Biggest video games set to launch in 2023 - including Tears of the Kingdom and Final Fantasy 16

With 7 months left of 2023, there are still many exciting video game launches expected for the rest of the year. Nintendo’s latest Zelda game, Tears of the Kingdom, is set to launch next Friday (May 12) with many other exciting games set to launch before the year is over.

Xbox have also officially announced the date for their next Games Showcase which will also tease what is expected to be launched by the Microsoft company over the next few years. 2023 is set to be the beginning of properly launching games for the PS5 and Xbox Series X and S generation’s, with many developers dropping support for the old consoles.

The start of the year has already seen some impressive games launched including Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Hogwarts Legacy and Redfall. Some of the upcoming games such as Starfield and Spider-Man 2 have been built exclusively for the new hardware, with all console users being given plenty to look forward to.

Here’s what’s left to expect for the rest of the year.

May 2023

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

May 12 - Nintendo Switch exclusive

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is set to launch exclusively to the Nintendo Switch in mid may. The sequel to the Nintendo Switch launch game, Breath of the Wild, see’s the return of Link as he fights to save Hyrule once again from the wrath of Ganon.

Nintendo have kept fans in suspense as to what to expect from the game but have teased the new vertical world and building abilities. Players will be able to combine elements to create new vehicles and weapons in a new sandbox mode style.

The game is available to pre-order from the Nintendo store for £59.99.

System Shock Remake

May 30 - PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One & PC

The remake of the 1994 first-person shooter that became a genre-defining game is set to launch this month. System Shock places the player onboard the Citadel Station as it orbits around Saturn.

Playing as a nameless hacker, the game’s aim is to shut down a rogue maniacal AI called Shodan who has overtaken the space station. System Shock is available for pre-order on the game’s website. 

June 2023

Street Fighter 6

June 2 - PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S and PC

Street Fighter 6 is the first game from the series since 2016 and brings a brand new character creator to the game for its World Tour mode. The new feature allows players to make a custom fighter to take on Street Fighter legends.

Ken Ryu and Chun-Li will make the return alongside the 18 launch fighters and will be joined by new characters Jamie and Kimberly. The game is available to pre-order on the Street Fighter 6 website.

Diablo 4

June 6 - PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC

Diablo is set to return in 2023 with the fourth edition of Blizzard’s action-RPG due to be released in June. The game will look back into the darker roots of the franchise with a story centred around Lilith, the daughter of Mephisto, Lord of Hatred.

The game will be supported by Blizzard “for years to come” and will receive new cosmetic items as well as story-driven expansions. Former game director Luis Barriga has described the game to IGN as “a bleak and shattered hellscape bereft of hope and beset by demons.”

Diablo 4 is available to pre-order on the Blizzard Entertainment website.

F1 23

June 16 - PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC

F1 23 have just released the official release date for the next game in the F1 series. The highly anticipated driving game based on Formula 1 will see new features, including the addition of the Las Vegas race circuit.

The racing game will see the return of Aiden Jackson in the new story mode ‘Braking Point’ as he makes his comeback to the Konnersport Racing Team and is joined by Devon Butler as well as a host of new characters. F1 23 can be pre-ordered from the EA website.

Final Fantasy 16

June 22 - PS5 exclusive (for 6 months)

Final Fantasy 16 is one of 2023’s biggest third-party games from developers Square Enix. Set in Valisthea, fans are transported to a fantasy land which is set against a backdrop of mediaeval Europe.

The open world game will offer fast-paced combat with companion characters being controlled by AI. The game will launch exclusively for the PS5 for six months and is available to pre-order on the games website.

Hollow Knight Silksong

Before June 12 - PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC

Hollow Knight Silksong is the sequel to the 2017 game Hollow Knight. The game will take players to Parloom, a new mysterious world that is far away from the original kingdom.

In Hollow Knight Silksong players will play as Hornet, an enemy-turned-ally which will offer more vertical gameplay to the game. The game is available to pre-order on the Hollow Knight Silksong website.

Games with no release date for Spring 2023

Homeworld 3

First half of 2023 - PC

Homeworld 3 is back, 20 years after the release of Homeworld 2 for PC gamers. The long-awaited game is set generations after the second game and introduces new terrain to its battlefield, including asteroids and broken-down space terrain.

The new floating objects around the map create new tactical opportunities and introduce game-changing cover mechanics. A release date is still to be revealed but more information can be found on the Homeworld 3 website.

Skull and Bones

Spring 2023 - PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC

Ubisoft’s pirate adventure, Skull and Bones, has faced five years of delays but is finally expected to take to the seas in Spring 2023. The game initially started as a multiplayer expansion to Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag in 2013 but is now its own standalone game.

The open-sea adventure will not have a structured campaign but instead players will captain their own customisable pirate ships, take on contracts and gather resources. To pre-order Skull and Bones, visit the game’s official website.

What games are being released in Summer 2023

Pikmin 4

July 21 - Nintendo Switch Exclusive

Pikmin 4 is the latest addition to Nintendo’s Pikmin series that last saw an update with Pikmin 3 in 2013. The tiny, plant-like creatures have made their return as players can grow, pluck and command them as they travel through a new world.

Oatchi, the space dog, will also join the players on their adventures as a companion who can smash through obstacles and carry Pikmin on his back. Pikmin 4 can be pre-ordered on the Nintendo website.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

August 18 - PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is the latest multiplayer game based on the iconic horror film. The game was developed by Gun Interactive, who are the creators behind the Friday the 13th game.

Four victims find themselves attempting to escape from the family consisting of Leatherface, the Hitchhike, and the Cook. More information on The Texas Chainsaw Massacre can be found on the game’s website.

Armoured Core 6: Fires of Rubicon

August 25 - PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC

FromSoftware will follow up from their 2022 Game of the Year, Elden Ring, with Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon. The game will be set in a destroyed world as players assemble their merch to assemble a host of weaponry.

The game has been in development since 2016 and will be the first in the Armored Core series since 2012. To pre-order Armoured Core 6: Fires of Rubicon visit the game’s website.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage

August 2023 - PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S and PC

Assassin’s Creed Mirage is making a return to Ubisoft’s original roots of the franchise with more linear and stealth-focused gameplay. The latest addition to the Assassin’s Creed series will remove all RPG elements from the game and return to something akin to the original three games.

The story is set in Baghdad in the ninth-century and takes place 20 years before the previous game, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. For more information and to pre-order the game, visit the Ubisoft website.

Lies of P

August 2023 - PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC

Lies of P sees the player as Pinocchio and is based on the classic 19th-century tale. The action RPG, which looks like a mod of Dark Souls, features Pinocchio alongside Gepetto and Jimmiy Cricket.

Much like the fictional story, Lies of P has a unique lying mechanic where the player’s decision on where to lie can impact the gameplay. More information can be found on the Lies of P website.

The Expanse: A Telltale Series

Summer 2023 - PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC

The Expanse is the latest update to the exciting universe of the Telltale adventure. Follow the return of Camina Drummer as she explores dangerous and uncharted edges of The Belt on The Artemis ship.

A choice-based narrative adventure which is set in the same world as the acclaimed TV series. The game is being developed by the Telltale team in collaboration with Deck Nine Games, the studio behind Life is Strange: True Colours. More information can be found on the Telltale website.

What games are expected in Autumn 2023

Starfield

September 6 - Xbox Series X|S and PC

Starfield is Xbox’s flagship first-party release of 2023 with the gaming company announcing a direct livestream about the game as part of their Games Showcase next month. A single-player game from Todd Howard and Bethesda Game Studios, the game has been linked to “Skyrim in space” by creators.

Starfield will give players a deep character creation much like Bethesda’s older games before sending gamers out into vast space with many worlds to explore. Starfield is expected to be Bethesda’s biggest game yet with more information on the developers website.

The Day Before

November 10 - PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC

The Day Before is one of the most anticipated open-world MMO’s of 2023 and is one of the most-wishlisted-games on Steam. The game was originally due out in 2022, but developer Fntastic decided to shift the game over to Unreal Engine 5.

The Day Before is set in a zombie-filled, post-pandemic America and mixes survival with combat.

Games due in 2023

There are still lots of games due in 2023 with no confirmed official release date.

• Alan Wake 2 
• Hades 2
• Forza Motorsport
• Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
• Payday 3
• S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Heart of Chornobyl 
• Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2