The release timeline
A running timeline of every game release Crit Pick covers, newest first, in two kinds. Left Early Access is a game graduating to its 1.0 after a stretch in Early Access; Released finished is a game that shipped complete on day one, no Early Access detour. Pick a filter to see one or the other, or leave it on All. The list builds itself — every post or page tagged "full release" or "game release" lands here automatically, sorted by release date, so nothing goes stale between visits. Games still to come show up too, under the Upcoming filter, sorted by release date with a live countdown. Each entry links straight to the coverage.
Every release, sorted by date
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How the timeline works
The two kinds of release
Left Early Access covers a game that spent time in Early Access and has now hit its full 1.0 — the version the studio calls done. It carries a filled gold marker on the rail, because leaving Early Access is the bigger event for anyone who's been waiting. Released finished covers a game that launched complete from the start, with no Early Access period at all. Both are real launches; the split just tells you which path the game took to get there.
How the list stays current
Nothing on this page is typed by hand. It reads the Crit Pick feed and pulls in every post or page carrying the full release or game release tag, then sorts by each one's release date. Tag a new piece of coverage and it appears here on the next load — no edit to this page needed. That's the whole trick: the timeline is a view of the tags, not a list someone has to remember to update.
The date on each entry is the entry's published date. Set a post's published date to the game's actual release date and the timeline reads as a true release history rather than a list of when articles went up.
Upcoming games
A game that isn't out yet can't use its published date — a future date in Ghost just hides the post until then. So upcoming entries are tagged upcoming and carry their release date as structured data in the post itself: a schema.org block with a datePublished, which is also the date crawlers and AI read as the release date. The Upcoming filter reads that date, sorts soonest-first, and counts down to launch. No date set yet? The entry still shows, parked under "Date TBA."
Timeline questions, answered
What's the difference between "left Early Access" and "released finished"?
A game tagged "full release" left Early Access — it spent time in early-access builds and has now reached its full 1.0. A game tagged "game release" launched complete from day one, with no Early Access period. Both are full launches; the tag tells you which route the game took.
How is the timeline ordered?
Newest first, grouped by year. Within each year the most recent release sits at the top. The sort uses each entry's release date, so the page reads top-down from the latest launch.
Does it update on its own?
Yes. The list reads the Crit Pick feed live and shows everything tagged "full release" or "game release." Publish a new piece with one of those tags and it shows up here on the next load — there's no separate list to maintain.
Why is a game missing from the timeline?
Almost always because the coverage isn't tagged yet. Only posts and pages carrying the "full release" or "game release" tag appear here. If a release is missing, the fix is to add the right tag to its post — not to edit this page.
How do upcoming games get a release date?
Tag the post "upcoming" and add a small schema.org block to the post's code injection with a release date — a VideoGame with a datePublished, like "2026-11-14." That same date is what search engines and AI read as the game's release date, and the Upcoming filter uses it to sort and count down. If the date isn't known yet, the game still appears under "Date TBA" until you set one.
What date does each entry show?
The entry's published date, formatted in your local style. Because Ghost lets you set any published date, the convention is to set it to the game's actual release date — then the timeline reads as a genuine release history instead of a publishing log.
Where's the full list of games, not just releases?
This timeline is organised by release date. For a plain directory of every game Crit Pick covers — review hubs, game pages and upcoming alike — see all games, which you can sort A–Z or by release date and search by name.
Spotted a release we missed or a wrong date? The fix is usually a tag on the post. This timeline is built from Crit Pick's own coverage and reads it live — all game names, logos and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.