2023 was a great year for gaming, especially on the AAA games side of things.
Whether it was romancing a bear in Baldur’s Gate 3, dual wielding webslingers in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, jumping on the hype train for Starfield, or Idris Elba espionage in Phantom Liberty, there was plenty to enjoy over the past 12 months.
Not to be outdone, 2024 is also looking pretty stacked, with several games having already caught our eye.
With some games having definitive launch dates and others expected this year, we have run through eight titles that we are eagerly awaiting the release of below.
Tekken 8
Last year Street Fighter 6 took home the prize for many as the best new fighting game, and for 2024, Bandai Namco is hoping Tekken 8 will do the same. One of the earliest releases of the year, and currently available to demo, Tekken 8 lands on 26th January on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (via Steam).
Skull and Bones
Already available for pre-order and available three days early for those with Ubisoft+, Skull and Bones will land across multiple platforms on 16th February. Billed as Assassin’s Creed Black Flag without the Assassin’s element, it could be a nice romp on the high seas to kick off the year.
Dragon’s Dogma 2
A sequel to a 2012 cult classic release, Dragon’s Dogma 2 is one of Capcom’s biggest releases of 2024, arriving on 22nd March. If you enjoy the likes of Final Fantasy and Monster Hunter, this game looks very promising indeed.
Rise of the Ronin
If you thought Ghost of Tsushima had a distinct lack of flaming swords and pistols, then Rise of the Ronin may be for you. Along with presenting a brutal and beautiful version of feudal era Japan, this PS5 exclusive game also brings in some interesting traversal elements come 22nd March.
Black Myth: Wukong
When initial footage of Black Myth: Wukong dropped, the game looked too good to be true. Our early skepticism appears to have been unfounded, as with each new trailer the game looks even better. We’ll be able to see whether said footage indeed delivers, when this title launches across multiple platforms on 20th August.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2
A game that has been patiently waited for by its loyal community, despite being in production hell that has seen several delays, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is now slated for release on 9th September. Whether it will keep to that deadline remains to be seen, but regardless of when it releases, fans of the Warhammer franchise and its exhaustive lore will be first in line to play, including many here in the Hypertext office.
Hades II (Early Access)
When Hades released in 2020, the indie roguelike won over many people for its slick gameplay and even slicker voice acting. As such, Hades II is hotly anticipated, with an early access version of the game arriving via the Epic Store and Steam some time in Q2 2024. When an official release date is announced, we could be looking at a Game of the Year contender.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
Another game we have been eagerly awaiting ever since an announcement trailer dropped four years ago is Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2. At the time of writing it does not have a definitive launch date, but is expected to land sometime in 2024. Looking more intense with each new trailer that we see, this game may push its players in ways they never expected.
