Last year was a remarkable year for gaming, but as much as we enjoyed recounting our favorite games of 2023, our attention is now turning to all the new games we can’t wait to play over the next 12 months.
The 2024 gaming release schedule is still taking shape, but already there’s plenty to be excited about on the horizon, from remakes of beloved classics like Final Fantasy VII and Persona 3 to sequels to acclaimed games like Hades and Hellblade. Plus, there are even a few original titles on the way as well. Fear not, this year won’t just be sequels and remakes!
There are even rumors of new hardware like the PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2 in 2024, so it should be a very busy year for gamers. And below are the 9 games across platforms that we’re itching to begin playing right now.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown (January 18)
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
There is one game that I cannot wait to play this year, and thankfully it's coming out soon! Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown looks like a blast from the past in more ways than one. While the side-scrolling nature feels like a call back to the original 1982 game, The Lost Crown trailers showed aspects that the original could only dream of.
There’s a dynamic and fluid movement with a speedy combat system that is all highlighted by a vibrant color range that brings the prince’s world to life. Prince of Persia may have struggled to find its footing in the post-PS2 era, but The Lost Crown looks to be making a great start and I can’t wait to see this beloved series recreated on the Switch! — Josh Render
The Last of Us Part II Remastered (January 19)
Platforms: PS5
The Last of Us Part II is unquestionably one of the best PS4 games, and it comfortably holds up to a modern standard with stunning visuals and fluid gameplay. It even got a free framerate boost on PS5 in 2022. So, does The Last of Us 2 need to be remastered? Absolutely not. But am I glad that Naughty Dog is releasing a native PS5 version this month? Heck yes!
The visual and performance bump seems minor, and the addition of faster loading times and full DualSense support are appreciated but unessential. What’s really got me eager to return to the harrowing post-apocalypse as Ellie and Abby are all the confirmed extras. Not only will The Last of Us Part II Remastered come with a new roguelike-inspired mode, but it’ll also include access to new audio commentaries and a peak at three levels cut from the final game. The Last of Us Part II is one of my favorite games of all time, and this remastered version is likely to be the definitive way to experience a modern masterpiece. — Rory Mellon
Persona 3 Reload (February 2)
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
After playing Persona 4 Golden and then Persona 5 Royal well after their release dates, I’m really excited that I’ll have the chance to play Persona 5 Reload at launch as Atlus’ reimagining of this genre-defining RPG is coming to Xbox Game Pass on day one. Like other games in the series, this one will see players step into the shoes of a transfer student who quickly learns that he’s much more powerful than he thought.
While Persona 3 first came out on the PS2, it later came to Sony’s PSP in the form of Persona 3 Portable before being ported to modern consoles last year. Some cuts had to be made though to bring the game to the PSP but now with the release of Persona 3 Reload on February 1, Atlus is adding cutting-edge graphics, quality-of-life features and a modern user interface. Once I heard that this new, updated version of the game was coming, I decided to skip the re-release of Persona 3 Portable so that I could experience the darkest Persona to date in all of its glory with many of the improvements introduced in later entries to the series. — Anthony Spadafora
Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth (February 29)
Platform: PS5
I was a huge fan of Final Fantasy VII Remake so it’s no surprise that I’m absolutely stoked for its sequel, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Now that we’re out of Midgar, the game promises to let us explore the vast lands of Gaia with Cloud Strife, Tifa Lockheart and the rest of the gang. If you thought the previous game was large in scope, Rebirth should feel like you’re in a proper world filled with towns, monsters and untold secrets.
Final Fantasy VII Remake was true to its name by not only remaking the original game’s graphics but introducing new plot developments that could radically alter the story we know. This sequel appears to tread familiar ground, as I discussed in my Final Fantasy VII Rebirth hands-on preview, but I’m sure we’ll get a big unexpected twist or two. I cannot wait to play this game! — Tony Polanco
Rise of the Rōnin (March 22)
Platforms: PS5
New IPs are becoming increasingly rare in the blockbuster video game space. For as remarkable a year in gaming as 2023 was, all the big GOTY contenders were sequels (Baldur’s Gate 3, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Alan Wake 2 etc.), so Rise of the Rōnin is drawing my interest primarily because I’m craving something genuinely fresh.
It also helps that it’s being developed by Team Ninja, a Japanese team with real pedigree having cut its teeth on the Ninja Gaiden franchise before creating the excellent Soulslike Nioh and its sequel during the last console generation. Rise of the Rōnin is reportedly the developer’s biggest project to date, set in Japan during the Boshin War, it packs several historical cities to explore including Yokohama and Kyoto, and will be a mix of choice-driven narrative moments and challenging cinematic combat encounters. That sounds like a winner to me. — Rory Mellon
Hades 2 (Q2 2024)
Platforms: PC
Hades, in my opinion, is the crowning achievement of the rogue-like genre. Due to its addictive combat, myriad unlockables and compelling story, it’s a game that easily makes its way into my top 10 games of all time, and I’m so excited to finally play the sequel in 2024. Although its September announcement might’ve slipped past most folks, the game got a sparkly new trailer at The Game Awards and an Early Access release date of Q2 2024.
At launch, SuperGiant Games (Hades’ developer) says there will be “at least as much content from day one in Early Access as the original game did back when it launched in Early Access on Steam” — a statement that has me salivating as I write it. A new protagonist outfitted with an arsenal of new weapons and a slew of new powers means we’ll get outlandish, new game-breaking combinations to fight the best the underworld can throw at us — and if you die along the way, just rise out of a pool of blood and try again. — Nick Pino
Pragmata (2024)
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
First introduced in 2020 during a PlayStation State of Play event, Capcom’s Pragmata looked to be a completely new and fresh idea situated in a sea of remakes and sequels. Now nearly four years later and after several delays, the sci-fi action adventure game could potentially make its long-awaited debut in 2024.
Pragmata looks to be an interesting take on the dystopian future, feeling like a cross between Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar and practically any Hideo Kojima game. There’s very little we know about the game’s fundamental gameplay loop, but this very mystery is what excites me the most. Polygon best describes the core of Pragmata as being “Capcom’s take on the Dad Game genre, à la The Last of Us and God of War” given that all of its promotional material showcases an unnamed spaceman and a little girl named Diana. — Ryan Epps
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II (2024)
Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X/S
Ever since being left stunned by the first game, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II's announcement in 2019, the gameplay reveal in 2021 and the incredible trailer at The Game Awards 2023, I’ve been waiting with bated breath to continue Senua’s incredible impactful story — fusing Norse mythology with the complexities of mental health makes for a gripping tale.
Coming at some point this year (my money’s on October), from the jaw-dropping visual prowess of surroundings and the actors’ mesmerizing performances to that stunning audio design and satisfyingly crunchy melee combat, this is looking like the epic single-player AAA thriller of my dreams. Not only that, but it’s coming to Xbox Game Pass on day one. After a 2023 of duds like Redfall and Starfield, this may be the next true system seller for Microsoft. — Jason England
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree (2024)
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
The highly anticipated DLC for Elden Ring is sure to be on everyone’s watchlist this year, as it may well be one of gaming’s most detailed and expansive additive content drops yet. This February marks two years since the release of FromSoftware’s smash hit, and while the Colosseum update introduced at the tail end of 2022 was fun for a time, fans are itching to return to the Lands Between and its intricately-woven world in an all-new, far more engaging way.
With all but a mere image to go on, Shadow of the Erdtree’s premise remains in a void as dark as Fia’s own heart. Despite that, fan speculation has abounded, painting several interesting theories on where Elden Ring’s following chapter might lead the Tarnished next, potentially face-to-face with the twin brother of Malenia, Miquella himself. — Ryan Epps
