Here’s Why 2023 Will Go Down as an Exceptional Year in Gaming

The year 2023 is almost over and there are no more major video game releases in sight. But looking back, this year has been incredible for gaming, both in terms of games released and the evolution of the industry.

We saw huge releases this year like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 for PS5, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom for Nintendo Switch, and Microsoft finally releasing a first-party game with Starfield. Square Enix and Ubisoft also added the release of Final Fantasy XVI and Assassin’s Creed Mirage. And of course, we can’t forget Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, which was a major breakthrough in the gaming world.

So, with all that in mind, let’s take a look at how this year has played out in terms of gaming as a whole and why it can be considered one of the best years ever.

Nintendo and PlayStation brought their A game

In 2023, everyone really brought their A-game. Nintendo in particular had an incredible year with two amazing titles: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, the sequel to the hugely popular The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Both games were critically acclaimed and loved by fans (myself included).

In The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Nintendo built on the already incredible adventure of Breath of the Wild, but went above and beyond and doubled down on what made the 2017 original so great. If you haven’t played these games yet, you need to.

Nintendo is the best at making platformers, and Super Mario Bros. isn’t. Wonder is no exception. It introduces new mechanics never seen before in a 2D Mario game. The miracle seeds found in the levels open up a completely new dimension of the game. The game is also visually stunning with great art and music.

PlayStation, on the other hand, has had a relatively quiet year, but it came out swinging (pun intended) with Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. I’ve been playing it since it came out and it’s incredibly fun. The fights, the action sequences and the Cast are all top notch. The story is full of twists and turns and if you’re a Spider-Man fan, you can’t miss it. Plus there’s Venom!

Big year for Microsoft

Microsoft now owns Activision Blizzard. The technology giant was finally able to complete the deal after the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority gave it permission to do the deal. It now owns Call of Duty, but another big moment for the company this year was the launch of Bethesda’s new IP in years – Starfield. It finally ended the software giant’s drought of releasing a “real” first-party game (some people don’t consider the Forza games “real” hard-hitting, which I find odd).

Starfield may not have been as successful as Microsoft would have liked, but it’s still a great adventure for gamers, and it’s a truly rewarding journey if you’re willing to push through the game’s slow first few hours. And yes, we also got Forza Motorsport to give Gran Turismo 7 some much-needed competition, and it’s a worthwhile game if you have a GamePass subscription.

Square Enix and Ubisoft show why fans love them

Square Enix It had a bit of trouble when Forspoken didn’t take off and it did

many dismissed it afterwards, but people knew what was coming

Final Fantasy XVI, and it was a real treat. Final Fantasy XVI is the game for you

won’t forget. Both the story and the gameplay are fascinating. It tells a story

About Clive Rosfield, who sets out on a quest to destroy all the Mother Crystals

In Valisthea.

The game features some of the most cinematic boss battles,

great Devil May Cry like combat and story full of twists and

turns – straight out of Game of Thrones. It said the game is currently

exclusive to PS5, but a PC version may be on the horizon.

Ubisoft also returned to its roots after launching Assassin’s Creed

Mirage. It was well received, has fun combat and is true Assassin’s

Creed game. It reminds you of the old days. Think Assassin’s Creed

Brotherhood or Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag. It looks like Ubisoft is back

on the track and it’s great to see.

Remedy Games Shocked Games With Alan Wake 2

If you played the first Alan Wake game, you know what that means to many players. Once you start playing, it’s hard to stop. But with part 2, Remedy has really outdone itself. Not only does the game look better than most games out there, but the level design, pace, and engaging story will leave you speechless.

One thing I don’t like is that Remedy decided to skip the physical release and just release it digitally on all platforms. This really annoyed me as I am never a fan of digital games. I hope we get a physical release in the future. If that happens, I will definitely buy a copy.

The game is also currently on sale on the PlayStation Store as part of its year-end sale; might be a good time to pick up (I mean – download it –*sigh*) it.

The GTA 6 trailer was everything we expected and exceeded

We waited a decade for this trailer and it was worth it! The game is still over a year away, but the trailer alone has gamers all over the world happy. It has been viewed more than any other non-music video in the first 24 hours of its release. Players are impressed with the level of detail and scope Rockstar has shown in the trailer.

We’ll have to wait a long time for the game to be released, but we’re not complaining. The trailer also confirmed that the game will be set in Leonidas, Rockstar’s take on iconic Florida locations like Miami and the Everglades.

Baldur’s Gate 3 reminds us why gaming is fun

Of course I didn’t forget about Baldur’s Gate 3. How could I? If any game makes you think about every move, it’s Baldur’s Gate 3. It motivates you to try many new things, actually, many new things. The story, numbers and world building are insane.

Yes, it’s not for the faint of heart, considering its length and the numerous options Larian Studios gives you to play the story, but this very fact makes Baldur’s Gate 3 one of the best video games of all time, and rightly deserves the Game of the Year award.

Leaks and hackers mark the end of the bittersweet

Unfortunately, it’s not all fun and games when it comes to Insomniac Games, creator of Marvel’s Spider-Man series for PlayStation and the iconic Ratchet and Clank games. The studio suffered a massive hack that led to the leak of a playable version of Marvel’s Wolverine, the studio’s next big superhero game for PS5, and even internal employee information, sabotaging privacy.

We truly sympathize with what happened and understand that the studio employees are heartbroken right now. And as good as the year went, this left a sour taste in the end. But hey, here’s hoping for an even better 2024, full of fun and hours of epic games.

Happy holidays to you all.