The 15 Most Anticipated Steam Games of 2023
It’s no secret that Steam is the place to find all of the best in cutting-edge gaming. With several high-profile releases already hitting the platform this year, it’s a given that there’s still a lot of good things to come. Here are fifteen of the most eagerly anticipated Steam releases still to come this year. From AAA blockbusters to indie gems, this list is sure to give you a ton of reasons to pad your Wishlist out in Q2.
15. WrestleQuest - Coming May 2023 - Steam/PS4&5/XBox X|S|One/Switch
Get ready to rock with the great legends of wrestling's past in this new JRPG from MegaCat!
WrestleQuest is a game by Mega Cat Studios, known for insane indie gems with quirky premises. WrestleQuest is a JRPG. About pro wrestling. And it’s just as bonkers as you’d expect, right down to pixellated cameos from legends out of wrestling’s history, such as Andre the Giant, the Macho Man Randy Savage, and Jake the Snake. Oh, and monsters. It’s a JRPG, what did you expect?
With a charming blend of retro pixel-art and modern shader effects, the game has a zany art style. It goes really well with the rocking audio and surprisingly strategic gameplay, creating a unique aesthetic for you to enjoy on your way to becoming the one true king of the ring.
This game’s main draw is the way it balances the simulation aspect with the JRPG, all while honoring (and lampooning!) its source material in new and creative ways. It has a small but devoted following already, all of them eagerly awaiting the official release, scheduled as of now for May of 2023.
This game feels like a spiritual nod to Punch Club, and while it’s clearly its own creation, drawing parallels between the two is inevitable. Those who enjoy one are very likely to enjoy the other, and I wouldn’t be surprised if a fair number of wishlisters of WrestleQuest had played and enjoyed Punch Club in the past.
Pixels, pyrotechnics and bare-chested beatdowns make this JRPG slap harder than its headliners!
14. Glyde the Dragon - 2023 - Steam
Eerily familar, and yet awesomely innovative, this shameless love-letter to Spyro kicks it up a LOT.
Ever since the original Spyro games took a nose-dive off of the Cliffs of Insanity into the Bog of Eternal Stench, there’s been a very special dragon-shaped hole in the hearts of gamers the world over. Enter Valefor Games, an independent dev team from the UK with one simple vision: recreate the magic and wonder of Spyro, but make it MOAR AWESOMER! With better aesthetics, an open-world design, and combat more reminiscent of a souls-like than the original games, Glyde promises to be nothing less than epic.
Corruption is spreading throughout the world, and it’s the job of Glyde, a young, vibrant, powerful dragon, and Wing, his glowing bug sidekick, to stop it (I told you it was heavily inspired by Spyro). While the fun and exploration-based game-play of its original source material still shine through (moreso than ever, in fact), one thing that stands out is the action-packed combat system.
Glyde can utilize eight different elemental forms with a wide variety of unique moves, and he’ll need all of that power to stop the monsters that he will face along his journey. The combat in this game is very challenging, something that may throw off someone who was expecting more of a light-hearted romp. Pulling fans from a wide variety of pools and promising a little something for everyone, this is a shadow hit waiting to happen.
Despite a couple of hiccups along the way, the devs are still anticipating a release this year, and there’s already a pretty impressive demo available on Steam for those who want to get a feel for what the game has to offer. This is Valefor’s first project, but it is to be sincerely hoped that it won’t be their last; the passion and talent that went into making this masterpiece shine through at every turn.
The game that Insomniac could only dream of making.
13. Bomb Rush Cyberfunk - Q3 2023 - Steam/Switch
Cel-shaded sweetness, kick-ass gameplay, and sick beats to tie it all together? Hell yeah!
This game, a purposeful nod to Jet Set Radio of Dreamcast fame, is one hell of a romp. Combining a cool cel-shaded look and a soundtrack worthy of the game’s name, Bomb Rush Cyberfunk feels like both a wave of nostalgia and the freshest scent on the indie scene right now. Skating, biking, and blading across the five borroughs of New Amsterdam, tagging your turf, and running from the MPs is a blast, and those who loved its predecessor are sure to get lost in the hot new take.
You’re playing as a young up-and-comer on the streets of New Amsterdam, looking to make your mark on the city, literally and figuratively. Not only do you have rival gangs to contend with, but you’ve got to contend with the law… and they aren’t necessarily interested in peaceful detainment (missiles are, in fact, on the table as a potential use of “necessary force” to subdue you). Along the path to glory, you’re trying to pick up as many sweet tricks and smooth rides as possible.
It’s all great fun, and since the original game had such a passionate cult following, the turnout to see this new vision come to life was fantastic. A lot of people participated in a contest recently to get their own graffiti designs included in the game, and the Rocksteady website has a collage of entries available for you to marvel at, as well as announcements of the winners. Despite all the hype, though, this is a title likely to actually exceed it.
The game was originally planned to be released in 2022, but there were unexpected delays. However, the dev team seems to be on-track for a release in summer of 2023. With all of the content already finished, plus all of that anticipated between now and then, the release promises to be everything the game’s backers hoped for. Honestly, the soundtrack alone is worth the price of admission; just watch the gameplay trailer above and you’ll see what I mean.
Super-fly, or super high? Doesn’t matter; mastering your board in this game is crazy fun.
The Alters - TBD - Steam
Surreal and thought-provoking, or the ultimate expression of narcissism? Who knows, who cares!
While there is not an official release date yet scheduled for The Alters by 11 Bit Studios, it’s rumored that it will be released sometime in 2023, and a lot of people are very eager to see that come to pass. Adventure games have been enjoying something of a renaissance lately, and 11 Bit Studios is well-known for thought-provoking, mind-bending games, so when the announcement trailer and dev interview hit last year, it generated a fair bit of buzz in certain circles.
The Alters promises to be not just a compelling adventure game with rich graphics and a deep story, but an opportunity for self-exploration as well. You play as Jan Dolski, a man who is ship-wrecked on a lonely and desolate planet. In order to repair his ship and go back to reclaim his shattered life, he’s going to need help. But since nobody else is around, enter… the alters.
Alternate versions of Jan, engineered to reflect who he would have been in different what-if scenarios. Each with their own life story, their own skills and goals shaped by their own unique experiences, and all with their own personalities and needs that the player must factor into their attempt to wrangle them into finding a way back… and maybe even a way forward. This one is shaping up to be a deep one, that’s for sure.
It’s rare that a game comes along that allows us to not only have an entertaining experience, but also to learn something about ourselves. The Alters is brimming with the promise of doing just exactly that, and I don’t think I’m alone in saying that I can’t wait to see what kinds of twists and turns the finished game takes me down. Here’s hoping that the rumors are true, and that we all get to enjoy this gem before 2023 is done.
Hi, Jan. I’m Jan. This is Jan, Jan, Jan, Jan, Jan, and Jan. Oh, him? He’s Jan.
Lichenvale - April 24th, 2023 - Steam
Like Quake and the Legend of Zelda had a beautiful baby.
Lichenvale, developed and published by Filip Zemljak, is a fantasy-themed FPS for the new century. Fans of games like Herectic, Hexen, and Doom will immediately recognize the aesthetic and gameplay. Just because something fits an already well-worn mold doesn’t make it any less epic, and the former Ubisoft developer clearly has a great love for these classics that shines through in every facet of his creation.
However, this isn’t just a retread of what came before. It’s clearly meant to be an improvement on the formula. Facing a horde of mobs, several bosses, and some light puzzles along the way just to highlight the action sequences, the player has plenty of melee weapons and spells at their disposal. But will it be enough?
Sometimes innovation is as simple as doing something that’s already been done, but doing it better, and this is the core of the appeal of Lichenvale. Many gamers fondly remember the glory days of the Serpent Rider trilogy (Heretic, Hexen, and Hexen II), and just as modern takes on Doom brought that franchise’s charm to a new generation of gamers, so Lichenvale is sure to do with these three gems of old.
Aside from the release trailers, there hasn’t been a whole lot of chatter from the dev about the game; they appear to be too busy working on their baby to comment. But it’s scheduled for release at the end of April, and so far, there’s been no contradicting news, so it should be possible to get a taste of this fresh take on a classic formula in all its newfound glory soon.
Because the best way to solve any problem is rabid pyromania.
Afterimage - April 25th, 2023 - Steam/PS4/PS5/XBox X|One/Switch
Breathtaking visuals and tight gameplay? All about it!
Afterimage is a new action-adventure game that has a non-linear, deep, richly developed world. Created by Aurogon Shanghai and published by Modus Games, this stunningly beautiful entry to our list features all hand-drawn graphics, immersive gameplay, and a riveting mystery to solve as you dash and slash your way across the world of Engardin. As the amnesiac girl Renee, you will explore the secrets of this place, uncover truths that history tried to hide, and find a way forward through the ruins of a world shaken to its core by The Razing.
The worldbuilding and character development are top notch, too, and the platforming looks smooth and tight, but its no use pretending that the aesthetic is the real selling point of this game. This is the kind of world that you just want to get lost in, and thankfully, it’s expansive enough to keep players thoroughly captivated for hours and hours of exploration.
There’s more to this game than just the eye-candy, though. Afterimage is full of simple but suitably challenging moments that provide a very pleasingly natural difficulty curve as you progress, and features solid and engaging combat. Renee may very well be the Link of the future. If, you know, Link were a pretty girl who had memory issues.
All in all, this one promises to be both a grand adventure and a stunning audio-visual journey, with tight gameplay and a deep story to round out the experience. Everyone who likes the genre (and even those who are holdouts!) should take the time to give it a try; if nothing else, the sheer beauty of the world of Engardia should keep you coming back for more.
What, you think that just because you’re big, and scary, and can fly, that’ll slow me down? Amateur.
Endless Dungeon - May 18th, 2023 - Steam/PS4&5/XBox X|S|One/Switch
It doesn't matter what the setting is, escort missions are a bitch. Good news is, you can be one too!
Endless Dungeon, made by AMPLITUDE Studios and produced by SEGA, is set in the already well-known universe of the existing Endless Games. Combining tactical real-time combat, tower defense, and one hell of an escort mission, this sci-fi title is poised to make a big splash when it lands in May. Whether you’re a veteran of the Endlessverse, or a newbie just poking their feet in the water for the first time, there’s plenty of solid gameplay and lore to keep you riveted for some time to come.
When your ship dies, and you find yourself stranded on an isolated space station, you have only one hope: reaching the Core alive. To do that, you are going to need the help of your crystalbot, but it’s about as resilient as an over-ripe grape, and to make matters worse, the hordes of monsters between you and the core are all too eager to turn it into scrap. Using a combination of turrets and run-n’-gun tactics, you will need to mow a path to escape.
The core gameplay loop is something that we have seen before (anyone else remember Dungeon Defenders, by Trendy Games?), but that’s not a bad thing. The model is reappearing because it works, and AMPLITUDE has a very unique take on the style, and the differences in emphasis, lore, and other features make this title stand out on its own as a separate animal.
There’s a lot of different styles of play mashed up together in this title, and fans of real-time tactical games of any sort are likely to enjoy this title. Not only does it give existing fans of the franchise a new way to experience a familiar world, but it may just be enough to pull fans of other, tangentially related games into the fold as well, exposing them to the rich story and environment that make the Endless games so great.
Nobody puts crystalbot in a corner!
Street Fighter 6 - June 2nd, 2023 - Steam/PS4&5/XBox X|S|One
Capcom, putting the verve in violence for three decades!
Fans of fighting games need no introduction to the Street Fighter franchise. Capcom’s smash hit series of fighting games hit on a winning formula early, and the newest addition to the lineup does what every Street Fighter title has done best: build on what came before without altering the core experience at all. This game is the most visually polished entry in the series, with the best sound, and the smoothest animation, but at its core it’s all about button-mashing beatdowns of the highest order.
Many classic characters return for this most recent entry, including fan favorites like the berserk beast, Blanka, and the slam-dancing Dee Jay. Cammy and Chun-Li, the poster-girls of the franchise, make reappearances here too, as do many others. But there are also a few new faces this time around. (So new, in fact, that despite being confirmed releases when the game launches, they don’t even have pages over on Fandom yet).
Street Fighter 6 is, in the end, a choicer cut of the same side of meat that Capcom has been serving us forever, and I’m okay with that. Sometimes it’s nice to play something familiar with a shiny new coat of paint, and if you are the sort of gamer who enjoys both exploring new things and taking a walk down memory lane, Street Fighter 6 is sure to satisfy.
The one thing that I can’t figure is how Capcom got away with some of the characters, both old and new, that appear in this line-up in the current socio-political climate. But I don’t care; part of the beauty and the charm of the series is that a lot of the roster are comprised of familiar faces with familiar styles of play, even when they are not always in line with more current sensibilities.
Call me a one-trick pony all you like; it’s a damned good trick.
Silent Hill 2 Remake - TBD - Steam/PS5
Some games need no introduction. This is one of those.
The Silent Hill franchise is legendary for its atmospheric horror vibe, and is loved by fans of the genre the world over. The earlier games, in particular, are held up as examples of the finest examples of the formula. Some people think that Silent Hill 2 can never be bettered; Bloober Team and Konami have paired up in an attempt to prove them wrong. With a deep respect for the source material and the technical chops to make use of the latest tech, the devs are poised to do something we see all too seldom: give a game a remake worthy of, even surpassing, the original.
This one is going to be a drain on even well-heeled, modern systems, though… while the original games in the franchise used the fog effects as a way to cover for the rendering shortcomings of early 3D consoles, it’s now purely kept for the surreal, creepy atmosphere that it creates. Rolling fogbanks, ambient sound (when not dealing with Silent Hill’s trademark creepy silence), and subtle plays of light and shadow all eat up valuable graphical power.
One of the cornerstones of development has been the principle of respect for the original game; fans have been promised that only “very safe” changes will be made, i.e., ones that don’t detract from the original game’s plot and feel. Fans all over are excited for this remake, and who could blame them? This is a venerated classic, from a genre that has stagnated since this game’s original version came out back in 2001, being given the loving polish it deserves after all of this time.
As long as the developers and producers are being honest with us, this is going to be a truly epic experience for old fans and new bloods alike. While no firm release date has even been hinted at thus far, there are a lot of internet rumors indicating that Silent Hill 2 Remake will be released on PS5 and Steam sometime in 2023. For the sake of all the eager gamers waiting to see if this game lives up to its hype as a modern upgrade to a cherished masterpiece, I hope that’s true.
Silent Hill is about to get a lot less silent, you creepy !@#$%
Age of Wonders 4 - May 2nd, 2023 - Steam/PS5/XBox X|S
*Mel Brooks voice* "It's good to be the king!
Paradox Interactive took the world by storm with Stellaris, but they aren’t ready to rest on their pile of cash just yet… now they’ve decided to take on publishing Triumph’s latest 4X game, Age of Wonders 4. The winning combination of strategic empire management and turn-based combat made the first three games successes, and the fourth installment is ready to blow its predecessors out of the sky.
Wizard Kings once more wander the realms of magic, garnering ever-increasing amounts of arcane power and ruling over the races of the world as deities. Vying constantly for supremacy, these nigh-omnipotent beings will stop at nothing to secure a place for themselves and those who serve them as the ultimate power across reality. By acquiring the Tomes of Magic, you can shape your followers to be the perfect soldiers in this cosmic war and lead them to a glorious future.
The degree of customizability gives this game replay value seldom seen in a 4X game, and the gameplay is deep without being overly complex. The game has beautiful visuals and sound as well, making it the total package, and fans of the genre, as well as this particular franchise, are already chomping at the bit to try their skills against their fellows as soon as it drops. The production values embodied by Paradox and the creative vision of Triumph are sure to birth a banger here.
Not only is each playthrough an epic experience on its own, but you can meet your creations again in later playthroughs, as potential friends or foes, giving every match a feeling of being part of a larger history. If you’re planning to get the game, it’s worth it to try to get a pre-order in, as Paradox Interactive likes to award early adopters and this title is no different; those who pre-order the game can expect a couple of extra goodies; whether these will be available by other means later has yet to be seen, so if you care about such things, make sure to claim them now.
Should we try diplomacy, or… ah, who am I kidding?! FIRE IN THE HOLE!
Baldur’s Gate 3 - August 31st, 2023 - Steam/PS5/XBox X|S
True legends never die... they get sequels!
Baldur’s Gate 2 was hailed as one of the best single player and coop RPGs of its era, and with good reason. Now, Larian Studios steps up to carry that torch forward with a new entry into the franchise after almost a quarter century. There’s a lot of fans who are absolutely rabid about the last game in the series even to this day, so they have their work cut out for them. But this new imagining is in Early Access now, ready to launch fully this summer, and it takes no time at all to see that Larian was definitely up to the task.
Returning to the Forgotten Realms will feel like coming home to many of the old-school gamers who, like me, cut their teeth on Pool of Radiance. The Baldur’s Gate games were a massive leap forward, combing the rule set of D&D with ARPG goodness, but this newest comer is another giant step forward. Play as an adventurer corrupted by a mind flayer, and choose your fate: to embrace the seeds of darkness planted within you, or to struggle valiantly and prove yourself a hero worthy of the name.
Baldur’s Gate 3 takes advantage of the leaps in technology since the release of its predecesso, as well. The stunning 3D visuals and multi-layered soundtrack are deeply immersive, and while it’s not at the top of the heap in either department, it’s still very, very good, and well beyond anything possible back when the second game in the series came out.
Whether you are someone who still plays Baldur’s Gate 2 avidly, or just someone who loves a good sit around the gaming table, or a fan of good ARPGs irrespective of anything else, you owe it to yourself to give this game a try. It doesn’t disappoint, and with the full launch just a few months away, it’s the perfect time to start getting yourself poised to come out of the gate hard and fast on opening day.
Honey badger don’t give a !@#$.
System Shock Remaster - Coming May 2023 - Steam/PS4&5/XBox X|S|One
The trailer is more than 4x the resolution of the original game?! The future is NOW!
The original System Shock was not a commercial success for Looking Glass, but it was one of the most critically acclaimed and fan-loved games of its time. This sci-fi action-adventure game has long since earned its place on multiple hall-of-fame lists, but in this age of nostalgia when people the world over look back rather than forward for comfort and inspiration, it’s no surprise that a new team would take on the challenge of bringing this incredible work of art into the new millennium.
Nightdive Studios and Prime Matter have joined forces to revive this classic and give it a high-powered makeover. Bringing in experts from the genre who worked on other big titles such as Fallout: New Vegas and Bioshock, they also had the forethought to contact the original dev team and ask them one simple question: how would they remake System Shock, given the chance and resources? They took notes, and while this game will feel somewhat different from the original, it will actually be more faithful to the original creative vision, rather than less.
Once again, a nameless hacker caught in Citadel Station must attempt to stop SHODAN, the AI that they unwittingly freed from its fetters, before it can launch a devastating attack on the Earth. Along the way, the player will discover the fate of the crew, and bits and pieces of SHODAN’s vision of a world ruled over by a mechanized god. The story still holds up, even all these years later, and will be just as riveting for a new generation of gamers as it was for those who discovered it first.
More than just an audio-visual facelift, the gameplay and UI have been given a lot of tweaks as well, leading to an even better experience than the original delivered, and other changes await veterans as well, guided by those interviews with Looking Glass. Despite being a remake, this game promises to top the original, and has a very polished veneer that will help gamers from the next generation embrace it.
What?! Is there something on my face?!
Minecraft Legends - April 18th 2023 - Steam/PS4&5/XBox X|S|One/Switch
Build-a-block setting, RTS gameplay... throw it in a blender and make dat magic happen, baby!
Even if you aren’t a fan (for some insane reason), you know what Minecraft is. Hell, people who have never played video games in their life know what Minecraft is. By far the biggest indie success story our medium has ever seen, it brought the genre of open-world block builders to the public consciousness in a tremendous way. Now, Mojang Studios and Blackbird Interactive are about to release a strategic battle game set in the same world.
This game has you rallying the mobs of the Minecraft world to face off against the Piglins, in an attempt to drive them from your home and back to the Nether where they belong. While it bears little or no relationship to the original game in terms of gameplay loop, the familiar environment will mean that those who enjoy this sort of game and like Minecraft are sure to get an extra kick out of it.
Featuring the same cute blocky graphics as the original, this game’s story is presented as a legend that has been handed down to the modern Minecraft world since time immemorial, making it somewhat uncertain as to whether or not the events of this game are technically canon. But in a way, that’s part of the charm: the real world has legends shrouded in mystery by the weight of passing centuries, and now, so does the world of Minecraft.
This one is coming out sooner than most of the others on this list, so if you’re raring to go, you’ll have a shorter wait than with some of the other titles covered here. This game is honestly a bit of a dark horse; it’s either going to be the biggest thing since its predecessor, or the biggest flop in modern times. We’re only a short time away from finding out. Can the Minecraft universe can support a game of this type, or were the devs only dreaming> Either way, it’s gonna be one hell of a show.
Time to put all of those building skills to practical use.
Darkest Dungeon 2 - Coming May 2023 - Steam
This game didn't need a sequel, but screw it; this is epic. Let's do this!
Red Hook Studios made a huge splash with Darkest Dungeon. Look at any gaming website, or any game vlogger’s YouTube channel, and you’ll find something somewhere praising the dark tone, challenging gameplay, and mindscrew potential of the first game. Now, in the next release in the series, everything has been taken up to eleven, and fans of the original are already enjoying the game in Early Access.
Imagine your typical build-a-party, dungeon-diving, roguelike RPG. Now set it in a universe that makes the New England of the Cthulhu Mythos look like Disney Land in comparison, and set things up so that the real challenge isn’t keeping your party alive… it’s keeping them from surrendering their sanity to the soul-crushing depression, terror, and psychotic torment inflicted by their journeys into the darkness that dwells within their own hearts as they explore the dungeon depths.
It’s an amazing ride, and impossible to describe to someone who hasn’t played it, but as good as the original was, the new kid on the block kicks its ass hard with even better graphics, mechanics, and story to give even seasoned veterans a challenge and thrill like even the first installment couldn’t deliver. Favorite classes from the first return, and new content is in the works all the time, making this one a great game to follow if you want to be part of an ever-expanding creation.
As incredible as the mechanics and gameplay and story of this title are, the real selling point is the synergy between them. Relationships between characters grow and wane as they suffer through the trials of the dungeon together, and as stress mounts and minds fracture, those relationships can even be broken, sometimes in truly horrible ways. This, in turn, has very definite gameplay implications both on individual runs, and in future runs.
I’m not even mad at you, bro. This is just how I say “hello”.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League - May 26th, 2023 - Steam/PS5/XBox X|S
Despite the name, it's OTHERS you'll be harming in this blockbuster from Rocksteady.
Rocksteady are back at it again. The creators of the Arkham games have crafted another gem set in the DC universe, and this time, there’s a twist. Rather than playing as Batman, you get a peek at the history of the Suicide Squad. Alien invasions? Check. Heroes of DC turning on the citizens of Metropolis, becoming the biggest threat to the city that once hailed them as saviors? Check. Villain protagonists struggling with the awkward realization that they may, in fact, be the good guys this time around (and trying to avoid getting nuked by explosives inside their noggins if they dare to go off-script)? Check, check, check.
There’s been a ton of hype around this title, naturally, especially in the wake of the recent DC films, but it’s unlikely that the hype can really capture the prospective awesomeness of this game. Each of the Arkham games got better than the last, in defiance of all inherited video game wisdom (everyone knows sequels suck, right?), and this game promises to capitalize on all of the hardest-won lessons from their prior blockbusters to deliver an action-packed, pulse-pounding, narrative-driven adrenaline-fest.
This title has a whole ton of press surrounding it, but not as many actual details as many of the other titles on this list, which, when you combine it with the popularity of the characters involved, makes this the most anticipated Steam game of 2023. There are some titles due out this year that may be even more pivotal, but none on Steam’s platform, that’s for sure. The official website claims the release date is projected to be May 26th, but the Steam page still says “Coming Soon”, so we can’t be sure.
Whatever, it doesn’t matter. A game that’s as sure to be a crowd pleaser as this one is can be forgiven for taking a little extra time to bake. One thing is for sure, though… once it finally hits our screens, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is going to become the next big hit from Rocksteady, and set the bar for all future comic/movie adaptations moving forward.
Unfortunately for you, lightning CAN strike twice…
And that's all, folks! Let us know what releases you're looking forward to this year in the comments.
