Few things feel as inevitable in the video game industry as delays. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, game delays have become more common as developers find previously set timelines unrealistic and adjust their release plans accordingly. 2023 proved no different, with notable game delays happening every month of the year. That included notable AAA games like Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, Skull & Bones, Pragmata, Alone in the Dark, and Helldivers II, all of which shifted their release dates into 2024.
Because video game release date delays are so common, it can be tough to keep track of every game that has had its launch date shifted in some way. That’s why, just as we did in 2021 and 2022, Digital Trends rounded up every significant game delay announced throughout 2023. This is every notable video game delay from 2023, listed chronologically by their new intended release dates.
The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR (March 16)
As Until Dawn: Rush of Blood is one of the best games for PlayStation VR, The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR, Supermassive Games’ PlayStation VR2 successor, is a highly anticipated launch title for the upcoming VR headset. Unfortunately, it will no longer make PlayStation VR2’s February 22 launch and will instead be released on March 16. On Twitter, a message from Supermassive Games says this delay will ensure that players “receive the most polished, terrifying experience possible” at release. The game was released on that date to mixed reviews.
Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key (March 24)
Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key is the latest in a long line of niche RPGs with a very dedicated fan base. While it was supposed to release on February 24, the game ultimately came out on March 23. “In order to make this game a fitting finale for Ryza and her friends, we have taken on challenges such as adventuring in a vast open field and graphics that express the charm of these characters to the fullest extent,” producer Junzo Hosoi explained in a tweet when Koei Tecmo announced the delay. “Our team will take this additional time to fine-tune the final touches so that we can deliver to all of you who have been following the series the best possible experience in this culmination of Ryza and her friend’s adventures.”
The Last of Us Part I for PC (March 28)
Originally slated for March 3, fans will need to wait a little bit longer for The Last of Us series’ debut on PC. One month ahead of that original release date, Naughty Dag announced that the PC version of The Last of Us Part One was delayed by a couple of weeks to March 28. The developer says this delay “will allow us to ensure this version of The Last of Us lives up to your, and our, standards.” Sadly, when The Last of Us Part 1 launched for PC on that new date, the port was still rife with technical issues.
EA Sports PGA Tour (April 7)
With less than a month to go until its release, EA made the decision to push back EA Sports PGA Tour by two weeks. Originally slated for a March 24 release, the golf game would eventually launch on April 7, with those who pre-ordered the Deluxe Edition getting early access on April 4. EA pushed it back slightly to line the release up better with the Masters Tournament and “add a few final touches to the game that we are very excited to deliver to all of you, including updates to some favorite courses to reflect 2023 designs.”
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (April 28)
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, the eagerly anticipated sequel to Respawn Entertainment’s Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, got pushed back by six weeks to April 28, from its originally intended March 17 release date. “In order for the team to hit the Respawn quality bar, provide the team the time they need, and achieve the level of polish our fans deserve, we have added six crucial weeks to our release schedule,” director Stig Asmussen explained in a tweet about the delay. The game would go on to launch on April 28, but was rife with technical issues at release.
System Shock (May 30 for PC, TBA for consoles)
Nightdive Studios’ long-awaited, crowdfunded remake of System Shock needs a little more time. Initially, Nightdive and publisher Prime Matter promised to release the game in March 2023 but only ended up delivering a final beta to backers this month. The full release will now happen on PC on May 30, with its console ports not yet having release dates. Hopefully, the long wait is worth it for fans of this highly influential game.
Amnesia: The Bunker (June 6)
Originally announced last December with a March 2023 release window, Amnesia: The Bunker was pushed to May 16 shortly thereafter by Frictional Games. Then, in April, its release date was once again adjusted slightly to May 23. The developers said the delay will “allow the team extra time to polish the game to perfection and to strategically avoid releasing during a busy week when multiple other games are hitting the market.” That wouldn’t be the final delay the game would see, though, as Frictional Games once again pushed it back by a couple of weeks due to “unforeseen certification issues,” this time until June 6.
Venba (July 31)
Venba is a charming cooking game about an Indian-Canadian family, and it is shaping up to be a pretty and culturally rich experience. Originally slated for PC, PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch, developer Visai Games delayed it until July 31 so the game could also release on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox Game Pass. It launched on July 31 to critical acclaim, with Digital Trends saying Venba is “a powerful work of interactive fiction” in our four-and-a-half star review.
Atlas Fallen (August 10)
Just a couple of weeks after confirming a May release date on Twitter, Deck13 and Focus Entertainment took to the social media platform again to announce that they had pushed the release date of action game Atlas Fallen back to August 10. “Our goal has always been to create a memorable A-RPG experience in a unique setting, with exciting gameplay and the option for fully playable seamless co-op with a friend,” the tweet says. “We’d love to give the game some extra time, which will allow us to deliver the best possible version of Atlas Fallen. To achieve this, we have made the difficult decision to delay the worldwide launch of Atlas Fallen to August 10, 2023.” The game came out on that date to mixed reviews; Digital Trends wrote in a two-star review that “Atlas Fallen is an ambitious game, but one that struggles to live up to that ambition consistently.”
Stray Gods (August 10)
Stray Gods is unique within the gaming scene because it’s a playable musical starring a lot of famous voice actors. Originally slated for an August 3 launch, Summerfall Studios delayed it because the PC version of Baldur’s Gate 3 moved up to the same date, and it wanted a bit more time for polish. “We want everyone to have ample space to check out Stray Gods when it launches. Baldur’s Gate 3 is hotly anticipated (by us, too!), and we want to give our fans room to celebrate Stray Gods, the developer explained in a tweet. “We also want everyone to be able to play on their preferred device at launch. This is a huge undertaking for any team, let alone an indie shipping its first title. This extra week allows us to have performance parity as close as possible across every platform.” It came out on August 10 to decent reviews.
Immortals of Aveum (August 22)
After an appearance at Summer Game Fest, and with just a month to go until launch, Ascendant Studios and EA made the decision to delay Immortals of Aveum by one month. “In order to realize our full vision, we are going to take a few extra weeks, making our new launch date Tuesday, August 22,” Ascendant Studios explained in a blog post. “This will give us time to further polish the game, finish optimizing all platforms, and deliver a strong launch. We owe it to ourselves and to you to get this right.” The game launched on that date to mixed, but positive-leaning reviews. Digital Trends gave it three-and-a-half stars.
Wrestlequest (August 22)
Wrestlequest is highly anticipated by wrestling fans because of how it adapts the sport to a turn-based RPG format featuring iconic wrestlers like Macho Man Randy Savage. It was originally intended for release sometime in May 2023, but about halfway through that month, developer Mega Cat Studios announced that it decided to push the game back to summer 2023. The delay happened because the developers recently “secured a new partnership we are extremely excited about,” which added some unforeseen complications in wrapping development up. A more specific August 8 release date was revealed later. It ended up not making that date either, getting pushed to August 22 just one day before release because the developers discovered a bug that could wipe player saves. The game launched on that new date.
Goodbye Volcano High (August 29)
KO_OP’s coming-of-age narrative adventure game Goodbye Volcano High was supposed to come out on June 15, but got delayed to August 29. “The reality is that, with our current workload, we could not have met our June launch date without significant cuts to the quality and scope of the game,” KO_OP explained in a blog post. “This would mean delivering something much different than what we’ve envisioned and worked toward. We don’t want to release anything less than the best version of the game we have been making throughout our development cycle.” Goodbye Volcano High went on to hit that new release date.
Starfield (September 6)
Bethesda Game Studios finally revealed a new release date for its highly anticipated sci-fi RPG Starfield. It missed the “first half of 2023” release window Bethesda promised when initially delaying the game, but thankfully only by a couple of months as Starfield launched for PC and Xbox Series X/S on September 6. The game would launch on that date; in fact, players who bought the Premium Edition were given access on August 31. Although the game didn’t quite live up to the astronomical expectations set for it, Starfield is still a solid Bethesda RPG.
Baldur’s Gate 3 for PS5 (September 6)
Originally slated to release for PC and PS5 on August 31, the PC release of Larian Studios’ Baldur’s Gate 3 actually moved up to August 3. Sadly, for PS5 players, the game was pushed back by a week until September 6. “Baldur’s Gate 3 is targeting 60 frames-per-second, and we’re close to achieving that on the platform, but need a bit more extra time,” the developers said of the PS5 delay. “We don’t want to compromise on quality and feel it would be a shame to downscale to 30 fps or make other compromises to hit an arbitrary date. We understand that folks may be disappointed with this, but we’re close enough to reaching new heights for RPGs on the system that the benefits of a short delay outweigh the downsides of rushing the PS5 release and having to downscale.” Like Starfield, it’d go on to hit that date and even give Digital Deluxe Edition owners early access. Baldur’s Gate 3 is also considered one of the best games of the year.
Warhammer 40K: Darktide for Xbox Series X/S (October 4)
The Xbox Series X/S version of Warhammer 40K: Darktide was supposed to launch alongside the PC version in September 2022, but that’s not how things ultimately played out. When the game got pushed back to November 30, 2022, the Xbox Series X/S version of the sci-fi shooter lost its release date, but was said to be launching “shortly after” the PC version. That ended up not really being the case as developers at Fatshark revealed that it has indefinitely pushed back the Xbox Series X/S release so it could focus on reworking the crafting and progression systems, fix bugs, and improve the game’s performance on PC over the next few months. After the team did all of that, the Xbox port was finally released on October 4.
Front Mission 2: Remake (October 5)
Front Mission 2: Remake, a recreation of a classic mecha turn-based strategy game from Square Enix, was supposed to launch on June 12. Just two weeks before release, though, publisher Forever Entertainment announced that it was delaying the game until the third quarter of 2023. “We want to ensure that we have sufficient time to add as many functionalities as possible while proceeding with proper implementation and tests,” a tweet stated as the reason for the delay. That new date was eventually revealed to be October 5, and Front Mission 2: Remake came out seamlessly on that day.
Forza Motorsport (October 10)
Forza Motorsport had a spring 2023 release window when it reappeared at 2022’s Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase, but when it was featured in January 2023’s Developer_Direct, that release window changed to just 2023. At the June 11 Xbox Games Showcase, an October 10 release date for Forza Motorsport was confirmed. It launched on that day to critical acclaim.
Hellboy: Web of Wyrd (October 18)
Hellboy: Web of Wyrd, an action game based on the comic book character Hellboy, was going to launch on October 4. With less than a week to go until launch, though, publisher Good Shepherd Entertainment made the decision to delay the game a couple of weeks to October 18. “Developer Upstream Arcade is still hard at work ensuring that all players — longtime fans and newcomers to the Hellboy universe alike — receive the best experience possible,” a press release explained, although this new date put its launch right next to Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. It came out on that day but received poor review scores.
Endless Dungeon (October 19)
Amplitude Studios and Sega’s unique twin-stick shooter, tower defense, and roguelite hybrid Endless Dungeon was supposed to come out on May 18, but the game was pushed back until October 19 just over a month before launch. “This additional time will allow Amplitude to better incorporate community feedback essential to such an innovative game and continue in the footsteps of its previous titles in the award-winning Endless Universe,” a press release about the delay explained. “Drawing on player feedback, Amplitude will work on improvements including balancing, meta-progression, onboarding, and general polishing to create the ultimate roguelite experience for players.” Endless Dungeon made that new release date.
Alan Wake 2 (October 27)
Remedy Entertainment’s highly anticipated horror sequel Alan Wake 2 initially had an October 17 release date, but that shifted slightly. With just two months to go until launch, Remedy announced that it decided to push the game back by 10 days to October 27. “October is an amazing month for game launches, and we hope this date shift gives more space for everyone to enjoy their favorite games,” a tweet about the delay explained. It launched closer to Halloween, earned rave reviews, and even became the second-most nominated title at The Game Awards 2023.
Ark: Survival Ascended (October 26)
Ark: Survival Ascended is an Unreal Engine 5 remaster of the popular dinosaur survival game that originally had an August release window. In a community update on the game’s website, developer Studio Wildcard announced that it delayed the launch of the base game to October 2023 and its remastered pieces of DLC until December and Q1 2024. “We’ve found it challenging working with Unreal Engine 5.2, but at the same time, it is incredibly exciting,” Studio Wildcard explained. “We’re discovering new ways each day to push the technology to the next level; combined with the work needed to support a fully cross-platform-moddable game ecosystem on consoles and PC, it’s clear that we’ll need a bit more time.” The game reemerged at an Xbox showcase in October and managed to launch for PC on October 26. Sadly, the Xbox version of the game has continued to suffer delays and didn’t arrive until November 21.
My Time at Sandrock (November 2)
Pathea Games’ My Time at Portia sequel was going to exit early access and come out on consoles in September, but the developers chose to push the game back until November 2. “Our team has been hard at work making sure the game is the best it can be upon release, but after much deliberation, we feel that a delay is necessary to better ensure the game quality will meet your standards and expectations,” an X (formerly Twitter) post explains. My Time at Sandrock launched on that date to mixed reviews.
RoboCop: Rogue City (November 2)
Teyon and Nacon have made an ambitious RoboCop shooter set between the events of RoboCop 2 and RoboCop 3. The game has been teased for some time, and although a September 2023 release window was originally promised, it’s actual release date ended up being a little bit later than that. RoboCop: Rogue City launched for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on November 2 to a surprisingly warm reception.
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 (November 7)
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2, the follow-up to GameMill Entertainment’s Super Smash Bros. clone that stars Nickelodeon characters, was going to come out on November 3. With just a couple of weeks to go until launch, the date shifted slightly so the developers could “put the finishing touches” on the game, according to an X (formerly Twitter) post. Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 came out digitally on November 7 and will debut physically on December 1. To make up for it, GameMill is offering a DLC costume for Patrick for free the first week after the game launches. Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 ended up being a whole lot of fun.
The Last Faith (November 15)
Kumi Souls Games and PlayStack’s gritty Metroidvania The Last Faith received a slight shift in its release window during Gamescom 2023. An October launch had previously been promised, but the developers confirmed that the release month had shifted slightly to November 2023. The specific release date was later revealed to be November 15, and it came out on that date to positive reviews.
Batman: Arkham Trilogy (December 1)
WB Games finally brought Batman: Arkham Asylum, Batman: Arkham City, and Batman: Arkham Knight to Nintendo Switch with the Batman: Arkham Trilogy collection. While this batch of Switch ports was supposed to be released on October 13, WB Games revealed on X less than two weeks before launch that “more time is needed to bring players the best possible experience on Nintendo Switch.” It launched on December 1.
The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria for consoles (December 5 for PS5, early 2024 for Xbox)
The PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X versions of the survival crafting game The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria were all supposed to come out together on October 24. With less than a week to go until launch, the console versions of the game were delayed as the game went gold on PC. Now, The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria will launch for PS5 on December 4, while the Xbox Series X version won’t come out until sometime in early 2024.
The Day Before (December 7)
The most controversial game that has been delayed this year is The Day Before. It gained fame for becoming Steam’s most wish-listed game for a while but has encountered controversy over its developer’s lack of transparency and use of volunteers. Developer Fntastic and publisher Mytona then claimed that someone else trademarked the game’s title before they could and said on Twitter that it needed to delay the game to November 10 from March 1 “to ensure we release the best possible game,” much to the ire of fans of this anticipated zombie MMO. It ended up getting pushed back once again to an early access launch on December 7. The Day Before quickly cemented itself as one of the worst games of the year when it launched, leading to its developer Fntastic shutting down, the game getting delisted from Steam, and its servers getting confirmed to shut off in 2024.
Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising (December 14)
Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising is the sequel to a fighting game based on a popular mobile game franchise. It was originally supposed to come out on November 30, but it got pushed to December 14. In a blog post, the game’s creative director explained that the change was made so the development teams could have a couple of extra weeks to polish and debug the game following some recent changes made following betas earlier this year. It launched on that date to positive reviews.
War Hospital (January 11, 2024)
War Hospital is a real-time strategy game set during World War I, but instead of focusing on the fighting, it puts players in control of the medical corps helping and healing their fellow soldiers. It originally had an October 26 release date, but earlier that month, its developers revealed on X (formerly Twitter) that the game is now coming out in early 2024. It says this delay will allow the team to “achieve our authenticity and quality goals,” in addition to giving more time to “refine details, balance the game, and fix more bugs.” War Hospital’s Steam page lists a more specific release window for the first quarter of 2024. That date was eventually confirmed to be January 11, 2024.
Bulletstorm VR (January 18, 2024)
A B reimagining of cult classic shooter Bulletstorm was supposed to come out in December, but just before launch, People Can Fly and Incuvo decided to delay its release until January 18, 2024. In a message posted on X, the pair says this delay is to “continue improving the experience to ensure that Bulletstorm VR lives up to the high standards you’ve come to expect.”
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (February 2, 2024)
After already getting pushed from 2022 to May 2023, Rocksteady Studios’ long-awaited Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League failed to impress when it appeared at a State of Play showcase in February. Almost two months after that showing and some rumors of an impending delay, WB Games confirmed the game could be pushed back nine months to February 2, 2024. It said this extra time is necessary so the developers can “take the time needed to work on getting the game to be the best quality experience for players” in a tweet. The game seems set to launch on that date, although it won’t hit the Epic Games Store on PC until March 5, 2024.
Helldivers 2 (February 8, 2024)
Arrowhead’s long-awaited follow-up to Helldivers is one of the first games in Sony’s new wave of live-service games and one of the first it will publish at the same time across PS5 and PC. While Sony initially promised a 2023 release window when announcing Helldivers 2 in May 2023, it ultimately received a February 8, 2024 release date when it reappeared in a September 2023 State of Play.
Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden (February 13, 2024)
Don’t Nod and Focus Entertainment were going to release Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden this November but found the fall 2023 release calendar too crowded for the game to stick out. “With so many unforgettable games in 2023, it’s important that each of them shines brightly,” a delay message explained. “Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is no exception. Though finished and set for release, we want Red and Antea’s story to get the spotlight it deserves. As a result … we took the decision to postpone its release on PC and consoles to February 13, 2024. A perfect date for an epic love story.” Still, February is quite crowded with games like Persona 3 Reload and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.
Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore (February 14, 2024)
Arette: The Jewel of Faramore is inspired by The Legend of Zelda, like many indie games. Unlike many indie games, though, its inspiration is mostly from the terrible Phillips CD-i Zelda games. SeedyEye Software has undertaken the tall task of making that kind of game good, and it needed a little more time to realize its vision. Originally announced with a 2023 release window, Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore will now release on February 14, 2024.
Skull & Bones (February 16, 2024)
Ubisoft’s long-awaited and oft-delayed pirate game Skull and Bones has made the list yet again. It finally seemed like the game was going to come out on March 9, but after the underperformance of Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope, Ubisoft announced a delay into the wide release window of “early 2023 to 2024” to ensure Skull and Bones’ quality. “The additional time has already paid off and brought impressive improvements to its quality, which has been confirmed by recent playtests,” Ubisoft said of the delay. “We believe players will be positively surprised by its evolution. We have decided to postpone its release in order to have more time to showcase a much more polished and balanced experience and to build awareness.” At The Game Awards 2023, its new release date was confirmed: February 16, 2024.
The Thaumaturge (February 20, 2024)
Fool’s Theory and 11 bit Studios’ Eastern European-set fantasy RPG The Thaumaturge made a strong impression on Digital Trends during the last Steam Next Fest, and was supposed to come out for PC on December 5. With less than a month to go until launch, though, the game got delayed until February 20, 2024. “As the finishing touches were put on the game over recent weeks, the team saw the opportunity to add more polish and quality, and given they have the comfort to allow themselves some extra time, the decision was made to delay,” a press release explained.
Pacific Drive (February 22, 2024)
Pacific Drive is one of the weirder games on the horizon because it’s a roguelike immersive sim about driving a car through increasingly supernatural areas. It was going to come out in 2023 originally, but Ironwood Studios and Kepler Interactive delayed the game until early 2024. “As many know, we’ve been hard at work bringing this idea to life for quite some time, and every day adds even more to a game we’re all proud of,” creative director Alex Dracott explained in a Steam blog post. “In this final stretch, however, it’s important to us that we stay true to ourselves, and not compromise on the team’s well-being.” A specific release date of February 22, 2024, was revealed during a PC Gaming Show in November.
Life by You (March 5, 2024)
Life by You is a new life simulation game by Rod Humble, who previously was Head of The Sims at EA. The game was supposed to enter early access on September 12, but before that could happen, publisher Paradox Interactive delayed the early access to March 5, 2024. The developers explained the decision in a blog post, stating that they made this choice after seeing player feedback on early looks at Life by You. Paradox will take the extra time to add more gameplay features and Italian and Brazilian localizations, overhaul the UI, improve modding tools, and fix more bugs before it hits early access.
Homeworld 3 (March 8, 2024)
For the second year in a row, Gearbox Entertainment made the decision to delay its sci-fi real-time strategy game Homeworld 3, this time from its “first half of 2023” release window until February 2024. “Our primary goal is to deliver a Homeworld experience that lives up to the standards set by its predecessors and is worthy of this series’ incredible legacy,” a tweet about the delay explained. “Homeworld 3 is shaping up to be exactly that, but in order to fully realize that vision, we need more time to refine and polish the game.” A new release date of March 8, 2024, was revealed at a PC Gaming Show in November.
Alone in the Dark (March 20, 2024)
A remake of the classic horror game Alone in the Dark was supposed to come out in October, but publisher THQ Nordic chose to delay it because that month ended up being so packed with AAA game launches. In a press release, THQ Nordic said that it wanted “to avoid competing with the wake of Alan’s epic release and to evade the dazzling skyline of cities adorned by the graceful swings of Spider-Man.” It said that this extra time would “permit us to meticulously perfect the gaming experience,” when giving it a new January 16 release date. The launch was then pushed even further back, this time to March 20.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes (April 23, 2024)
Suikoden spiritual successor Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes was originally slated for a 2023 release, but that is no longer the case. In a July 2023 Kickstarter update, the developers revealed that the game would now release sometime in Q2 2024. “In order to deliver a game that so many fans have supported, we announce a revised release date of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, with the game now due during Calendar Year Q2 of 2024,” the post explains. “The decision was made in order to ensure the best possible story, and to reward the legion of backers with the best game experience possible.” An April 23, 2024, release date was eventually confirmed.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 (September 9, 2024)
Focus Entertainment originally said it was going to release the highly anticipated co-op sci-fi shooter Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 sometime this winter. In November, though, that release window got pushed back to sometime in the second half of 2024. Focus Entertainment said in a press release that this delay will “provide the time needed to properly polish the game and to ensure the best possible experience.” At The Game Awards 2023, a specific release date of September 9, 2024, was announced.
Destiny 2: The Final Shape (June 4, 2024)
Bungie initially planned to release the next Destiny 2 expansion, The Final Shape, in February 2024. Unfortunately, the company laid off many of its employees in October, and Bloomberg reported that The Final Shape had been pushed back to June. Although Bungie did not initially confirm the delay, it eventually relented and pushed the expansion back to June 4, 2024. Bungie says this delay means it’s “taking the time we need to deliver an even bigger and bolder vision, one that we hope will be remembered and treasured for years to come.” While this also means that Destiny 2’s Season of the Wish will run for an oddly long time, Bungie is making up for the gap by introducing a new weekly quest system in February 2024 and a two-month Into the Light event that will run from April until June.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl (Q1 2024)
The long-awaited and highly anticipated horror FPS game S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl will face at least one more delay before it finally comes out. The game was already pushed from 2022 to 2023 due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but developer GSC Game World has once again shifted the release window to the first quarter of 2024 during the game’s latest appearance at Gamescom.
Another Crab’s Treasure (early 2024)
This Soulslike starring a crab made a strong first impression when it was announced at an Indie World presentation in 2022. Another Crab’s Treasure was originally slated for release in 2023, but on May 16, developer Aggro Crab revealed the game had been delayed to early 2024 in a Twitter thread. “After a lot of discussions, we’ve decided that spending another few months on developing this mfer is going to make it a way better game — one that’s worth the wait,” Aggro Crab explained. “We underestimated how much content this game would need in order to feel like a proper entry in its genre, and we need some additional time to get it right.”
Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown (early 2024)
Already pushed from 2022 to 2023, Test Drive Unlimited got delayed once again, this time to early 2024. Thankfully, this came alongside some good news. An extended gameplay showcase gave players their deepest look at the game yet, and KT Racing and Nacon announced that closed betas for the game are coming, with the first having taken place between July 24 and July 27.
Hyper Light Breaker (early 2024)
Hyper Light Breaker is an ambitious follow-up to indie darling Hyper Light Drifter. It’s much bigger than its predecessor, as it’s a full 3D open-world roguelike action game, with the catch that players explore a new procedurally generated world every time they die. On top of that ambition, it also features a four-player co-op. As such, it’s understandable why the smaller team at Heart Machine needs more time on the game, having pushed back the early access launch twice during development. It was first pushed from spring 2023 to fall 2023 before being delayed yet again until sometime in early 2024.
Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior (early 2024)
Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior is one of the coolest-looking action games on the horizon, thanks to a unique gameplay gimmick that has players constantly resetting time and fighting alongside past versions of themselves. When the game was announced at Summer Game Fest 2023, it had a 2023 release window, but when it reappeared at Gamescom Opening Night Live a couple of months later, that release window was now listed as early 2024.
Cities: Skylines 2 for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S (Spring 2024)
While Cities: Skylines 2 is still coming out for PC on October 24, 2023, the console versions that were supposed to come alongside it aren’t. “We’re hard at work getting the game ready for release. We’ve come to realize that we need more time to reach the quality targets we’ve set for console. We want to provide the best experience for our players, so we’re updating the release window for Xbox & PS5 to spring 2024,” Colossal Order explained in a tweet.
Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP (summer 2024)
A remake of Grasshopper Manufacture and James Gunn’s 2012 action game Lollipop Chainsaw is in the works at Dragami Games. When the project was announced, it had a 2023 release window. When the remake’s title, Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP, was revealed in August 2022, the release window switched to summer 2024. Dragami Games simply says made the move “for the best gaming experience.”
Assetto Corsa 2 (summer 2024)
Kunos Simulations’ popular simulation racing game Assetto Corsa is finally getting a sequel next year. It was originally going to enter early access on PC sometime in the spring. That launch was postponed until the summer of 2024 because of Kunos’ live service support for the prior game. In spring 2024, the Season 2024 GT World Challenge Pack will be released for the PC and console versions of Assetto Corsa Competizione. To give the team ample time to finish that DLC and the sequel, Assetto Corsa 2 was delayed until the summer of 2024.
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn (summer 2024)
Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is a Soulslike originally slated for release in 2022 that got pushed back into the first half of 2023. We hadn’t heard much about the game during the first half of 2023, though, so it didn’t come as much of a surprise when developer A44 Games revealed that it had been delayed to 2024. “To make Flintlock the absolute best experience it can be at launch, we have made the decision to move the game’s release to 2024,” a Twitter thread explained. “We’ve been hard at work crafting a unique and deeply detailed open world brimming with thrilling fights, rewarding exploration, and a true sense of discovery. It’s important to our whole team that Flintlock is a special experience, and we owe it to ourselves and to all of you who have been following the game since we announced to make it the most impressive and unforgettable game it can be.” A summer 2024 release window was then teased at a PC Gaming Show in November.
Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time (summer 2024)
Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time is a follow-up to a cult classic 3DS game. It was originally announced during a Nintendo Direct with a 2023 release window. Developer Level 5 has since confirmed that it has delayed the game to 2024 so it would release “in better quality.” A more specific release window of summer 2024 was confirmed during a Level 5 livestream on November 29.
The Wolf Among Us 2 (2024)
After reemerging last year with a 2023 release window, Telltale Games’ highly anticipated sequel to The Wolf Among Us has been pushed back to 2024. Speaking to IGN, Telltale CEO Jamie Ottilie explained that its developers are upgrading The Wolf Among Us 2 from Unreal Engine 4 to Unreal Engine 5 and are pushing it back to avoid any crunch. “If we put this game out and it’s not ready, we’re going to get torn to shreds,” he explained. “I’ve done [crunch], and I don’t want to do it again, and it’s not fair to ask it. You can’t plan a business around it. So yeah, part of it is about maintaining a healthy work culture. We don’t want to burn out our good people.”
Blue Protocol (2024)
As part of its MMO push, Amazon Games is publishing the Western release of Blue Protocol, a new fantasy MMO from Bandai Namco Studios. While the game was initially supposed to come out in North America and Europe sometime this year after its launch in Japan this month, the decision was made to push the Western release back to 2024. A blog post explained that this decision was made so Amazon could focus on its “continued efforts to localize the deeply immersive stories and build the infrastructure needed to engage in multiplayer adventures and massive online raids against towering monsters.” A PC Closed Beta will still take place later this year, though.
Anger Foot (2024)
Anger Foot is an upcoming indie game from Broforce developer Free Lives and publisher Devolver Digital. It’s an intense first-person shooter where, as the title suggests, one of the player’s most powerful attacks is to angrily kick their enemies. There’s also a wide range of guns to use if shooting is more your thing. Originally slated for 2023, it was pushed back to 2024 during June’s Steam Next Fest event, with Free Lives joking that it “needs more anger” in a video. A demo is available on Steam if you want to try it before then, though
Stick it to the Stickman (2024)
Anger Foot isn’t the only Free Lives game to get delayed. Stick it to the Stickman is a tongue-in-cheek roguelike where, as a stickman, players fight their way through the offices of corporate America. Its delay was announced alongside Anger Foot’s, with Free Lives joking that the game “needs more sticking it.” Stick it to the Stickman will now release in 2024 but has a demo on Steam if you want to try it out before then.
Bounty Star (2024)
Bounty Star is a post-apocalyptic mech action game that also blends in farming and base-building elements. When it was revealed at the 2022 Annapurna Showcase, the game had a 2023 release window, but when it reappeared at the 2023 Annapurna Showcase, that release year had changed to 2024.
Simon the Sorcerer Origins (2024)
Simon the Sorcerer was a classic point-and-click adventure game series for Amiga and MS-DOS, and Smallthing Studios and Leonardo Interactive planned to revive the series with a prequel called Simon the Sorcerer Origins later this year. When what was essentially a re-reveal of the game happened in July 2023, though, the developer and publisher moved that release window to 2024.
Ara: History Untold (2024)
When Microsoft announced Oxide Studios’ Civilization-like game Ara: History Untold in June 2022, it had a release window of the first half of 2023. Obviously, that didn’t happen, and now Microsoft has quietly updated the game’s Xbox.com page to say “coming 2024,” affirming that the grand strategy game has been pushed back by about a year. No reason for the delay was given, but Oxide and Xbox Game Studios continue to hold Closed Alphas and provide development updates for Ara: History Untold.
The Plucky Squire (2024)
The Plucky Squire is an indie game where players can explore both 2D storybooks and the 3D worlds that surround the book. It has been a bit of a prerelease indie darling since its announcement in 2022 and was originally slated to come out sometime this year. Publisher Devolver Digital revealed that was no longer the case during its aptly named Devolver Delayed Showcase. The Plucky Squire will now release for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch in 2024.
Skate Story (2024)
The next Devolver Digital game we learned was pushed back during the Devolver Delayed Showcase was Skate Story. It’s a beautiful-looking skateboarding game about a demon made of glass who is skating through the underworld to the moon. Like The Plucky Squire, Skate Story was originally slated for 2023 but is now coming out on PC in 2024.
Pepper Grinder (2024)
The final game delay announcement from the Devolver Delayed Showcase was for Pepper Grinder, a 2D platformer that swaps out jumping for drilling through the ground. This is yet another case of a Devolver Digital game swapping out its 2023 release window for a 2024 one.
Rift of the Necrodancer (2024)
When Brace Yourself Games revealed its next rhythm game, Rift of the Necrodancer, at an Indie World event earlier this year, it promised to release it in 2023. This release window was quietly updated to 2024 in the Switch eShop before Brace Yourself Games announced that the game has been pushed back and will now be published by Klei.
Replaced (2024)
Indie game Replaced has stood out thanks to its really distinct and beautiful pixel art style, but its developers do need more time to finish it. The game was already pushed from 2022 to 2023, and it’s now delayed to 2024. “As of today, development is progressing at a steady pace,” developer Sad Cat Studios explained in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter). “The majority of systems are functional now and we are in a super-intense asset production phase, which is currently our main bottleneck.”
Europa (2024)
Europa is a very ambitious open-world adventure game from indie developer Helder Pinto. A demo for the game was surprise-launched during the Future Games Show at Gamescom 2023, but that also came with the news that the game’s release had shifted from 2023 to 2024. “I’ve worked for six years on this game in my spare time (I work on AAA games for my day job) and have poured a lot of love into it,” Pinto explained on Steam. “I want to make it the best it can be, and I want to release it only when I’m sure it’s reached that state.”
Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road (2024)
Level 5’s soccer RPG based on Inazuma Eleven has been a long time coming. First announced in 2016 as Inazuma Eleven Ares, the game now known as Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road has changed names and been delayed multiple times. The latest delay pushed its launch year from 2023 to 2024. However, its release does feel more imminent than ever, as Level 5 is holding a worldwide beta for the game on Nintendo Switch in March 2024.
DecaPolice (2024)
DecaPolice is a police RPG from Level 5. Originally announced with a 2023 release window, Level 5 said it was pushing the game to “post-2024” during a livestream in November. It then backtracked slightly, clarifying on X that it meant to say that DecaPolice will come out sometime in 2024. Regardless, the game is delayed.
Stellar Blade (2024)
Stellar Blade is an intense sci-fi action game from Korean developer Shift Up that’s published by Sony and planned to be a PS5 exclusive. Stellar Blade originally had a 2023 release window, but as the year was closing out we still hadn’t gotten any updates on when it’d specifically get released. With just a couple of days left to go in the year, so confirmed in a PlayStation Blog post that Stellar Blade is now set for release in 2024.
Ark 2 (end of 2024)
Yet another game originally slated for release in 2022, the early access release for Ark 2 was pushed back yet again, this time from 2023 until “the end of 2024.” In a community post that announced the delay, Studio Wildcard explained that the delay is happening because the team needs more time to get used to working with Unreal Engine 5. In the meantime, it will tide fans of the series over with Ark: Survival Ascended, an Unreal Engine 5 remaster of the original game coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S in August.
Hollow Knight: Silksong (TBA)
Team Cherry originally planned to release its highly anticipated Metroidvania Hollow Knight: Silksong sometime during the first half of 2023, but that did not pan out. “We’re excited by how the game is shaping up, and it’s gotten quite big, so we want to take the time to make the game as good as we can,” Team Cherry’s Matthew Griffin explained in a tweet. “Expect more details from us once we get closer to release.”
Pragmata (TBA)
Three years after its announcement, Capcom debuted gameplay for Pragmata at its June 2023 Capcom Showcase. Sadly, this reappearance came with an indefinite delay announcement, both within the trailer and in a message that appeared afterward. “It is with a heavy heart that we must further postpone the release of Pragmata,” the message reads. “Our team is currently hard at work on making the best game that we possibly can, but we need more time. We will continue to do our best to ensure that the final product is one that is worthy of your patience.”
Suikoden I & II HD Remaster (TBA)
Komani plans to revive its long-dormant RPG series Suikoden with a remaster of its first two games. This remastered collection — which has the lengthy full title of Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars — was supposed to release in 2023, but Konami has indefinitely delayed the game. “We have reached the conclusion that despite the very best efforts of our dedicated development staff to release the Remasters in 2023, additional time is needed to ensure the quality performance and gameplay experience our users deserve,” Konami’s statement about the delay explains. “The entire Suikoden team is renewing our efforts to bring Suikoden I & II HD Remaster to release as soon as possible.”
Phasmophobia for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S (TBA)
Multiplayer horror game Phasmophobia was supposed to release on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S in August, but toward the end of that month, Kinetic Games announced the port had been pushed to the week leading up to Halloween in October. “Due to a recent fire incident in our office building and unpredicted development issues, our ability to test and develop has been significantly impacted,” an X post explained. “After careful consideration, we have made the tough decision to delay the console release.” Unfortunately, Kinetic Games could not hit that October window, and the ports are now without a release date.
