GamesSurvival & Crafting2024 is already looking like a fantastic year for survival gamesWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
GamesSurvival & Crafting2024 is already looking like a fantastic year for survival gamesWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: 11 bit studios)
Sharpen your axe, fill your canteen, and make sure you pack some emergency rations: 2024 is shaping up to be an excellent year for survival games. Not only are there a lot of them coming in the near future, they all look substantially different from one another.
That’s great because 2023 wasn’t a particularly stellar year for the survival genre. There were some big hits like Sons of the Forest and Lego Fortnite, and at least one major disaster: The Day Before. Not to mention a bunch of delays pushed a half-dozen big survival games from last year into this year.
But just like in a survival game, let’s keep our eyes on the horizon. Here are the survival games in 2024 I’m most excited about.
The Alters
Developer: 11 bit studiosRelease date: TBA 2024
In addition to city builder Frostpunk 2, 11 bit studios has another survival game launching this year and it looks downright fascinating. InThe Altersyou’re Jan, the lone survivor of a crash on an alien planet, and you must summon duplicates of yourself if you want to survive. But these aren’t mere clones—each version of Jan has different traits and backgrounds, suggesting a multiverse or possibly even time travel. Did I mention Jan’s base is a giant wheel that rolls across the planet trying to avoid the sun’s radiation? I can’t wait to learn more about this game.
Pacific Drive
Developer: Ironwood StudiosRelease date: Feb 22, 2024
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I got access to a demo with a few story missions that only took about three hours to complete, but I still wound up playingPacific Drivefor over 12 hours.Trapped in a nightmarish exclusion zone filled with dangerous environmental and mechanical anomalies, hunt for resources and soup up your rusty old station wagon with sci-fi gizmos. The demo had great driving, excellent tinkering, and plenty of scares and mysteries. I’m eager for the full game in February.
Abiotic Factor
Developer:Deep Field GamesRelease date: TBA 2024
Enshrouded
Developer:Keen GamesRelease date: January 24, 2024 (early access)
With a flexible voxel-based building system, an expansive and mysterious world, and support for up to 16 players in co-op,Enshroudedlooks like it could scratch the same itch as Valheim. It also goes pretty light on some traditional survival systems: cooking food is to provide you with buffs, but you won’t starve if you don’t eat. The demo was the most-played at Steam Next Fest last year, so I won’t be surprised if Enshrouded is the first big hit of 2024.
Developer: GSC Game WorldRelease date: Q1 2024
It’s been a long wait and there have been a number of delays, but we may finally be getting close to playingStalker 2, for real this time. From what we’ve seen so far the world looks bleak and gorgeous in the Unreal Engine, and there are plenty of familiar friends returning (like those hideous blooduckers). I can’t wait to return to the exclusion zone for more gripping, punishing first-person survival.
Once Human
Developer: Starry StudioRelease date: Q3 2024
Nightingale
Developer: Inflexion GamesRelease date: February 22, 2024
Despite several delays, gaslamp fantasyNightingalecontinues to look strange and promising. Trapped in a fae realm you’ll need to craft gear, build bases, deal with fantastic creatures (not always violently) and travel to other dimensions to collect rare resources. Since it’s Victorian times you won’t be surviving in dirty leather rags like some other survival games: your wardrobe and hats are on point in Nightingale.
Also coming in 2024 & beyond
There are more promising survival games coming out this year, and a few we don’t yet know the dates for.
Light No Fire| Hello Games | Date TBAThis is Hello Games' follow up to No Man’s Sky, featuring a planet-sized planet. No release date has been announced yet.
Light No Fire| Hello Games | Date TBAThis is Hello Games' follow up to No Man’s Sky, featuring a planet-sized planet. No release date has been announced yet.
Light No Fire| Hello Games | Date TBAThis is Hello Games' follow up to No Man’s Sky, featuring a planet-sized planet. No release date has been announced yet.
Light No Fire| Hello Games | Date TBAThis is Hello Games' follow up to No Man’s Sky, featuring a planet-sized planet. No release date has been announced yet.
Light No Fire| Hello Games | Date TBAThis is Hello Games' follow up to No Man’s Sky, featuring a planet-sized planet. No release date has been announced yet.
Light No Fire| Hello Games | Date TBAThis is Hello Games' follow up to No Man’s Sky, featuring a planet-sized planet. No release date has been announced yet.
Dune: Awakening| Funcom | Date TBAThe open world survival MMO from Funcom that takes place in the Dune universe. No release date has been specified.
Dune: Awakening| Funcom | Date TBAThe open world survival MMO from Funcom that takes place in the Dune universe. No release date has been specified.
Dune: Awakening| Funcom | Date TBAThe open world survival MMO from Funcom that takes place in the Dune universe. No release date has been specified.
Dune: Awakening| Funcom | Date TBAThe open world survival MMO from Funcom that takes place in the Dune universe. No release date has been specified.
Dune: Awakening| Funcom | Date TBAThe open world survival MMO from Funcom that takes place in the Dune universe. No release date has been specified.
Dune: Awakening| Funcom | Date TBAThe open world survival MMO from Funcom that takes place in the Dune universe. No release date has been specified.
Ark 2| Studio Wildcard | Q4 2024What’s that deep growling sound coming from the woods? Yep, it’s Vin Diesel. Also, dinosaurs. Originally planned for last year but a delay pushed it into late 2024.
Ark 2| Studio Wildcard | Q4 2024What’s that deep growling sound coming from the woods? Yep, it’s Vin Diesel. Also, dinosaurs. Originally planned for last year but a delay pushed it into late 2024.
Ark 2| Studio Wildcard | Q4 2024What’s that deep growling sound coming from the woods? Yep, it’s Vin Diesel. Also, dinosaurs. Originally planned for last year but a delay pushed it into late 2024.
Ark 2| Studio Wildcard | Q4 2024What’s that deep growling sound coming from the woods? Yep, it’s Vin Diesel. Also, dinosaurs. Originally planned for last year but a delay pushed it into late 2024.
Ark 2| Studio Wildcard | Q4 2024What’s that deep growling sound coming from the woods? Yep, it’s Vin Diesel. Also, dinosaurs. Originally planned for last year but a delay pushed it into late 2024.
Ark 2| Studio Wildcard | Q4 2024What’s that deep growling sound coming from the woods? Yep, it’s Vin Diesel. Also, dinosaurs. Originally planned for last year but a delay pushed it into late 2024.
Palworld| Pocketpair | January 19Combines Pokémon-style monster collecting and lots of guns. Plus, you can cook and eat the cute creatures you collect. Yum.
Palworld| Pocketpair | January 19Combines Pokémon-style monster collecting and lots of guns. Plus, you can cook and eat the cute creatures you collect. Yum.
Palworld| Pocketpair | January 19Combines Pokémon-style monster collecting and lots of guns. Plus, you can cook and eat the cute creatures you collect. Yum.
Palworld| Pocketpair | January 19Combines Pokémon-style monster collecting and lots of guns. Plus, you can cook and eat the cute creatures you collect. Yum.
Palworld| Pocketpair | January 19Combines Pokémon-style monster collecting and lots of guns. Plus, you can cook and eat the cute creatures you collect. Yum.
Palworld| Pocketpair | January 19Combines Pokémon-style monster collecting and lots of guns. Plus, you can cook and eat the cute creatures you collect. Yum.
Blight: Survival| Haenir Studio | Date TBAIt looks like Chivalry-style crunchy combat, but with survival systems and zombies. No date yet.
Blight: Survival| Haenir Studio | Date TBAIt looks like Chivalry-style crunchy combat, but with survival systems and zombies. No date yet.
Blight: Survival| Haenir Studio | Date TBAIt looks like Chivalry-style crunchy combat, but with survival systems and zombies. No date yet.
Blight: Survival| Haenir Studio | Date TBAIt looks like Chivalry-style crunchy combat, but with survival systems and zombies. No date yet.
Blight: Survival| Haenir Studio | Date TBAIt looks like Chivalry-style crunchy combat, but with survival systems and zombies. No date yet.
Blight: Survival| Haenir Studio | Date TBAIt looks like Chivalry-style crunchy combat, but with survival systems and zombies. No date yet.
PRODUCTSThe AltersPacific DriveEnshroudedStalker 2NightingaleAbiotic Factor
PRODUCTS
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