The 10 best video games releasing in October 2023

From Assassin's Creed Mirage and Spider-Man 2, to new Super Mario and Sonic games, October is packed with new releases

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After September, which brought us a bunch of big games, it feels hard to imagine that October's release schedule is even more packed with titles to be excited about.

On the heels of Starfield, a Mortal Kombat reboot, EA Sports FC 24, Pinocchio soulslike Lies of P, the massive Cyberpunk 2077 update 2.0 and Phantom Liberty DLC, NBA 2K24, and more, this month’s lineup will bring a new Assassin’s Creed game, sequels to Spider-Man and Alan Wake, new 2D entries in two of the biggest platforming series of all time and much more.

Plenty of games to go over, so we've picked the ten best video games coming out in October 2023.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage

• Release date: October 5, 2023
• Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

Set in 9th-century Baghdad, Assassin’s Creed Mirage promises to be a much tighter adventure than its immediate predecessors and a return to the series’ roots, with more focus on stealth, assassinations, and parkour across the rooftops of the Abbasid Caliphate’s bustling capital.

You’ll play as Basim, whom we first met in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. In Mirage, he is still a street thief, before being recruited into the Hidden Ones. Basim’s coming-of-age story will be a significantly shorter experience than Valhalla, with a focus on a single dense city to explore.

For more on the game, check out our Assasin’s Creed Mirage hands-on impressions, and read our interview with lead producer Fabien Salomon and our inside look at the Assassin’s Creed Mirage story with narrative director Sarah Beaulieu.

Detective Pikachu Returns

Nintendo

• Release date: October 6, 2023
• Platform: Nintendo Switch

As you’ve surely guessed it from the title, the most popular Pokémon is back for another detective adventure, five years after the first Detective Pikachu game. As Pikachu, you once again partner with your human friend, Tim Goodman, to solve the mystery behind the disappearance of Tim’s father in Ryme City.

The game is a Nintendo Switch exclusive and you can pre-order Detective Pikachu Returns from Amazon, the Nintendo eShop, and other retailers.

Forza Motorsport

Turn 10 Studios

• Release date: October 10, 2023
• Platforms: Xbox Series X|S and PC

Forza Horizon’s more realistic racing counterpart is just around the corner. Unlike Horizon, which is all about racing in open-world locations, Motorsport focuses on closed-circuit races on licensed and fictional tracks, as well as lifelike handling and physics.

Check out our Forza Motorsport hands-on preview for more on what’s new and improved in the upcoming game.

The latest entry in Xbox’s answer to PlayStation’s Gran Turismo series is already available for pre-purchase from the Microsoft Store and in the form of a Forza Motorsport digital code for console from Amazon, and via Steam and the Epic Games store for PC.

Total War: Pharaoh

Creative Assembly

• Release date: October 11, 2023
• Platform: PC

Pharaoh is the latest entry in Creative Assembly’s Total War series of historical strategy games. Like its predecessors, it combines turn-based strategy and resource management with real-time tactics and unit control during battles. Unlike other games in the Total War series, which add fantasy elements or alternative interpretations of historical facts, Pharaoh promises a more faithful and grounded representation of the late Bronze Age collapse in Ancient Egypt.

Read our interview with Pharaoh game director Todor Nikolov and our Total War: Pharaoh campaign deep dive to learn more about what is shaping up to be the most unique Total War campaign to date. Preorders for Total War: Pharaoh are live via Steam and Epic Games Store.

Lords of the Fallen

CI Games

• Release date: October 13, 2023
• Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC

A reboot of the 2014 game of the same name, Lords of the Fallen is a brand-new soulslike with an impressive magic system on top of melee combat. Learn more about the game and how it differs from and improves upon its predecessor in our Lords of the Fallen preview.

Pre-orders are open now and include health, mana, and XP boosting items, as well as exclusive bronze, silver, and gold armour tincts as a bonus. The latter will let you recolor any in-game armor item so you can fight the game’s formidable bosses in style.

Sonic Superstars

Sega

• Release date: October 17, 2023
• Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, and Switch

Sonic Superstars is a return to the classic 2D side-scrolling formula for Sega’s beloved hedgehog, with multiple playable characters, couch co-op multiplayer, and gorgeous 3D graphics. It is the first 2D Sonic the Hedgehog game since 2017’s Sonic Mania, and the first 2D Sonic title ever to feature 4-player multiplayer. Check out our hands-on impressions in our Sonic Superstars preview.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder

Nintendo

• Release date: October 20, 2023
• Platform: Nintendo Switch

Announced during Nintendo’s June 2023 Direct, Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the first brand-new 2D Mario game in more than a decade, if we don’t count 2019’s New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, which was an enhanced port of 2012’s Wii U game for the Nintendo Switch.

It comes with a slightly different art style, new features, such as Wonder Flowers that completely change the level as you play it, power-ups including a fruit that transforms your character into an elephant, and badges that give different perks when equipped and can be unlocked by playing the game.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder also features local co-op and new online multiplayer modes. Check out our breakdown of the top new features in Super Mario Bros. Wonder on Geek Parade.

Spider-Man 2

Sony Interactive Entertainment

• Release date: October 20, 2023
• Platform: PS5

The follow-up to 2018’s Spider-Man and its 2020 Miles Morales spin-off will let you play as both Peter Parker and Miles Morales for the first time. Expect improved graphics, twice as big an open-world map, and new symbiote abilities for Peter Parker.

To mark the release of the new Spidey game, PlayStation has also launched a Spider-Man 2Limited Edition PS5 bundle with an exclusive symbiote-inspired design for the console and the DualSense controller. The Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Limited Edition PS5 covers, and DualSense controller from the bundle can also be purchased separately

Marvel’s Spider-Man is coming exclusively to PS5, and pre-orders are already live via the PlayStation Store. You can pre-purchase a physical copy of Spider-Man 2 from Amazon and other retailers.

Cities Skylines II

Colossal Order / Paradox Interactive

• Release date: October 24, 2023
• Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC

The sequel to the popular city builder promises improved AI and management features, giving more control to fine-tune their cities. There will be fully-fledged economic and transportation systems, even more construction options, additional services that players can offer in their cities, and more.

Pre-orders for the game are open and include nine unique landmark buildings plus an exclusive map based on the topography around Tampere, Finland. 

Alan Wake II

Remedy Entertainment / Epic Games

• Release date: October 27, 2023
• Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC

More than a decade after the first Alan Wake game and two years after a sequel was confirmed, Alan Wake II is finally coming this month. The new game is more of a survival horror title than the original’s action adventure with horror elements.

Alan Wake II introduces a new playable character, FBI agent Saga Anderson who is investigating a series of murders that have been happening since Alan Wake’s disappearance. Players will be able to experience two entangled stories by playing as both Anderson and Wake. 

Learn more about the game from our Alan Wake II first impressions and Alan Wake II hands-on preview.