2023 will be a busy year for RPG fans since many highly-anticipated games from well-known developers will be released this year. Some of these titles were set to launch in 2022, but unfortunately got delayed due to varying issues - the biggest being the Coronavirus pandemic. Hopefully, the delays mean that developers can finally launch finished games without severe bugs, which unfortunately has become rarer in recent times, the most recent example of a release with a long list of problems being Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.

2022 was a big year for RPG fans with numerous big hits like Elden Ring, which won Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2022 because of its sprawling open world filled with many secrets and hidden details. Triangle Strategy was also one of the biggest RPGs released in 2022, thanks to its complex, strategic combat system accompanied by a masterfully crafted story and memorable characters. Although 2022 set a high bar, 2023 could be another strong year for RPG games, especially with these AAA titles that have been in development for many years, but will finally launch in 2023.

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Forspoken Will Finally Be Released On January 24 On PS5 & PC

Forspoken is one of many titles that Square Enix will release in 2023. The game will follow the story of a New Yorker named Frey Holland, who gets transported to Athia, and she has to use her newfound magical abilities to survive and find her way back home. The game could become one of the biggest RPGs to be released in 2023 because Forspoken has the edge over other open-world games due to its interesting traversal mechanics that feel similar to parkour. Besides being useful for exploration, the traversal system can also be utilized in combat. For example, Frey can move to the back of shielded enemies and attack from behind for extra damage or quickly find cover in the environment to avoid unblockable attacks from bosses.

Harry Potter Fans Can Finally Play Hogwarts Legacy In 2023

Harry Potter fans have been looking forward to 2023 due to the release of Hogwarts Legacy, which will fulfill many fans' dreams of becoming a student at Hogwarts, the magical school. Players will be able to select their House, customize their character, meet and befriend original characters, cast spells, and even kill dark wizards in Hogwarts Legacy. The game will also feature flying mechanics as part of its traversal system, and players can take part in broom race challenges. Unfortunately, the game will not offer a playable Quidditch game despite being highly demanded by fans.

Hogwarts Legacy will be set in the late 1800s and follow the story of an unnamed protagonist who is granted late ittance and enters Hogwarts as a fifth-year student. Although there is limited information regarding the game's plot, it has been confirmed that the game will touch on a goblin rebellion. The goblin's leader, Ranrok, seems to be collaborating with dark wizards to obtain the key to an ancient secret that the protagonist holds.

Final Fantasy 16 Should Be Out On June 22 As A PS5 Exclusive

Final Fantasy 16 is one of the most highly-anticipated RPG games, and is breaking new ground for the iconic series. FF16 is making changes to the summons system which will result in unique Kaiju-style battles between Eikons, a grandeur not seen in previous Final Fantasy titles. Players will be able to control Eikons and use their god-like powers to defeat their enemies, which is different from Final Fantasy 15, where summons can only send one powerful attack before disappearing. Eikons will also have more presence in the story, with the creatures being connected to the major characters who are their Dominants. Although Dominants can tap into the power of Eikons, they have to pay a high price with each transformation shortening their lifespan.

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Final Fantasy 16 may have some similarities with Final Fantasy XIV, but the developer has made it clear that FF16 is not connected to FFXIV's Eorzea. The rumor was based on the fact that FF16 and FFXIV shared a developer, Square Enix's Business Unit III, but it seems that the developer wants FF16 to stand on its own merits. FF16 will follow the story of Clive Rosfield, who is seeking revenge for the death of his little brother, Joshua. In his journey, Clive will be accompanied by several allies, such as Torgal, Jill Warrick, and Cidolfus Telamon.

Starfield Will Be On Xbox Game In 2023

Another highly-anticipated title is Starfield, which caught RPG fans' attention in 2018. The game will allow players to customize their ships, build planetary bases, converse with NPCs, and perform space combat as of Constellation, an organization of space explorers. Starfield will also feature over 200,000 dialogue lines, making it one of the biggest Bethesda titles, with the game having a bigger line count than Skyrim, that only has 60,000 lines, and Fallout 4, with its 111,000 lines.

Starfield is a return to the classic Bethesda-style game where players can interact with NPCs using a number of preset options, and the game will also have a persuasion system where players will need to spend points to convince NPCs to agree with players' requests. Although the game draws inspiration from Oblivion's persuasion mini-game, Starfield will take a step further by giving more weight to players' choices which will influence future encounters in the game. The developer has also decided not to include a controversial feature from Fallout 4 in Starfield, which is a voiced protagonist. This decision could help players to immerse themselves further into the game by allowing them to insert themselves into the story.

Biggest RPGs Releasing On Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PS5, & PC In 2023

In addition to the games discussed above, here are some of 2023's most anticipated RPGs and their expected release dates:

With the high-profile titles set to be released throughout the year, 2023 has a chance to be a strong year for RPG games. Square Enix has proven to be a master at crafting engaging and fun RPGs, and the company's titles could even beat the best RPGs of 2022. Starfield has the potential to be Bethesda's next big hit thanks to the developer's decision to return to its classic formula, while Hogwarts Legacy could become a popular RPG game with its new take on wizard battles that is different from previous Harry Potter games.

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