The gaming industry can often experience huge gulfs in time between high-profile releases, which can in turn leave fans desperate in anticipation for the next iteration of their most beloved franchise. Despite this fact, there are still moments when a multitude of anticipated titles release in close succession, filling the space with huge amounts of content for fans to experience and enjoy.
March 17 is set to be one of those days, with two very high-profile franchises each releasing titles on the same day, including the recently busy Bayonetta franchise. While these two IPs may be quite removed from one another in terms of genre and perhaps even fan base, the presence of two releases such as these on the same day is something that is deservedly being highlighted and celebrated by many.
March 17 Video Game Releases
The following games are set to release on March 17:
- Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon
- WWE 2K23
The well-anticipated Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon is set for a March 17 release for the Nintendo Switch, marking the latest foray into more contemporary releases for the longstanding franchise. Bayonetta Origins comes just five months after the high-profile release of Bayonetta 3, which was somewhat marred by the controversial pay dispute launched by Bayonetta's voice actress Hellena Taylor.
Bayonetta Origins is set to offer a smaller scale experience to this, being an action-adventure platformer spin-off that was teased in a secret chapter within the aforementioned Bayonetta 3. As the name suggests, Bayonetta Origins tells the tale of a young Bayonetta, who went by the name Cereza prior to taking up her now-famous moniker. Within the game, Cereza works alongside a lost demon who has possessed her stuffed Cheshire cat toy, with the unlikely pair adventuring through the Avalon Forest in a bid to save Cereza's mother.
Due to the overt fantastical themes of Bayonetta Origins, the title takes a highly stylistic approach to its gameplay, with the release being aesthetically akin to a children's storybook throughout. Despite its two clear main characters, Bayonetta Origins is strictly single-player with no co-op, but will crucially require the player to take control of both characters to traverse the dangerous landscape they find themselves within.
The second game to come out on March 17 is the long-anticipated WWE 2K23, which is set to release on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Following the formula of the franchise's longstanding and successful annual releases, WWE 2K23 is set to improve on past games and what they offered in quite a significant way across its many offered game modes.
WWE 2K's popular MyFaction mode is set to receive comprehensive upgrades, with the title also including five new General Managers to choose from, and finally introducing the long-anticipated War Games mode to provide some high-octane multiplayer action. Keen fans will be aware that many special editions of WWE 2K23 include three-day early access to the title, with the Icon Edition and the Deluxe Edition of the game being available to play since March 14.
Nonetheless, fans who have opted for the game's lower-priced standard edition release will be able to enjoy the title on March 17 alongside Bayonetta Origins. Given the truly unique nature of Bayonetta Origins as a stylized spin-off of such a longstanding franchise, as well as the plethora of exciting new features to come to WWE 2K23, it is clear to see why so many fans are excited to pick up both titles on the same day.
