2023 Is Going to Be a Crazy Year for Games

Every year games we are interested in or even hoping for finally land in our hands. But it has been some time since a lineup like 2023 has occurred. There are so many games on my list for this coming year I will simply not be able to afford them all. As a matter of practicality, it just is not going to happen. So choices are going to need to be made. For that purpose, I have assembled this list of the most anticipated games coming over the next 12 months.

January

We start the year off with a bang, Square Enix brings us Forspoken for the PlayStation 5 and PC. We will be taking on the character of Frey Holland, a young girl from New York City transported to a strange and magical land known as Athia. Unfortunately, the land of Athia is under tyrannical rule, and getting home — if that is even possible won’t be easy. The demo for this title is available now with a full release date of the 24th of January 2023.

Keeping with the month of January we have the Dead Space (2023) remake from developer Motive Studio. The original Dead Space was, in my opinion, the scariest game ever made. I remember being blown away by the impressive sound design that really sold me on the environment. For those who never had a chance to play the original, you play as Issac Clarke, a systems engineer who is sent to repair the USG Ishimaru. The ship has not been responding to communications and what has happened on board is unknown. The remake will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC come the 27th of January 2023.

February

February brings us Steam’s number one most wishlisted game: Hogwarts Legacy by developer Avalanche Software. Starting as a fifth-year student late to your magical education, players will learn spells, explore the vast castle of Hogwarts and nearby areas, as well as attempt to discover the mystery behind a strange power their professors cannot explain. The game takes place in the 1890s so don’t expect to see too many familiar faces. You will be able to make friends/companions with new characters and enjoy a complete open-world RPG experience within the Harry Potter Universe. Hogwarts Legacy will release on the 10th of February 2023 for PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

Next, we have Sons Of The Forest by developer Endnight Games and the sequel to The Forest. Little is confirmed about the story of Sons of the Forest, though we can speculate. The game supposedly takes place on a remote cannibal-infested island owned by the Sahara corporation. The island is believed to be “Site 2”, and is larger than the peninsula players found themselves trapped on during the first game. Like before, players will need to gather resources and build defences to fend off the monsters living on the island. Survival will be paramount alongside exploration. Sons of the Forest drops on the 23rd of February 2023 on PC.

March

Though PlayStation owners have long since had access to the fantastic story presented in The Last of Us, those without a PlayStation console have been left waiting for its inevitable port to PC. That time is now. Prepare to take on the roles of Joel and Ellie as they travel across a post-apocalyptic United States that has been destroyed by a deadly mutant fungus. The Last of Us Part I will be arriving on PC on the 3rd of March 2023.

Star Wars fans can rejoice this March as developer Respawn Entertainment returns with the sequel to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor continues the story of Cal Kestis, players will once again be exploring worlds, fighting the Empire, and slicing down any Bounty Hunters looking to cash in on remaining members of the Jedi Order. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor releases on the 17th of March 2023, and will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

This next title is a remake of perhaps the most popular Resident Evil game ever made. The Resident Evil 4 (2023) remake is something I’ve been looking forward to from the moment Capcom remade Resident Evil 2. It holds good memories for me, even if the original was a bit absurd and cringy sometimes. For those unfamiliar, you take on the role of Leon Kennedy, no longer a police officer but rather an agent working for the U.S. Government. You have been tasked with retrieving the President's daughter Ashley Graham after she has been kidnapped. The Resident Evil 4 remake releases on the 24th of March 2023. Platforms it will be available on include: PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

May

Springtime will bring joy for Nintendo Switch owners as the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will grace us with its presence. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will once again give players the open-world adventure they experienced in the first game. Link will continue his battle against every pot and creature he sees on the 12th of May 2023.

June

Demons will rise and hell has no chance of freezing over this June as Blizzard Entertainment has finally given us a date for Diablo IV. Announced back in 2019, fans have eagerly been waiting for a fix to the franchise after the lacklustre entries of Diablo III and Diablo Immortal. Fingers crossed Diablo IV can deliver a return to the hellish RPG dungeon crawler of old. Diablo IV releases on the 6th of June 2023 on PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

While it is not our final entry, developer Square Enix will bring us Final Fantasy XVI (16) this coming June. Final Fantasy XVI will focus on the characters of Clive and Joshua. Taking place in a feudal setting full of steel breastplates and ballistae, the gameplay we saw in the Final Fantasy XVI trailer reminded me heavily of Dragon Age: Inquisition or even some segments of Devil May Cry 5. Final Fantasy XVI releases on the 22nd of June 2023 exclusively on PlayStation 5.

August

This is our final confirmed month of release, though it is always possible for games to be pushed back. Larian Studios has announced their aim for a full release of Baldur's Gate 3 this coming August 2023. The game has been in early access since the 6th of October 2020. However, without the ability to keep your progress from update to update, the wider gaming community has been waiting for the game to be complete before jumping in. Baldur’s Gate 3 is available for the PC and Mac.

Coming Sometime in 2023

Development of a game is a long process and the industry has been trying to work on eliminating crunch/overtime hours to bring about a healthier environment for the people who make the games we love. To that end sometimes all we get for a release date is the general year when they expect it will come out. This is the case for The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Starfield, Hytale, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. Oftentimes developers will choose an October through December release date for big AAA titles, so certainly don’t expect August to be the end of things.

So there we have it, our list for 2023 is complete. Hopefully, it has given you some idea of how to organise yourself for this coming year. If we missed a game you think should be on the list let us know in the comments section.

Edit: Just days after this was published Insomniac Games announced Marvel's Spider-Man 2 will release in the Fall of 2023 for the PlayStation 5.