October has arrived, and because this is a month known for its thrills and chills, you should get ready for a frightfully large number of eagerly awaited releases. October is undoubtedly the largest month in a year that has had no shortage of high-profile releases, with a Spider-Man sequel, the much-awaited return of Alan Wake, and the return of the world’s most acrobatic plumber among its many noteworthy releases.

The return of Forza Motorsport as it transitions into live-service mode, a one-two punch of Nintendo exclusives, and extraordinarily complex metropolitan management in Cities: Skylines II round out the lineup alongside Sony’s webhead and Remedy Entertainment’s unfortunate author.

Upcoming games in October 2023 – all games that will be launching

Hellboy Web of Wyrd – October 4
Detective Pikachu Returns – October 6
Forza Motorsport – October 10
Assassin’s Creed Mirage – October 12
Lords of the Fallen – October 13
Sonic Superstars – October 17
Spider-Man 2 – October 20
Super Mario Bros. Wonder – October 20
Cities Skylines II – October 24
Alone in the Dark – October 25
Ghost Runner 2 – October 26
Alan Wake II – October 27

Assassins Creed Mirage

There just aren’t enough hours in the day to play all the games coming out this month, as October has amply demonstrated. As a more condensed and condensed precursor to Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Assassin’s Creed Mirage presents a more alluring deal with its setup to offset a packed month of high-profile releases. This homage to the past, which is laser-focused on a more stealth-focused Assassin’s Creed direction, would be an intriguing choice for those seeking a nostalgic time capsule of backstabbing and parkour.

NHL 24

It’s always exciting to see a new installment in EA’s storied NHL franchise, and this year the game is changing with some new features. The physics engine has received a big revamp (puck yeah), goalies are going to be tougher than ever thanks to new and better systems, and The Exhaust Engine presents a realistic representation of the high-pressure game of ice hockey. Finally, crossplay is being introduced, allowing gamers using multiple consoles from the same hardware generation to compete and determine who is the greatest.

Forza Motorsport

Forza Horizon has dominated the Xbox racing scene for the past couple of years with its festival-style approach to fast cars, but finally, Forza’s more extreme side is making a comeback. Forza Motorsport is putting its full weight behind a live-service strategy for the brand, in addition to its accurate depiction of speed inside of vehicles that most of us can only dream of owning. Microsoft hopes to turn this latest installment in the series, which is essentially a reset of the game, into a center for petrolheads with regular upgrades and material drops. Forza Motorsport, like other first-party Microsoft titles, will be accessible through Xbox Game Pass on its debut.

Batman: Arkham Trilogy

Batman: Arkham Asylum and Arkham City should run without a hitch on that platform, barring any last-minute interference from the Joker, but it will be interesting to see how the more graphically demanding Batman: Arkham Knight functions. Expect an overwhelming amount of content to explore as Batman battles his deadliest foes in his quest to save Gotham City if this latest installment of the Arkham trilogy can deliver a fluid and consistent experience.