Biggest AAA games coming in 2023: Payday 3, Starfield, Spider-Man 2 & more

Starfield official artBethesda

2023 had some huge releases and players are gearing up for more monumental games like Payday 3 and Mortal Kombat 1. Here are all of the biggest video games set to release in 2023 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and PC, with release dates too.

After an impressive year in 2022 that showcased major game launches, you may be wondering if the momentum can keep going throughout the next 12 months.

However, the 2023 line-up is already looking incredibly juicy with plenty of hotly anticipated games expected to finally hit shelves this year. After the successful launches of games like Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and Street Fighter 6, there are still some pretty big franchises to consider.

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Below, we’ve laid out the list of the most awaited AAA games for 2023 on platforms including PS5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, PC, and Stadia. Don’t forget to pencil in these launch dates in your gaming calendar.

PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC, Steam & Stadia video games in 2023

Payday 3 release date: September 21, 2023

Payday 3 collage featuring various characters with guns.Deep Silver
The new installment is set to deliver another action-packed FPS game.

Payday 3 is the third installment in the popular series that lets you experience the thrill of being a professional heist master. The game has been in development for over six years, and it is finally set to release on September 21, 2023.

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Payday 3 is a game that will satisfy both fans of the series and newcomers who want to try out a different kind of shooter and will test your skills, your teamwork, and your creativity. If you are looking for a game that will keep you on the edge of your seat, you should definitely check out Payday 3.

Starfield release date: September 6, 2023

Starfield ship approaching planetBethesda
A plethora of planets is the intriguing pull for Starfield.

Few games have received the sheer hype that Starfield has. Bethesda’s sci-fi epic has been in development for at least six years and promises to take the studio’s unique brand of RPGs into the stars, in an experience that director Todd Howard described as “Skyrim in space.”

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There will be around 1,000 planets and moons to explore, chocked full of enemies to kill, loot to find, and wildlife to discover. It’s easily Bethesda’s most ambitious project to date, and it’s sure to be one of 2023’s biggest releases when it arrives on Game Pass.

Mortal Kombat 1 release date: September 14, 2023

mortal kombat 1 liu kang in reveal trailerNetherRealm Studios
Mortal Kombat 1 is the second time the series receives a soft reboot.

NetherRealm Studios’ franchise will be back in 2023 with a new soft reboot that promises to capture longtime fans as well as newcomers. Following the story that unfolded in Mortal Kombat 11, Fire God Liu Kang will remake the world of the franchise with interesting new elements. The canon players got to know in the last 30 years will change in mysterious ways in Mortal Kombat 1.

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In terms of gameplay, players can expect a lot of aerial combat and longer combos. Kameo Fighters will add a layer of complexity to the game, bringing back characters from different installments to serve as assist fighters. The fighting game community is eager to see more blood and gore than ever thanks to new X-Ray attacks and gruesome Fatalities.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage release date: October 12, 2023

assassin's creed mirage basim climbingUbisoft
Basim was introduced in Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla.

Developed by Ubisoft Bordeaux, Assassin’s Creed: Mirage is set in 9th-century Baghdad during what’s known as the Islamic Golden Age. Players will reunite with Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla’s Basim, who will serve as the main protagonist in this installment decades before that time.

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Mirage is said to return to the roots of the franchise, focusing mostly on stealth gameplay and linear storytelling. While players can expect an open world ready to be explored, it might not be as big as the ones seen in the latest installments.

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Alan Wake 2 release date: October 17, 2023

alan wake in the alan wake 2 gameplay trailerRemedy Games
Players don’t need to play Alan Wake to dive into its sequel.

Alan Wake 2 will also hit shelves in 2023, more than 10 years after the first. This time, Remedy Games promised the full survival horror experience, with horror, stealth, and an intriguing storyline to explore.

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Players will be able to control two different characters that will work together to solve a mystery. Both characters have complete single-player campaigns that can be played from start to finish without switching, although many elements invite players to go back and forth.

While some elements of Alan Wake will return in the sequel, like the manuscript pages, Alan Wake 2 will feature detective elements as well as branched dialogue options, among other features.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 release date: October 20, 2023

Peter Parker and Miles Morales in Spider-Man 2Insomniac Games
Players will be able to play as Peter Parker and Miles Morales in Spider-Man 2.

The long-awaited sequel to Marvel’s Spider-Man is finally arriving in 2023. Insomniac Games confirmed the New York map will double in size, giving players lots of new areas to explore. Additionally, fans will be able to play the game as both Peter Parker and Miles Morales, bringing new dynamics to the adventure.

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The Venom symbiote will be a key element in the new installment and Kraven the Hunter will be one of the main villains of the game. However, players can expect many of Spider-Man’s iconic foes to take part in the action.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora release date: December 7, 2023

Na'Vi in Avatar Frontiers of PandoraUbisoft
Players will be able to explore never before seen areas of Pandora.

While fans await the next installments in the Avatar movie franchise, the highly-awaited game will arrive in 2023. While it’s not tied to any particular movie, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora will have connections with their universe in ways fans will enjoy.

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To create a connection between the main character and the players, the protagonist will be a Na’Vi that was raised by humans in Pandora. Some years after the conflict from the first movie, players will explore the Western Frontier. This is a never before seen region of Pandora that’s inhabited by many different Na’Vi tribes. The game lets players explore the campaign in single-player or co-op mode.

Skull & Bones release period: 2023 – 2024

pirates ships battling in skull & bonesUbisoft
Pirates and pillaging are in the pipeline… somewhere.

In what is quickly becoming a calamitous quagmire for Ubisoft, Skull & Bones was delayed again in January 2023, signaling the sixth delay for the pirate party prospect. The developer and publisher have now earmarked a much more vague 2023-2024 release period for the game.

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From what we’ve seen already though, Skull & Bones is a third-person Pirate party that sees you take control of an outcast Pirate Captain and live out your wildest swashbuckling fantasies.

From ship battles to total pillaging, the player will need to upgrade their ship, refine their crew, craft the finest items, and round off a hard day’s work with a tankard of grog. Hopefully, the delays will be worth the wait.

There you have it! Those were the biggest AAA games set to arrive in 2023. We’ll be updating this page throughout the year with all the major announcements and any unforeseen delays. Until the, have a look at:

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