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PS4 Games: PlayStation 4 Black Friday 2016 Deals Look Strong For Holiday Sales — Christmas Shopping Starts Now

By Cal Jeffrey
Published on: 11:32 PST, Sep 22, 2016

Black Friday 2016 is November 25. Between now and then, there are more than 50 new PS4 games up for release. While it is not possible to predict which titles stores will offer Black Friday deals on, it is safe to assume that there will be some PlayStation 4 sales competing for the holiday dollar. New releases are less likely to see discounted prices. However, Indy titles and recently published games with lackluster initial sales may be offered up for Black Friday and Christmas shoppers. For this reason, it makes sense to look at upcoming PS4 games if for nothing else than to have them on the holiday shopping radar.

Historically, stores like Best Buy, GameStop, Walmart, Target, and even the PlayStation Store have offered Black Friday deals, and this year should be no different. With the release of the PlayStation 4 (slim) and PlayStation Pro, clearance sales on the older PS4 models are almost inevitable. Even popular PS4 games like Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End are likely to go on sale. Bargain hunters who may have missed some slightly older hit titles will have a field day finding them at sale prices.

Those looking for something new are also going to be searching for possible holiday deals. Even if stores do not discount any of the new releases, it is still a good idea to have some new titles on your list for the gamer in your family, even if it is you.

The next couple of months will have something in every genre to fit any mood or taste. While it is impossible to write about them all, each category has a few that are worth mentioning. A full list can be found at the end of the article.

Sports

The sports genre of video game has a fan base of loyal followers who expect a new game every year. As such, 2016 will see several PS4 games in this category released in the weeks leading up to Black Friday.

One popular series in this genre is FIFA soccer. Electronic Arts, producers of the franchise, changed things a bit with this year’s version of the game. According to Goal, FIFA 17 will see the addition of a new story mode called “The Journey.” Players will control a character named Alex Hunter as they guide him to stardom.

“This a campaign [sic] with a set plot just like EA’s Mass Effect and Dragon Age titles,” states Goal.

IGN gave FIFA 17 an 8.4 rating and said, “An absorbing story mode compensates for an occasional lack of match sharpness.”

FIFA 17 is due out on September 27.

Another exciting PS4 sports game coming out is 100ft Robot Golf. The game is what the title says: golf played with gigantic robots. The courses are set in destructible environments like cities, and as you could imagine, the destruction will be one of the best parts of the game.

Did that last shot put your ball right behind a skyscraper? No problem. Crush it.

IGN states, “Just swing your golf club to smash even the tallest buildings out of the way — or into the way of your robot golfing buddies.”

This quirky and fun sports twist is already available for pre-order on the PlayStation Store and will be released October 10.

The day after Robot Golf comes out, WWE 2K17 for PlayStation 4 will hit store shelves. This franchise has a long history, and this version is looking to be the best yet.

IGN describes the franchise as “the reigning and defending flagship WWE video game franchise champion” and claims the newest version will have “stunning graphics, ultra-authentic gameplay and a massive roster of WWE and NXT’s popular Superstars and Legends.”

WWE 2K17 comes out on October 11.

Racing

An offshoot of the sports genre of video game is racing. From pursuit games like the Need For Speed franchise to simulations such as Gran Turismo, racing is a favorite category for many gamers. PlayStation 4 will see its share of racing games before Black Friday 2016, one being Driveclub VR.

Although Driveclub is a new property in the racing genre, it was well received when it came out in October 2014. Now, two years later, Evolution Studios is releasing the latest in the series titled, Driveclub VR. As the name suggests, the game is going to be tailored for the PlayStation VR peripheral. In fact, it is just Driveclub ported to the VR format.

Even though Driveclub VR is a quasi-new title, iDigitalTimes reports that it will be selling for only $40 on release. That is $20 cheaper than most new games. Also, those who already own the Driveclub Season Pass will get an additional discount on the title. So maybe it can be called a Black Friday deal even without an official “sale.”

https://twitter.com/iDTScottC/status/779012849637076992

Both Driveclub VR and the PlayStation VR headset will be available on October 13.

Another racing title coming in October is WRC 6 FIA World Rally Championship. The WRC series originated on the PS2 back in 2001 and has spawned a dozen games since then. WRC 6 will be lucky 13 for the franchise.

BigTen Interactive’s newest rally racer will be more of the same as previous titles in the franchise. However, developers have listened to feedback from players and have made a few changes, according to IGN.

“WRC 6 FIA World Rally Championship will include narrower roads, longer special stages, and even a brand new challenging experience with head-to-head Super Special Stages. WRC 6 also features increases graphics and audio perception for players.”

These changes are “massive” for the game, which is due out sometime in October.

Roleplaying

Role-playing games (RPG) are practically a staple in any gamer’s library. The Final Fantasy series went far in making this true. The franchise has seen more sequels and spinoffs that any other RPG that comes to mind (97 to be exact). Just in time for Black Friday 2016, we will be seeing not one, but two Final Fantasy titles hitting the shelf.

According to a website called The Final Fantasy, World of Final Fantasy will be released October 25 for the PS4 and the Vita. The game is typical FF fair but is said to be geared more toward a younger audience. The game’s story revolves around a pair of siblings and incorporates many familiar creatures and characters from previous Final Fantasy titles.

For the more mature gamer, Square is also releasing its next proper Final Fantasy sequel a few days after Black Friday. Final Fantasy XV will be coming to PS4 and Xbox One on November 29. Like all FF games, Final Fantasy XV is not a sequel in the literal sense of the word. It will feature all new characters and an entirely unconnected storyline, but will still have some of the standard creatures, like the Chocobo, and gameplay features that make FF games familiar.

Star Trek Online is an RPG based on the popular television show Star Trek and it is already available to play for free. It has all the elements that one would expect from a Star Trek game as well as a few familiar faces. It plays much like Elder Scrolls Online or Neverwinter with players picking a class (engineer, science, or tactical officers) and progressing through the ranks.

Even though it is available now and is free to play, it is worth mentioning in a holiday shopping article because in-game currency can be purchased, which could make a perfect gift for players who like the game. Sometimes the stores within free-to-play games hold specials during holidays and other special events. It would not be surprising if the Star Trek Online store has some specials on in-game purchases for Black Friday.

Fighting

Fighting games are sparse this holiday season, especially ones with confirmed release dates. BlazBlue: Central Fiction, Brawlhalla, and Mother Russia Bleeds are all scheduled for a 2016 release, but the dates on those are still “to be announced.” One PS4 fighter that has been confirmed is Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2.

The first Dragon Ball Xenoverse was released last year to mixed reviews. The sequel may see a price reduction because of that and because it is coming out on Black Friday, but we will have to wait and see. If you do not want to wait for November 25 to play DBX2, the beta release starts on October 8.

More fighting games are due to come out in 2017 including the hotly anticipated titles Tekken 7 and Injustice 2. So fighting fans might have to wait until after Christmas to get their fix.

Shooter

Shooters are one of the most popular types of video games, and several PS4 games in this genre will be available for Black Friday shopping.

Titanfall 2 is one of the more anxiously awaited shooters coming out soon. Electronic Arts is hoping to capitalize on the popularity of Titanfall with its upcoming sequel. TF2 will feature similar gameplay and at least one new titan called the Scorch Titan. As the name implies, players will be able to fry their opponents with fire.

Titanfall 2 is set for release on October 28.

The Call of Duty franchise is also seeing a new iteration, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare. The game looks to continue in the CoD tradition, only this time Activision is taking it to space. Along with the new setting comes new gameplay mechanics including zero-gravity combat.

As a bonus, purchasing the CoD: Infinite Warfare Legacy or Digital Deluxe Edition will score a remastered version of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. The PlayStation Store has the Legacy Edition listed at $79.99, and the Deluxe Edition at $99.99. Pre-orders for both are being accepted, and the game hits brick-and-mortar stores on November 4 in case you want to put it under the Christmas tree.

Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary Edition World Tour, Hitman: Episode 5, and Battlefield 1 are also all due out before Black Friday.

Adventure

Adventure games are a little slower paced than a lot of other genres but are still just as fun. These types of games usually require more puzzle solving, but can still have action elements involved. They rely heavily on storytelling and are often just as enjoyable to the spectator as to the player.

Debatably the hottest property coming out before Christmas in the adventure category is The Last Guardian. The game follows in the footsteps of Shadow of the Colossus and Ico. The preview shown at E3 was gorgeous, and the gameplay elements seem unique while remaining reminiscent of its spiritual predecessors.

The game follows the adventure of a young boy and his giant creature/pet. The two of them overcome obstacles like collapsing bridges and precarious ledges by working together to find a way to proceed. The Last Guardian relies on visual storytelling because the main character speaks some strange foreign tongue, but that should not detract from the enjoyment. In fact, both Shadow and Ico had the same language element, and it only added to those games’ charm.

The Last Guardian is slated for a December 6 release, so it definitely will not make any Black Friday specials, but it will still be in time for Christmas morning.

Although an exact release date has not been pinned down, Telltale Games has the next edition of its Walking Dead franchise coming out in the fourth quarter of 2016. The company’s episodic adventures have done quite well, and the upcoming The Waking Dead: A New Frontier series will probably see similar results. Typically, Telltale adventures are released in “seasons” a few weeks apart. Seasons are ordinarily inexpensive individually, but it is often a better deal to get the Season Pass.

Whether shopping for yourself or a friend or family member, this holiday season seems to be shaping up quite well for PS4 games. While it is too early to know what will be on offer during Black Friday, it is nice to have a list at the ready. Even if none of the new titles go on sale at a discount, there are sure to be other Christmas specials and Black Friday deals that will save you enough money to warrant splurging on some of the upcoming PlayStation 4 games.

Check out IGN‘s full list of upcoming games here.

[Featured Image by Denis Doyle/Getty Images]

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