It's the final month of the year, and while the video game industry starts to slow down and set in for The Game Awards, there are still great games coming out this month of December 2023, Holiday season it may be. For this, we'll be tackling the games that developers and publishers are so brave to release in this very cutthroat month of sales and discounts, rounding up the top 10 new video game releases coming this month.

Top 10 New Games Coming this Month – December 2023

Here are the top 10 new video game releases you need to check out this month of December 2023:

10. SteamWorld Build

Release Date: December 1, 2023
Developed by: The Station
Published by: Thunderful Publishing
Platforms: PC (Steam), Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PS4, PS5

The SteamWorld IP has been growing into its full-fledged franchise from its beginnings as an indie darling, and now the latest game title for this franchise arrives this month: SteamWorld Build. SteamWorld has allowed us to explore different worlds through different game genres and allowed us to explore all kinds of stories. SteamWorld Build will let us explore a completely new one, and through yet two more genres that the IP has not yet touched until now: city-building and tower defense.

As a city-builder, players build and manage a town on an alien planet, turning it into a bustling and successful mining town. Eventually, you will be able to collect enough resources to open a mining shaft, which you can then use to send miners underground for precious materials, ores, and ancient technology can help our heroes escape this planet. However, they also have to be careful underground, as waves of monsters block their progress!

9. Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising

Release Date: December 14, 2023
Developed by: Arc System Works
Published by: Cygames
Platforms: PC (Steam), PS4, PS5

GranBlue Fantasy is another established fighting game series, and GranBlue Fantasy: Versus Rising is a direct sequel to the 2020 title GranBlue Fantasy: Versus. This new game will feature new characters, new mini-games, new mechanics like ultimate skills, dash attacks, and auto combo, and most importantly, a reworked netcode that has rollback and crossplay.

Following up on the previous title, this new video game release features a compressed version of the previous game's RPG mode, focusing more on the story than the role-playing mechanics.

Also cashing into recent developments in the gaming world, GranBlue Fantasy: Versus Rising will have a battle royale mode called “Grand Bruise Legends!” which serves as quick break mini-games between online lobby matches.

8. Resident Evil 4 iOS

Release Date: December 20, 2023
Developed by: Capcom
Published by: Capcom
Platforms: iOS, macOS, iPadOS

Apple has been around the gaming landscape for some time now, releasing the Apple Arcade several years ago. But they want to take a bigger bite at the gaming industry pie, developing new technology to try to squeeze in Triple-A current-gen games into their tiny little phones and tablets. Interestingly, it works, at least for the latest version of the iPhone, and thus, Resident Evil 4 will be coming to iOS this month. We're referring to the 2023 remake, by the way, not the old one from the GameCube and the PS2.

With that said, for those of you who aren't familiar with the series, here's a quick synopsis. Resident Evil 4 is about a cop named Leon being sent to a special mission in Spain: to save the POTUS' daughter who was kidnapped by a fanatic cult of zombies. It's as insane and absurd as it sounds, but Resident Evil 4 embraces the campiness enough to make it work and turn it into charm instead of cringe. It's one of the most seminal third-person shooters of all time, whose over-the-shoulder camera revolutionizing the entire genre for years to come when it was first released back in 2005.

7. Dragon Quest Maker: The Dark Prince

Release Date: December 1, 2023
Developed by: Square Enix
Published by: Square Enix
Platforms: Switch

Square Enix's own version of Pokemon, Dragon Quest Monsters returns as yet another Nintendo console exclusive. Dark Prince follows the story of Psaro, a prince cursed to never cause harm to monsters. Because of this, he trained to become a monster tamer, letting him teach monsters to harm the monsters he cannot touch. As he searches for a way to cure his curse, he meets Rose, an elf who is also on a journey of her own. Both characters were prominent in Dragon Quest IV, but this journey is completely divorced from that game.

Dragon Quest Monsters lets players catch, train, and battle with over 500 monsters from all across the Dragon Quest franchise, with colorful artwork and character design heavily inspired by Akira Toriyama's style that has become the signature of Dragon Quest since its inception.

6. Disney Dreamlight Valley

Release Date: December 5, 2023
Developed by: Gameloft
Published by: Gameloft
Platforms: PC (Steam), PC (Epic Games Store), Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PS4, PS5, Switch

A life sim where players get to interact with different Disney and Pixar characters, many people are still bummed out that Dreamlight Valley is going to be a paid-for game, rather than a free-to-play game with live service microtransaction elements. Don't be mistaken, the game will still have microtransactions, you just have to buy the game on top of that.

This entire microtransaction and pay model has become a large blemish on the game, which actually is a quality game with a lot of polish and love from its creators. It allows players to create their homes in Disney worlds, become neighbors with Disney characters, and help solve their day-to-day problems to may Dreamlight Valley a much happier place.

5. Batman Arkham Trilogy

Release Date: December 1, 2023
Developed by: Rocksteady Studios
Published by: Warner Bros. Games
Platforms: Switch

While Rocksteady Studios has been busy developing Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League, they are also having this little side project porting the entire Arkham Trilogy on the Nintendo Switch. Just about time! The Arkham Trilogy is one of the most popular video game series of all time, with the hand-to-hand combat and combo-based fighting of Arkham Asylum revolutionizing the entire action brawler genre.

However, is the Switch port actually going to hold up, given the age of the console and its really weak hardware. Just for this one, be sure to check reviews first before you go on hunting this game on the eShop.

4. Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis

Release Date: December 7, 2023
Developed by: Applibot, Square Enix
Published by: Square Enix
Platforms: PC (Steam)

After coming out in September earlier this year, Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis – a retelling of everything Final Fantasy VII with new stories bundled into it – will be coming to PC through Steam. This game is an amalgamation of different game styles, art styles, and designs, showcasing different eras of Final Fantasy VII through new lenses and imaginations. Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis is a must-play for any Final Fantasy VII fan who still somehow hasn't touched the game – although fans should be wary of its microtransactions.

3. Arizona Sunshine 2

Release Date: December 7, 2023
Developed by: Vertigo Games
Published by: Vertigo Games
Platforms: PC (Steam), PSVR2, Meta Quest

Arizona Sunshine has been one of the greatest VR games out there, bringing the zombie slasher genre to new frontiers with its innovative and realistic-feeling gameplay. However, that game's PlayStation version was a massive mess. Hopefully, its sequel Arizona Sunshine II will be better in two ways: one, in improving the already established mechanics of the first game and pushing the envelope even further, and two, having a way better PSVR2 version than what was available in the first PSVR release. Either way, if you own a VR headset, you have to check out Arizona Sunshine II.

A game full of humor, personality, and gore, survive a zombie apocalypse in style as you travel across sun-kissed Arizona slaying zombies and embark on a cinematic journey, with all-new weapons and all-new ways to kill zombies.

2. Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader

Release Date: December 7, 2023
Developed by: Owlcat Games
Published by: Owlcat Games
Platforms: PC (Steam), PC (GOG), Xbox Series X, PS5

Establish your very own trade empire in the vastness of space in the 41st century in Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader. Gather a motley crew of psykers, crusaders, and xenos and fight in turn-based tactical battles that will earn you riches, favor for the God-Emperor, or corruption that will make you grow even more powerful. Riding your giant voidship, chart new territories in the Koronus Expanse, discover new resources to trade, and monsters to slay to keep your trading company safe from dangers.

As the leader of your own trading company, your crew will not only serve as your fighters but also your followers. As much as you hold sway in their individual stories, they will, too, advise you on your journey. This is important, as every decision you make in Rogue Trader will shape the world around you, dictating the kind of game that you will be playing.

1. Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora

Release Date: December 7, 2023
Developed by: Massive Entertainment
Published by: Ubisoft
Platforms: PC (Ubisoft Connect), Xbox Series X, PS5, Luna

Massive Entertainment has been at the forefront of gaming news in recent months, and this December it's one of their games that will be heralded as the biggest video game release of the month. Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora was a game that seemingly have come out of nowhere when it was first announced – but has quickly become one of the most highly-anticipated games of the year when previews for the game started coming out. Granted, the fact that it's being published by Ubisoft has led many to believe that it's just “blue Far Cry,” but really, there's more to this game than meets the eye. We have a review coming out for this one, so make sure to check it out.

With amazing graphics, phenomenal first-person shooter gameplay, and exhilarating aerial combat, Massive Entertainment proves to everyone that they have more on their sleeves than The Division. That being said, though, with development for Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora now wrapped up, it's time for them to work on Tom Clancy's The Division 3 and one of 2024's most highly-anticipated titles, Star Wars: Outlaws.

And that's our complete list of all of the new video game releases you should take note of this month of December 2023. Which ones are you looking forward to the most? Will you be purchasing any of these games brand new, or will you be spending your money on discounted titles instead? Whatever the case, we hope that you have a great time gaming this Holiday season!