Summary
As if 2023 wasn’t already one of the busiest years in gaming history, 2024’s release schedule is now shaping up to rival it in terms of providing an onslaught of quality releases for players to expect month after month. One great metric for gauging player interest and hype surrounding a title is theSteamMost Wishlisted chart, which takes into account how manySteamusers have wishlisted the title as well as how many followers each game’s Steam product page has. While this has historically been a continually shifting spot based on what new releases are coming down the pike, the same handful of games (Hollow Knight: Silksong,Hades 2, andThe Day Before) have continually bounced back and forth between the top spot for most of 2023.
Following its initial announcement in 2019,Hollow Knight: Silksonghas long maintained the top spot of being the most wishlisted game on Steam, but was eventually replaced withThe Day Beforefollowing significant delays and continually slipping from its release date.The Day Beforehas also routinely suffered a similar fate, and the announcement ofSupergiant Games’Hades 2saw that game briefly take the top spot. The current honor of most-wishlisted game on Steam belongs to newcomerThe Finals, but the trio of unreleased games that have taken up residence on the list for most of 2023 are still in the top 5.
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Hollow Knight: Silksong
As the sequel and long-awaited follow up to one of the most beloved indie-Metroidvanias of all-time, it’s safe to say thatHollow Knight: Silksonghas a lot riding on it. With it now approaching5 years sinceSilksong’s initial announcement, hype surrounding the title has begun to wane somewhat in the wake of there being little update on its progress throughout 2023. Still,Silksongcurrently sits at number 5 on the Steam global wishlist charts at time of writing, which is an admirable feat for a game that fans have been waiting on for almost half a decade.
Much of the anticipation forSilksongis based on the game’s brand-new protagonist and setting, putting players in control of fan-favoriteHollow KnightNPC and frenemy Hornet. From what Team Cherry has shown off of the title so far,Silksongpromises to expand on many ofHollow Knight’s best ideaswhile also introducing a slew of new gameplay mechanics more fitting of its new hero.
WHERE TO PLAY
Play as Hornet, princess-protector of Hallownest, and adventure through a whole new kingdom ruled by silk and song! Captured and brought to this unfamiliar world, Hornet must battle foes and solve mysteries as she ascends on a deadly pilgrimage to the kingdom’s peak.Hollow Knight: Silksong is the epic sequel to Hollow Knight, the award winning action-adventure. As the lethal hunter Hornet, journey to all-new lands, discover new powers, battle vast hordes of bugs and beasts and uncover ancient secrets tied to your nature and your past.
Hades 2
Supergiant Games’Hadesis one of the best roguelikesavailable, and it also happened to win a slew of Game of the Year awards and nominations in 2018. Considering that Supergiant has an established tradition of not making sequels to its games, the announcement ofHades 2completely took fans by surprise. That surprise is a welcome one, though, as the title quickly shot to the top of the Steam charts and the announcement ofHades 2’s Early Access period in Q1 2024 positions it as one of the year’s early hits.
Continuing theGreek mythology themeof its predecessor while also introducing a new hero and pantheon of gods to draw boons from,Hades 2also uses the instantly recognizable art style and aesthetic of the first game.Hadesproved that Supergiant knew exactly what makes a great roguelike, and the prospect of a sequel has already generated a considerable amount of hype.
The first-ever sequel from Supergiant Games builds on the best aspects of the original god-like rogue-like dungeon crawler in an all-new, action-packed, endlessly replayable experience rooted in the Underworld of Greek myth and its deep connections to the dawn of witchcraft. BATTLE BEYOND THE UNDERWORLDAs the immortal Princess of the Underworld, you’ll explore a bigger, deeper mythic world, vanquishing the forces of the Titan of Time with the full might of Olympus behind you, in a sweeping story that continually unfolds through your every setback and accomplishment.MASTER WITCHCRAFT AND DARK SORCERYInfuse your legendary weapons of Night with ancient magick, so that none may stand in your way. Become stronger still with powerful Boons from more than a dozen Olympian gods, from Apollo to Zeus. There are nearly limitless ways to build your abilities.MINGLE WITH (MORE) GODS, GHOSTS, AND MONSTERSMeet a cast of dozens of fully-voiced, larger-than-life characters, including plenty of new faces and some old friends. Grow closer to them through a variety of new interactions, and experience countless unique story events based on how your journey unfolds.EVERY RUN IS ITS OWN ADVENTURENew locations, challenges, upgrade systems, and surprises await as you delve into the ever-shifting Underworld again and again. Reveal the mysteries of the Arcana Altar, tame witchy familiars, and gather reagents using Tools of the Unseen to get closer to your goal.THE PERKS OF IMMORTALITYThanks to a variety of permanent upgrades and the return of God Mode, you don’t have to be a god yourself to experience whatHades IIhas to offer. But if you happen to be one, you may brave escalating challenges for greater rewards, and prove just how divine you really are.
The Day Before
The Day Beforeis an outlier compared to the other two titles that have continually bounced around the Steam wishlist charts. While bothSilksongandHades2are hyped sequels to incredibly successful games from proven studios,The Day Beforeis the debut gamefrom an untested developer and has been subject of a fair share of controversy, specifically regarding its stealing of assets from other popular titles.
That hasn’t stopped the game from being a hot commodity on Steam users' wishlists, though, as the premise of an open-world zombie game with crafting and survival elements (and more than a passingresemblance toThe Division) seems like a good time. The game has slipped through its planned release several times, with the most current targeted date being December 7.
The Day Before offers players a uniquely reimagined journey into post-apocalyptic open-world MMO survival set in the present day on the US East Coast following a deadly pandemic.SURVIVE AT ALL COSTSFight other players for survival. Survive against the deadly infected. Collect valuable loot.DISCOVER THE NEW POST-PANDEMIC WORLDExplore the beautiful and richly detailed New Fortune City. Enter tall skyscrapers, business centers, massive malls, grand stadiums, and more. Uncover distant surroundings of New Fortune City on stunningly detailed vehicles.REBUILD SOCIETYJoin the Woodberry survivor colony on its mission to rebuild society. Trade items in Woodberry and save your wealth in a personal storage room. Build your own home in the safe zone.
