2023 is looking to be an extremely promising year for video games, just as promising or even better than 2022 was. Fans of basically every genre have some highly anticipated games releasing this year – with horror fans and Potterheads already enjoying themselves with Dead Space and Hogwarts Legacy. Here are some releases that get me excited.

Final Fantasy XVI

Seven years after the widely criticized Final Fantasy XV, Square Enix is finally releasing a new mainline Final Fantasy game exclusive to the PS5. Final Fantasy is a beloved franchise by many, with many highs and lows throughout its games. The recent trailer for the game looked to be very promising, though, with this being one of Sony’s biggest launches this year. 

Destiny 2: Lightfall

While technically not a game, Destiny 2: Lightfall still holds its spot as one of my most anticipated releases of the year. The penultimate expansion to the story as we know it in Destiny, arriving with mountains of new content, abilities and weapons to keep that good ol’ Destiny grind as addicting as ever. Unlike years of old, the story has me completely hooked as of right now, and I cannot wait to see what beats and turns the narrative takes in Lightfall. 

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of The Kingdom

Yet another insanely beloved franchise, the sequel to 2017’s multi-award winner, ‘Breath of The Wild’ is finally releasing after a devastating delay from 2022’s release schedule. Breath of The Wild is widely considered by many to be one of the greatest open-world games ever made – some even call it the best and with the sequel releasing in May, many fans are shaking with excitement to see how Nintendo shakes up the formula and create yet another masterpiece.

Resident Evil 4 Remake 

Resident Evil has been on a roll for the last couple of years, with standout releases year after year. Capcom has been remaking some of the older Resident Evil games for a while now, with the most recent being Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3 Remakes. And while Resident Evil 2 & 3 are acknowledged as great games, many call Resident Evil 4 a masterpiece and the absolute best in the entire franchise. I for one have loved all the recent Resident Evil games and have been waiting years for them to remake the fabled Resident Evil 4, and now it’s finally arriving in March.

Starfield

Announced about five years ago, Starfield is Bethesda’s first new universe in over 25 years. Having an amazing track record with Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Fallout 4 and Doom, Bethesda is known for astonishing game design and creative IPs. Starfield is their first take at something truly sci-fi, and it sure looks promising. The trailer in 2022 showcased massive cities filled with life and a scope grander than any other. As a big sci-fi fan myself, I’m looking forward to entangling myself in this massive universe when it arrives. 

Hollow Knight Silksong

And finally, my most anticipated game of the year. The sequel to Hollow Knight – one of my favorite games ever – is finally set to come out in 2023 after many grueling years of radio silence from the dev team. The cute, bug-sprawling metroidvania has amassed a large following over the years, and the release of Silksong has become a meme of its own to follow. Unfortunately, the game’s release is still up in the air, even though it was confirmed by Microsoft in their E3 panel last year that it would arrive in the first half of 2023. The radio silence still continues, with the devs still not giving any updates about the game. The fans (including myself) still keep their fingers crossed for a release this year because when Silksong does release, it’s going to be remembered for a long time.