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On The Table Read Magazine, “the best entertainment magazine in the UK“, as 2023 comes to an end, and gamers enjoy their last adventures of the year, a new study has found the UK’s five most-anticipated new video games of 2024.
2024 is gearing up to be a supernova of epic gaming adventures, with more sequels, reboots, and fresh-faced contenders than you can shake a joy-con at. From long-awaited legends returning to the fray to bold new universes begging to be explored, this year promises to be a pixelated paradise for gamers of all stripes.
So, grab your controller, settle in, and prepare to be mind-blown, because we’re going to launch you headfirst into a countdown of the most anticipated video games of 2024.
The experts at Gameyard analysed Google search data from the last 12 months on 81 of the biggest gaming titles coming in 2024. Over 242 terms were assessed and totalled, revealing a ranking of the games with the highest average monthly search volume.
Tekken 8 is the eagerly awaited next chapter in the legendary fighting game series, arriving on January 26th, 2024. It promises to be an explosive clash of fists and fates, with a focus on aggressive gameplay, breathtaking visuals, and a gripping continuation of the Mishima family saga.
Gamers in the UK are excited for Tekken 8, averaging 28,975 monthly searches over the last 12 months. These figures place Tekken 8 at the top of the study as 2024’s most talked-about game in the UK. Luckily, gamers only have a few weeks left to wait before they load up Bandai Namco’s latest fighting game juggernaut.
Fists Fly Faster Than Ever: Tekken 8 amps up the pace, rewarding aggressive play with a new “Heat” gauge system. Unleash devastating “Heat Smash” attacks to punish your opponent’s defense, but beware of leaving yourself open to counter-punches. The tempo is faster, the stakes are higher, and every move counts.
A Feast for the Eyes: Powered by Unreal Engine 5, Tekken 8 boasts stunning visuals. Characters are rendered in exquisite detail, with expressive faces, dynamic hair, and meticulously crafted costumes. Stages explode with environmental effects, creating a truly immersive fighting experience.
The Mishima Saga Continues: The epic feud between Kazuya Mishima and Jin Kazama reaches its boiling point. Prepare for a heart-pounding narrative campaign that sheds new light on their rivalry and the fate of the world.
A Roster Full of Familiar Faces and Newcomers: Beloved fighters like King, Paul Phoenix, and Lars return, alongside exciting new characters like the mysterious armored warrior, Kuma 2, and the enigmatic newcomer, Lidia Sobieska. Each combatant brings their own unique fighting style and personality to the arena, ensuring a diverse and thrilling experience.
More Than Just Punches: Tekken 8 offers more than just brutal brawling. Explore destructible environments, utilize weapon pickups for tactical advantage, and master new gameplay mechanics to become the ultimate King of Iron Fist.
Prepare to set sail on a treacherous journey where greed, glory, and gunpowder collide: Skull and Bones, the open-world pirate adventure, arrives on February 16th, 2024, ready to immerse you in the Golden Age of Piracy.
First announced at E3 2017 by Ubisoft and following a string of long delays, Ubisoft’s co-op pirate adventure Skull and Bones is finally set to release. Despite the lengthy delays, gamers in the UK are ready and waiting to jump on a ship and sail the seas with friends on what promises to be an entertaining pirate simulator. People in the UK search for terms relating to Skull and Bones more than almost any other game releasing in 2024. Averaging 22,123 monthly searches, Skull and Bones placed second in the study of the UK’s most hotly anticipated games of 2024.
Command Your Own Pirate Empire: Rise from a lowly outcast to a fearsome captain, building your own fleet, crew, and reputation. Craft the perfect ship, tailor your sailing style, and choose the path to infamy – through ruthless plunder, cunning trade, or daring exploration.
Hell in Paradise: The Indian Ocean awaits, a vast and unforgiving playground teeming with danger and opportunity. Navigate treacherous storms, hunt for buried treasures, barter with shady merchants in bustling ports, and clash with rival pirates and ruthless naval forces in epic ship-to-ship battles.
Steel vs. Wood: Prepare for white-knuckled cannon broadsides, ramming maneuvers, and brutal boarding actions. Master the art of naval warfare, commanding your crew to execute tactical maneuvers and unleash devastating firepower. Every battle is a dance of death on the waves, demanding skill, strategy, and a touch of pirate luck.
A World Forged in Blood: Beyond the plunder and glory, a dark mystery simmers. Unravel the secrets of the Skull and Bones, a legendary band of pirates whose legacy haunts the seas. Navigate a web of intrigue, forge alliances with or betray factions, and face legendary figures that will test your resolve and redefine your pirate code.
Forge Your Legend: Forge your own pirate legacy in a dynamic online world. Join forces with friends to hunt for legendary treasures, dominate trade routes, and rewrite the map of the Indian Ocean. But beware, betrayal lurks in every wave, and your name can become just as feared as any hurricane.
3. Nightingale
Release date: 22nd February 2024
Nightingale, the enigmatic third entry in this exciting lineup! Releasing on February 22nd, 2024, it’s shrouded in mystery, but whispers from the shadows paint a captivating picture.
New Canadian developer Inflexion Games is adding to the ever-popular survival crafting genre with its first video game Nightingale. Set in a post-apocalyptic Victorian landscape rife with monsters, portals and deadly enemies, Nightingale has proven very popular with UK players. Nightingale has accumulated the third-highest average search volume for a 2024 video game release, cementing its position among the most anticipated gaming titles of the year. On average, people search for terms relating to Nightingale 20,220 times a month.
A World Reborn from Ashes: Imagine a vibrant, fantastical realm, once bathed in sunlight, now shattered and twisted by a cataclysmic event. Nature reclaims the ruins, weaving overgrown structures into its verdant embrace. This is the land of Nightingale, where humanity clings to survival amidst whispering forests and crumbling monuments of a lost age.
Embark on a Symbiotic Symphony: You are a “Scout,” a unique individual attuned to the whispers of the world. By weaving together your own “threads” of magic, you form symbiotic bonds with the very essence of the land. Tame ferocious creatures as companions, manipulate the flora to create pathways and weapons, and even shape the environment itself to your will.
Mysteries in the Murk: Unravel the secrets of the Cataclysm, explore the remnants of an advanced civilization, and uncover the forgotten magic woven into the land. But tread carefully, for dangers lurk in the shadows. Corrupted creatures stalk the wilderness, and shadowy factions vie for control of the world’s power.
4. Star Wars Outlaws
Release date: Unspecified date in 2024
2024 will be a big year for fans of a galaxy far, far away, with publisher Ubisoft set to release the first-ever open-world Star Wars game. Star Wars Outlaws will see gamers play out an original story as scoundrel Kay Vess as you scour the galaxy’s outer rim and attempt to pull off an ambitious and daring heist. People in the UK can’t wait to get their hands on another Star Wars video game, with average monthly searches over the last 12 months reaching 19,555. Despite no definitive release date set, Star Wars Outlaws still secures a spot as the fourth most-anticipated game of 2024.
Scoundrels Unite: Ditch the Jedi sabers and Rebel blasters, Outlaws embraces the grimy side of the Star Wars universe. Strap on your boots as Kay Vess, a charming rogue with a questionable past, and her trusty (and probably sarcastic) droid companion Nix. Together, they navigate the murky waters of criminal syndicates, navigating bounties, heists, and smuggling gigs that would make Han Solo blush.
Open-World Escapades: The Outer Rim beckons, not as a dusty backdrop, but as your playground. Explore iconic planets like Nar Shaddaa and Tatooine, each packed with unique environments, hidden secrets, and, of course, plenty of trouble to find. Choose your path, whether it’s charming your way into lucrative deals, blasting your way through rival thugs, or simply stealing the biggest space yacht you can find.
A Reputation is Your Weapon: In Outlaws, your actions speak louder than any blaster cannon. Build your reputation as a cunning operative, a ruthless gunslinger, or a smooth-talking trickster. Your choices influence everything, from the missions you unlock to the allies and enemies you attract. Just remember, even in the galaxy’s back alleys, karma has a way of catching up.
Blasters, Brawls, and Gadgets: Combat gets personal in Outlaws. Choose your fighting style, whether it’s a blaster showdown, a hand-to-hand brawl, or using your environment and trusty gadgets to outsmart your foes. Customize your character and gear to fit your playstyle, becoming the galaxy’s most notorious (or maybe just most stylish) outlaw.
Beyond the Credits: While the promise of fat stacks of credits might be the initial draw, Outlaws hints at a deeper story lurking beneath the surface. Unravel the mysteries of the galaxy’s underbelly, forge alliances with shady factions, and maybe even stumble upon secrets that could shake the Empire itself. Just remember, in this corner of the galaxy, trust is a luxury you can’t afford.
5. Ark 2
Release date: Unspecified date in 2024
Ark 2 promises to hurl us into a primal vortex of dino-riding, alien-blasting action sometime in 2024. This ambitious sequel aims to redefine the survival genre, ditching familiar landscapes for a fantastical alien planet teeming with monstrous beasts and ancient secrets.
First revealed three years ago with Vin Diesel attached as an executive producer and leading role, Ark 2 is yet another game pushed back from an initial 2023 release. It seems the delays have built excitement around the survival game’s release, with people in the UK searching for terms relating to Ark 2 an average of 17,690 times a month. An Xbox Series X/S console exclusive, Ark 2 will see the sandbox survival experience enhanced with Souls-like combat, new traversal options, and unique crafting upgrades as you and your friends tame dinosaurs to help make your survival that little bit easier.
A Primal World Reborn: Forget Earth’s familiar jungles and deserts. Ark 2 whisks you to Genesis, a vibrant alien Eden warped by catastrophic events. Lush biomes twist into impossible forms, housing colossal flora and fauna unlike anything you’ve seen before. Traverse shimmering crystal forests, conquer the treacherous depths of bioluminescent oceans, and scale towering alien rock formations – every corner of Genesis pulsates with breathtaking, yet often deadly, beauty.
Beasts Beyond Imagination: Dinosaurs remain the stars, but Ark 2 injects a healthy dose of sci-fi weirdness. Ride fearsome, genetically-modified dino-hybrids like the feather-winged Karkonosaurus or the fire-breathing Draconyx. Prepare to face nightmarish alien predators and unravel the mysteries of the Aratai, a technologically advanced alien race with their own agenda for Genesis.
A Hero’s Legacy: Step into the boots of Santiago, a legendary survivor from Ark: Survival Evolved, and his daughter Meeka. Together, they face the challenges of this new world, unraveling the story of what caused their exodus from Earth and the secrets hidden within Genesis. Expect emotional depth, complex choices, and maybe even a glimpse into the fate of familiar faces from the original Ark.
Soulsborne Evolution: Combat takes a sharp turn towards the “Soulsborne” genre. Prepare for intense, deliberate battles against fearsome creatures. Master strategic parries, dodge punishing attacks, and unleash devastating combos to emerge victorious. Every encounter demands respect and every victory grants hard-earned satisfaction.
From Savagery to Ascension: This isn’t just about surviving; it’s about evolving. Craft advanced technology using alien resources, build impressive structures, and even tame and command the most powerful creatures of Genesis. Ultimately, your goal is to ascend, unlocking new abilities and transcending the limitations of your human form.
The UK’s most searched-for video games releasing in 2024
Ranking
Game
Average monthly search volume
1
Tekken 8
28,975
2
Skull and Bones
22,123
3
Nightingale
20,220
4
Star Wars Outlaws
19,555
5
Ark 2
17,690
As search volumes show the most talked about games releasing in 2024, it will be interesting to see if these titles will live up to the hype and how search trends change throughout the year as embargoes drop and upcoming releases gather momentum.”
With GTA 6 set to dominate the gaming landscape in 2025, the field is wide open for a title to steal the attention and adoration of gamers in 2024. As reviews, reactions and sale figures roll in throughout the year, keep an eye out for how many of these games find themselves on ‘best of the year’ lists or even secure a coveted ‘Game of the Year’ nomination.
Methodology: Over 242 terms were analysed on 81 of the biggest games set to release in 2024. An average monthly search volume was calculated for each game based on the search volumes of the past 12 months. The games were then ranked based on the highest average monthly search volume.
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