The Must-Play Games Coming in 2024

While there are a lot of major games slated to drop in 2025 (Grand Theft Auto VI being chief among them), don’t sleep on 2024! There are a ton of exciting, hotly anticipated titles releasing next year that are primed to please fans of some of the longest-running franchises in gaming, some of whom have been waiting 20-plus years(!) to return to the worlds and characters they’ve grown to know and love.

Please just note that this list currently only includes games with a confirmed 2024 release date or release window. That means that you won’t find some of the more notable games that are currently only likely to be released in 2024 (like the upcoming Elden Ring DLC). However, we will be updating this article as more titles receive confirmed 2024 release dates.

With that said, here are the biggest games releasing in 2024!

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

Ubisoft – January 18

The Prince of Persia games have fallen from prominence since the last big entry in the franchise, The Forgotten Sands, released in 2010. Once a pillar of Ubisoft’s lineup, the series has fallen by the wayside, though Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown may signal a return to form. A traditional 2D platformer, the game draws from the spirit of the original 1989 Jordan Mechner classic and takes a Metroidvania approach to exploration and progression, which sounds like a match made in heaven.

The developers at Ubisoft Montpellier gave us the brilliant Rayman Origins and Rayman Legends, so the franchise couldn’t be in more capable hands. The gameplay looks to be snappy and action-packed, with fast-paced combat, enemies with complex attack patterns, and treacherous traversal that is sure to test your reflexes. With hope, The Lost Crown will reignite the fire this once-prominent franchise once had.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio – January 25

One of the best ongoing stories in gaming is Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s Like a Dragon/Yakuza series, whose next chapter, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth features Yakuza: Like a Dragon protagonist Ichiban Kasuga searching for his estranged mother in Hawaii, aided by series mainstay Kazuma Kiryu, who on top of beating up street thugs is grappling with cancer.

The turn-based combat from Yakuza: Like a Dragon returns with some improvements like the ability to more freely move characters around during turns. The tropical setting is sure to be rife with fun mini-games and side hustles as well, but seeing how the Like a Dragon story continues to unfold is the main attraction. With Daniel Dae Kim and Danny Trejo joining the English voiceover cast, this is shaping up to be yet another gripping entry in the ongoing saga.

Tekken 8

Bandai Namco Studios – January 26

Tekken 8’s story mode looks to be the defining feature of the game that sets it apart from other long-running series in the genre. The opening moments feature a cinematic, city-leveling battle between franchise pillars Jin Kazama and Kazuya Mishima and sets the tone for a campaign that looks like anything but a tacked-on afterthought. The series’ ongoing story has always been one of its greatest virtues, and it seems like it will be reaching new heights with this eighth entry.

Gameplay in Tekken has always been about finesse, but in Tekken 8, developer Bandai Namco gives beginner players plenty of tools to help newbies work up to more sophisticated play. The Arcade Quest mode offers a meta story involving cartoon-ish in-game characters playing Tekken 8 in an arcade that acts as something of an introduction to the fighting mechanics. Then there’s the Special Style controls option that simplifies inputs to make special moves and combos easier to pull off.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League

Rocksteady Studios – January 30

Rocksteady is responsible for arguably the best superhero game series of all time in their unimpeachably great Batman Arkham series. Their next title, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, looks to be somewhat of a departure from the grounded, methodical gameplay of Arkham, presenting instead a faster, more open (and aerial) action gameplay starring the unlikeliest heroes in the entire DC Universe.

Positioning Superman, The Flash, and the rest of the Justice League as the big bads of the story is hardly a new concept, even in the video game space. But in the context of a sprawling third-person action game, it should be a lot of fun going toe to toe with the wholesome heroes as Harley Quinn and co., especially when considering the pedigree of the developers curating the combat.

Helldivers 2

Arrowhead Game Studios AB – February 8

The exciting thing about Helldivers 2 is that it is a true evolution of the first Helldivers. Whereas the original was a top-down multiplayer shooter, the sequel changes to a more immersive third-person shooter perspective while still supporting four-player co-op. Gameplay remains frenetic but tactical, with the Stratagem system allowing players to call down myriad weapons and gadgets from Helldivers Command to help lay waste to hordes of enemies.

The original Helldivers’ emphasis on team play made it incredibly addictive to play with friends, and the sequel looks to capture those same vibes. The game obviously looks considerably different than its predecessor, but there’s no doubt that Arrowhead Games will stay true to the core concepts that made the original such a cult hit.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

Square Enix – February 29

Final Fantasy VII Remake was released a whopping five years after it was announced to great fanfare at E3 2015, and the game was more than worth the wait. Square Enix expanded upon their original PS1 classic in transformative ways, updating the visuals and completely overhauling the gameplay. What was so impressive about the game was how these improvements didn’t tarnish the original experience or change it beyond recognition. In other words, it manages to be a wildly divergent yet lovingly faithful remake.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth marks Cloud, Aerith, Tifa, and Barrett’s departure from Midgar, and those familiar with the original game know that this is where the story really starts to open up. Trailers for the follow-up revealed fan-favorites like Zack, Cait Sith, and Vincent will be entering the fold, and by all indications, it looks like Square Enix will continue to pay homage to their original classic by lovingly remaking it for new generations to discover.

Homeworld 3

Blackbird Interactive – March 8

2024 seems to be the year of dormant series awakening from their respective slumbers, and no franchise has been asleep for longer than Homeworld. The forthcoming Homeworld 3’s predecessor was released way back in 2003, and the gaming landscape has changed drastically since then. So why is now the right time for the classic RTS franchise to make its return?

The simple answer has to do with tech. In a recent behind-the-scenes trailer, Blackbird co-founder and CEO and creative director on the original games Rob Cunningham explains that “Homeworld 3 was really our original dream of Homeworld 2” but that PCs simply weren’t powerful enough to support that vision back in the early aughts. Well, gaming machines are now more than up to the task of delivering the large-scale, cinematic space battles that fans have been eagerly awaiting for over two decades.

Dragon’s Dogma 2

Capcom. – March 22

The long-awaited Dragon’s Dogma 2 will finally arrive on March 22nd, 2024 and it’s already looking insanely epic. The gameplay footage Capcom has revealed thus far showcases insanely large-scale battles and a sweeping story of throne room intrigue, warring kingdoms, and of course, badass dragons.

The story takes place in a parallel world to the one of the first game, with the player creating their custom Arisen and assigning them one of several vocations (the manipulative Trickster vocation is new to the sequel). The sequel’s combat looks quite similar to the first game’s (a very good thing), but the visuals, powered by Capcom’s trusty RE Engine, have been upgraded significantly, with lush dark fantasy environments and detailed character models that look much more natural than before. It’s been almost 12 years since the first game’s release, but all signs indicate fans will be handsomely rewarded for their patience.

Princess Peach Showtime!

Nintendo – March 22

It’s inconceivable that it took this long for Nintendo to deliver a full-fledged, flagship Princess Peach game (even if you count Super Princess Peach, that joint came out almost 20 years ago). Nevertheless, Princess Peach Showtime! is on the way, and it looks to be a wholly unique spin on the classic Mario side-scrolling formula. Peach fights to protect the Mushroom Kingdom’s Sparkle Theater from the invading Grape and the Sour Bunch with the help of the theater’s guardian Stella, assuming different personas to fend off the baddies.

The theater has been a long-running backdrop for Mario games, from Super Mario Bros. 3 to Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, and it’s nice to see the theme used once again in perhaps the most inspired way yet. Peach getting to step into different “roles” throughout the campaign is a particularly empowering concept.

Destiny 2: The Final Shape

Bungie Inc. – June 4

Destiny 2: The Final Shape is the culmination of a years-long journey for fans of Bungie’s “Light and Darkness” saga. As the Guardian, players will finally uncover what awaits beyond the portal The Witness opened at the end of Lightfall, entering the Pale Heart of The Traveler to take down The Witness once and for all before it creates the titular “Final Shape,” effectively ending all life in the universe.

It’s quite an accomplishment for the team at Bungie to have sustained such enthusiasm and interest in its fanbase for this seven-year story that looks to end in spectacular fashion. The Pale Heart looks like a twisted, surrealistic, oppressive place that will no doubt provide players with an imposing gauntlet of challenges across its three episodes, and it looks like 2024 may see the long-running series reach its pinnacle.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl

GSC Game World – Q1 2024

As game delays go, none are more understandable than that of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl, whose development was halted as a result of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. In 2024, Ukrainian developer GSC Game World will finally be delivering the first-person survival horror game to fans in Q1 2024.

Set in an alternate version of Chernobyl, the game sees players chart the treacherous Exclusion Zone in an open-world format (a first for the series). The brooding atmosphere of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games will now be powered by Unreal Engine 5, resulting in some chilling depictions of real-world locations, designed by a studio based mere kilometers away. 

Hades II

Supergiant Games – Q2 2024

Hades is one of the most stylish, endlessly replayable roguelikes ever made, and the game’s ravenous fanbase seems to be just as obsessed with Supergiant Games’ imaginative twist on Greek mythology years after its release. Lucky for them, Hades II is on its way and will see players hack and slash beyond the underworld as Melinoë, princess of the underworld and sister of original protagonist Zagreus. 

One of the keys to Hades’ success was its Early Access period, which Supergiant used to gather feedback from the community and fine-tune gameplay. By the time the game hit consoles, it was the fully-formed, immaculate experience we now all know and love. Hades II launches in Early Access in Q2 2024, which will no doubt be a crucial part of the process that will hopefully make it a worthy successor to its pretty-much-perfect predecessor.

Avowed

Obsidian Entertainment – TBD 2024

Obsidian Entertainment has solidified itself as one of the best RPG-making studios in the industry (Fallout: New Vegas, Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 2), and their new contribution to the genre, Avowed, may be the studios’ most ambitious gene title yet.

While the game is set in the Pillars of Eternity universe, it is designed to be enjoyed by all players regardless of their familiarity with the franchise. Unlike previous Pillars games, Avowed is played in first-person, though it still offers the same flexibility in gameplay and high-fantasy allure. Players explore the Living Lands, a remote region of the larger world of Eora, investigating a dark plague. For those craving a large-scale fantasy RPG with deep and layered lore, this looks like it could be a perfect escape.

Little Nightmares III

Supermassive Games – TBD 2024

The genius of the Little Nightmares series lies in its lore, and Little Nightmares III looks to expand on the mystique of The Nowhere and let players poke around new dark corners of the unfolding saga. Developer Supermassive Games are staying tight-lipped about how the three games relate to each other in terms of timeline, as they should. The experience of playing the games is made richer by piecing together the larger story on one’s own.

The third entry in the series looks to be every bit as moody and evocative as its predecessors, with protagonists Low and Alone making their way through some seriously creepy locales, like the dusty, deserted Necropolis, haunted by the hulking Monster Baby. The most enticing new feature of Little Nightmares III is the option for players to play via online co-op even if only one partner owns the game, which should expand the game’s fandom nicely.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II

Ninja Theory – TBD 2024

Judging from what we’ve seen of Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II so far, the game looks eye-meltingly good. From the dramatic lighting and immaculate facial animations to those haunting locales, the folks at Ninja Theory seem to have really outdone themselves in the visuals department. Gameplay-wise, the combat looks brutally intimate, with Senua slashing and stabbing foes in ultra-violent fashion, and frankly, simply walking around the eerie environments looks just as if not more engaging.

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice was one of the most underrated titles of the last generation, and there’s just nothing like Ninja Theory’s dark take on Norse mythology on the market. The sequel looks absolutely bone-chilling, with every frame looking more nightmarish than the last.

Star Wars Outlaws

Massive Entertainment – TBD 2024

In a way, Star Wars Outlaws is the Star Wars game fans have been craving all along. The prospect of freely exploring the Star Wars universe in a sandbox setting is almost too good to be true, but Massive Entertainment seems like just the studio to handle such a…well, massive undertaking. Their excellent work on Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora proves they’re capable of delivering a large-scale adaptation that matches the grandeur of the source material, and the gameplay footage debuted at Ubisoft Forward 2023 looked more than promising.

The game is set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, which for many OG fans is the absolute peak era of the franchise. Centering on smuggler/scoundrel Kay Vess, the story is sure to be epic in scope, with Massive promising branching dialogue options. And given the time period, cameos by familiar faces from the franchise are highly likely.

The Wolf Among Us 2

Telltale Games – TBD 2024

There is a lot riding on The Wolf Among Us 2. In addition to being a long-awaited, extensively delayed sequel to a game that came out ten years ago, it’s also the best shot Telltale Games has at recapturing the glory days of early series like The Walking Dead, Tales From the Borderlands, and yes, the original Wolf Among Us. Following recent layoffs, the studio could definitely use another runaway hit, and their recently wrapped The Expanse wasn’t it.

On the bright side, the sequel does look freaking phenomenal, with footage released so far capturing the hand-drawn noir atmosphere of the first game and the Fables graphic novels. The developers have indicated that mid-development they switched from their in-house game engine to Unreal Engine 5, which resulted in the game being pushed to 2024. But this could ultimately be a great thing if it means the game will look dramatically better than all Telltale games that came before it.