We’ve done it. We’ve made it to the end of one of the busiest years in top-notch video game releases in a long time, with just one month left to go – and thankfully a much quieter one than the past few.
December 2023 is obviously going to be an opportune time for many of us to take a breather after a frankly exhausting year and kick back with some of the games we’ve missed or put to the side over the previous 11 months, but that’s not to say there’s absolutely nothing new headed to physical and virtual shelves in the coming weeks. Ubisoft’s Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora has carved itself out a nice little slice of the calendar to launch in, which should see it do pretty well for itself. There are some indie/smaller-scale bangers on the way too, like SteamWorld Build and Born of Bread, along with a handful of games making their way to certain platforms for the first time.
Check it out:
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DECEMBER 2023 GAME RELEASES
SteamWorld Build
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Release Date: December 1st
In SteamWorld Build, you must escape a dying planet by building a mining town to dig up vital long-lost technology. Meet the ever-growing needs of your citizens, trade resources and defend your mine from the creatures that lurk below.
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince
Platforms: Switch
Release Date: December 1st
Pre-order on Amazon: $79 with free shipping
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince gives players the power to command and recruit various types of monsters to join them on an epic new adventure. Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince features Psaro, the demon prince, whose curse prevents him from harming monsters. As a result, he must become a Monster Wrangler, recruiting, and fighting alongside monsters throughout the various environments of the fantastical world of Nadiria.
Batman: Arkham Trilogy
Platforms: Switch
Release Date: December 1st
Pre-order on Amazon: $79 with free shipping
Face off against notorious DC Super-Villains: The Joker, Scarecrow, Poison Ivy, and more in Batman: Arkham Asylum. Step into the shadows of Batman: Arkham City’s open world, the new maximum security “home” for thugs, gangsters, and insane criminal masterminds. In Batman: Arkham Knight, tear through the streets of Gotham and take on the ultimate threat in the trilogy’s epic conclusion. Experience critically acclaimed gameplay & AAA original storytelling across all 3 games, PLUS all DLC, in one complete package, coming to Nintendo Switch.
Disney Dreamlight Valley (1.0 and A Rift In Time Expansion Release)
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Release Date: December 5th
Pre-order on Amazon: $69 with free shipping
Explore a world filled with the magic of Disney as you discover rich stories and build the perfect neighbourhood alongside Disney and Pixar heroes and villains in this new life-sim adventure game. Welcome to Disney Dreamlight Valley.
Born of Bread
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC
Release Date: December 5th
“Born of Bread” is a delightful turn-based RPG that harkens back to classic cartoonish role-playing games, brimming with vibrant characters and enchanting tales for both children and adults. Ancient beings are wreaking havoc across the realm, posing a significant threat to all. Enter Loaf, our unlikely hero—a golem crafted from bread, embodying endless youthful curiosity. Along with a band of newfound companions, Loaf finds himself at the heart of a saga millennia in the making.
Blood West (1.0 Release)
Platforms: PC
Release Date: December 5th
Blood West is an immersive stealth FPS horror set in a wicked Wild West. Brought back to life by strange native spirits, you will explore and scavenge, build up your arsenal and gain powerful perks, hunt your enemies quietly or meet them guns blazing. Take back the frontier, gunslinger!
The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria (PS5 Release)
Platforms: PS5
Release Date: December 5th
Pre-order on Amazon: $59 with free shipping
Welcome to The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria, the only survival crafting video game set in the Fourth Age of Middle-earth, the iconic fantasy world created by J.R.R. Tolkien. Summoned to the Misty Mountains by Lord Gimli Lockbearer, players take control of a company of Dwarves tasked to reclaim the lost spoils from the Dwarven homeland of Moria—known as Khazad-dûm or Dwarrowdelf—in the depths below their very feet. Their quest will require fortitude, delving deep into the Mines of Moria to recover its treasures.
Sonic Dream Team
Platforms: Apple Arcade
Release Date: December 5th
The evil Dr. Eggman has discovered The Reverie – an ancient device with the power to manifest dreams in the real world. Navigate twisted dreamscapes, rescue your friends, and put a stop to Dr. Eggman’s nightmarish dreams of world domination! Choose from six different characters – Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy Rose, Cream and Rouge. Each character brings their own flare and personality, fitting within three movement types that provide unique exploration opportunities while navigating the dream world.
LEGO Bricktales (Meta Quest Version)
Platforms: Meta Quest 2/3/Pro
Release Date: December 7th
In LEGO® Bricktales, discover an innovative brick-by-brick building mechanic to design puzzle solutions from your own imagination. See your creations brought to life in a beautiful LEGO world where every problem has a constructive resolution. Embark on an epic adventure across a world of beautiful LEGO diorama biomes crafted brick by brick as you search for inspiration to help your grandfather reinvigorate his rundown amusement park with your little robot buddy in tow, now in VR!
Arizona Sunshine 2
Platforms: PS VR2, Meta Quest 2/3/Pro, PC VR
Release Date: December 7th
Prepare your machete and load up your shotgun: it’s time to reunite with your familiar adversary, Fred. Arizona Sunshine 2, the innovative sequel to the much-adored VR apocalypse, delivers even more gruesomely captivating zombie action! We welcome you back to the sun-drenched, zombie-infested Arizona. With the story narrated by the signature sarcasm of our darkly humorous protagonist, Arizona Sunshine 2 embarks you on an all-new, body-part-strewn journey in pursuit of answers.
Outer Wilds (Switch Release)
Platforms: Switch
Release Date: December 7th
You’re the newest member of Outer Wilds Ventures, a fledgling space program searching for answers in a strange, constantly changing solar system. Who built the ruins on the moon? What lurks in the heart of Dark Bramble? Why are you trapped in a time loop, and can it be stopped? To solve these mysteries you’ll have to venture into the most dangerous reaches of space.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Release Date: December 7th
Pre-order on Amazon: $89 with free shipping
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is a first-person, action-adventure game set in the Western Frontier. Abducted by the human militaristic corporation known as the RDA, you, a Na’vi, were molded to serve their purpose. Fifteen years later, you are free, but find yourself a stranger in your birthplace. Reconnect with your lost heritage and discover what it truly means to be Na’vi as you join other clans to protect Pandora from the RDA.
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Release Date: December 7th
Embark on a thrilling journey aboard your immense voidship as you navigate the myriad systems of the Koronus Expanse, a largely uncharted and treacherous region of the cosmos. Though often dismissed as an Imperium backwater, this vast expanse of the void teems with menacing creatures and presents boundless prospects for both profit and exploration. Throughout your quests, choose to show mercy or contempt to your subjects, remain loyal to the God-Emperor, or fraternize with the foes of Mankind. Every choice, from character creation onward, molds the open-world gameplay and its inhabitants.
The Day Before (Early Access)
Platforms: PC
Release Date: December 7th
The Day Before is an open-world MMO survival set in a deadly, post-pandemic America overrun by flesh-hungry infected and survivors killing each other for food, weapons, and cars. You wake up alone in a world you no longer remember, setting out to find answers and the resources to survive.
Baldur’s Gate 3 (Xbox Release)
Platforms: Xbox Series X|S
Release Date: December 7th? Maybe?
Baldur’s Gate 3 is a story-rich, party-based RPG set in the universe of Dungeons & Dragons, where your choices shape a tale of fellowship and betrayal, survival and sacrifice, and the lure of absolute power.
Terminator: Dark Fate – Defiance
Platforms: PC
Release Date: December 7th
Terminator: Dark Fate: Defiance is a gritty RTS that puts you in the middle of the Future Wars between humanity and Legion’s synthetic intelligent machine network. Take command and lead your army to foil Legion’s plan to destroy humanity or play as one of three factions in skirmish and multiplayer.
Vertigo 2 (PS VR2 Release)
Platforms: PS VR2
Release Date: December 12th
Vertigo 2 is a single-player VR adventure. Explore the depths of the vast Quantum Reactor as you descend to finish your journey home.
Stargate: Timekeepers
Platforms: PC
Release Date: December 13th
Stargate: Timekeepers is a real-time tactics game where you lead a team of specialists through a story-driven campaign set in the SG-1 universe. Sneak your characters behind enemy lines, use their unique skills, craft the perfect plan to unravel a timeloop mystery, and defeat the Goa’uld threat.
Pioneers of Pagonia (Early Access)
Platforms: PC
Release Date: December 14th
In a world of countless islands populated with scattered villages, you travel and lead your people as a visionary to forge alliances with the inhabitants, after helping each other and gaining their trust. Send out your pioneers to discover untouched soil, find hidden resources and explore secret places. Enjoy the fantastical and inviting world of Pagonia, where your carefully considered decisions cause thousands of bustling inhabitants to satisfy your orders.
House Flipper 2
Platforms: PC
Release Date: December 14th
It doesn’t matter if you’re a makeover veteran or if you’re only starting out – you’ll feel at home in no time! House Flipper 2 introduces new mechanics and revamps the ones from the original game. The good old hammer, the trusty paint roller, and the sturdy mop, all await your return! The new visuals make our fixer-uppers look crisp as never before! Why settle for a renovation when you can construct from the ground up? Dive into Sandbox Mode and channel your creativity! Whether replicating real-world structures or crafting designs from your imagination, the possibilities are endless. Building from the ground up can be challenging, but the satisfaction of realizing your dream home makes every effort worthwhile.
Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising
Platforms: PS5, PS4, PC
Release Date: December 14th
The latest installment in the GBVS series is elevating the genre to unprecedented levels! Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned veteran, you can rise to glory in this definitive fighting game experience. Need a break from matches? Take a breather and explore the one-of-a-kind island lobby filled with fun attractions. Challenge other players online in various obstacle courses and survival games, all within the brand-new party mode, Grand Bruise Legends! Newcomers can now immerse themselves in the intense thrill of one-on-one combat without needing to memorize complex controls. Simple inputs allow for the execution of skills at the press of a single button, ensuring that the focus stays on the battle, not the buttons!
Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted 2
Platforms: PS VR2
Release Date: December 14th
Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted 2 is the PlayStation VR2 sequel to the terrifying VR experience that brought new life to the iconic horror franchise. Improving on the original title, Help Wanted 2 introduces several brand new minigames that bring you face to face with familiar characters and locations from the series’ past. But all is not as it seems in this new job… It’ll be up to you to brave through the horrors to figure out the truth.
Pokemon Scarlet & Violet – The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero – Part 2: The Indigo Disk
Platforms: Switch
Release Date: December 14th
Get it from Amazon: $44.60 via digital code
In this story, you’ll be leaving the Paldea region, the setting of your adventures in Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet. In Part 2: The Indigo Disk, you’ll be traveling to Blueberry Academy, a sister school of your own academy, as an exchange student. Get ready to meet new Pokémon and people beyond the borders of the Paldea region!
Resident Evil 4 (Apple Release)
Platforms: Mac, iPad, iPhone 15 Pro
Release Date: December 20th
Survival is just the beginning. Six years have passed since the biological disaster in Raccoon City. Agent Leon S. Kennedy, one of the survivors of the incident, has been sent to rescue the president’s kidnapped daughter. He tracks her to a secluded European village, where there is something terribly wrong with the locals. And the curtain rises on this story of daring rescue and grueling horror where life and death, terror and catharsis intersect. Featuring modernized gameplay, a reimagined storyline, and vividly detailed graphics, Resident Evil 4 marks the rebirth of an industry juggernaut. Relive the nightmare that revolutionized survival horror.
