Best Upcoming RPGs 2023

Many of the best role-playing games are massive timesinks that require upwards of hundreds of hours to complete.

That’s a big commitment for a lot of gamers, which is probably why so many RPGs end up in the dreaded backlog.

Will things ever change? Probably not, seeing as many highly anticipated RPGs are expected to drop this year.

In this list, we’ll highlight the best upcoming RPGs releasing on Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platforms.

Make sure to check back for future updates and new announcements regarding new RPGs releasing in 2023 and beyond!

Related:Best Upcoming MMORPGs 2023 (And Beyond)Best Upcoming Video Game Remakes 2023 (And Beyond)Best Upcoming Open World Games 2023

Due out in late January, Fire Emblem Engage is the next installment in the Nintendo-exclusive tactical RPG series.

Set in the continent of Elyos, the story sees you teaming up with past Fire Emblem heroes to defeat the powerful Fell Dragon.

This requires your character to gather the Emblem Rings scattered across Elyos while fighting their way through tactical turn-based battles.

The new “Engage” mechanic will let your character merge appearances with heroes to unlock new weapons, skills, and more.

Forspoken is an upcoming open-world action-adventure game currently in development at Luminous Productions, a new Square Enix game studio formed by members of the Final Fantasy 15 development team.

The game sees you controlling a fleet-footed young woman, likely named Athia, as she explores a “world not her own,” comprised of snowy mountains, lush forests, and ancient ruins.

In the teaser trailer, we can see Athia possesses the power to make roots grow out of the ground and fire-breathing wolves are among the game’s enemy types.

Considering the developer’s affinity for JRPGs, it’ll be interesting to see them apply their talent to a new genre with Project Athia. If you’re a Final Fantasy fan, definitely keep your eye on this one.

Outside of movie tie-ins and the occasional mobile release, we haven’t really seen many games explore the magical world of Harry Potter.

That’s set to change when Avalanche and Warner Bros.’s upcoming open-world action RPG Hogwarts Legacy releases next year.

Set during the late 1800s, it casts the player as a new student at Hogwarts tasked with choosing their House and attending classes while exploring the school’s mysterious grounds.

Over time, they’ll learn to cast different spells, brew potions, tame magical beasts, and battle enemies while navigating a morality system based on their actions.

Due out in February, Like a Dragon: Ishin! is a remake of the Yakuza spin-off beat ’em up RPG set during the Late Edo Period in Japan.

In it, we follow Sakamoto Ryōma as he navigates the uncertainties of society while tracking down the murderer of his mentor.

Shrouded in a secret identity, Ryōma takes to the streets of Kyoto in search of answers and vengeance.

The remake is set to include many familiar systems as Yakuza 5, including Climax Heat alongside new hand-to-hand, sword, and pistol fighting techniques.

Team Ninja has an affinity for crafting mystical action RPGs based on East Asian folklore and the studio’s next project looks to continue this trend.

In Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, players take on the role of a militia soldier fighting for survival in a dark fantasy setting inspired by the Three Kingdoms period.

With the world overrun with demons and enemy soldiers, your character must overcome impossible odds using lethal swordplay based on Chinese martial arts.

Based on the developer’s approach with series like Nioh, we anticipate Fallen Dynasty’s combat to be just as challenging and technically robust.

Each day brings us one step closer to the release date of Nintendo’s follow-up to the unforgettable adventure that was Breath of the Wild.

Officially titled The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, the sequel will see Link exploring both the land and sky portions of Hyrule with new powers.

This includes expanded object stasis manipulation and teleportation abilities that should make traversal even more delightful.

At one point in the trailer, we can see Link riding on a stone bird and skydiving down to the now-familiar Hyrule open world.

Currently in development exclusively for PS5, Final Fantasy XVI will be the sixteenth mainline entry in the extensive RPG franchise.

It’s being produced by Naoki Yoshida and directed by Hiroshi Takai and is set in the land of Valisthea, a continent with six factions on the verge of war due to a spreading malady called the Blight.

Players will take on the role of a hero named Clive as he attempts to rid Valisthea of the Blight and defeat summoned monsters called Eikons.

Gameplay primarily revolves around real-time combat in which Clive uses a combination of sword attacks and various magical abilities.

Bethesda announced Starfield back in 2018 with a teaser trailer and we haven’t heard much aside from some small leaks of info leading up to an update during E3 2021.

We now know the game will be released exclusively for Xbox and PC and coming to Game Pass on launch day.

Similar to previous Bethesda RPGs like Skyrim, Starfield will see players embarking on an epic open-world adventure, only this time in space.

There’s still some mystery surrounding what mankind is turning to the stars in search of, though if we had to wager, it probably has something to do with aliens.

Toeing the line between weird and genuinely exciting, Palworld is an upcoming open-world RPG from Pocketpair Games, best known for Craftopia.

It puts its own spin on the survival crafting genre by throwing in Pokemon-inspired creature collecting, with various “Pals” for you to tame.

Monsters you collect have special powers that can come in handy during battles, farming, building, fishing, and more.

While it’s a bit jarring to see such adorable creatures appear alongside shotguns, assault rifles, and rocket launchers, there’s something so interesting about Palworld’s concept.

Developed by Mega Cat Studios and published by Skybound Games, WrestleQuest is an upcoming wrestling-themed RPG.

It features a chunky pixel art aesthetic that’s further complemented by turn-based combat with flexible wrestling moves, match styles, and gimmicks to explore.

Taking on good guys, bad guys, lizards, robots, and more, your character will fight his way to the top of the pro wrestling scene and come out as a champion.

The game also draws from the medium’s rich history with appearances from icons like Jake the Snake Roberts, Macho Man Randy Savage, and André the Giant.

Sporting a similar retro-inspired art style to that of Undertale, She Dreams Elsewhere is a surreal RPG about dreams and their connection to reality.

In it, you play as Thalia, a comatose woman suffering from anxiety as she sets out to confront her demons and awaken once and for all.

Despite being a narrative-driven experience, the game also features a turn-based battling system that pits you against a host of nightmarish monsters.

Thalia can recruit characters to join her party and strengthen her bond with each using a “Connection” system.

Mega Man fans are in for a retro treat as Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection Vol. 1 & 2 have been announced for a 2023 release.

Bundling together every installment of the beloved tactical RPG, the collection sees players jacking into the net once again to face off against Mega Man’s biggest foes.

As you defeat deadly enemy programs in electrifying grid-based battles, you’ll scour the web for rare and powerful BattleChips to enhance and build your deck.

Legacy Collection also includes optional high-resolution filters to update each game’s graphics along with a full art gallery and music player.

The announcement of Metal Slug Tactics caught many by surprise, considering the franchise is exclusively known for its retro run-n-gun games.

However, if the trailer’s any indication, developer Leikir Studio has a bonafide hit on their hands that draws heavy inspiration from games like Final Fantasy Tactics and Fire Emblem.

Additionally, the game will reportedly include some roguelike elements that are sure to keep gameplay and progression feeling fresh and exciting.

While we’ve yet to see just how well Metal Slug meshes with tactical RPG gameplay, we’re willing to take the risk and find out when it releases later this year.

Pitched as a Kickstarter project by core members of the Suikoden development team, Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is an upcoming JRPG due out next year.

It features the eye-catching 2.5D art style that’s become increasingly popular in the genre as of late and is intended to bridge the gap between modern and classic JRPGs.

The story will explore themes like magic and ancient technology while featuring a cast of 100 characters and unique recruitment/town-building gameplay mechanics.

Having smashed all of its Kickstarter goals, Hundred Heroes is currently in production and expected to release sometime in 2023 for PC and consoles.

Lies of P is another action RPG worth keeping on your radar as it features Dark Souls-inspired combat performed by the titular “P,” which in this case stands for Pinocchio.

In case you were wondering, that is in fact the same Pinnochio as the classic Italian novel about a wooden puppet carved by Geppetto.

Where Lies of P differentiates itself from other Pinocchio-related media is its dark fantasy setting during the European Belle Époque era.

Additionally, the game will introduce a procedural quest system with lying mechanics wherein Pinocchio’s choices impact the outcome of the story.

Billed as a prequel to the retro-style sidescroller The Messenger, Sea of Stars shifts genres to deliver a classic turn-based RPG battle experience.

In it, players command a party of powerful characters as they fend off monsters and other dark creations from an evil alchemist known as The Fleshmancer.

Combat puts a real-time twist on traditional RPG battling by letting players time actions to characters’ animations to boost damage and reduce the amount taken.

If that didn’t make it obvious enough, the game is largely inspired by classics like Chrono Trigger, and even includes music by composer Yasunori Mitsuda.

Following THQ Nordic’s acquisition of Piranha Bytes back in May 2019, the company has begun working on a remake of the classic 2001 action RPG Gothic.

For the remake, THQ Nordic appears to be leaving the story alone, instead opting to focus on updating the game’s visuals and combat.

In it, you play a prisoner of a mining colony who receives a letter requesting him to seek out a group of wizards knowns as the Order of the Magicians of Fire.

If you would like to check out the game for yourself, THQ has released a free playable teaser you can download through Steam.

Crimson Desert is an upcoming open-world game that comes from developer/publisher Pearly Abyss, the same studio behind the hit MMORPG Black Desert.

Originally, the game was meant to be a prequel to Black Desert but was ultimately scrapped and rebooted as a standalone experience set in a medieval fantasy world.

In it, players take on the role of a mercenary traversing a war-ravaged world where they’ll have to complete quests and recruit other mercenaries to join them in battle.

The extra help will definitely come in handy, as the game reportedly features harsh weather conditions across its open-world regions.

Even though Bethesda is more occupied with Elder Scrolls: Online, they still like to remind us Elder Scrolls VI is coming.

That being said, we haven’t received an update since 2018, so it’s likely Bethesda will have something to show before the year is through.

Current speculation suggests ES6 might be set in the Skyrim-adjacent region High Rock based on the announcement trailer depicting a mountainous northern province.

It’s also rumored that the ongoing conflict with the Thalmor may be a key element in the game’s plot.

Avowed is a brand-new IP from developer Obsidian that’s currently in development. It’s described as a first-person RPG set in a fantasy-inspired world called Eora.

In it, you play as an unknown hero who wields a sword and casts magical spells using some really cool-looking hand gestures.

It’s not surprising to see Obsidian racing to make another RPG when you consider it’s their bread and butter. Fallout: New Vegas, KOTR2, Pillars of Eternity, the list goes on and on.

Thematically, Avowed gives off a much darker tone than we’ve seen Obsidian explore in the past, so it’ll be interesting to see what they come up with.