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2023 proved to be a blockbuster year for video games. Hotly anticipated platform titles debuted on a monthly, and sometimes biweekly, basis, consuming video gamers’ time (and the contents of their wallets) like some viral new version of the ever insatiable Pac-Man. But it’s not as though gamers minded much, given the quality of the output. The biggest struggle proved to be staying on top of all the new releases, and there’s no doubt that many people will still be playing catch-up well into 2024, especially given the length of some of these games. Anyone who has already finished Baldur’s Gate 3 must be a wizard.
On the subject of wizards: Hogwarts Legacy looks like it could be the best-selling game of the year. February’s release of the Harry Potter/Fantastic Beasts prequel game generated controversy due to J.K. Rowling’s harmful anti-transgender views, with many choosing to boycott the game. Hogwarts caused such a stir that both PlayStation and Xbox introduced a means to allow players to hide the game on their accounts, resulting in further controversy. Despite all of this, Hogwarts still managed to prove the resiliency of the Wizarding World brand—though in such a crowded release year it didn’t make the cut for this list.
Other major events in the world of gaming this year included yet another cancellation of E3, which was once the biggest annual video gaming event. Though it was set to be the first in-person iteration since 2019, it was canceled when it was unable to attract XBOX Game Studios, Sony Interactive Entertainment, and Nintendo, companies which have all in recent years created their own events. And just so no one gets their hopes up, E3 2024 was also canceled—perhaps a sign to throw in the towel.
Despite the release of so many high-profile games, layoffs rocked the industry. Bungie, Ubisoft, Epic Games, and Unity all faced significant losses. Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion. The purchase stands as the biggest monetary acquisition in video game history, giving Microsoft ownership over Call of Duty, Spyro, Warcraft, Starcraft, Diablo, and Candy Crush. Meanwhile, SAG-AFTRA voted in favor of strike authorization for actors within the video game industry, part of an effort to ensure fair wages and manage the impacts of the rampant rise of AI. The outcome of these early negotiations between game companies and actors isn’t clear yet, but it’s only logical that these workers’ concerns parallel those of their peers in film and TV, as video games increasingly rely on performances that rival what we see in those mediums.
Over in those mediums, 2023 was a banner year for video game adaptations, starting off with the debut of The Last of Us on HBO. The series, starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, proved to be a major hit with fans and critics, garnering 24 Emmy nominations. A second season, based on The Last of Us Part II, is currently in development. Other notable video-game-based series included Twisted Metal on Peacock and Castlevania: Nocturne on Netflix.
