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Dec. 28 (UPI) -- After a year marked by shakeups in the tech industry, lingering issues from the COVID-19 pandemic, and economic repercussions from the war in Ukraine, a number of long anticipated titles are scheduled to release next year. Here are 10 of the most anticipated titles of 2023. 'Dead Space' -- Playstation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows
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Electronic Art's reimagining of 2008's horror sci-fi classic, Dead Space, will feature modern graphics, expanded story elements and full voice acting for the protagonist Issac Clarke. As in the original, Clarke will fight for survival against hoards of mutated humans aboard the abandoned spacecraft USG Ishimura. While developers have assured fans that the remake is true to the original, retaining the limb dismemberment system that defines the series, the game world has been constructed using DICE's Frostbite engine. The powerful Frostbite engine was used to make recent installments of Electronic Art's Battlefield and Star Wars Battlefront series, both of which were praised for their graphics. The game will release on Jan. 27, 2023.
'Hogwarts Legacy' -- Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Windows
The upcoming action role-playing game from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment's Avalanche Software will put players in the robes of a customizable student at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry during the 1890s. Players will choose a house, personalize their character, and attend classes in a dynamic recreation of the classic setting from the films. Areas from the books which have yet to be portrayed in visual media, like the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw common rooms, will come to life in Hogwarts Legacy. Players will upgrade their abilities, talents, and spells through gameplay progression and learn to tame and ride various creatures from the Harry Potter universe. The game is scheduled to release on Feb. 10, 2023.
'Atomic Heart' -- Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Windows
The upcoming game from Cyprus-based Russian developer Mundfish has been described as "Soviet bioshock" by video game journalists. The action is set in an alternate dieselpunk version of the 1950s Soviet Union and will see the player take control of Major Nechaev, a KGB agent sent to investigate an incident at a secret facility. Players will use futuristic weapons and psychokinetic abilities to face off against an army of automated robots. Gameplay trailers demonstrate the acrobatic abilities of retro-futuristic robotic enemies the player will need take down and loot using skill and wits. The game will release on Feb. 21, 2023.
'Skull and Bones' -- Playstation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows
Ubisoft's open world pirate game, which was stuck in limbo for years after it entered development in 2013, will finally come out in 2023. The game will feature open-world naval battles, inspired by mechanics from Ubisoft's Assassins Creed Black Flag, and customizable pirate captains. Players will will buy and upgrade vessels as they explore the Indian Ocean, seeking treasure and visiting open world locations where they can interact with the environment. Outside of Skull and Bones' single-player campaign, gamers will be able to join crews of five for player vs player gameplay. The game will release on March 9, 2023.
'S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl' -- Xbox Series X/S, Windows
The fourth installment in the survival horror shooter series was delayed when the Ukrainian development team, GSC Game World, had to move their operations to Prague following the Russian invasion. The game will bring players back to the mysterious Chernobyl exclusion zone as a protagonist named Skif. The new installment will feature a seamless open world. "Dangerous mutants and deadly anomalies will not be the only obstacles on your journey. You will feel all the griefs of a new stalker life while searching and consuming rare and valuable supplies - food, drinks, meds, alcohol, etc. Immersive survival mechanics will be enriching the gameplay on the path through the branched storyline," reads a description on S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2's official website. The game is scheduled to be released in April 2023.
'The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom' -- Nintendo Switch
Unlike The Legend of Zelda: The Breath of the Wild, which was developed for a cross-generation release on the Switch and Wii U, the new installment is being optimized for the Switch. Plot details are scant, but it has been revealed that the installment will see series protagonist Link will return to the open world of the Hyrule Kingdom to confront a a new evil unleashed by reoccurring villain Ganon. Tears of the Kingdom will release on May 12, 2023.
'Diablo IV' -- Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Windows
Blizzard Entertainment's fourth mainline installment in the Diablo franchise brings back the procedurally generated dungeons and loot mechanics that defined previous installments, while adding new features. Players will also be able to face off against each other in player vs. player interactions, the game will also feature an open world. Five player classes have been announced, Rogue, Necromancer, Barbarian, Sorceress and Druid. The game will release on June 6, 2023.
'Street Fighter 6' -- Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows
Capcom's seventh mainline installment in the Street Fighter series will feature new systems, including a "drive bar," which will drain when players use "drive abilities" and replenish over time when players step back from combat or land hits on their opponents. Classic characters like Chun-Li, Guile, Ryu and Luke have gotten visual overhauls and new fighting techniques. A pre-order trailer released in early December features colorful new graphics and locations, along with new animations for fighting moves. The game is expected to release in June 2023.
'Spider-Man 2' -- PlayStation 5
Insomniac Games' sequel to 2018's open-world interpretation of Marvel's Spider-Man will feature Peter Parker and Miles Morales as a Spider-Man duo. The trailer features Kraven the Hunter saying he is looking for the "ultimate hunt," suggesting he will be the game's main antagonist. The trailer ends with a surprise reveal, indicating that Venom will appear in the game. The likely fall 2023 release date was revealed by Insider Gaming in a profile of one of the writers working on the game.
'Alan Wake 2' -- Playstation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows
The sequel to 2010's action horror title was delayed multiple times due to Remedy Entertainment's other projects Quantum Break and Control. Though the sequel brings back the original game's main mechanic, which requires Alan to weaken enemies with his flashlight before taking them out, series creator Sam Lake says the new installment will have more survival horror elements than its predecessor. In a trailer released in 2021, Alan Wake says "This is not the story you want it to be. This story will eat you alive. This story is a monster, and monsters wear many faces." The release date is TBA.
