If you thought 2022 was stacked with great games, just wait until you browse through 2023’s upcoming releases! This list was originally going to be 20 games (then 30, then 35), but the more I researched what’s coming out, the more excited I became for all of 2023’s video games, including some that I have no idea if they’ll even see the light of a DualSense controller this year.

Let’s get to it.

Games With Confirmed Release Dates

These games have confirmed release dates set for 2023. Whether they actually stick to schedule or get delayed further into 2023 (or beyond)… well, that’s a whole other matter.

One Piece Odyssey

One Piece fans are in for a treat with One Piece Odyssey, the first major game of the year. Its an RPG starring everyone’s favorite pirates as they try to escape an island after being shipwrecked during a storm. The gameplay won’t be a 3D fighter like you may expect but instead turn-based battles with the different characters having different skills and ways of taking down enemies. Still on the fence about Odyssey? You can check out a demo featuring the opening hour or two of the game starting tomorrow January 10.

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

Release Date: January 13

Fire Emblem Engage

The Switch’s first major exclusive of the year is Fire Emblem Engage. You’ll play as a Divine Dragon looking to collect 12 Emblem Rings to bring peace back to the world. The Emblem Rings will allow you to summon past Fire Emblem protagonists during the series’ iconic turn-based combat. Engage‘s expansion pass will bring even more characters to summon and additional content throughout the year.

Platform: Nintendo Switch

Release Date: January 20

Forspoken

After multiple delays and one noteworthy controversy, Forspoken is finally set to release later this month. Developed by Luminous Productions, makers of Final Fantasy XV, the open-world game will put you in the shoes of Frey Holland, a New York teen who gets magically transported to a fantasy world under tyrannical rule. Together with her sentient bracelet Cuff she’ll search for a way home. The visuals are stunning and the gameplay looks promising, and you can check out the Forspoken PS5 demo to get a taste of the kinetic traversal before the game releases.

Platforms: PlayStation 5, PC

Release Date: January 24

Dead Space Remake

After The Callisto Protocol disappointed with mixed reviews, survival horror fans can now turn their attention squarely to the release of the Dead Space remake. Motive Studio, developer of Star Wars Squadrons, has rebuilt the original Dead Space from the ground up for next-gen hardware. It’ll feature the same thrills and scares that delighted gamers back in 2008. Get ready to hack limbs from mutated Necromorphs and fight for survival alone on a ship floating in… dead space (I had to).

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Release Date: January 27

Hogwarts Legacy

Even though I’m not someone who’s a huge fan of the Harry Potter franchise, Hogwarts Legacy had originally appealed to me with its gorgeously rendered world, magical beasts, and role-playing. However, its litany of controversies has certainly tempered any excitement. Setting aside the shitstorm surrounding series creator J.K. Rowling — who Portkey Games wants to be sure you know isn’t involved in the game — the game’s former lead designer stepped down in 2021 after expressing support for gamergate, describing the “injustice” of social justice, and sharing other terrible opinions on his YouTube channel. Then plot details for the game surfaced, and they did not go over well — players will be helping put down a goblin rebellion in a story that makes minorities rising against their oppressors the game’s enemies. Who knows — maybe the game will be amazing and your character will pull an ol’ switcheroo to actually help the goblins rise up, but even typing that felt like a stretch.

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Release Date: February 10 for current-gen platforms and PC, April 4 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and July 25 for Nintendo Switch

Horizon Call of the Mountain

The third entry in the Horizon franchise isn’t a follow up to Forbidden West but instead a VR-game developed for Sony’s next-gen VR platform, the PlayStation VR2.  The trailers for Horizon Call of the Mountain look absolutely stunning and will allow fans to experience the world of Horizon in whole new ways — the machines were already awe-inspiring and terrifying enough, and getting up close and personal with them in VR will only heighten the tension of living in the Horizon world.

Platform: PlayStation VR2

Release Date: February 22

Scars Above

Scars Above is an intense third-person sci-fi shooter set on an alien world. The game’s official marketing doesn’t use the term “horror,” to describe the game, but maybe it should as some of the creature and boss designs are straight up scary, and certainly remind me of Returnal. It’ll combine the “rewarding feel[ing] of overcoming difficulty with a compelling and intricate story” of an astronaut who mysterious awakes on an exoplanet alone. In addition to the gunplay, exploring and crafting are also core tenets of Scars Above‘s gameplay.

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

Release Date: February 28

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty

Much like last year, 2023 is going to be a fantastic year for soulslike, and Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty looks to be the first major soulslike to launch this year. Developed by veteran developer Team Ninja — makers of the Ninja Gaiden and Nioh franchises — Wo Long is set in the dark Three Kingdoms filled with demons monsters. Genre staples will be ever present, including difficult combat, ally summons, and checkpoints (think bonfires) as well as Divine Beasts that can aid the player in combat.

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

Release Date: March 3

Skull and Bones

Gamers have been wanting a pirate-focused game from Ubisoft since Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag introduced plundering and sailing to the series, and, after a tumultuous development, Skull and Bones finally releases this year to give gamers the pirate game they want. Originally announced at E3 2017 for a 2018 release, Skull and Bones has undergone several directional shifts that have caused the massive delays. When it finally does arrive, it’ll unleash players on the seas in their own customizable pirate ship in a single-player campaign. PvP multiplayer will make up game’s other mode where players can board each other’s ships and fight for treasure.

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Stadia, PC

Release Date: March 9

Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon

After waiting eight years for Bayonetta 3, fans won’t have to wait long for the series’ next entry. Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon explores the beginning of Bayonetta’s/Cereza’s story. It’ll feature Cereza and her first demon, Cheshire, as playable characters to take on enemies and solve puzzles in the forbidden Avalon Forest.

Platform: Nintendo Switch

Release Date: March 17

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Continue Cal Kestis’ journey in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. It starts five years after the events of the first game, which saw former padawan Kestis come out of hiding and reconnect himself with the Force. In Survivor, he’ll be battling the dark forces of the empire once again with new force abilities and lightsaber styles, including a dedicated dual-wielding stance. A heavier crossguard lightsaber will also be usable to cut down stormtroopers. Star Wars may not have had the best track record with video games over the past decade, but I thought Jedi: Fallen Order was a clear bright spot and I can’t wait for its sequel.

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Release Date March 17

Have a Nice Death

Have a Nice Death has been in Steam Early Access for almost a year now and will officially launch in March for the Switch and PC. It’s a quirky action game about the 9-5 work of processing souls in the afterlife (apparently a niche genre I’m very into) where you’ll play as Death, founder and CEO of Death Incorporated as he tries to restore a work/life balance to his company. Have a Nice Death is a 2D roguelike, meaning each time Death is felled in combat, he starts the game over from the beginning.

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC

Release Date: March 22

Resident Evil 4 Remake

2023 sees the launch of another Resident Evil remake. This time the fourth mainline game in the series is being rebuilt for next-gen hardware. Resident Evil IV is being created by “reimagining the storyline of the game while keeping the essence of its direction, modernizing the graphics, and updating the controls to a modern standard,” according to Capcom’s Edvin Edso. The story will follow US agent Leon Kennedy rescuing the president’s daughter from a village filled with violent cultists.

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4 PC

Release Date: March 24

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

It’s official — the next Legend of Zelda game drops for the Switch on May 12 (barring and delays (please don’t get delayed)). Tears of the Kingdom, the sequel to 2017’s Breath of the Wild, was originally announced in 2019 and fans have been eagerly anticipating it ever since. New features include floating islands above Hyrule that Link will be able to soar between and a prosthetic arm for Link. Outside of that, details are scarce about that the game. We can reasonably expect the rumored Tears of the Kingdom Nintendo Switch OLED to release alongside the game, but this may disappoint some fans who were hoping for a Switch 2/Switch Pro to launch with Tears.

Platform: Nintendo Switch

Release Date: May 12

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League

DC fans will finally get to merc the Justice League in May when Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League drops. It features Harley Quinn, King Shark, Deadshot, and Captain Boomerang as playable characters who have to take down the Brainiac-controlled Justice League to save the world. It can be played solo or via four-player co-op with friends. The game’s launch will be bittersweet for those of us who grew up with Kevin Conroy being the definitive Batman as it’ll be his last work as the voice of the Dark Knight.

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Release Date: May 26

Street Fighter 6

Like other decades-old franchise such as Sonic and Pokémon, Street Fighter is going open world. The sixth installment in the franchise will feature three distinct game modes, with World Tour being an open-world single-player campaign featuring a customizable player character. Fighting Ground contains the 2D fighting the series is known for and Battle Hub will be an online lobby mode. Japanese street fighters are in for a treat as Street Fighter 6 will also release as an arcade version this year, exclusive to Japan.

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PC

Release Date: June 2

Diablo IV

After the poor reception of Diablo Immortal — and its monetization schemes — Blizzard won some love back from fans last month when it announced a June release date for Diablo IV. It’ll feature an open world and PvP combat while retaining the core dungeon crawling the series is known for. You can customize your character with five different classes: Necromancer, Barbarian, Druid, Rogue, and Sorceress. The best part? You won’t need a phone to play!

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

Release Date: June 6

Final Fantasy XVI

Almost seven years after the release of Final Fantasy XV the next mainline Final Fantasy game launches this summer. Final Fantasy XVI will feature stapes of the series familiar to fans, such as a party of companions, giant monster summons, and chocobos. It’s set in a war-torn world and looks to feature a darker tone than previous installments. Final Fantasy XVI isn’t without controversy, however, as it’s characters are overwhelmingly white and the developers don’t seem too interested in incorporating any diversity into their game.

Platforms: PlayStation 5, PC

Release Date: June 22

Games with 2023 Release Windows

These video games have release windows set for 2023, either broadly or during a specific season/quarter. They’re more likely to get kicked to next year, but let’s be optimistic and say they’ll hit consoles in 2023.

Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn

Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn immediately hooked me a few months ago when it was described by developers and media as an “Elden Ring and God of War mash-up.” Color me excited. Flintlock looks to blend the heavy and difficult gameplay of a soulslike with the cinematic storytelling of a God of War. Gameplay will use a mix of melee weapons and flintlock guns to tear through an undead army that’s ravaging the world.

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

Release Window: Early 2023

Star Trek: Resurgence

Trekkies will soon be able to experience life aboard a starship in the Star Trek universe when Star Trek: Resurgence drops this year. It’s a choice-driven adventure game developed by Dramatic Labs, which is composed of Telltale Games veterans. A narrative-focused game where the gameplay is mostly choice-based conversations feels very fitting for a Star Trek game, and, as a more recent fan of the Star Trek franchise, this is looking like like a day-one purchase from me.

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

Release Window: April 2023

Minecraft Legends

While everyone and their mother knows about Minecraft, less well known are the series’ spinoffs, which include a Telltale game and a dungeon crawler. 2023 will see another spinoff, Minecraft Legends. The action strategy game will have single-player and multiplayer modes, which include co-op and competitive gameplay. The story of Legends lives up to its name as you’ll be playing out the legend of how the Overworld united against the piglin invasion generations ago.

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PC

Release Window: First half of 2023

Redfall

Arkane’s Redfall sends players to a secluded island taken over by vampires who have blocked out the sun. You’ll assemble a team of vampire hunters — whether in single player mode or co-op with friends — to fight against the vampire threat. Redfall will be a PC and Xbox Series X/S exclusive with publisher Bethesda now being owned by Microsoft.

Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, PC

Release Window: First half of 2023

Starfield

Starfield, Bethesda’s next big IP, will be like “Skyrim in space,” as director Todd Howard described it. Players will have the freedom to explore space in either first- or third-person modes and the ability to join factions engaged in an interstellar conflict. While the Xbox Series X/S has Game Pass, it doesn’t quite have the console-selling exclusives that its counterparts from Sony and Nintendo have. Starfield will look to change that.

Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, PC

Release Window: First half of 2023

Sea of Stars

Sea of Stars is an upcoming retro-inspired RPG. It takes many cues from JRPs of the 90s, and even features musical contributions from Chrono Trigger composer Yasunori Mitsuda. The story follows two heroes wielding the power of the moon and sun in battle against an antagonistic alchemist. It’ll act as a prequel to Sabotage Studio’s previous game The Messenger, but there are thousands of years between the stories of the games, so I think you’ll be fine if you jump right into Sea of Stars.

Platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PC

Release Window: Summer 2023

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Recently confirmed for a fall 2023 release (we’ll see how well that holds up), Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is easily many a gamers’ most anticipated game of the year. Both Peter and Miles will star in the game, the latter of which being fresh off his own spectacular spinoff game. The spider-heroes will work in tandem against the game’s threats, which we know will include Kraven the Hunter and an original take on Venom. Much of the development team of the original game have returned for the sequel, including creative director Bryan Intihar and game director Ryan Smith, meaning we can safely assume we’ll be in for another amazing and heart-wrenching experience.

Platform: PlayStation 5

Release Window: Fall 2023

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

2023 is going to be a huge year for the Final Fantasy franchise. In addition to Final Fantasy XVI, the the first six games are getting “pixel remasters” for the Switch and PlayStation 4 and the second part of the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy, Rebirth is set to come out. Its release window of late 2023 to early 2024 already sets up Rebirth to get delayed into next year, but that’s not going to stop fans from getting hopeful. Not much is known about Rebirth outside of knowing it’ll continue the story started in Intergrade and will likely feature new story content just like the first remake did.

Platform: PlayStation 5

Release Window: Late 2023 or Early 2024

Alan Wake II

Remedy Entertainment has had a rocky time getting an Alan Wake sequel made andpublished since the first game launched back in 2010. They were able to ship a spinoff in 2012, Alan Wake’s American Nightmare, but then the franchise stayed on ice until September 2021 when the first game was remastered. A sequel was announced a short time later with a 2023 release window that it’s still on track to hit. Alan Wake II will return thriller novelist Alan Wake, this time in a survival horror game set in Remedy’s Connected Universe.

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Release Window: 2023

Assassin’s Creed Mirage

The Assassin’s Creed series goes back to its roots with Assassin’s Creed Mirage. Originally announced alongside several other AC games during September’s Ubisoft Forward presentation, Mirage will star Valhalla‘s Basim Ibn Ishaq as he transitions from street thief to assassin. Mirage will take the series back to its roots with a focus on a shorter, linear story that eschews role-playing elements to focus more on its stealth gameplay. Personally, my interest in the series started to fall off after the buggy mess of Unity, but Mirage is making me excited for a return to the Animus.

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PC

Release Window: 2023

Lies of P

Lies of P is a game tailor-made for me. It combines soulsborne gameplay, Sekiro-like prosthetic weaponry, and a steampunk setting with the story of Pinocchio. You will “guide Pinocchio on his unrelenting journey to become human” and meet familiar faces like Gepetto and the four rabbits, who look to be antagonists for P in the game. The game’s quests really appeal to me as how you lie will affect the way they play out as well as how the story as a whole wraps up.

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Release Window: 2023

Palworld

If you didn’t think Pokémon Scarlet and Violet advanced the series enough, or you always wanted guns in your Pokémon games, then have I got the game for you. Palworld features Pokémon-like creatures being used as slave labor, and, with other Pals as allies, it’s up to you to free them via gunfights. Crafting, survival, and, of course, monster collecting will also be key featured elements of the gameplay. I’ve been excited for Palworld for some time now and, after it was recently announced for Xbox consoles, I’m keeping my fingers crossed it makes its way to the PlayStation 4 and 5.

Platform: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

Release Window: 2023

Star Wars: Hunters

Star Wars Hunters might be better suited for our next category as it was announced in 2021 with a release window of the same year but has been delayed until 2023. However, it soft launched for Android phones in India, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia during late 2021, so because a build was playable for the public years ago, I could see Star Wars Hunters reaching a finished state in 2023. It’ll be a free-to-play arena shooter for phones and the Nintendo Switch with characters such as bounty hunters, stormtroopers, and force wielders.

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android

Release Window: 2023

The “Who TF Knows When” Games

These video games either have 2023 release windows that seem dubious, or were announced years ago and already missed their initial release window(s). Your guess is as good as mine as to when they’ll release.

Armored Core VI: Fires of the Rubicon

After ten years, FromSoftware is set to revive its mecha-shooter series with Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon. After essentially creating a new gaming genre, the soulslike, and releasing an all-time classic in Elden Ring, I’m not sure if people expected the Japanese developer’s next move would be to pivot towards robots shootin’ it up, but I ain’t complaining. FromSoft games have become day one purchases for me at this point. I’m usually wearing of games that are first announced at The Game Awards coming out the next year, so I personally don’t expect Armored Core VI until 2024, but I would love to be proven wrong.

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

Release Window: 2023

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora

Ubisoft’s open world Avatar game was supposed to release last year, but was delayed out of 2022 to ’23 or ’24. Given the way the film series has gone — with the second film, Way of the Water, getting delayed eight years — Frontiers of Pandora could release for the PlayStation 7 in 2033 for all we know. When it does eventually come out, Frontiers of Pandora will allow players to become a Na’vi and explore the world of Pandora as they fight against RDA forces.

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Stadia, PC

Release Window: 2023 or 2024

Black Myth: Wukong

We’ve been getting snippets of gameplay from Black Myth: Wukong over the years, but barely any word on when it may come out. The 2023 window comes from a series of IGN interviews with the developers shortly after the game took the industry by storm in 2020. The developers were “aiming to release the game no less than three years from now,” which, if that timeline holds up, means we could hopefully see Wukong this year. If we do, it’ll certainly be the talk of the soulslike world with its brutal gameplay, beautiful world, and fiendish creatures.

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Release Window: 2023

Goodbye Volcano High

Goodbye Volcano High was originally revealed during the PlayStation 5 showcase in June 2020. Since then, the only news about it has been delay announcements and news that the game’s narrative was entirely rebooted around the time it was showcased in 2020. Combine that with the impact of COVID on the games industry at large and it’s not surprising that Goodbye Volcano High hasn’t seem the light of day yet. Hopefully for fans of anthropomorphic dinosaurs the game can overcome its setbacks and release this year… instead of getting delayed to 2024.

Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC

Release Window: Summer 2023

Hell Is Us

Hell Is Us grabbed my attention back when it was revealed in April 2022. It’s reminiscent of Death Stranding and Control with its bleak atmosphere and promise of a psychologically intense narrative. We haven’t heard much about the game since its reveal and, to be snarky, it hasn’t been hit with a delay yet, so I would say it’s more likely than not Hell Is Us gets pushed from 2023 to 2024. When Hell Is Us does drop, however, it’ll “bring back true adventure and exploration,” according to creative director Jonathan Jacques-Belletête, who previously worked on the Deus Ex series and Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy.

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Release Window: 2023

Little Devil Inside

I was naively hopeful Little Devil Inside would drop last year, but wasn’t surprised when it missed its winter 2022 release window. As we’re seeing, that’s commonplace in the video games industry, but what’s worrying about Little Devil Inside is that missing a release window is par for the course. It was originally announced through Kickstarter back in 2015 with a release window of Fall 2016 that was later pushed back to late 2018. We haven’t received an update on Little Devil Inside since December 2021, and I’m starting to wonder if this project will ever make it out of development hell.

Platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC

Release Window: 2023? Maybe?

Oxenfree II: Lost Signals

Oxenfree released seven years ago and became one of 2016’s best reviewed games, with praise going toward its characters and music. Fans were surprised in 2021 when a sequel, Lost Signals, was announced to release that same year. It has since been hit with delays and a change in publisher, with Night School Studio being acquired by Netflix, and that 2023 release window is looking a little murky. The devs want to make Oxenfree II: Lost Signals “the best game it can possibly be,” and hopefully the extra time will allow them to do just that.

Platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PC

Release Window: 2023

Pragmata

Like Goodbye Volcano High, Pragmata is another game announced during the PlayStation 5 “Future of Gaming” stream in 2020 that we’ve heard little about since, aside from an announcement where Pragmata was delayed from 2022 to this year (we’ll see about that). Even the gameplay of the game is unclear — third-person shooter? survival? new genre entirely? — but the teaser’s atmosphere and visuals were so captivating that Pragmata was able to land its hooks in gamers and not let go.

Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Release Window: 2023

The Wolf Among Us 2

The Wolf Among Us 2 is slated to release this year, but forgive me for being skeptical. A season two for the first game was announced and then cancelled by Telltale Games in 2017 and 2018, respectively. The Wolf Among Us 2 was then announced by a revived Telltale at The Game Awards 2019… which was over three years ago. I hope my skepticism is proven unnecessary and the game comes out this year, but I’m not getting my hopes up. If/when The Wolf Among Us 2 releases, it’ll build upon the story of the first game, return the cast, and feature similar choice-based gameplay.

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

Release Window: 2023