It is without a doubt that this year has been one of the best years in gaming in a long time. The ridiculous number of high quality triple AAA releases has been dominating compared to previous years. While many of us are still deep in one of the many 100+ hour RPG’s released this year, looking forward shows that we may not be catching a break anytime soon. In terms of what has been announced, there is already a plethora of amazing games that are slated to release in 2024. This isn’t even considering games that have yet to be announced or have no official release windows either.
These are some the biggest upcoming games to look forward to in 2024 in no particular order.
Tekken 8
Fans of the fighting game genre have had plenty to keep them occupied recently. Mortal Kombat 1 and Street Fighter VI have both released and are enjoying their time in the spotlight. Tekken 8 was originally supposed to be among that line-up, but unfortunately had to be delayed into 2024. It surely would have made for a crazy year with three of the biggest fighting franchises all duking it out to see who would come out on top in one year. This may be a better alternative though, as it gives Tekken the time it deserves in the spotlight after the hype has died down for the others. You can play quite soon too. It releases on January 26th, 2024. All that really matters though? You can still play as the Panda, Kuma.
Stellar Blade
While 2023 was a great year for gaming in general. Sony has been generally quiet compared to previous years. Most of the games they had announced had either silently been delayed or given the radio silence treatment. Stellar blade, previously known as Project Eve, was originally announced to be coming in 2023, but will be coming sometime in 2024 instead. Coming from developer Shift Up, Stellar Blade is a third-person action adventure game set in a brand new universe. Players can expect stylish Devil May Cry-esque combat along with an interesting story that tasks you with saving humanity from extinction. This game will require more than just mindless button mashing, as it boasts a difficult and rewarding level of challenge along with some incredibly memorable bossfights.
Dragon’s Dogma 2
Dragon’s Dogma 2 is a large open world RPG being developed by Capcom. It has been more than a decade since the original Dragon’s Dogma released in 2012, so the improvements and enhancements are immediately noticeable. Dragon’s Dogma 2 is being developed using the RE engine which has already proven its capabilities with the high quality Resident Evil games as of late. The game will immerse the player in a highly detailed fantasy world that has tons to explore and accomplish. You can choose your party of pawns, bringing company along with you on your journey and allowing you to form bonds in this single player experience. Mythological creatures, powerful magick, and a grand open world quest all await anyone who is interested in picking this up in 2024.
Black Myth: Wukong
Black Myth: Wukong originally came out of nowhere and surprised everyone with its polished gameplay and flashy fight sequences back in 2020. Chinese developer, Game Science, has managed to stay incredibly faithful to the legacy and history of the Wukong character as well, including many of his powers and incorporating them into his fighting style in interesting ways. This game is finally set to release in 2024 using Unreal Engine 5 and fans could not be more excited. It is described as a light souls-like that sees you fighting all different manner of monstrosities from Chinese folklore. As the game progresses, Wukong will be able to add to his power set by defeating bosses giving him many different ways to overcome challenges as time goes on. This semi-open world is sure to impress anyone who is a fan of beautiful looking third-person action adventure games. Game Science has narrowed down the year, but has yet to tell when in 2024 we can finally get our hands on this.
Silent Hill 2 Remake
Silent Hill 2 remake is a game that we have all wanted for a very long time. This franchise has been stagnant for some time, the last piece of content we experienced was the infamous P.T. demo by Hideo Kojima. This remake is taking a page out of the Capcom’s Resident Evil remakes. It pulls the camera in close for a third-person viewpoint that accelerates the horror elements throughout the game and increases the tense feelings of unease the series is famous for.
The last piece of information we have on this game was a note from the developers stating that it is progressing well and they have been diligently working on the title. The developers understand the love and respect the franchise commands from fans and intend on keeping that benchmark high. While there is no official release date as of yet, with the progress the developers have made so far, it seems to be a sure thing it will hit the market in 2024.
Call of Duty: 2024
Not much is known about this upcoming years Call of Duty title, but you can be sure as ever that it’s coming. Call of Duty is handled by a rotation of different developers each year and this time around it will be Treyarchs turn to develop this years next entry. They are best known for their past Call of Duty Black Ops titles and if rumors are true, they will be following a similar path again this time around as well.
This years game will be set in the 90’s and will be using the Gulf war as its set piece. You will take the role of a CIA operative and be placed into scenarios dealing with some of history’s greatest threats from that time like Saddam Hussein. The premise and pitch seem incredibly solid so hopefully they can pull it off and feature not only a great multiplayer experience, but a single player one as well.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
It seems as though 2024 is set to be just as good of a year for nostalgic and faithful remakes as 2023 was. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door was recently revealed in a Nintendo Direct and people couldn’t be happier. This particular entry in the Paper Mario franchise is often said to be the best of all of them. It features some of the greatest gameplay the series has ever seen as well as the most memorable laugh out loud moments. This title has been praised for its turn-based combat, outside the box puzzles, and changing party members throughout its story. With an eye-catching new coat of paint, this remake comes to life, looking better than it ever has. Nintendo has given players new and old no excuse not to experience one of the best Mario games ever made with this remake. No specific release date has been given yet other than a general “winter” 2024 at the time of writing.
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Hollow Knight has cemented itself as one of the best indie titles of all time. A huge map to explore, variable interesting powers, and dozens of unique bosses to face. It is no wonder that the sequel is as anticipated as it is. From what we know about the sequel, it seems as if they are taking everything great about the first game and multiplying it tenfold. This game features a new protagonist, The Hornet, who appears to be much more acrobatic in nature than The Knight. This should allow for some much more stylish and free flowing combat that is sure to feel fresh and satisfying. While this game has yet to be officially delayed into 2024, it looks to be an inevitability as each day passes. The game was first expected to release in 2023, after delays and radio silence, it is safe to assume that the first half of 2024 is the likely release date. Either way, the developers over at Team Cherry can take as long as they need. I am sure we would all much rather play something that is polished and complete than rushed for the sake of hitting a date.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the sequel to the critically acclaimed Final Fantasy VII Remake. While the game shares many similarities with its original PlayStation game, do not expect this to be a shot for shot retelling of the same story. Square Enix has taken an interesting approach to this remake by branching away from the original to tell a new story that will still coincide with the original. While risky if not done right, so far the games have been favorable in the eyes of the fans. The good news is that this gives new players an easy avenue to jump into these new games without having to play or understand the original. From what has been released so far, the gameplay, animation, and graphics all seem to be astonishingly high quality. There is no doubt that this game is already looking to be a game of the year contender before it has even released. You can expect to play this as early as February 29th, 2024 as long as no delays are made.
Hades II
The first Hades won game of the year at The Game Awards in 2018. For the sequel, the hype and expectations are incredibly high, and Supergiant Games is set to deliver exactly what people have been waiting for. Hades II has the same rogue-like dungeon crawling madness that made the original so beloved by fans. The rewarding nature of the game saw that you were always making progress in some way and learning something new even when you were dying. Whether it would be a new powerful combination of boons to use or a fascinating piece of lore. There was always something to discover. Hades II looks to be taking everything that made the first game work and delivering it in a fresh and interesting way. New mythological gods and powers to play with, new weapons and locales, and a brand new protagonist and story that will ensure that this game is firing on all cylinders when it releases in Q2 of 2024.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
It is hard to tell from its presentation, but this series was created by an indie studio, Ninja Theory. After the first game, they were recognized for their talent and bought by Microsoft. Now they will be releasing the sequel as an exclusive for the company and their fans. While the identity and direction of the game had not shifted, the access to Microsoft’s resources is sure to have bolstered the development allowing the studio to create something truly magnificent. The first game was, without a doubt, a masterpiece in auditory storytelling. The protagonist, Senua, is stricken with schizophrenia in a medieval fantasy world. This created so many opportunities for strange and unique gameplay moments where the voices in your head could go from second guessing your actions as the player or providing hints that were contextual within the game world. Not much of the sequel has been shown outside of a few trailers so far, but if the vibe and game design is anything like the original, it is sure to be a wonderful addition to Microsoft’s line-up. This is another game that does not have a specific release date outside a general 2024.
Rise of the Ronin
Rise of the Ronin was first showcased by Sony in 2022. Since then, very little has come out about the game. While at a glance it may seem it is another Ghost of Tsushima, but that is far from the truth. Rise of the Ronin is set in 1863 Japan and follows the story of a masterless samurai where the choices you make will alter the story considerably. The game also features loads of impressive gameplay elements in its open world for you to play with like gliding and period authentic firearms to use in combat. If the studio behind this is any inclination of its quality then we are also in luck. Team NINJA has created some of the most beloved samurai games of the past with Nioh and Ninja Gaiden. This RPG does not have a concrete release date at this time, but is aiming to be released in Q1 2024.
Helldivers 2
Helldivers 2 is one of those sequels that is almost indiscernible from its predecessor. The original Helldivers was a top-down twin stick shooter. This sequel is upping the adrenaline on almost every level with a brand new third-person point of view and beautiful visual enhancements as well.
Helldivers 2 will let you loose to battle against hordes of alien bug-like creatures much in the vein of Starship Troopers. You can party together with up to 3 of your friends to tackle the mayhem together as well. The first Helldivers was very well received and from what Sony has showed us so far they seem to be doing everything right with this sequel. You can pick this game up when it launches February 8th, 2024.
Granblue Fantasy: Relink
Granblue Fantasy: Relink is another one of the heavy hitters coming in 2024. Releasing in February, Granblue Fantasy: Relink will feature two new playable heroes. While the game was originally planned to be released in winter of this year, the studio made the difficult decision to delay the game to ensure it was going to meet the high level of quality they wanted to achieve.
While the series has seen great success in the mobile market, particularly in Japan, this title is sure to make a positive impression in the in the minds of console gamers. We actually were lucky enough to go hands-on with this title a few months ago. You can read all about our impressions here!
Star Wars Outlaws
Star Wars Outlaws is Ubisoft’s Massive Entertainment’s first crack at the Star Wars License since Disney took over. This departure from the usual Jedi-style game looks to be quite impressive. It will feature a unique scoundrel story, allowing the player to make decisions and live out the fantasy of being a smuggler in the Star Wars universe. This means that the player will be able to travel across the galaxy to many different planets and even feature a Grand Theft Auto-style wanted system where you can be hunted down and tracked by the empire after committing crimes. This is one to be genuinely optimistic about. From the presentation alone, the feel and immersion of the Star Wars universe is most certainly there from what we have seen so far. Outlaws has yet to nail down an exact release date but is expected to come sometime in 2024.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
Rocksteady hasn’t released a full-fledged AAA experience since Arkham Knight, and that’s about to change in February 2024, as Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is about to be unleashed!
A lot of controversy around this one, but we’d be lying if we didn’t say we were excited about this one on the story side of things. Regardless of how the gameplay may turn out, we’re sure the story is going to be a fun one, and we can’t wait to see what Rocksteady has built, even if it’s a GAAS-geared experience.
Alone in the Dark
While the Alone in the Dark remake was originally set to launch in Q4 this year, it was pushed to January 2024 to avoid this quarter’s big games but was pushed back again to March so the dev team can avoid crunch work this holiday season.
Will we get a solid remake of the granddaddy of survival horror games, or will this crash and burn into oblivion? Your guess is as good as ours at this point, but with the smashing success of the Dead Space remake and the Resident Evil 4 remake, we have our fingers crossed that this continues the streak!
XDefiant
Originally set to launch in “Summer of 2023,” XDefiant has now been delayed indefinitely with the devs hinting at an early 2024 release. Thankfully, we don’t need to base what we know on just the trailers, as Ubisoft has made the game playable to the public with a beta, and based on what we played, this is one promising free-to-play shooter.
Made by devs who worked on the Call of Duty franchise, it offers the same arcade-style shooting action, with the major difference here is the devs actually communicate a lot on the game’s development and future plans.
Time will tell if the FPS crowd can accommodate another shooter to binge on, but based on what we’ve seen so far, this is one to look out for.
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
The Yakuza series, now known in the West as Like A Dragon, has been a series that has continued strong for four entire console generations, and for good reasons. Studio RGG doesn’t miss, be that with their over-dramatic stories that will undoubtedly real you in, or their fun, over-the-top combat, that always feels like it’s improving with every iteration, even if the series has gone turned-based. There’s so much fun to be had with these games and very little reason not to love them.
Infinite Wealth, however, looks to be RGG’s grandest adventure yet. Set in a whole new location that the series has yet to visit, Infinite Wealth promises a plethora of content that leans heavily into satirical fun while also managing to tell a very serious story. There are high expectations for what may be Kazuma Kiryu last adventure, and we cannot wait to dive into the vast new world that RGG is building with Infinite Wealth this January.
What games are you excited to release in 2024? Let us know in the comments!
