Apparently, 2023 will be a very special year for all fans of fighting games. The golden age of Arcade/Fighting Games seems to be returning with a set of important releases. It’s not common to see three very relevant games being launched in the same year. In the past few months, we have been teased with the revelation of Street Fighter 6, and Tekken 8. Now, another giant of Arcades, Mortal Kombat is back with a new game set to come in September. There are also other minor releases coming, but we can already say that this seems to be one of the most important years for Arcade games. This will bring some changes not only for casual players but for the entire scenario of tournaments.
Last Thursday, we received confirmation of Mortal Kombat 1. The latest revelation joins a “holy group” of arcade games. MK 1, Street Fighter 6, and Tekken 8 will soon join The King Of Fighters, XV. Further, in the near future, we expect the comeback of another popular fighting series – Fatal Fury. So, it seems that fighting games are trending once again.
The current scenario of Fighting Games
Right now, the scenario is composed of Dragon Ball FighterZ, Guilty Gear Strive, and the King Of Fighters XV has the most recent hits in the genre. We can say that Street Fighter V and Mortal Kombat 11 are still popular, but that will change soon as their replacements are coming. There are a lot of bigger companies like PlayStation showing their commitment to the eSports range.
In 2022, Tekken 8 and Street Fighter 6 were announced calling two huge communities of fans for an exciting 2023. This year, we had Bandai Namco making its move with a new Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi. The popular game from the PS2 era conquered millions of fans across the world and still has several mods making rounds around the web. Now, with Mortal Kombat 1, we have another “heavyweight” for the category.
With the flood of Open-World RPGs in recent years, gamers can now look forward to a new wave of fighting games. If that means that we’re about to see the glorious days of the Arcades return, only time will tell. However, if you’re a fan of the genre, you have many reasons to rejoice.
The next Fighting Games
With so many announcements, fans of the genre have good reasons to be hyped. After all, most of the communities in the segment will be served with all-new experiences. Below, you can see some of the games that promise to bring us a fresh new experience for the fighting/arcade genre.
Tekken 8
Tekken, one of the pioneers in the 3D fighting genre, is making a comeback with its eighth iteration. The title was revealed during the State of Play. As per Katsuhiro Harada, the series producer, the graphics coming with the game have high quality, and everything is being made from scratch with the use of Unreal Engine 5.
Launch Date: Not Defined, Could Come in 2024
Street Fighter 6 – The First of the Holy Group of Fighting Games to Reach Players
Street Fighter 6 seems to be a fresh start from the series. We have new characters getting the spotlight and Ryu and Ken have new visuals with a more mature approach. The latest game is being made on the RE Engine, the same used on RE Village and Devil May Cry 5.
Launch Date: June 2
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi (4)
Bandai Namco did not announce the platforms, didn’t give an official name to the game, and neither shared details about it. Right now, we have a teaser that confirms a new Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi. We don’t know if it will have the 4, but could be a sequel for the third and final game of this franchise.
To those unaware, Budokai Tenkaichi 3 conquered millions of fans across the world with its unique approach. Unlike most Arcade Fighting games, Tenkaichi brought large 3D maps where players could fight and fly their way to the enemy. There were multiple combos, cinematic attacks, and quick-time events making this a unique game in the genre. The game also brought several fighters, that could be unlocked via in-game progress. We are curious to see how the new game will fit in a world full of DLCs and Paid Characters.
Launch Date: Undefined
Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections
Perhaps, Naruto does not have the same appeal on Arcades as the majority of games in this list. However, it still has a large community of fans waiting for the next big release. With the Collection, players will be able to relive the experience of past games with some quality improvements.
Launch Date: Sometime in 2023
Mortal Kombat 1
Mortal Kombat 1 is a fresh new start for the franchise. In this reboot, the new Earthrealm protector, Liu Kang promises to remodel the universe that fans know. We don’t have gameplay, just a bloody cinematographic trailer:
We are curious to see if we will get more reveals in the near future. We also expect more details about the above games to come soon. On May 24, we’ll have a new PlayStation Showcase. It may serve as a stage for certain games, and perhaps, we will see gameplay for Mortal Kombat.
Launch Date: September 19
So far, what is your top choice? Do these games really represent the comeback for the gold years of the 90s and 2000s? Let us know in the comments section below.
Via: MeuPS
