Most Anticipated Online Multiplayer Games For 2024 And Beyond

2024 is almost halfway done, meaning that at least half or more of this year’s new titles have already been launched. Some of them, like Dragon’s Dogma II and Helldivers II, have been great, while others not so much. 

Regardless, many exciting titles are still coming over the rest of the year. These are some of the most anticipated co-op and online platform games announced for the last months of 2024 and beyond.

Earth Defense Force 6

Earth Defense Force (EDF) is a 3D shooter in which players must defend Earth from various space invaders. The series is known for putting players against all threats, from giant bugs and machines with giant tentacles to the occasional kaiju visit.

The plot might sound similar to a certain shooting game obsessed with democracy. But unlike Helldivers, the EDF takes inspiration from Japanese Kaiju and Invaders movies to make the gameplay more spectacular.

Instead of grounded machine guns, players are given super weapons like missile launchers, jetpacks, and even a giant mecha. Anything is valid to defend themselves and the Earth from the invaders’ threat.

EDF 6 will be released on July 25th for PS4, PS5, and Steam. Like in previous entries, players can take missions online with friends or offline with split-screen.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Fans of Warhammer and the Emperor rejoice! The long-awaited sequel to Space Marine (SM) is confirmed to be released on September 9th for PS5, Xbox Series X, and Steam.

The game will once again put players in the suits of the Space Marines, surgically modified soldiers who fight under the orders of the Emperor.

According to the 10-minute gameplay trailer released last year, Space Marine 2 will keep its third-person shooting gameplay. It’ll also follow up the story of Lieutenant Titus in its never-ending crusade against the Tyranids and forces of Chaos.

However, unlike its predecessor, the SM 2 campaign will be completely playable in co-op. Players can team up with two other friends to handle all the fierce battles that await them as servants of the Emperor.

ARK 2

Fans of dinosaurs, survival, and making vast amounts of poop will have a blast soon. ARK 2 has been confirmed to be released sometime around the end of the year for Xbox Series X&S and PC.

First announced at the 2020 Game Awards, the long-awaited sequel will have players roaming the wild lands and looking for resources again. Surviving won’t be easy, though, since dinosaurs and other players will be a constant threat.

Studio Wildcard has revealed that the game is being developed in Unreal Engine 5. As the first trailer showed, it’ll feature Vin Diesel as Santiago, a clone of the protagonist of the first ARK.

Diesel will also be onboard as executive producer. According to Microsoft and Wildcard, the famous actor has over 1,000 hours of playtime on ARK: Survival Evolved, making him perfect for feedback over the final stages of production.

So far, there have been no updates about the gameplay or PC requirements. But Steam confirms that the game will feature both Online PVP and Co-Op. 

Regarding size, the first ARK was over 128 GB. The sequel might be over 200 GB, so players will have to start making space on their drives if they want to play it.

Marvel Rivals

Marvel Rivals is a hero shooter that reunites many popular characters from Marvel Comics, like Spider-Man, Dr. Strange, Storm, and many others. The heroes must fight with each other to save and protect their respective universes before Dr. Doom destroys them entirely.

Recently announced on March 27th, the game uses a Team PVP system, allowing players to team up with their friends or other players and fight in different scenarios of the Marvel universe, like Yggsgard or the Tokyo of 2099. 

Players can use team-up attacks using specific characters (like Groot and Rocket) to unleash powerful combos to decimate the opponents or go solo to pick them one by one. 

The game doesn’t have a current release date, although it’s expected to be launched in the first quarter of 2025. However, those who don’t want to wait that long can start applying for the current beta, which is available on PC.  

Monster Hunter: Wilds

Nobody can dispute that Monster Hunter has become a worldwide sensation, with World and Rise becoming some of the best-selling games in Capcom history.

Announced at the end of the Game Awards 2023, Monster Hunter Wilds will celebrate the series’ 20th anniversary, bringing players together to once again challenge enormous monsters through many beautiful ecosystems.

After the trailer was released, Capcom announced on the game X’s account that they would reveal more information about Wilds during summer, so hunters will have to wait a bit longer to learn more about it.

Conclusion

Half of the year is done, but there are still plenty of games left for all. Besides the titles mentioned here, there might be more surprises in the upcoming Summer Game Fest, so players better stay tuned. 

feature image: Pixabay