Upcoming New RPGs For 2024 & Beyond

Role-playing games have been a staple of the gaming industry for more than three decades. Each month, the genre tends to welcome a couple of noteworthy titles, be it high-profile releases such as Starfield, Lies of P, Hogwarts Legacy, Octopath Traveler 2, and Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty or more niche projects like Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society, 8-Bit Adventures 2, and Little Witch Nobeta. There are always new RPGs on the horizon.

Due to the ambitious nature of the genre’s AAA projects, they are often announced years in advance, a practice that can result in extremely high expectations. Once the hype train gets moving, stopping it can be impossible, which has resulted in some disappointments in the past. However, when a game lives up to its potential, it is a thing of beauty. Which upcoming RPGs are the most sought-after?

Updated November 3, 2024 by Mark Sammut: The article has been updated with two upcoming role-playing games; meanwhile, two projects have been removed as they are now available.

Removed games:
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
and
Farmagia
.

New games:
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
and
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
.

Mario & Luigi: Brothership

Nintendo’s First New Mario RPG In A Long Time

Recently, Nintendo has been happy to embrace Mario’s role-playing legacy, releasing remakes of Super Mario RPG and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. Both of those Switch games are great, particularly the latter, but they are hardly a replacement for new adventures. Putting aside remakes and remasters, Paper Mario: The Origami King was the only fresh Mario RPG to debut in the last eight years, and an argument could be made against that game being part of the genre.

For a while, the Mario & Luigi series started to feel like a thing of the past, with the last fully new entry being 2015’s Paper Jam. However, that all changed during the June 2024 Nintendo Direct, which included a reveal for Mario & Luigi: Brothership. This upcoming project will mark the IP’s home console debut, and it seems set to be an impressive evolution of the franchise’s gameplay, visual style, and sense of humor. While perhaps not as decorated as Paper Mario, Mario & Luigi is arguably among the most consistent JRPG series of all time, delivering nothing but greatness. Even the weakest entries – Dream Team and Paper Jam – are very good, and Brothership should surpass that threshold.

Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake

Gorgeous Take On A Classic

While the HD-2D remakes of Dragon Quest 1 & 2 are tentatively set for 2025, the third game’s revamp is confirmed to be coming in November 2024. Utilizing a visual style similar to Octopath Traveler, Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake modernizes the classic look in a way that remains authentic to the original’s simple beauty, all the while looking more than sharp enough to stand alongside contemporary JRPGs.

Dragon Quest 3 is recognized as a masterpiece that helped firmly establish the tropes and conventions that would go on to define the franchise for decades to come. While some things have changed over the last three decades, Dragon Quest‘s gameplay, story style, and world-building have remained consistent. DQ3 will now be as accessible as possible.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart Of Chornobyl

Open-World, Survival, & FPS

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is a difficult series to define. The games are first-person shooters, but they are hardly similar to most of the genre’s popular releases. Open-world is more of a theme and concept rather than a full-blown genre, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R.‘s very harsh universe and survival elements set it apart from seemingly similar projects like Fallout. Survival horror is somewhat accurate, although newcomers expecting something in the vein of Resident Evil or Silent Hill will be disappointed. The same holds for the RPG descriptor, although the games usually incorporate enough ideas from the genre to be worth recommending to fans provided they are not averse to S.T.A.L.K.E.R.‘s other categories and its immersive sim qualities.

Heart of Chornobyl has had a challenging pre-launch cycle due to developments beyond GSC’s control, resulting in some delays; however, a November 2024 release has been announced. Seeming to be an ambitious evolution of its great predecessors, Heart of Chornobyl could provide a unique experience that no other 2024 project will be able to match.

Path Of Exile 2

Free-To-Play Isometric Action RPG

Grinding Gear Games’ Path of Exile is still among the best free RPGs on the market, despite being more than a decade old by this point. Frankly, anybody craving something similar to the classic Diablo formula cannot do much better than the original PoE, and that is taking into account Diablo 3 and 4.

Naturally, Path of Exile 2‘s announcement garnered near-universal excitement, especially when Grinding Gear revealed that it would also be free-to-play. More often than not, that price point tends to inspire worry since it usually translates to an extremely grindy experience with (occasionally) pay-to-win elements. While certainly time-consuming, PoE is very much designed to be played for free, and it is among the best representatives of that business model.

PoE 2 has large shoes to fill, but there is nothing to suggest the sequel will struggle to meet the lofty standard set by its predecessor. So far, the footage paints a picture of a dark fantasy epic with improved combat, character selection, and exploration. It looks great.

Path of Exile 2
is expected to enter early access in December 2024.

Tales of Graces f Remastered

Bringing Back An All-Time Great JRPG Combat System

Bandai Namco’s Tales has been a reliable source of real-time action JRPG goodness for decades, with most entries being at least decent. Tales of Arise marked a high point for the franchise, and a proper successor has yet to be announced. However, in the meantime, fans (or new players) can look forward to Tales of Graces f Remastered, a revival that will make the PS3 exclusive available to a much wider audience.

Tales of Grace
was also released on the Wii, but only in Japan.

While not the first to embrace full 3D, Tales of Graces f perfected the formula, crafting a battle system that is still largely regarded as the best in the series. The game struck the perfect balance of accessibility, depth, speed, and skill, resulting in one of the smoothest and most addictive combat loops in the JRPG genre. Now, admittedly, Tales of Graces f‘s story and characters tend to be divisive, but they do not detract too much from the game’s strengths.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

Ambitious Open-World Medieval RPG With A Focus On Realism

Warhorse’s Kingdom Come: Deliverance teleports players to the Middle Ages, dropping them in a detailed and vast rendition of Central Bohemia. With slow pacing, challenging combat, and an emphasis on authenticity, the 2018 game is an impressive work of art, even if it might not appeal to everyone. The sequel will debut at the beginning of 2025, and early indications suggest that Warhorse has primarily doubled down on the original’s strengths and uniqueness.

Going by the gameplay footage that has been shown so far, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 seems set to be even more immersive than its predecessor, which is no easy feat. While the first game was a slow-burn hit that gained momentum from word of mouth, the sequel seems likely to hit the ground running, especially as more hype builds in the coming months.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Stealth Action-Adventure RPG

While not everyone loved the shift, Assassin’s Creed has been steadily implementing more RPG elements since Origins, with Mirage being an exception. Ubisoft’s upcoming entry, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, looks set to continue this trend, at least according to comments made in this Xbox interview by its Game Director, Charles Benoit. Set in Feudal Japan, this project will feature two protagonists, a shinobi named Naoe and a samurai called Yasuke. Except for certain missions, players will be able to swap between these characters on the fly, and they have unique skills, weapons, and playstyles.

Every Assassin’s Creed game is a big deal, but Shadows appears to be attracting more hype than usual. Part of that has to do with the setting, as fans have been craving a Japan-based adventure for years. The dual-protagonist structure is also compelling, especially since Naoe seems to be designed to facilitate stealth-based combat similar to the older entries in the series.

Originally scheduled for November 2024,
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
was pushed back to February 14, 2024.

Avowed

Obsidian’s Next Action RPG

A new Obsidian project is always a cause for celebration, and Avowed seems set to be among the developer’s most ambitious endeavors to date. While set in the Pillars of Eternity universe, the upcoming RPG should be quite a different beast. For one, Avowed is a real-time action game played either from a first or third-person perspective, which stands in stark contrast with PoE‘s isometric presentation.

Although only a few elements have been revealed so far, the RPG seems set to feature a robust magic system, along with skill trees that grant players some choice in how they build their characters (which makes sense considering Obsidian’s track record).

Obsidian has kept most of Avowed‘s story under wraps for now, only revealing that players will step into the shoes of a character who is assigned to investigate a plague. Also, companions will be part of the experience. Avowed has been delayed from 2024 to 2025, but it will hopefully be worth the wait.

The Outer Worlds 2
is also on the horizon and a very exciting prospect.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii

An Action-Adventure Game With RPG Mechanics

While not a turn-based RPG like the most recent mainline entries in Sega’s franchise, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii still warrants a recommendation for anyone craving a role-playing game, albeit one with beat ’em up-style action combat. For this bizarre spin-off, Goro Majima will be taking center stage, trading the yakuza life for the high seas in the process.

Outlandish as this concept sounds, Like a Dragon has a great track record for taking unorthodox premises and running with them, incorporating the typical fantastic writing that has come to define the entire IP. Besides returning to real-time combat, Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii looks set to allow players to piece together a crew and upgrade their ship, which they will need to do to survive battles on the sea.

Monster Hunter Wilds

Capcom’s Action Epic With RPG Elements

A new Monster Hunter is always a cause for celebration, and Wilds looks primed and ready to be an impressive work of art. Capcom has confirmed that a February 2025 release is on the cards and that the game will launch on the PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S; consequently, Wilds will likely have more in common with World rather than Rise since the latter was designed around the Nintendo Switch’s limitations, resulting in fairly small maps compared to its predecessor.

Now, an argument could be made that Monster Hunter exists in a unique category outside of RPGs, which is certainly fair. Still, the games always incorporate a variety of role-playing elements, and they are generally good picks for fans of the genre who want to focus on action over story.

Suikoden 1 & 2 HD Remaster

A Compilation Containing Two JRPG Classics

Putting aside spin-offs, the last Suikoden games debuted in 2006, nearly two decades ago by this point. The world has gone way too long without a new mainline entry, and while a sequel does not appear to be on the horizon, Konami is at least revisiting the first two games in the form of an HD remaster compilation package.

Now, the revealed improvements and changes are fairly ordinary, mostly focusing on improved backgrounds, animations, and basic quality-of-life adjustments like auto-save and a fast-forward for battles. This package seems set to play things safe and mostly just preserve the base games. Fortunately, Suikoden and its sequel are timeless masterpieces.

Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land

A New Alchemy-Themed JRPG Adventure With A Switch To Real-Time Combat

Gust’s Atelier has never enjoyed the same level of exposure and popularity as, for example, Final Fantasy or even Tales, but the franchise has been fairly consistent over the decades. The Ryza and Sophie subseries generally performed really well, showcasing the IP at its best and arguably attracting the most attention up to this point. As tends to happen every couple of entries, Gust is preparing to launch into a new era by introducing a new protagonist, although the proposed changes seem to be far more expansive than just a new female lead.

Atelier Yumia will utilize a real-time combat system rather than the traditional turn-based battles that make up the older entries. Now, to be fair, Atelier has focused on delivering flashy battle animations for a while, and Yumia‘s version seems to still focus quite a bit on ranged spells and combo chains; consequently, this shift might not revamp the core gameplay loop to the point of feeling like a complete departure from the status quo. Anyway, it looks pretty great, and Gust (and Koei Tecmo) deserve praise for trying something new.

Naturally, Atelier would not be Atelier without a robust synthesis system, something that will almost certainly not be neglected by the upcoming 2025 RPG. Players will be spending a lot of time creating items that can be used either in battles or while exploring the world.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

A Turn-Based RPG With A Dark Fantasy Setting

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 seems fascinating so far, at least based on the available footage and information. Sandfall Interactive is crafting a turn-based RPG set in a unique fantasy world that has a fascinating aesthetic that is almost surreal, with the main antagonist being a Paintress who has the power to kill anyone of a certain age. That concept is great and has an almost cosmic horror aspect to it.

In a nice change of pace for a Western developer, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 utilizes a combat system that appears to blend classic JRPG elements with real-time commands, hopefully finding a middle-ground that highlights the strengths of both styles. The game is also built in Unreal Engine 5, so it should look pretty spectacular.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2

Action & Social Sim

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines is the definition of a cult classic. While rough around the edges, the RPG features fantastic writing and characters, along with a great deal of customization that provides players with plenty of creative freedom. It is a masterpiece that, for the longest time, seemed destined to remain a solitary project (in the video game industry, anyway); however, in 2019, Bloodlines 2 was revealed to the world. Since then, the game has been pushed back a few times, and information regarding its production has been inconsistent. That said, a few Vampire: The Masquerade spin-offs have debuted over the last few years, so the IP is alive.

Set in Seattle, Bloodlines 2 will let players create a newly transformed vampire, which will involve picking things like their human background and preferred discipline. Vampire: The Masquerade‘s success can be partially credited to its deep clan system, which permits players to commit to one of the vampire groups operating in the city. This element should be present in Bloodlines 2. In terms of gameplay, so far, it seems like the sequel will stick close to its predecessor; therefore, expect first-person action with a heavy focus on a dialogue system.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A

The Next Evolution

At this point, Pokemon Legends: Z-A is largely shrouded in shadow, with very little available information. Game Freak has confirmed that the project will take place in Kalos, which was introduced during the sixth generation. Similar to 2022’s Arceus, one has to assume Z-A takes place well before the events of X and Y. Beyond that, the sequel/successor will almost certainly expand on its predecessor’s concepts, specifically an open-world and less focus on combat.

Despite being barely anything more than a logo at the moment, Pokemon Legends: Z-A is unquestionably one of the most highly-anticipated 2025 RPGs. Why? Well, it is Pokemon. More specifically, it is a follow-up to perhaps the franchise’s best-received game of the Switch generation.

Open-World (Presumably)

It was only a matter of time before The Elder Scrolls 6 was revealed, although that is essentially all that Bethesda has done. Except for some minor details that can be surmised from the few seconds of footage that has been released so far, the game is still largely a mystery; however, TES 6 is one of those upcoming RPGs that only needs to exist to generate hype.

Realistically, Bethesda’s sequel is still a few years away from a debut, and the publisher will probably not start to heavily market the project until after Starfield‘s cycle is complete. Nevertheless, it would be shocking if TES 6 does not wind up as one of the best-selling games of all time.

Dragon Quest 12: The Flames Of Fate

Turn-Based (Presumably)

Dragon Quest 12 is a weird one. Since being revealed in 2021, Square Enix has barely uttered a word regarding the next mainline entry in the storied JRPG franchise. Dragon Quest‘s influence and popularity cannot be understated, particularly in Japan where the series is nothing short of a cultural phenomenon. While there was a fairly long dry spell after DQ8, the 11th mainline entry was a hit in Western countries, elevating the license to international highs it had not experienced for a while. Thanks to its predecessor’s success, Dragon Quest 12 is poised to be one of the biggest releases in the license’s history outside of Japan.

Perhaps, Square Enix announced DQ12‘s existence a bit prematurely or simply wanted to gauge the public’s interest in a sequel; whatever the reason, the post-reveal silence has lasted slightly too long. Hopefully, the publisher will expand on the game’s development at some point in the near future as the gaming world is ready for a new mainline Dragon Quest adventure.

The New Witcher Saga (Polaris)

Action & Open-World (Presumably)

Subjective opinion aside, The Witcher 3 is objectively one of the best RPGs in the history of gaming. And, for the longest time, the 2015 release seemed destined to be the last mainline entry in CD Projekt Red’s franchise; at least, that was the case until 2022 when the developer announced several new Witcher projects.

Along with a remake of 2007’s The Witcher, CD Projekt Red confirmed that a new saga is in development. The studio has remained tight-lipped about what this might entail, outside of confirming that the game/s will use Unreal Engine 5.