The leaves are turning, and the air conditioner is getting put back into storage — it’s autumn, folks, and that means it’s time to get cozy with a mug of cider and your Steam Deck. Or whatever your gaming platform of choice may be. My point is, it’s indoor kids’ time to shine. And the video game release calendar has that in mind, since every fall, major releases kick back up into full swing, often after a period of relative calm over the summer months.
That’s definitely the case for fall 2024 in video game land, with tons of titles we’re excited about on the horizon — everything from cool-looking indie games like UFO 50 to recognizable names like The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. I mean, playable Zelda Circle that date on your calendar, people, because it’s history in the making. And let us lay out all the rest of the dates you should have circled in our lineup of anticipated fall games.
The Casting of Frank Stone
Release date: Sept. 3
Where to play: PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox Series X
From the developers of Until Dawn and The Quarry and the publisher of Dead by Daylight, The Casting of Frank Stone comes as a welcome coalescence of the team’s previous work: The game exists in the haunting world of DbD while employing the cinematic, decision-based narratives of The Quarry and Until Dawn. The result is a sort of movie you “write” by making choices throughout the game, which you’ll be able to reverse and change as you play through the story. It’s got the meta-commentary players have come to expect from Supermassive Games and Behaviour Interactive; the playable characters are four “young filmmakers” working on their first horror film. What could go wrong? —Zoë Hannah
Age of Mythology: Retold
Release date: Sept. 4
Where to play: Windows PC, Xbox Series X
It’s been 22 years since Age of Mythology — a real-time strategy game about gods, monsters, and mythical worlds from the creators of Age of Empires — was released. Now, in Age of Mythology: Retold, it’s back.
While Retold has many of the elements from the original game — the Atlanteans, Greeks, Egyptians, and Norse — it also includes a modern design and visuals to bring the game up to date.
Retold sees players take on a 50-mission campaign that spans everything from Midgard to Troy, allowing them to command units of mythological creatures such as centaurs and cyclopes to ensure their victory. It will also have multiple modes, so players can take on the single-player campaign or play co-op or PvP. —Saira Mueller
Astro Bot
Release date: Sept. 6
Where to play: PlayStation 5
Sony’s adorable Astro Bot is graduating from tech demo to full-fat platformer adventure with the self-titled Astro Bot. The PlayStation 5 exclusive is as much interactive toy as it is genuine platformer; think Super Mario Odyssey, but stuffed with nostalgia and references aimed at the PlayStation faithful.
Astro Bot sends players to colorful, whimsical worlds, where they’ll battle adorably angry enemies with their fists, rocket boots, and stage-specific gadgets. Levels are packed with secrets and fellow ‘bots to rescue, including many who look like classic PlayStation characters. More than just a showcase for the DualSense controller this time, Astro Bot is an ambitious adventure game that looks to cement Astro’s place as a premiere console platformer mascot, à la Mario and Sonic. —Michael McWhertor
Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2
Release date: Sept. 9
Where to play: PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox Series X
The original Space Marine from 2011 was a diamond in the rough, an action-adventure that delighted in the pleasure of having a big Space Marine fight his way through impossible odds with an arsenal of impractically cool weapons. Space Marine 2 remains faithful to that rip-and-tear mindset, letting Titus monster-mash his way through endless hordes of Tyranid invaders. The sequel is bigger and brasher, and tags in the Thousand Sons Space Marines as an extra set of enemies. Co-op and multiplayer options look like an extra treat on top of a solid main course campaign. —Cass Marshall
Yars Rising
Release date: Sept. 10
Where to play: Atari VCS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox Series X
Older gamers may remember Yars’ Revenge, the beloved Atari 2600 shooting game that pits an insectoid alien species against the evil Qotile empire. After a series of so-so remakes and spinoffs, accomplished developer WayForward (Shantae, Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp) is trying something different with the property: a total rethink.
Yars Rising is a Metroidvania-style game that stars young hacker Emi Kimura, who is tasked with infiltrating the shadowy QoTech corporation. Players will run, jump, sneak, and hack their way through the halls of QoTech HQ, uncovering its secrets and gaining new powers along the way. The game’s connection to Yars’ Revenge is still something of a mystery, but that — and WayForward’s pedigree — seems like a good reason to give Yars Rising a chance. —MM
Hollowbody
Release date: Sept. 12
Where to play: Windows PC
A Silent Hill-inspired cyberpunk game set in a post-Brexit dystopia, Hollowbody is one of the most exciting survival horror releases in recent memory. As my colleague and dedicated survival horror fan Toussaint Egan put in his writeup of the gameplay trailer released last March:
The gameplay appears clearly indebted to that of predecessors like 2001’s Silent Hill 2 and 1999’s Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, with fixed camera angles and brief loading-screen cutscenes interspersed with resource scavenging and scripted events. There are also some cool modern visual quirks, like fading wall animations and on-screen item descriptions presented as diegetic augmented reality displays. It’s a contemporary homage to the Silent Hill series similar in style to last year’s Signalis, albeit with a stronger apparent emphasis on scripted scares and combat.
Caravan SandWitch
Release date: Sept. 12
Where to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Windows PC
One of my most anticipated games this fall is Caravan SandWitch. Described by its developer, Studio Plane Toast, as a “narrative-driven exploration adventure,” this game is looking like it has a bit of everything I want. It’s got environmental puzzles you solve by navigating in a trusty van, a sparse post-industrial sci-fi world, and a mysterious caped creature that appears to watch over the protagonist. But seriously, this looks like something special, and even its minute-long trailer manages to evoke a sense of melancholy as we see the protagonist search for a missing sister. —Ana Diaz
Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP
Release date: Sept. 12
Where to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox Series X
In 2012, cult video game factory Grasshopper Manufacture partnered with screenwriter James Gunn to create a controversial video game about a scantily clad high school cheerleader who uses a chainsaw to save her town from a zombie apocalypse. Lollipop Chainsaw was the apex of Grasshopper and perhaps the nadir of Gunn, who would follow this project by directing Guardians of the Galaxy and taking control of a growing corner of comic book cinema. With the remaster, the developers have attempted to update the game’s style for 2024, including an option that replaces the gore with neon sparkles, fireworks, and pop art. But don’t mistake this for apologia; this remake includes the original game too, preserving an artifact of exploitation video games. —Chris Plante
UFO 50
Release date: Sept. 18
Where to play: Windows PC
Obsessive fans like myself have waited years for the creator of Spelunky, Derek Yu, to release a new video game. This fall, our patience will be rewarded with UFO 50, a package of not one, not two, but 50 retro-styled games. Yu has partnered with game designer Jon Perry for nearly a decade to craft this copious collection carefully. Not only will players enjoy complete games across practically every genre, but UFO 50 also features a fictional history of UFO Soft, the alternate-reality console for which all these games were made. —CP
Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster
Release date: Sept. 19
Where to play: PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox Series X
The original Dead Rising is a video game ode to George A. Romero’s shopping-mall zombie masterpiece Dawn of the Dead. For fans of Romero’s classic, this is your chance to experience the thrill of weaponizing the detritus of American consumerism to fend off a zombie invasion, turning toys and gardening tools into obliterators of the undead. Don’t expect Capcom’s remake approach to original Resident Evil games, with their floor-to-ceiling renovations. Instead, this remaster dramatically improves the visuals and adds some much-needed quality-of-life features, like a reliable save system — while taking a “don’t fix it if ain’t broke” approach to the rest. —CP
Frostpunk 2
Release date: Sept. 20
Where to play: Mac, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox Series X
In this sequel to the popular city-builder survival game Frostpunk, players are once again tasked with ensuring that humanity survives a harsh, perpetual winter.
Frostpunk 2 is set 30 years after the Great Storm sent the Earth into a post-apocalyptic tailspin. While the elements were the biggest hurdle players faced in the original, Frostpunk 2 adds layers of complexity by leaning heavily into human nature. Now, players are tasked with managing a city that has districts and opposing factions — each with its own requests and needs.
Every choice the player makes matters. Will they navigate the internal politics of their city safely, or be cast out into the void? —SM
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Release date: Sept. 26
Where to play: Nintendo Switch
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom might be coming toward the end of the life cycle of the Nintendo Switch, but there is still plenty to look forward to. Fans have been asking to play as Princess Zelda for years, and soon, Echoes of Wisdom will finally let them!
Just like in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, this game appears to take a more open-ended sandbox approach to problem solving, and I can’t wait to see how this plays out in a top-down format. Mainly, I just want to see how far I can push my bed-stacking abilities to explore. —AD
Silent Hill 2
Release date: Oct. 8
Where to play: PlayStation 5, Windows PC
Konami’s most treasured Silent Hill game is getting a lavish remake from developer Bloober Team, better known for its work on the Layers of Fear games and The Medium. Bloober specializes in psychological horror, which would on paper make it the perfect choice to bring Silent Hill 2 to modern platforms. But as Silent Hill games go, the 2001 original is practically sacred, so fans have expressed serious skepticism about plans to revisit it.
But the new take on Silent Hill 2 seems to be doing its best to honor (or at least replicate) what was great about the original PlayStation 2 game. As creeping, visually rich, and psychologically dense horror games go, there’s no better example than Silent Hill 2 — whether the attempts to modernize it will sit right with longtime fans is still yet to be decided. —MM
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Release date: Oct. 10
Where to play: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox Series X
Snuggling up in fall means having plenty of time to tackle big old JRPGs. For me, I can’t wait to play Metaphor: ReFantazio. Mainly, I’m just curious to see what the team behind Persona 5 and other games in the series do with the chance to make something completely new.
From what we’ve seen so far, it pairs real-time combat with the snappy turn-based fights that the Persona games are known for. Other than that, I’m just looking forward to diving into its medieval-inspired fantasy world. Some highlights from trailers thus far include a giant walking ship that looks straight out of Howl’s Moving Castle and a blond guy whose intense gaze and aspirations make him seem like he’s ready to become a god or something. —AD
A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead
Release date: Oct. 17
Where to play: PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox Series X
The Steam description for A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead says it’s inspired by the movie franchise of the same name, but the first-person survival horror looks more like a Last of Us copycat. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, though — the ethos of the post-apocalyptic Quiet Place world is similarly gritty and lonesome, and I’m not mad about playing anything that feels like TLOU. In this world, survivors (including the young woman protagonist) must stay quiet to stave off attacks from the demogorgon-clicker-monster-aliens that can hear, but can’t see or smell.
Developed by Stormind Games and published by Saber Interactive, A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead will tell an “untold story” that begins 105 days after the apocalypse, and the trailers tease a pregnancy storyline — likely a nod to the first Quiet Place film, in which Evelyn Abbott (Emily Blunt) gives birth without making an alien-summoning peep. —ZH
Super Mario Party Jamboree
Release date: Oct. 17
Where to play: Nintendo Switch
So you won’t receive a Switch 2 this holiday season. Oh well — at least you’re getting 110 new nonsense minigames in true Mario Party style.
The 19th installment of the series hopes to send the dual-use console off with a fit of giggles as it introduces not just classic board-game play, but whacked-out iterations on the formula, including a 20-player online mode called “Koopathlon.” The new minigames take full advantage of the Switch’s abilities, ranging from motion-control minigolf to robotic arm-wrestling that’ll reward the worthiest button-masher. It’s Mario Party! And veterans of the series are likely to be just as frustrated by their minigame skill being undermined by last-minute bonus twists, as Nintendo has added plenty of new twists and game boards. —Matt Patches
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Release date: Oct. 25
Where to play: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
Some game releases get me excited because they’re long-awaited. Some promise new mechanics that’ll change my favorite genres forever. Some draw me in with a deep-seated nostalgia for childhood. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 doesn’t do any of those things — and yet, I’m still looking forward to witnessing the cultural context and playing the game to see it for myself when it comes out.
I obviously want to play Zombies with my friends. I’m curious to see the George H.W. Bush and Colin Powell cameos. I morbidly want to see what the game does with what seems to be a subplot about Russia during a real-life war waged by Russia. And as a journalist, I’m watching closely to see if this release becomes part of the conversation (and lawsuits) around realistic shooting games and gun control in the U.S. —ZH
Pokémon TCG Pocket
Release date: Oct. 30
Where to play: Android, iOS
Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket is The Pokémon Company and Creatures Inc.’s virtual trading card collection mobile game that’s set to be released on Oct. 30. Pokémon TCG Pocket is less about battling — though there are battles — and more about opening packs of Pokémon cards and sharing your collection with the world. (Pokémon Trading Card Game Live, the free-to-play game that came out in 2023, is more battling than collecting.) It makes perfect sense: Pokémon card opening is a major draw both physically and with live-streaming, which really took off during the COVID-19 pandemic. Everyone wants to relive the thrill of opening a pack of cards, eager to see if you’ve got something good inside. Pokémon TCG Pocket makes it easy — something you can do every day. The Pokémon Company is calling it a free-to-start app, because while you can open free packs, you’ll likely have to buy them if you’d like to open more than the two free booster packs per day. —Nicole Carpenter
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Release date: Oct. 31
Where to play: PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox Series X
Dragon Age: The Veilguard arrives after a 10-year wait, finally continuing the epic BioWare fantasy saga. This installment brings back some of the series’ favorites alongside a new cast of companions, streamlining the franchise’s elements down into an accessible RPG adventure. With three previous games’ worth of choices that can all factor into the overall story, Veilguard has to tackle some big questions and compelling consequences during its campaign. I’m looking forward to see how it all comes together. —CM
Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered
Release date: Oct. 31
Where to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
Two remakes of Grasshopper Manufacture games on the same list? In the year 2024? Yes, it’s true! This convinced publishers like Electronic Arts and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment to funnel millions of dollars into absurdly non-commercial projects fueled by sex, violence, and punk-rock aesthetics. Is Shadows of the Damned, a game in which a demon hunter travels to the underworld to save his girlfriend, any good? Is it tasteful? Is it even the game director Suda 51 wanted to create? The answers aren’t simply “yes” or “no.” That complexity makes Shadows of the Damned so fascinating, a playable summation of an era when publishers paid studios to take big, weird gambles. The remaster is a chance to revisit this novelty in 4K — because if nothing else, the art remains awesome. —CP
Alan Wake 2: The Lake House DLC
Release date: October
Where to play: PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox Series X
Alan Wake 2 was one of our very favorite games of 2023, expanding on the rich world of the Remedy Connected Universe and bringing a whole host of new fans into the franchise and genre. The second expansion, The Lake House, is scheduled to arrive this October, and focuses on a research facility used by the Federal Bureau of Control that is studying Cauldron Lake. —Pete Volk
About Author
