2023 was an exceptional year for gaming. We were spoiled with releases like Tears of the Kingdom and Baldur’s Gate 3 — and surprised by titles like Lethal Company. Right now, it looks like next year will be another good one. These are the 10 most anticipated games coming in 2024.
2024’s Top 10 Most Anticipated Upcoming Games
10. Princess Peach: Showtime
Release Date: March 22, 2024
Many years ago, I played Super Princess Peach, excited that she finally got to be the protagonist in her own game. Now, in 2024, we’re getting Princess Peach: Showtime, and the concept looks like so much fun.
We have a whodunit-style story with Peach as the detective, and she’s not fighting with her emotions this time. No, she’s picking up a sword and taking her fight directly to the Sour Bunch. Overall, this looks like it will be a ton of fun and a fresh take on what games in the world of Mario can be.
9. Tekken 8
Release Date: January 26, 2024
Tekken 8 will kick off the year by focusing on aggressive playstyles and mixing new features with those returning from Tekken 7. While there’s chip damage that lets you recover health, you’ll only be able to recover health by attacking your opponent.
I’ll admit that I’m not the biggest fan of fighting games. And I’m certainly not the best at them, but even I appreciate how good it looks in the trailers. The cinematic style looks incredible, combined with the combat. I could be convinced to enter battle with one of the 32 confirmed characters coming in the game.
8. Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl
Release Date: TBD 2024
2024 is bringing exciting titles to all genres, and Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl should be a treat for any horror fans. It’s a survival horror with a first-person shooter camera style. And it’s a bit of a gaming miracle, like Dead Island 2, because it was originally supposed to release in 2012 before it was, unfortunately, canceled.
Thankfully, its development restarted in 2018. Now, we’re looking at a 2024 release for the first game in the series in 15 years. We’ll finally get to explore the horrors it contains along with its non-linear story, and I’m definitely looking forward to its multiple endings.
7. Persona 3 Reload
Release Date: February 5, 2024
Persona 3 Reload is a faithful remake of Persona 3. It’ll include all the social simulator and traditional role-playing elements that you’re familiar with in the series. Although there have been ports of the original Persona 3 released over the years, it’s due for a revamp, considering it’s from 2006. So, we’ll finally get to experience a mixture of school days and dungeon delving with a remake rather than a remaster. And you’ll have the option to play as a female protagonist once again.
6. Rise of the Ronin
Release Date: March 22, 2024
Rise of the Ronin looks like an Elden Ring-style game set in the Edo period rather than a completely fictional world, featuring the Boshin War. It’s being developed by the studio that made Nioh and Ninja Gaiden.
It lets us dive into open-world action with a character of our own creation. You’ll get to make choices that change your story, such as killing an NPC or protecting them, which seems to imply that there will be multiple endings as well. In trailers, Rise of the Ronin looks gorgeous with plenty of action, so I’m definitely excited to try it.
5. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Release Date: January 26, 2024
The next entry in Like a Dragon actually takes the series to Honolulu, Hawaii, with Infinite Wealth being a direct sequel to Yakuza: Like a Dragon. This series has been full of hilarious minigames, story moments, and combat moves in a turn-based system, but mixed with the heart and soul of occasionally serious moments.
Given how much fun other installments have been, it’s hard not to have high hopes for Infinite Wealth, and I assume that it’ll continue to bring with it the amount of fun its predecessors had. I certainly look forward to Kiryu’s island adventure to reunite Kasuga with his mother!
4. Skull and Bones
Release Date: February 16, 2024
Look, it feels like a good pirate game is hard to find, but I have high hopes for Skull and Bones. In it, you’ll get to play with up to two friends during the Golden Age of Piracy. It’ll be a tactical action game, but you’ll get to explore an open world and customize your ship. You’ll also have to keep wind positioning in mind, which I think will be an interesting component for creating strategies.
Overall, it looks like there’s a lot to look forward to in Skull and Bones. My biggest concern for what will make or break the game for me is the microtransactions the devs said will be included. I wonder how they’ll be implemented and if it’ll make it a pay-to-win style game.
3. Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
Release Date: TBD
The sequel to Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, not too much is known yet about Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2. However, the trailer shown for it at The Game Awards was incredible. The visuals are stunning and mixed with intense combat scenes, which we know have required Melina Juergens to undergo demanding training as the actor for Senua.
We also know that it’s set in Iceland, and the devs are aiming for an ominous atmosphere. Given what I saw in the trailer, I’d say that “ominous” is definitely a fitting description. But since Hellblade was such a gem, I can’t wait to see what Hellblade 2 brings.
2. Star Wars Outlaws
Release Date: TBD 2024
The Star Wars universe continues to expand with Star Wars Outlaws, which is set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. However, it doesn’t look like we’re really dealing with the Jedi this time because this story is about an outlaw and her companion attempting one of the biggest heists.
The Fallen Order and Jedi: Survivor both have set high expectations for Star Wars games, so hopefully Outlaws lives up to the hype. I’m excited for a new journey that includes planets we know and love, as well as planets that we’ve never gotten to see before.
1. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Release Date: February 29, 2024
It’s been a few years since Final Fantasy 7 Remake released, and we’ll finally get to experience the second part of that trilogy in 2024 with Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. With how many questions and speculations are floating around regarding what will change and what will stay the same from the original storyline, it’s hard not to be excited to get a few answers. Although, we’ll certainly end up with far more questions again anyway. Still, I need to know if Aerith will die again. And how is Zack Fair alive after we saw him die?
And that wraps up our list of 10 most anticipated games coming out in 2024. 2023 was great, and it looks like next year has no intentions of toning down the number of amazing games we get to experience. But if you want suggestions on what to play now, check out topics like 10 games like Baldur’s Gate 3 you should play now or the 10 best board games of 2023.
Published: Jan 1, 2024 12:00 pm