2024 is right around the corner, and with it comes the yearly anticipation of new releases for upcoming games. This is a never-ending cycle of fans of a franchise impatiently waiting for the next installment of their favorite series- think of it as waiting for the next season of a TV show- but the wait can be anywhere between a month, and a whopping 15 years. So, it is a big deal when a game gets an official launch date. This year, the video game industry had major release after major release- from the award-winning Baldur’s Gate 3 to the technologically advanced The Legend of Zelda: Tears of The Kingdom. However, the wave of standard-crushing games has yet to cease- as next year is looking to be an even better year than 2023. With the PS5 finally becoming more readily available, the Nintendo Switch reaching its sixth year of being a major console, and Microsoft purchasing every known studio known to man from Blizzard to Bethesda, it’s time to see what the next year of games has in store.
January 26th will be the first major release of the year- as not one, but two massive franchises will be releasing their largest entries to date on the same day. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is the ninth major installment in the Yakuza franchise. This series is heavily revolved around the ideas of family, while maintaining an equally brutal, yet hysterical story throughout- this time, following our new protagonist into Hawaii- the first time a Yakuza game takes place outside of Japan. If someone is looking to get into Yakuza- this may not be the best game to start with, as it requires knowledge from the previous entry- Yakuza: Like a Dragon. On the same day, one of the biggest fighting games on the planet will release their eighth major installment- Tekken 8. Tekken is known for its unique fighting mechanics- strong, wicked blows and high pressure- all while maintaining a seriously high skill ceiling. Tekken is among the top dogs of fighting games- with Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat. The game is really hard to pick up, so don’t be intimidated if you aren’t winning game after game once you pick it up. Both of these games are fast paced, with rich combat mechanics that make you feel like you’re on top of the world.
February is coming in just as hot- with the release of Persona 3: Reload. This game, Persona 3 as a whole, has had it rough- its base game is lacking, the PSP version of the game makes up for it, but loses a lot of the charm, and the FES version is buggy that it is unplayable. However, the game is getting a massive remake, after years of waiting for a proper version of P3 to come out. This turn-based RPG follows a high-school nobody, who joins a team of fellow students known as S.E.E.S. to defend the world from The Dark Hour- a time where monsters enter and attack Earth. Turn-based RPGs are not for everyone, including myself, but the charm of this franchise- no matter how weird it can and will get- along with the ease of access, makes this game worthwhile.
On the topic of remakes, a major Nintendo game will be getting a massive overhaul to celebrate the fan favorite installment sometime next year. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door is considered not to be just an RPG- but the RPG. The game is a fun journey through a world not explored by Nintendo- making new friends and fighting tough enemies. The game isn’t bloody or violent like everything else mentioned, but that does not make the game for children. The story still maintains adult topics and discussion points that resonate with a lot of people. On top of that, everything about the game from the art style to the soundtrack is a sight to behold. Anyone with a Switch should be encouraged to give this game a shot when it is released next year.
Some live-service games will also be upgraded for the turn of the year. The ever-popular Fortnite is about to enter its fifth major chapter in the franchise, starting on December 3rd. This moment will serve as a major accomplishment for the company, as well as a celebration of the game as a whole. For the month of November, Fortnite brought the game back to basics- by reverting the game all the way back to 2018’s iconic map. Now, Eminem has an in-game concert planned to happen, during which the map will change into the next destination for the players- so tune in to The Big Bang on December 2nd, 2P.M. EST.
These are just a small number of major releases coming out next year. 2024 is set to standardize what it means to be the next generation of games- as support for the PS4 and Xbox 1 is slowly coming to an end, now that new games simply can’t run on them due to their advancements. I know a lot of the games listed are RPGs but let that be a gateway to try something new. Or, investigate the other major releases coming out next year- from shooters to fighters, there is a little something for everyone.
