2023 is gearing up to be an epic year for gaming. From the much-awaited release of postponed triple-A titles to blockbuster sequels, we’ll have a lot on our plate to celebrate the upcoming year in style. Yet with so many exciting games around the corner – and even more DLCs and micro-transactions to navigate – money might be a bit tight after a short while.
But the good news is, 2023 looks to be just as chock-full of free-to-play entries. So, whether you’re into fighting games or games of strategy, here are three upcoming titles worth checking out to give your purse a break next year.
Tom Clancy’s The Division: Heartland
Tom Clancy games have drawn inspiration from the espionage novels penned by the homonymous best-selling American author, while sub-series like Ghost Recon and Splinter Cell have ventured into stealth and third-person tactical shooters territories. No game in the series ever was free, though, until Ubisoft announced an upcoming free-to-play instalment in the online RPG third-person shooter series The Division.
Set in a dystopian NYC, this sub-series puts us in the shoes of a Division operative tasked with investigating the outbreak that plagued the city and stopping the criminals that have been wreaking havoc ever since. Yet Heartland will move away from these all-too-urban premises to embark on a journey to rural Middle America, leaving us to decipher the mysteries of the town of Silver Creek while fending off rogue factions.
Despite being slated for 2022, this free-to-play survival-action shooter has been delayed multiple times. But while a firm release date has yet to be confirmed, we can expect to get our hands on Heartland sometime in 2023.
Project L
Riot Games’ flagship franchise, League of Legends has spawned countless spin-offs. And after releasing the free-to-play collectable card game Legends of Runeterra to commercial success in 2020, the studio will strike again with an all-free League of Legends fighting game in the universe of Runeterra in 2023.
Titled Project L, the entry will be an assist-based fighter insofar as layers will put together two-fighter teams where one acts as the primary fighter, and the other can come to their comrade’s aid with assist attacks. While Project L’s roster hasn’t been defined yet, snippets have shown prominent characters from the LoL cast were bound to make an appearance, such as Ahri, Illaoi, and Jinx. Riot Games also granted fans a glimpse at the game’s design and gameplay with a surprise video insight in November 2021.
No release date is known, however, even if more news is coming our way in 2023. Meanwhile, die-hard fans might always go back to one of the best Netflix shows with Arcane. And from esports competitions to multiplayer RPGs, League of Legends has plenty to keep us busy before Project L comes out.
Stormgate
Developed by Frost Giant Studios, Stormgate takes us on a time-travelling trip hundreds of years into the future. After hordes of aliens claimed Earth as their own, humanity narrowly survived. And while the world they once knew is long gone, Earth’s defenders must keep fighting to repel the invaders and save the world. Or else, players may feel like commanding mighty alien armies to unleash havoc and defeat the human resistance.
Blending sci-fi and fantasy, Stormgate takes an innovative approach to the RTS genre. The game also offers a variety of modes for gamers to fiddle with, from PvP matches to co-op campaign missions. Competitive players may even sign up for professional esports matches.
And Stormgate might soon feature on the best esports betting sites. While RTS betting is still niche, competitive RTS esports is all about the thrills of the psychological side of sports. The best titles to wager on are StarCraft and Warcraft, which developers of Stormgate have actively worked on. But top betting platforms offer plenty of other genres to make bank out of, from MOBA to Battle Royale. Yet we might have to wait a while longer to dive into the Stormgate universe, as beta testing will only kick off in mid-2023.
There we have it, our most anticipated free-to-play games in 2023. Granted, this is just the tip of the iceberg, and we’ve only covered a handful of entries, focusing on three entirely different genres. But as limited as it might be, this selection has us bursting with excitement, anyway. So, which game are you most looking forward to trying out? Let us know down below.
Now you know some of the games we’re looking forward to. Why not let us know which games you’re looking forward to in 2023 by commenting down below.
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