Editor's Choice: The Video Games Already Building Buzz for 2024

"Tekken 8"

From the infuriating combos of Eddy Gordo, the button-mashing chaos of Yoshimitsu and the confusing backstory of King, the "Tekken" franchise has grown over the last 30 years by placing itself firmly in the core memories of millions.    

Following a successful anime adaptation, Bandai Namco is gearing up to launch "Tekken 8" on Jan. 29, 2024. The latest edition of the fighting game brings new names and iconic characters back to the "Iron Fist Tournament" for fans to engage with once more. As the gaming ecosystem grows, the opportunities for brand engagement, esports tournaments, streaming, licensed goods and non-stop single player engagement are high.   

Watch our exclusive interview with Aadil Tayouga of Bandai Namco at Brand Licensing Europe 2023 to learn more about the developer's 2024 titles.

"Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League"

Rocksteady Studios and Warner Bros. Games are building on the highly successful "Batman: Arkham" series with the fifth installment from the DC Universe. This edition, however, features a shift in focus from the Dark Knight to Gotham's most wanted, The Suicide Squad.    

Coming Jan. 30, "Suicide Squad Kills the Justice League" takes the popular cinematic universe of "Suicide Squad" (2016) and "The Suicide Squad" (2021) and adds a new immersive experience by placing players into a co-operative gameplay mechanic, pitting King Shark, Harley Quinn, Captain Boomerang and Deadshot against the Justice League.    

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"Star Wars: Outlaws"

Planned for release in 2024, the "original scoundrel story" of "Star Wars: Outlaws" is an action-adventure game developed by Massive Entertainment ("Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora" and "The Division 2") and published by Ubisoft ("Assassin's Creed") with license from Lucasfilm Games. Set between the events of "The Empire Strikes Back" (1980) and "Return of the Jedi" (1983), players can explore numerous worlds through the eyes of rebel and rogue Kay Vess. Given the astronomical success of "Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order" and "Star Wars Jedi: Survivor," "Outlaws" looks to be a continuation of the fan-driven experiences of exploring a universe inspired by the original "Star Wars" trilogy.   

"Final Fantasy VII Rebirth"

The second in a planned trilogy of remakes, Square Enix's "Final Fantasy VII Rebirth" takes the ground-breaking gameplay experience of "Final Fantasy VII" (1997) and transforms it through next-generation graphics and deeper, more immersive storytelling.    

The fanbase surrounding the Final Fantasy franchise is loyal and steeped in history, and, given the trilogy of remakes currently in production and readying for launch, this new era for the franchise is serving existing fans while creating on-ramps for new audiences. Coming Feb. 29, 2024, "Final Fantasy Rebirth" adds to the 16-game portfolio in the franchise and continues to drive global engagement from fans of all ages.   

The video game market is a behemoth of immersive storytelling, fan-driven franchises and extended brand engagement. It's also a market filled with increasingly creative opportunities for in-game, on-shelf, and "phygital" extensions. Ultimately, the titles drive the market, the fans naturally follow and brands go where the fans are.   

The above is just a brief look at what we can expect to see land in 2024, with titles such as "Destiny 2: The Final Shape," "Little Nightmares III," and "Princess Peach Showtime!" on the board with more releases looming in secrecy.