Every new calendar year there are one or two titles that all gamers look forward to in the upcoming gaming season, yet rarely does a list of releases look as impressive as the upcoming 2011 game list. Three games stand out more than nothing this year, and they all have one big thing in common: people have been waiting for them for a long time.

1. Diablo 3 (Blizzard) –– During years, devil 2 it was the nerve center of the competitive online world, and even to this day you can find thousands of players online at any one time hacking through demons or blasting through bosses for the millionth time in hopes of finding that ever-elusive Windforce. Now, after eleven long years, Devil 3 is set to reclaim the crown his series once held and take players back down the path of a hero, this time with a new crafting system and runes to add even more depth to what is expected to be one of the more replayable games. has never been done.

2. Defense of the Ancients 2 (Valve) — Defense of the Ancients, or DotA for short, is a phenomenon in the world of online multiplayer gaming. While most games are developed by large companies and distributed by major publishers, DotA began as a community mod for Blizzard’s popular Warcraft III game. After years of updates from the community and a massive increase in attention from fans who loved the unique gameplay, Valve managed to hire the latest DotA developer and patent the name for future use. Yes, that’s right, Valve pulled the mega-popular DotA game out from under Blizzard’s nose and is now developing dota 2whose launch is scheduled for early 2011.

3. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Bethesda) — The Elder Scrolls series gained popularity in 2002 when it released its third installment in the critically acclaimed series, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. Unlike many of the games of its time, Morrowind introduced players to the concept of a massive free world that put it up to the player to decide how they wanted to create and enjoy their experience. A few years later, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion was released, and while it initially garnered good reviews for its impressive graphics and reworked combat system, it was considered by many to be a disappointing continuation of the series, especially after the masterpiece that was Morrowind.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is the fifth installment in the series and is set to introduce several new features and enemies, including dragons, dungeons, and a controversial removal of the old class-based system. Many gamers are hoping that the 2011 release of Skyrim will be the true sequel worthy of building on the success of Morrowind, though only time will tell whether or not Bethesda’s latest installment can return the series to its glory days.