Summary
2023 has been an absolutely monumental year in the games industry, and it’ll probably end up going down as one of, if not the best year ever for video game release. Of course, it hasn’t all been good news for the games industry this year. A vast number of developers and gaming companies have decided tolay off hundreds of workersin the last few months, and it’s obviously given the year a bit of a sour undertone. But hopefully those affected will manage to land on their feet, and hopefully everyone will soon be able to start looking forward to what comes next, though it’s unclear just what that looks like right now.
This time last year it felt like gamers already had a pretty good idea of what they could expect from the games industry going into 2023, with a lot of games being given rough 2023 release dates. While that’s probably mostly down to countless pandemic delays, it does put gamers in a strange position right now, with only a handful of major games being givena concrete 2024 release date. But that might be about to change, as December 7 brings aboutThe Game Awardsonce more, a night that’s one of the biggest for the entire games industry.
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December 7’s Game Awards Could Be a Huge Night for the Games Industry
2024 Is Looking a Little Empty Right Now
As should be expected, January and February are currently the 2024 months with the most officially revealed video game releases, though there are still not that many. January seesAlone in the Dark,Tekken 8,Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown,Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealthrelease.
Then February has a bit more of a busy line-up, withSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice League,Helldivers 2,Homeworld 3, andFinal Fantasy 7: Rebirthall releasing, along with a few other big-name titles. But aside from that,the rest of 2024currently looks like a wasteland, with virtually no games announced for March onwards. However, there are plenty of games still waiting for concrete release dates.
That Could All Change at The Game Awards
The last few years have really proven that The Game Awards is an unmissable annual event for anyone even remotely interested in the video game industry, with it becoming almost just as big asE3 and Summer Game Fest. But what sets The Game Awards apart from the rest of the year’s gaming events is that it’s not only a place for big game reveals, but also an event that celebrates the entire gaming industry, from developers who make the year’s best titles, to the fans who have been backing them from the very beginning.
The Game Awards is getting noticeably better with each passing year. While it used to be a show dominated by awkward product placement and ads, Geoff Keighley has managed to turn it into a true celebration, and never was that more apparent than last year. Last year’s Game Awards not only gave the industry’s best plenty of time in the spotlight, but it was also home to some major reveals including the first look at gameplay forStar Wars Jedi: Survivor,Hades 2’s first announcement,Armored Core 6’s debut,Death Stranding 2’s announcement, and release dates forDiablo 4,Street Fighter 6and more.
If The Game Awards keeps going on its current trajectory, then 2023’s ceremony is bound to be just as exciting as last year’s, and with it being The Game Awards' 10th anniversary, it seems likely that Keighley will want to go above and beyond to make it a night to really remember. Already, some big rumors are starting to circulate about this year’s Game Awards, with some of the biggest claiming that aGod of War Ragnarokhalf-sequel will be announced, and maybe evenGrand Theft Auto 6. Regardless of what shows up, it seems very likely that by the end of 2023’sGame Awardsceremony, gamers will have a much better understanding of what’s coming in 2024.
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