 2021

On January 14 Ubisoft announced it was delaying Riders Republic from its former February release date to sometime “later” in 2021. “This additional time will allow our passionate team to deliver the best fun fueled experience to our players,” said the company.

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The Lord of the Rings: Gollum

• Delayed from Late 2021 to 2022

Originally set to be released later this year, The Lord of the Rings: Gollum will now arrive at some point in 2022. Publisher Nacon announced the new date for the stealth-focused Middle-earth adventure in late January, though it didn’t provide a reason for the delay.

Returnal

• Delayed from March 19 to April 30, 2021

Returnal was pushed from mid-March to late April “to give the team extra time to continue to polish the game to the level of quality players expect from Housemarque.” The roguelike third-person shooter will be released exclusively on PS5.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake

• Delayed from March 18 to "a later date."

The first game delay announced in February, and the ninth overall for the year, was Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake. According to Ubisoft, the extra development time will allow the team "to deliver a remake that feels fresh while remaining faithful to the original." A new release date wasn't announced.

This is the remake's second delay; it was previously pushed from January to March.

New World

• Delayed from Spring to August 31, 2021

In mid-February, Amazon announced it was delaying its upcoming MMO, New World, from spring to August 31. The development team will use the additional months to continue its work on "compelling end-game features," in addition to "polishing and fine tuning the whole game."

This is New World's second delay; it was previously pushed from August 25, 2020, to Spring 2021.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2

• Delayed from 2021 to an unannounced later date

Paradox Interactive delayed Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 out of its 2021 release window without announcing a new target date. Alongside the delay, the publisher announced Hardsuit Labs will no longer be leading development on the project. "A change" was needed, according to Paradox, "and, as a result, more development time is required."

Originally slated for Q1 2020, Bloodlines 2's troubled development has included multiple delays and departures of key talent, including the game's former creative director and senior narrative designer.

Gran Turismo 7

• Delayed from 2021 to 2022

GT7 was delayed from 2021 to 2022 due to "Covid-related production challenges," according to Sony. "With the ongoing pandemic, it’s a dynamic and changing situation and some critical aspects of game production have been slowed over the past several months," the company added.