12 games that will make 2023 epic – Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Final Fantasy 16, Spider-Man 2 and more

2023 is shaping up to be one hell of a year for video games as numerous big releases from PlayStation, Nintendo and Xbox are set to launch across the 12-month period. 

That's not to say 2022 hasn't been remarkable already, with Elden Ring, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Horizon Forbidden West, Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, Stray, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and Splatoon 3, all complementing the year's output. It's just that 2022 has been full of delays... like a lot. So many in fact that 2023 is poised to have one of the most stacked years yet – and that's only counting what we know about. 

Everyone is aware of how secretive the games industry can be, so it's not using hyperbole to genuinely say that 2023 has a mighty strong chance of being one of the best years for video games in history. Don't believe us? These 12 good reasons will convince you otherwise.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Without a doubt, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is the biggest game from Nintendo in years and potentially the most anticipated game on this list. Looking to build off the monumental success of its predecessor by expanding to the skies above Hyrule, much of the game has been shrouded in secrecy, yet Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma promised "something special" for Link fans. We can't wait!

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 is scheduled to launch on Nintendo Switch in spring 2023.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth 

The second of three parts in the extraordinary undertaking by Square Enix to remake and retell the beloved story of Final Fantasy 7. Picking up from the end of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth looks to follow Cloud, Tifa, Barrett and friends as they look to change history and prevent Aerith's death from Sephiroth. 

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is scheduled to launch on PlayStation 5 in the winter of 2023.

Starfield 

Now that Microsoft owns Bethesda, Starfield quickly shot to the top of many people's list with the space action RPG undeniably being Xbox's biggest exclusive. Development has been ongoing since 2015, something that made the ambitious project said to feature over 1,000 explorable planets. That should keep us busy until The Elder Scrolls 6 and Fallout 5. 

Starfield is scheduled to launch on Xbox One Series X/S and PC in the first half of 2023. 

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League 

By the time Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League releases, it will have been eight years since developer Rocksteady's last game in Batman: Arkham Knight. The superb superhero studio turns its attention to the ragtag group of Task Force X, as players control Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang and King Shark in an attempt to take down Superman and the Justice League for good. 

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is scheduled to launch across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC in the first half of 2023. 

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor  

Cal Kestis returns in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, a sequel to 2019's critically acclaimed Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Developer Respawn, otherwise known for Titanfall and Apex Legends, is collaborating with Lucasfilm Games once more for the sequel, picking up five years later with the young Jedi trying to survive through the age of the Empire. 

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is scheduled to launch across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC in 2023. 

Dead Space  

Few horror games have left the legacy that Dead Space did, so it's no surprise really that EA decided to remake the 2008 release for new consoles. Set in the 26th century, engineer Isaac Clake investigates a distress call from the USG Ishimura that leaves him no option but to take arms against mutated human corpses as he searches for his wife. 

Dead Space is scheduled to launch across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC on January 27th, 2023. 

Final Fantasy 16 

I'm sorry, what! Two Final Fantasy games in one year? Oh yes, Final Fantasy 16 (or Final Fantasy XVI) is the next mainline entry in the series, this time set in the mountainous land of Valisthea where six factions are on the verge of war. The main protagonist, Clive Rosfield, will venture on a quest for revenge after a "great tragedy". 

Final Fantasy 16 is scheduled to launch on PlayStation 5 in the summer of 2023.

Street Fighter 6 

Hadoken! Ryu, Chun-Li, Jamie, Kimberly, Luke and Guile are all back for another round in Street Fighter 6. It's staggering to think that the competitive fighting game has now been going 35 years with the seventh entry in the mainline series set to introduce real-time commentary and take advantage of the gorgeous graphics engine that has helped the Resident Evil series shine in recent years. Speaking of which...

Street Fighter 6 is scheduled to launch across PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/ S and Microsoft Windows in 2023.

Resident Evil 4  

Capcom has been on stellar form in recent years, now remaking arguably its most popular game ever for a new generation in Resident Evil 4. Players will once again control US agent Leon Kennedy on a mission to rescue the president's daughter from an infected violent cult in a remote Spanish village, although the narrative is interestingly being changed up a little bit.  

Resident Evil 4 is scheduled to launch across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC on March 24th, 2023. 

Hogwarts Legacy

Aside from the Lego games, I'd argue the Harry Potter series has never reached its full potential in video game form. That's why the excitement for Hogwarts Legacy is palpable. Imagine being able to live out your fantasies, explore the halls of Hogwarts, visit the town of Hogsmeade and get lost in the Forbidden Forest. Set in the 1800s, players will control a fifth year student who holds the key to an ancient secret that threatens to tear down the wizarding world in this open-world action adventure from Avalanche Software. It's going to be magic.

Hogwarts Legacy is scheduled to launch across PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and Microsoft Windows on February 10th, 2023. Those on Nintendo Switch will also receive a version of the game at a later date. 

Pragmata

Sticking with Capcom for the second, Pragmata is a sci-fi action-adventure steeped in mystery that is set to be the studio's first original franchise in eight years. Giving off Death Stranding vibes from the opening trailer, players will find themselves located on a near-future dystopian world on the moon and will experience a "profound story" with visuals that are designed to take advantage of next-gen hardware. Little else is known about the exciting project – it definitely has our attention, though. 

Marvel's Spider-Man 2  

Two Spideys for the price of one? Oh, Insomniac, you are too good to us. That's right after the major success of Marvel's Spider-Man and Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, the sequel will have players acting as both Peter Parker and Miles Morales as they square off against Kraven the Hunter and Venom. Black Spidey suit incoming! 

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is scheduled to launch on PlayStation 5 in 2023.

There you have it. 12 monumentally exciting games that will no doubt (barring delays) help 2023 become one of the best years in video game history. We knew you'd be convinced.