The video game industry is expanding with every passing day. Streamers, competitive pros, bloggers, and influencers make a living walking us through the latest and greatest. Gamers are inundated with innovative new games, systems, and ways to play. It really is great to be a gamer.
2022 delivered some seriously genre defying experiences. From the punishing and atmospheric Elden Ring, to the vast end of the world epic of God of War: Ragnarok, there was no shortage of new and exciting experiences to sink into. But, if you can believe it, 2023 is fixing to deliver even more from the industry’s favorite IPs.
2023 would love to see us all return to Hogwarts, Hyrule, and New York City. Some of the most important publishers in the world are set to deliver new additions to their flagship game series. So, let’s take a look at the games we’re most excited to see in 2023.
Zoa.Arts/ShutterstockHogwarts Legacy
Gamers have been thirsting for an open world Harry Potter experience for a long time. Sure, Lego’s take on Harry Potter was a blast, and the film adaptations were a great excuse to re-engage in the fantastical universe, but none of them truly scratched the itch.1
Forget 2023, Hogwarts Legacy could be one of the most anticipated games this side of the 2000s. It’s the first, true open-world, AAA experience featuring a story that’s never been told before. In it, you play a lowly little Hogwarts student that happens to hold the key to a secret that holds the wizarding world in the balance.
Build your own character, put on the sorting hat, go to class to level up your skills, and experience the wizarding world of Harry Potter first-hand. Hogwarts Legacy is set to release on February 10, 2023 across all active console platforms and PC.
Resident Evil 4 Remake
2022 has been dubbed the year of the remake. Perhaps unfairly so. Either way, it’s hard to ignore the recent abundance of remade classics. The coming Resident Evil 4 remake isn’t like those games. RE4 is beloved by fans of the franchise and has deserved a full-scale remake for over a decade.
The atmosphere, story, and style deserve to be experienced by all. But the gunplay and the graphics are in desperate need of an upgrade. Gaming has come a long way since the 2005 release of the original, but there’s always demand for an engaging zombie thriller. The Resident Evil 4 Remake is set to be released on PS5, PS4, Steam, and Xbox Series X/S on March 24, 2023.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
It’s only recently that PC players finally understood what Sony-fanboys have been saying since 2018: next-gen Spider-Man slaps. Swinging around an open world at top-speed and taking down every baddy you see is just plain fun. The epic Spider-Man story, interesting cast of new and familiar characters, and a million different suits to slide into are just icing on the cake.
Yes, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is slated to be released in 2023.2 And other than a few storyline beats that veterans of the first game found out about, that’s about all we really know. To be fair, those of us that loved Spider-Man and Miles Morales don’t really need to know any more. But some news about the much anticipated Playstation 5 exclusive’s launch date sure would be nice.
Street Fighter 6
Street Fighter 6 looks to usher in a new era of fighting games in 2023. The game promises to deliver the same, world-class fighting mechanics fans and professionals yearn for. But Capcom has expanded the single player offerings to include three distinct game modes called Fighting Ground, World Tour, and Battle Hub.
It’s a notable change for a franchise and genre not known for sweeping thematic overhauls. On release, Street Fighter 6 will be available to play on the PS5, PS4, and Xbox Series S and X consoles. It’ll be playable on Steam at launch too. Unfortunately we haven’t yet been given an official release date, but Capcom expects to ship it in 2023.3
Hollow Knight: Silksong
It’s a meme at this point, but Hollow Knight: Silksong is coming soon. The developer has revealed that the hotly anticipated continuation to the Hollow Knight saga will release on all platforms in 2023.4
That gives you plenty of time to play the first one if for some reason you haven’t yet had the pleasure. The first Hollow Knight combined metroidvania and soulsborne elements to create a bonafide indie masterpiece.
Gamers don’t know a lot about the Silksong, but we don’t need to either. Just give us a date and take our money already!
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
The Zelda franchise is still running hot off the back of the boundary-breaking 2017 release of Breath of the Wild. It’s been over five years, and the impact of Breath of the Wild is still being discussed and felt. It really is that good.
Zelda hype is always a thing, but a darker, more mature sequel to Breath of the Wild is something else entirely. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is slated for release on May 12, 2023. Apart from the release date and a few screenshots, there isn’t much known about the game. But going in cold is what Switch-era Zelda is all about.5
In short, everyone with a Nintendo Switch has May 12th, 2023 circled on every calendar in their house.
Starfield
If you can believe it, Bethesda Games is planning to release an open world RPG in 2023 not named Skyrim. Starfield is a next-gen open world experience set in outer space. It’s the first new universe from Bethesda Game Studios in 25 years, and it’s been a long time coming. The game was first teased in 2018, and was at one time slotted for a 2022 release.6
Bethesda Game Studios has carved a unique path through gaming culture thanks in large part to genre-defining RPG IPs like Fallout and Elder Scrolls. If Starfield is as good as the trailers and gameplay snippets suggest, the industry is in for a real treat. Starfield is an Xbox exclusive, with plans to release in 2023.
Final Fantasy XVI
Few gaming IPs boast a legacy more impressive or expansive. The Final Fantasy brand has been used on everything from tactical mobile games to MMORPGs. But mainline entries into the storied Final Fantasy franchise are never without fanfare.
The long rumored Final Fantasy XVI was teased in September of 2020, and is set to be released in the summer of 2023. The franchise seems to have moved on from their sci-fi aesthetic in favor of a more medieval vibe. Whenever it’s released, the game will be a timed PS5 exclusive before it makes its way to other platforms.7
The Wait Is On
There isn’t much left to do now but work through your backlog, read breaking video game news, and wait. Thankfully it doesn’t look like you’ll have to wait too long. Some of 2023’s most anticipated games will be out in the early part of the year.
As agonizing as waiting may be, at least we all know it’ll be well worth it. If Hollow Knight: Silksong, Spider Man 2, Final Fantasy XVI, and Hogwarts Legacy even come close to meeting our expectations then 2023 could be the greatest year in gaming history.
