As the gaming industry continues to grow and evolve, Q1 2023 promises to be an exciting time for fans, as many highly-anticipated games are on the horizon.
While 2022 gave us some notable titles like Elden Ring and God of War: Ragnarök, bringing the players a lot of excitement in the 2022 Game Awards, the lineup for Q1 2023 is shaping to be just as impressive.
From new installments in beloved franchises to original experiences, there is something for everyone on this list. So without further ado, let’s get into it.
ONE PIECE ODYSSEY
- Planned Release Date: January 13, 2023
- Platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC
ONE PIECE ODYSSEY is a brand-new RPG set in the universe of the popular anime & manga One Piece. Commemorating the 25th anniversary of One Piece, the game is a fusion of the JRPG genre with elements from the anime.
In the story, Captain Monkey.D.Luffy and the Straw Hat Crew get caught in a fierce storm at sea, at the end of which they find themselves stranded on the mysterious island of Waford, losing track of each other. Play as Luffy and various members of the Straw Hat Crew escape the island!
Forspoken
- Planned Release Date: January 24, 2023
- Platforms: PlayStation 5, PC
Forspoken is Square Enix’s next action RPG developed by Luminous Productions, which consists of the team behind Final Fantasy XV.
According to Square Enix, Forspoken will offer a narrative-based experience to players, who’ll get to play as Frey Holland, a New Yorker who finds herself in the fantasy world of Athia. She has to utilize her magical powers to stay alive in this unknown realm and safely make her way back home.
You can play Forspoken’s demo on PlayStation 5.
Dead Space Remake
- Planned Release Date: January 27, 2023
- Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
The sci-fi horror classic Dead Space is coming back! The remake will offer players a more immersive and more profound experience thanks to suspenseful atmospheric audio and improved graphics & gameplay, all while staying faithful to the original game.
If you aren’t familiar with Dead Space, the story revolves around an engineer named Isaac Clarke. He discovers that his whole crew is slaughtered, and his partner Nicole is lost. As a result, he’s now on a mission against Necromorphs to survive and find Nicole, all while trying not to lose the last shred of his sanity in this suffocating situation.
Hogwarts Legacy
- Planned Release Date: February 10, 2023
- Platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC
Here comes the elephant in the room, Hogwarts Legacy. Teasing the players with videos showing off its beautiful graphics and various elements from gameplay, the title is among the most anticipated games of Q1 2023.
For those unfamiliar, Hogwarts Legacy is an open-world RPG taking place in the world introduced by the Harry Potter franchise.
You’ll be a student in the 1800s Hogwarts who holds the key to an ancient secret. Be at the center of the adventure, where you will determine the fate of the wizarding world.
Note:
We stand against J.K. Rowling’s hateful and harmful remarks about transgender people. The game’s official site mentions that she has no direct involvement. “J.K. Rowling is not directly involved in the creation of the game. However, her extraordinary body of writing is the foundation of all projects in the Wizarding World. This is not a new story from J.K. Rowling.” If you’d like to offer support to communities affected by her bigoted comments, consider donating to the National Center for Transgender Equality or The Okra Project and be kind to one another.
Atomic Heart
- Planned Release Date: February 21, 2023
- Platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC
Atomic Heart is a first-person shooter containing some RPG elements. Taking place in an alternate 1955 in the Soviet Union, the game centers on an unstable KGB agent Major Nachaev, whose task is to deal with biorobots out of control.
Although the hype for Atomic Heart was big when it was first announced in 2017, the development process hasn’t been so smooth.
The game’s been at the center of many controversies about mass layoffs, crunch time, and bad management. So they delayed it to Q1 2023 from its previous release window of late 2022.
At the end of all the fuss, we’re finally about to play it when Atomic Heart hits the store shelves on February 21.
Sons of the Forest
- Planned Release Date: February 23, 2023
- Platforms: PC
The sequel to the popular survival-horror game The Forest is yet another highly-anticipated game scheduled for Q1 2023.
Your task is to find a lost billionaire on a stranded island. That won’t be easy, though. To survive on this island filled with cannibals, you will have to craft items and build shelters, alone or with your friends.
Like its predecessor, Sons of the Forest will let players roam freely in the vast and virulent open world. Therefore, it is solely on you to find the best way to survive.
Sadly, Sons of the Forest is only going to launch on PC. There’s yet to be any official talk about a possible console version. However, The Forest had a PS4 version, so we might expect a console release based on the game’s success.
Kerbal Space Program 2
- Planned Release Date: February 24, 2023
- Platforms: PC
Kerbal Space Program 2 is the sequel to the popular space-flight simulation game Kerbal Space Program (2011). The prequel had a lot of success, letting the gamers play around with their spaceships however they want in pursuit of advancing the space program of the alien race Kerbals.
Perhaps the most exciting thing about the original was its level of detail – you had to manage everything from building ships to leading your teams and setting up communications. Thanks to that, many players spent ungodly hours in Kerbal Space Program to achieve their desired perfection.
Fast-forward eleven years after the release of Kerbal Space Program, we are now on the verge of the release of its sequel. According to the developers, it is built from the ground up to meet modern expectations while “maintaining the monumental foundations” of the first game.
Skull & Bones
- Planned Release Date: March 9, 2023
- Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Amazon Luna, PC
Developed by Ubisoft, Skull & Bones is a third-person tactical action game centered around piracy and naval warfare. It draws inspiration from the much-beloved sea fights in Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. Perhaps this explains why many players are eagerly waiting for its release.
In Skull & Bones, you will get to grow your infamy as a pirate, completing various contracts from vendors, local factions, and kingpins. In addition, you can create your ships based on your playstyle, thus adapting them to serve your purpose in the sea.
You can choose how you want to play in Skull & Bones, which will have both PvE and PvEvP modes. In addition, you can sail solo or in groups of up to three.
Let us also note that Skull & Bones is an Epic Games exclusive on PC.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
- Planned Release Date: March 17, 2023
- Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor picks up five years after the events of the critically acclaimed Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. In this action-adventure game, you will take on the role of Jedi Knight Cal Kestis as he fights for survival against the oppressive forces of the Galactic Empire.
As Cal navigates the dangerous landscape of a galaxy in the grip of the Empire, he must rely on all his training and abilities as a Jedi to defeat his enemies. Along the way, he will encounter various memorable characters and face off against fearsome foes, including notorious bounty hunters and deadly Imperial stormtroopers.
Resident Evil 4
- Planned Release Date: March 24, 2023
- Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Resident Evil 4 is a remake of the popular 2005 horror game of the same name.
In the highly-anticipated remake, players will control US agent Leon S. Kennedy to rescue the president’s daughter from a village filled with people in a violent cult.
Capcom is developing the remake by “reimagining the storyline of game while keeping the essence of its direction, modernizing the graphics and updating the controls to a modern standard.”
We’re set to witness the reborn of one of the milestones in the industry with better gameplay, a restructured storyline, and state-of-the-art graphics on March 24, when Resident Evil 4 makes its way to the stores.
Final Words
That was all from us.
What do you think we missed in our list of Q1 2023 games? What other titles are you eagerly waiting for? What’s the most exciting one on the list for you?
Don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments!
