Undoubtedly, 2023 will be remembered as one of the greatest years in gaming in history. The release of quality titles and announcements throughout the year made it nearly impossible to keep up to date with the big releases, DLCs and mergers. With 2023 now in the rearview and 2025 circled for the release of GTA VI, what can we expect in 2024? Here are five bold gaming predictions that will shape this next year in gaming.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth will win GOTY, Unless…
Very little is known about gaming releases in the second half of 2024, but the first half does have interest. Stellar Blade, Prince of Persia, Rise of the Ronin and Suicide Squad (for better or worse) are notables, but none more so than Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. The second instalment in the remake of the generational original looks to improve even further, highlighting an open world with lush landscapes compared to the concrete jungle of Remake. With promises of story twists, enhanced combat and all new mounts, this title is the most anticipated of the year and releases in late February. As it stands, Rebirth has one hand on the crown for Game of the Year. But with PlayStation, Nintendo and Microsoft all citing potential reveal events in the next two months, is there a game that will surprise? Will Death Stranding 2, or Ghost of Tsushima 2, or Hellblade 2, or something completely new trigger a release date much sooner than expected? Without evidence, our prediction is a gold medal for Final Fantasy following a snub from nominations for 16 last year.
Major consoles incoming
Switch 2, PS5 Pro and the future of Xbox – all will be revealed in 2024 alongside specific release dates and prices. The first Switch released in 2017, therefore Nintendo is due for something new considering the 7-year stretch. A PS5 Pro is likely, with Sony generally looking at the middle of the console cycle to enter the market with a more powerful version. More on Xbox will be touched on below, but expect Microsoft to attempt a ‘first-serve’ announcement as they continue to search for methods to bring new players to their console following bold acquisitions with Bethesda and Activision. If there are new consoles, there will also be news game announcements to generate hype for those consoles…stay tuned!
PS Studios will reveal their plans
Bend Studio, Santa Monica Studio, Naughty Dog, Sucker Punch – what have they all been working on? With hints revealed by studios across social media, there is no doubt that each company has an AAA game being prepared behind closed doors. With basically nothing outside of the Insomniac leak revealed in 2023, all four of these studios will provide trailers for a new game. Will they be sequels of successful IPs such as Days Gone, God of War, The Last of Us and Ghost of Tsushima? Or are we set to see the rise of new characters, stories and narratives? PlayStation needs something fresh, and our prediction is that these studios will provide creative epics that push the hardware to its limits rather than continue the same story-driven linear focus.
GTA VI hype will make 2024 feel like a gap year
It’s a long, long road. Almost 11 years since the last GTA – the epic GTA V that continues to dominate through both its online component and engaging single player campaign – it is fair to say that the release of the GTA VI trailer almost snapped the internet in half. No title has the fanfare and attention of Rockstar’s flagship, but we still have to wait more than a year for a release. Another trailer and more game information will be provided, and likely a release date that we hope is in the first half of 2025, but will this override all other game reveals and releases in 2024? Most likely. The last ‘gap year’ was 2021 as fans eagerly awaited titles such as Elden Ring, GoW Ragnarok and Horizon Forbidden West in 2022 while It Takes Two reigned supreme. But will it be leaks or actual news from the companies that capture our attention?
2024 will make or break Xbox
News is rife regarding Xbox titles turning into multi-platform titles. Hi-Fi Rush may soon be followed by the likes of Starfield and Sea of Thieves, accessed by the competition to keep Microsoft’s gaming console afloat. But is this a temporary move to spike interest, or a sign of the future? 2024 will reveal all in terms of Xbox’s next steps. With so many titles on their ‘upcoming’ page – Indiana Jones, Hellblade 2, Avowed, Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Fable, Blade and the rest – there is no doubting that there will eventually be many games to play. But will these games also be released on other systems? Will everything be a GamePass day one release? Is this sustainable? We predict that Xbox will alter its format to further differentiate from Nintendo and PlayStation, diversifying rather than directly competing. This will be a win for gamers but may see some disillusioned Xbox fans in the process.
Did we miss anything? Do you agree or disagree? Let us know in the comments!
