This story is part of Gamepur’s Best of 2022 round-up.
Video games had a great year in 2022 thanks to a handful of massive triple-A titles and a handful of indies. 2023 looks like it could be even better for fans of triple-A games, with several already on the docket. It’s impossible to tell ahead of time if 2023 will top 2022 in terms of quality, but the potential is there as quite a few developers have delayed games into the new year. Below, we’ve collected our five most anticipated games of 2023, but keep in mind that this list could be much longer.
5. Diablo IV
Activision Blizzard may not be knocking it out of the park with all of its franchises, but they’ve yet to miss with a numbered Diablo title. So far, the expanded feature set seems poised to give fans another step forward from the excellent Diablo 3. Plus, how can you not get excited about being able to play as a Druid again? We haven’t seen that class since the ground-breaking Diablo 2 expansion, so having it back alongside several fan favorites is an enticing prospect. Here’s hoping the game doesn’t have the same online connection errors that D3 did, though.
4. Final Fantasy XVI
Final Fantasy XV might not be exactly what fans of the long-running series wanted, but it’s always major news when a new game drops. This release might even be more exciting as the legendary Naoki Yoshida (Yoshi-P) is coming on as a producer. After helping to turn around Final Fantasy XIV, fans are excited to see what he does with a single-player title next year. While it won’t be as expansive as the MMO, Yoshi-P has proven to have a great understanding of what makes a good modern Final Fantasy game. With him at the reigns, fans should expect a return to form.
3. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
If this list were ranked in order of excitement alone, Tears of the Kingdom would be number one. Breath of the Wild took the gaming world by storm in 2017 and fans have been waiting with bated breath for the sequel. Now that it’s finally here, players are salivating at the thought of jumping back into Hyrule’s open world. Of course, not much is known about the sequel yet, but Nintendo doesn’t really need to market the follow-up to one of the best games in its long-running franchise. It’s safe to say that the fans will show up no matter what.
2. Starfield
When director Todd Howard simplified Starfield as “Skyrim in space,” you knew this one was worth paying attention to. This will also be the first game Bethesda puts out that makes use of Creation Engine 2. Obviously, games on Bethesda’s previous engine have consistently shipped full of bugs, but it’s equally impossible to deny the popularity of those games. If the new engine is able to build something that’s still expansive while ironing out some of its bugs, this could be the next step forward in RPG design. Even if it isn’t earth-shattering, it’s sure to be the talk of the internet when it releases.
1. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is one of the best Star Wars games ever made, full stop. It blends the worldbuilding fans know and love with Soulsborne-lite gameplay and Metroidvania-inspired exploration. That trifecta led to one of the better-received games of 2019 and has fans excited to see where Cal Kestis goes next. What’s extra exciting is that this story falls around the same time as the events of Disney’s Obi-Wan Kenobi series. While not confirmed, the potential for some type of crossover is intriguing. Add in improved technical chops due to this being a current-gen-only release and Star Wars fans are sitting pretty heading into 2023.
