In most cases when a game is delayed, developers drop the news with an apologetic tweet and a solemn commitment to the quality of the game and the satisfaction of its fans. In the case of Shadow Warrior 3, however, developer Flying Wild Hog elected to deliver the bad news with the Shadow Warrior 3 Official 2022 Delay Trailer.
Shadow Warrior is one of my favorite reboots because it came out of nowhere and somehow managed to turn a forgettable (and notoriously problematic) shooter into a really good game. Shadow Warrior 2 took things in a different direction as a looter-shooter with “excellent combat and deep customization,” plus plenty of stupid jokes that, hey, you either like or you don’t.
Flying Wild Hog said last year that it aims to make Shadow Warrior 3 more akin to the first game by reducing the focus on character progression and weapon upgrades to ensure that players aren’t “standing in place for five minutes wondering what upgrade they should put on their weapon to increase some stat for whatever percent.” I think that’s the right approach: Shadow Warrior 2 was a lot of fun, but it lacked the focus and direction of its predecessor.
An exact launch date for Shadow Warrior 3 will be announced “soon.” In the meantime, you can find out more at shadowwarrior.com.