The end of the year is nigh, which means it’s almost time for The Game Awards. Airing on December 7th, there are some heavy hitters nominated this year, from Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores, Alan Wake 2 and Dead Space to Forza Motorsport, Armored Core 6 and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Of course, there’s another reason to tune in – all of the world premieres and exclusive announcements.
What new projects will be announced? Which big-name title will appear and possibly provide an update on their progress? Will there or will there not be a Bloodborne remaster announcement? Well, most likely not, but there are ten other big announcements that we can probably expect at the show.
Wonder Woman – Gameplay Reveal
Warner Bros. Games has had a busy year, what with showing (and delaying) Suicide Squad: Kills the Justice League and releasing Mortal Kombat 1. Granted, Suicide Squad launches next February, but if there’s any time to start talking about the future, it has to be The Game Awards. And what better game to discuss than Wonder Woman?
Announced nearly two years ago, the open-world action-adventure game, which features Monolith Productions’ Nemesis System, hasn’t received any new details. One job listing hinted at live service elements, but Warner Bros. quickly denied the same. Either way, the show would be the right time to remind everyone of the game’s existence and maybe reveal some gameplay.
God of War Ragnarok DLC/Standalone Expansion Announcement
In August, Sony Santa Monica announced it was hiring for a new project, requiring those with “knowledge of God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarok.” While one could infer a new game is in the works, it could be Ragnarok-related content. Leaker The Snitch claims this project is 60 percent complete and won’t launch this year, though they’re unsure if it’s DLC for the base game or a standalone title on the scale of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales.
The latter wouldn’t be all that far-fetched – look no further than Uncharted: The Lost Legacy and inFamous: First Light as other smaller standalone projects that Sony has published. If an announcement is due, there’s no bigger stage than The Game Awards.
Rise of the Ronin – New Gameplay and Release Date
While somewhat out of left field, especially since Team Ninja has never really had a major presence at The Game Awards, there’s a possibility that Rise of the Ronin could appear. It was announced in September 2022 but has been in development since 2015, with Sony dating it for 2024. The Snitch claims it’s launching in Q1 2024, and since it recently became available to wishlist on the PlayStation Store, some gameplay and a release window would be perfect for the show.
Star Wars Outlaws – Trailer and Release Window
Star Wars Outlaws is due for another appearance, especially given the positive reception to its first showcase. However, the publisher could have another reason for debuting another trailer. Though announced for 2024, the publisher said in its report for the first half of fiscal year 2023/24, which ends March 31st, 2024, that it had to delay a “large game” to the next fiscal year.
It was before Outlaws’ official reveal, and if it arrives sometime in 2024, it would still fit the publisher’s plans. Long story short, if it does appear at The Game Awards, it could be to confirm a release window and assure fans that it’s not anytime in Q1 2024. And maybe show off some new gameplay. Either works, honestly.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree – Gameplay Reveal
Of all the games on this list, FromSoftware’s first expansion for Elden Ring, Shadow of the Erdtree, has perhaps had the most recent announcement (February 2023). Granted, it hasn’t received any other details since then, aside from parent company Kadokawa Corporation saying development is proceeding smoothly.
It’s reportedly been in the works since April 2022, shortly after the game’s release. If it’s launching after the current fiscal year (since Kadokawa didn’t list it for the same), a new trailer at The Game Awards wouldn’t be too far-fetched. We may even get a release window. One can dream.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 – Gameplay Trailer and Release Window
With Starfield and Forza Motorsport out, Microsoft is doubtless looking forward to its next big release. While Towerborne, Fable and Perfect Dark will arrive sooner or later, odds are that Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 could appear at The Game Awards with some new gameplay.
The highly-anticipated action-adventure title was announced in 2019 and is set to release in 2024. Ninja Theory hinted that the game was fully playable in September, but hasn’t confirmed a launch date. Maybe that will be included with some new footage if it ends up appearing.
Death Stranding 2 Trailer
Last year saw the surprising debut of Death Stranding 2’s trailer, even if there were plenty of signs (and outright admissions by Norman Reedus) of the sequel’s existence.
Another trailer this year would have been unlikely if Hideo Kojima hadn’t teased potentially making one, followed by The Game Awards Twitter giving the googly eyes (and promptly deleted the reply). Maybe we’re reading too much into it, but when it’s Kojima, anything is possible.
Borderlands 4 or Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands 2 Announcement(s)
Weirdly enough, both sequels were recently spotted in a LinkedIn profile for a former technical director at Gearbox. They’ve apparently been in the works since at least May 2022. Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford said that future experiences for Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands were in the works in September of that year, so a sequel for 2024 seems likely.
As for Borderlands 4, it’s not outside the realm of possibility since Borderlands 3 launched in 2019. Pitchford said the team was working on “the big one” regarding Borderlands in May 2021 – he may have been referring to Wonderlands, announced a month later. Time will tell, but one of these looks to be a lock.
Grand Theft Auto 6
After a massive leak and months of rumors, Rockstar Games confirmed it’s debuting the first trailer for the eagerly-awaited Grand Theft Auto 6 in early December. However, it didn’t mention that it was for The Game Awards. While it’s most likely going live before, appearing at the awards feels more fitting, especially with how many will be watching and the scale of the event. Even if it goes live before, we wouldn’t put it past the title to make some appearance. In what shape or form is anyone’s guess.
The Alters – Gameplay Trailer and Release Window
Between all the blockbusters and sequels, there’s a possibility that 11-bit Studios’ The Alters could appear at the show. We could see more of how the game works and some consequences resulting from protagonist Jan’s many decisions with his alters. Since it’s launching in 2024, it wouldn’t be too out of left field to receive a release window, if not a launch date. It may be unlikely, but as one of the more interesting premises for a survival title, we’re hoping to see more.