Predicting the future is a fool’s task – especially in gaming. As the news seemingly gets weirder and weirder (and certainly bleaker and bleaker) with each passing year the question of whether it’s possible to predict its beats gets more and more difficult. Fortunately, I’m a glutton for punishment, and I’ve got a few ideas for what might be in store for PS5 and Xbox.
Below I forecast an unlikely addition to the list of new PS5 games and new Xbox games, the redemption of one of 2023’s most underwhelming Xbox exclusives, and the annual renewal of the Sisyphean discourse cycle surrounding one of the best FPS games. These predictions take on a 90/50/10 format which, for the uninitiated, means I think one prediction has a 90% chance of happening, another 50%, and the final just 10% – because I love a bit of hopium.
90% – Modern Warfare 3 revisionism begins post-CoD 2024 release
Revisionism is a fundamental aspect of the human condition. We’ve seen this time and time again in gaming where the latest title in a series gets nuked by its community before something worse inevitably comes along, leading to a slew of ‘eh, it wasn’t so bad’ posts.
While Call of Duty MW3 has received love for improvements made to time to kill and movement over MW2 – elements we highlight in our Call of Duty MW3 review – it currently holds the wooden spoon for the lowest score on Metacritic, floundering down at just 56. Granted, this is most likely due to the lackluster campaign – it’s giving Assassin’s Creed Revelations – but by the time CoD 2024 rolls around it’ll likely be casually referred to as ‘a low point in an otherwise solid game’ as we’ll have collectively bleached it from memory by this point.
Conversely, there’s every chance that MW3’s campaign could be the only thing players recall when they cast their minds back to 2023’s installment, eradicating any trace of enjoyable multiplayer and zombies elements. I like to think there’ll be a bit more nuance to it but, let’s face it, the internet is built on the back of hyperbolic takes.
50% – Starfield’s DLC will redeem it
Starfield, Starfield, Starfield. Bethesda’s expansive sci-fi epic may have made it onto our list of best RPG games, but we all know that it fell well short of the high standard we expected from the ambitious IP. Between bloated systems, over 1,000 planets of mostly tepid exploration, and more time spent in your ship’s cockpit than anything else, Bethesda has a huge task on its hands in 2024 when it comes to changing a lot of people’s perspectives on Starfield.
Granted, the legendary studio already has a solid base thanks to Starfield’s world-building, quest design, and deep customization – elements highlighted in our Starfield review. Sprinkle in regular updates from February, as well as the upcoming Starfield DLC ‘Shattered Space,’ and the recipe for long-term success is there.
Though we still don’t know a lot about what Shattered Space will entail – Starfield’s recently announced 2024 roadmap generally mentions “new story content, new locations, new gear, and much more” – it seriously needs to deliver a more refined experience in tandem with these major updates. I feel there’s a good chance Bethesda can change the current discourse with a surprising and epic DLC full of hand-crafted content – one that could see Starfield edge closer to the realms of Skyrim and Fallout 3 when it comes to discussions surrounding its greatest hits. However, there’s an equal chance that, even if the expansion is excellent and enjoyable, it won’t do enough to make amends.
10% – Lionsgate finally announces a John Wick game
Yes, yes, I know there’s already a very solid John Wick game out there in the form of Fortnite – sorry, I mean John Wick Hex. But let’s face it, it’s not the frenetic, body-piling experience that many of us have been crying out for since Theon Greyjoy killed his dog. Over the years the rumor mill has been rife with self-professed in-the-knows proclaiming that Lionsgate has been shopping around for a AAA studio to take on the property, yet we’re still no closer to a big console release materializing.
Now that John’s tale has been told, there’s plenty of narrative space for a new game to hit the shelves. This would most likely be based in the world of John Wick rather than on the man himself, as the recent release of The Continental, as well as the upcoming Ballerina, indicate a broader shift away from Keanu Reeves’s character. Regardless of whether it’s John or some other protagonist, the prospect of definitely not doing business on Continental grounds would be a dream come true. Come on, Lionsgate, it’s time to cook.
So, there we have it, three hot and cold takes on what we’re expecting to see materialize in 2024. Will Starfield cement itself as one of the best Xbox games? Will attitudes dramatically shift when it comes to MW3? And will we finally get the John Wick game we all deserve? The only certain thing is that this year is going to be a wild ride, and I’m fully buckled in.