12 Most Anticipated Video Games Coming This Holiday Season
Is a couple of weeks after Labor Day too early to start thinking about the holiday season? I don’t think that’s true, at least when it comes to video games. The time between summer and Thanksgiving has always been the best season for video game releases, as publishers try to catch some of that holiday money that flows out of everyone’s wallets this time of year.
If you’re planning on emptying your wallet to give the gamer in your life a special gift for the holidays, don’t risk accidentally giving him “Lee Carvino’s Putting Challenge” instead of “Bonestorm” ; check out my list of the 12 most anticipated games coming out before the new year. Since every game isn’t for everyone, I’ve also included information about who might want which game.
Mortal Kombat 1 (September 19)
Billed as a return to form for the Mortal Kombat series, Mortal Kombat 1 aims to give fans more of what they want – bone-crushing, skill-based violence – and less of what they don’t – unbalanced gameplay and more. – stupid stories. Classic MK characters like Sub-Zero and Johnny Cage will return, as will hopefully the illicit multiplayer fun of ripping out your friend’s spine when cross-platform play becomes available in a future update.
Who will like this game : Fans of fighting games, of course. This game is not for children or people sensitive to violence. It’s super cruel.
Available on: Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC.
Lie P (September 19)
Sometimes a video game idea is so out of the box that it has to be awesome or at least interesting. Lies of P is a 2023 game. In this single-player RPG, you are Pinocchio. Yes, Geppetto the puppet who wants to be a real boy. But this is not child’s play. It’s a hardcore soul game with a dark, Belle Epoque-style fantasy setting, brutal combat, and a dark, decadent story. It’s probably not for everyone, but if it’s for you, then it’s really for you.
Who will like this game: Fans of Dark Souls and Elden Ring games.
Available on: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC.
Payday 3 (September 21)
If you sometimes want to get together with a friend and commit a good old-fashioned heist, Payday 3 is what you need. In the third Payday game, the Payday gang is in New York City, where they will rob as much as they can without getting shot by the police. Payday 3 has some new features and flaws, but overall PayDay 3 retains the core gameplay that the series is known for rather than trying to reinvent the wheel, much to the relief of fans.
Who will like this game: Fans of extreme action and chaos will love Payback 3.
Available on: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage (October 5)
I unabashedly loved Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla , and I hope the next game in the series at least approaches its greatness. The game takes place in Baghdad in 861. Mirage abandons some of the RPG elements from Valhalla and other later Assassin’s Creed games to focus on the action and parkour the series is known for. There probably won’t be as many Vikings either, but I’ll try not to compare it to Assassin’s Creed: Mirage .
Who’ll Love This Game : Fans of huge, epic games will love the expansive, story-driven settings and stories of Assassin’s Creed Mirage .
Available on: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC.
Detective Pikachu Returns (October 6)
I don’t know why a Pokémon solves riddles while being a stubborn, tough-talking jerk, but it’s awesome either way. Detective Pikachu Returns is a cinematic adventure game in which Pikachu works with other Pokémon such as Slowpoke and MewTew to get to the bottom of the nefarious events taking place in the underbelly of Ryme City, where humans and Pokémon live side by side.
Who will like this game: This is a good game for older children, maybe 8+ – it’s about a crime, but it’s a “cute crime”; there are tough conversations, but not so tough; who doesn’t love Pikachu?
Available on: Nintendo Switch.
Forza Motorsport (October 10)
The Forza series has been at the forefront of racing simulators since 2005, when the original Forza Motorsport was released. This is the first full Forza game to come out since 2017’s Forza Motorsport 7 , and they dropped the number in the title to highlight that it’s a reboot from the ground up with a new game engine, improved physics, and tighter gameplay. This means more racing fun with hundreds of real cars, both online and in single player.
Who will love this game: The gear lover or car dreamer in your life will love Forza Motorsport .
Available on: Xbox Series X|S, PC.
7th VR Guest (October 19)
VR gamers may feel like an afterthought when it comes to game release lists, but they have feelings too. This full VR reboot of the classic horror game 7th Guest delivers puzzles, mystery, scares, and creepy exploration in a way that no “real-life” video game can.
Who will like this game : Puzzle lovers, old school gamers and horror fans will love 7th Guest VR.
Available on Steam, Quest and PSVR 2.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (October 20)
This highly anticipated PlayStation 5 exclusive allows players to take on the role of Peter Parker’s Spider-Man or Miles Morales’ Spider-Man and freely roam the vast open world of New York City, fighting Venom and Kraven the Hunter and generally slinging webs all over the world. place. This is a must-have for almost any gamer.
Who will like this game : Literally everyone who has a PlayStation 5 wants this game.
Available on : PS5
Super Mario Bros. Wonder ( October 20)
PlayStation 5 gamers’ anticipation for Spider-Man 2 is matched only by Nintendo fans’ excitement for the release of the new 2D Super Mario Bros. game. with side scrolling. Both games release on the same day, so if you have two consoles at home, there will be a battle over your TV. Also: they should just make October 20th a national holiday.
Who will like this game: Super Mario Bros. Wonder is perfect for kids new to 2D Mario and adults who remember playing Super Mario Bros. for the first time. 3 . So, each and every one.
Available : Switch
Cities: Skylines 2 (October 24)
Billed as “the most realistic and detailed city building experience ever,” Cities Skylines 2 promises to add even deeper mechanics and gameplay to the already ridiculously rich Cities Skylines . However, greater complexity of the simulation does not mean greater complexity of the gameplay: the creators of Cities Skylines 2 say that it will be easier to understand than its predecessor.
Who’ll Love This Game: Civil planning sims aren’t for everyone, but Skylines 2 is a great gift for the analytical planner with a god complex in their life.
Available on : PlayStation 5, Windows PC and Xbox Series X.
Alan Wake 2 (October 27)
Some of us have been waiting for the continuation of the adventures of Alan Wake since the first game was released in 2010. Thirteen years in the making, this survival horror sequel features the title character, a troubled writer, paired with protagonist Saga Anderson. An FBI agent is hunting a serial killer. Expect a dark atmosphere, terrifying scenery and dark surprises.
Who would love this game: The horror lover in your life will thank you for this gift.
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (November 10)
The release of a new Call of Duty game has become an annual holiday tradition for dozens of Christmases. To celebrate the series’ 20th anniversary, MW 3 will feature the fast and furious multiplayer gaming that series fans crave, bigger maps than ever before, more game modes than you could imagine (including an open world Zombies game) , a new cinematic campaign and that special sauce that’s hard to define that makes CoD the undisputed king of first-person shooters.
Who would love this game : If you have a competitive gamer in your life, this is the one to buy for Christmas.
Available on: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft Windows.