The new year has just begun, and it provides the perfect opportunity to take a look back at what has been an excellent year in video gaming, especially with sports games. It is however also a time of anticipation. With the 2023 release schedule beginning to take shape, we now have some idea of the games which will be hitting the shelves over the coming twelve months.
Fans of all genres look to be in for a treat, and if sports games float your boat, 2023 is set to provide both quantity and variety. All in all, there’s plenty to distract sports fans from subjects such as the 2030 World Cup host betting odds, with the following five releases, in particular, piquing our interest.
5 upcoming sports games we’re looking forward to
Blood Bowl 3
- Anticipated Release: February 2023
- Platforms: Windows, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
- Developer: Cyanide
Video gaming’s finest fantasy and American Football crossbreed returns for a third instalment following 2009’s Blood Bowl and Blood Bowl 2 of 2015. Based on the Games Workshop board game, Blood Bowl 3 features all of your favourite fantasy races, including Black Orcs, Dark Elves, Nurgles and more, in addition to a healthy dose of violence.
Loosely following the American Football rulebook, if the latest instalment in the turn-based series is anything like so satisfying as its predecessor, Cyanide look set to have another hit on its hands.
UFL
- Anticipated Release: TBA
- Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
- Developer: Pathea
With the news that FIFA 23 will be the last FIFA-branded sports game released by EA for some time, fans are no doubt on the lookout for a replacement in order to get their football gaming fix. Step forward UFL from Strikerz Inc. Built using Unreal Engine 4, initial trailers look promising for a game set to prioritise skill and eliminate the “pay to win” element which many believe had begun to see the FIFA series go into decline.
Undisputed
- Anticipated Release: TBA
- Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
- Developer: Steel City Interactive
This looks set to be a real treat for boxing fans, with developers Steel City Interactive promising the most authentic boxing game on the market, complete with true-to-life visuals and an impressive cast of licenced boxers including Ryan Garcia, Katie Taylor, and Sunny Edwards. Promising revolutionary footwork mechanics, over 60 individual punches, feints, traps, and counters, it is no wonder sports game fans are awaiting this release with bated breath.
Forza Motorsport (2023)
- Anticipated Release: TBA
- Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X/S
- Developer: Turn 10 Studios
A sure sign of just how quickly things move in the world of sports games is the relative demise of the Forza series. Once just about the benchmark in the genre, by the time Forza 7 came around, the series had begun to feel just a little jaded in comparison with the competition. A reboot seems a shrewd move, and in 2023 we look set to get just that.
The numeric moniker is dropped, which is as good a sign as any that Turn 10 Studios are keen to start anew. It will be intriguing to see what the developer can do with an overhauled ForzaTech engine and the capabilities of the new Xbox Series at their disposal. Excellence is expected!
Skate Story
- Anticipated Release: TBA
- Platforms: Microsoft Windows, macOS
- Developer: Sam Eng, snowhydra, LLC
Most areas in the broad universe of video gaming have been covered. However, for those who have ever dreamt about skateboarding in the underworld, choices have been a little thin on the ground. All that is set to change in 2023. Playing the role of a four-wheeling demon, your task in Skate Story is to ollie, grind, and kickflip your way to the moon in order to order to secure your release from a world of pain. If the developers can produce a sports game to match the premise, fans of skate games will likely be more than satisfied.
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