2023 was one of the best years for video games in recent memory; what’s cooking in 2024? Since I’m a lover of basically every video game genre, this list will contain AAAs, indies, and everything in between.
Top 12 games to look forward to in 2024
I’ve seen people online joke that with all the extremely anticipated games and movies coming in 2025,2024 has been dubbed a filler year(like how there are filler episodes in anime). After seeing this list, I think you’ll disagree.
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While there are many games we know are coming in 2024 that we don’t have an official date for and there are many games that will be released this year that we don’t know about yet, this list containsa handful of games I think are gonna be great.
Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth
Arguably, Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth is going to bethe biggest game of the year. Personally, I’ve never understood the hype around Final Fantasy, but I know it’s beloved by many — and this one has Sephiroth, so it’s gonna be crazy.
Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth is coming out onFebruary 29, 2024. Now is the time to play through Final Fantasy 7: Remake Intergrade to get caught up with the story.
Pacific Drive
Honestly, one of the games I’m most anticipating in 2024 is Pacific Drive. I love the niche genre of games that gives youownership over a customizable, functional vehicleand lets you free-roam with that home base, and Pacific Drive is just that ina survival roguelikeform.
The spooky Pacific Northwest atmosphere, the customizable, upgradable, drivable car, the line between exploring and surviving — it’s all calling my name. Pacific Drive doesn’t have a firm release date yet, butit will be released in 2024.
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Destiny 2 The Final Shape
It’s totally understandable if you aren’t a Destiny 2 fan — at this point, I hardly am myself. However, since I’ve been engrained in the game for so long, I can’t wait to experiencethe epic conclusion of the Light and Dark Sagathat we’re getting in Destiny 2 The Final Shape.
Destiny 2 The Final Shape isreleasing on August 23, 2025. I’m hyped Bungie has delayed it, going back to the drawing board to make sure the quality of The Final Shape is as high as possible. As excited as I am for The Final Shape, it’ll be equally interesting to seewhat happens after The Light and Dark Saga.
Metaphor: ReFantazio
I’m not the biggest Persona fan and even I’m stoked to Metaphor: ReFantazio. This game is a brand new IP for the Persona developersset in a medieval fantasy. Get ready for a deep (and long) story withturn-based and action combat.
Expect Metaphor: ReFantazio inFall 2024. I’m prepared for Metaphor: ReFantazio to convert me to the Persona-like ways.
Dragon’s Dogma 2
Dragon’s Dogma 2 looks insanely good. It’sa single-player medieval fantasy experiencewhere you get to choose your class and work your way toward slaying a dragon. The buildcrafting is strong, the combat looks solid, and the options for how to take down enemies ranges from climbing on them to destroying them with smoke magic.
Dragon’s Dogma 2 comes out onMarch 22, 2024. If you want to get a taste of what the game will be like, you’re able to play Dragon’s Dogma 1 now as it’s free in many places including PS Plus.
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Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
This one has been in development for a while and I’m very excited for it. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice rocked the gaming world in 2017 with itsincredibly character-driven storycentered on a Celtic woman suffering from a form of psychosis. It’ll be very interesting to see where Ninja Theory takes the story in Hellbalde 2.
Like many games on this list, Senua’s Saga: Hellbalde 2 doesn’t have a confirmed date butit is coming in 2024. I’m more confident in Hellblade 2 releasing this year since it has been in development for so long.
Zenless Zone Zero
Zenless Zone Zero is basicallyGenshin Impact or Honkai Star Rail but in an urban setting. MiHoYo has killed it with Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail, and if you haven’t at least tried those games, you should.
Zenless Zone Zero comes out onApril 26, 2024. Prepare to grind for anime mommies and zaddies (I hate that I wrote that).
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
There is somewhat of a cult following around S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and that’s because it’sone of the best-crafted open-world survival games to date. People have been anticipating S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 for decades now and finally, in 2024, we’re getting the sequel.
After a few delays, I’m hesitant to believe that S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobylwill be released in 2024, but my fingers are crossed. I loved the Metro series and if this is better than that, you know I’ll be playing it day one.
Star Wars Outlaws
If you love the Star Wars: Jedi series as I do, then you’re probably jazzed at the prospect of more of that with Star Wars Outlaws, butsprinkle in some GTA elements. Ubisoft can be kind of hit or miss, but I won’t pass up the opportunity to play abounty hunter open-world Star Wars game.
I wouldn’t be shocked to see this game get delayed to 2025 or beyond, but it iscurrently scheduled for some time in 2024and I hope that’s when we get it.
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I’m not much of a fighting games fan — I played my fair share when I was younger with Tekken Tag Tournament 2, Soul Calibur 2, and Super Smash Bros. — but Tekken 8 isgonna change fighting games forever. I’ve had a couple of fighting-fan coworkers play the Tekken 8 beta and they’ve been blown away.
The release date for Tekken 8 isJanuary 26, 2024. Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat 1 fans aren’t ready.
Hades wasone of the best indie games of all time. It redefined the roguelike genre through interesting characters, a meaningful story, and tight gameplay. There’s no doubt Supergiant Games will do it again with Hades 2.
Hades 2 is launchingin early access in Q2 2024which I’m kind of disappointed at. I’ve played games that I’ve loved in early access before and it hurts to rip myself away from the game to wait until it is finished and it’s often awkward to return. I’d much rather get a full-game release, but with Hades 2, I’ll make an exception.
Though it’s been a minute since we’ve heard anything on Avowed, it does have a 2024 release date and it’s absolutely one to look forward to. If you liked Fallout: New Vegas (which is arguably the best of the series), Outer Worlds, and/or Grounded, then get psyched because the developer of those games, Obsidian Entertainment, is making Avowed which isbasically Skyrim in the Pillars of Eternity universe.
These days, I get hesitant to build my excitement for a game when there isn’t a firm release date, so, like with Star Wars Outlaws, take the Avowed2024 release date with a grain of salt. If Avowed does drop this year, it’ll be massive.
Wishful thinking and honorable mentions
Those are the big swingers coming in 2024, but there area few honorable mentions and wishful-thinking gamesI hope come out in 2024, or at least get announced.
The Plucky Squireis an indie game coming in 2024 that looks adorably fun. It blends 2D and 3D combat into a storybook style that I need to play.The Gecko Godsis another indie that looks amazing — beautiful art and you play as a Gecko, what more could you want?
The other AAA games that I’m looking forward to in 2024 areSkull and Bones(I’m crossing my fingers that it doesn’t flop, but I also wouldn’t be surprised),Visions of Mana(I’m a new fan and the new game looks amazing),Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League(to me, the delays look like they’ve paid off since the traversal and combat looks more fun… we’ll see), andBlack Myth: Wukong(ancient Chinese mythology is such an untapped angle).
I’m a huge Sony Pony, so all I want in 2024 is games (or at least game announcements) from Naughty Dog, Sucker Punch, Guerilla Games, Housemarque, Media Molecule, and Santa Monica Studios.All of those Sony studios have been quiet for far too longwhich is why I’m hopeful for an exciting 2024 for Sony… but I’ve been let down before.
Overall, 2024 hassome amazing gamescoming out.I hope there are some surprisesas well likeBaldur’s Gate 3and Hi-Fi Rush, two of my favorite games of the year, were in 2023.
Noah Nelson
From his early days of blog-style music, movie, and game reviews to working as the Esports Writer at Coastline Community College, Noah Nelson now works fulltime as a Staff Writer for Attack of the Fanboy and PC Invasion. He has been helping gamers everywhere with Destiny 2 god rolls, Warzone 2 DMZ missions, and collectibles in any indie game for over a year and a half. His Bachelor’s Degree in English Rhetoric and Composition with a minor in Journalism from CSULB has shaped him to be a strong writer and editor. His fondest gaming memory is playing Sly Cooper 2 after begging his mom (for hours) to play it before his birthday and he still cries myself to sleep remembering the time he accidentally saved over his 99% completion save file in Kingdom Hearts 2.
