Highlights
- October 20 will be a significant day for both PlayStation and Nintendo, with the highly anticipated releases of Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and Super Mario Bros. Wonder.
- Fans may be torn between the two games, as both are part of long-running franchises and considered among the best in their genres.
- The release date coincides with a weekend and the start of fall, giving gamers more free time and encouraging word-of-mouth promotion. It also allows Sony and Nintendo to compete with each other and stay ahead of Microsoft, whether through strategy or coincidence.
2023 has been jam-packed with high-quality video game releases, and the year isn't over yet. As companies like PlayStation, Microsoft, and Nintendo continue to deliver on their release calendars, even more highly anticipated games will be hitting shelves in the coming months, with one day in October looking particularly significant for both PlayStation and Nintendo.
Sony heavy-hitters like Death Stranding 2 may be a bit far off, but the company has still had a successful year, with the PlayStation being home to smash-hit AAA experiences like Final Fantasy 16 alongside charming indie releases like Tchia. 2023 has also seen the further expansion of PlayStation's PS Plus Extra and Premium subscription services, which have served as a response to Xbox's incredibly successful Game Pass. Nintendo has had a similarly memorable year, launching highly-anticipated games like Pikmin 4 and game of the year contender The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. While both gaming companies have made some waves already, October 20 is going to set the stage for huge releases from both of them.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and Super Mario Bros. Wonder Both Launch on October 20
The massively hyped-up Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and Super Mario Bros. Wonder share the release date of October 20. Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is Sony's biggest game of 2023 and Super Mario Bros. Wonder is arguably Nintendo's biggest release after Tears of the Kingdom, so both releases are sure to make a splash.
Considering how highly anticipated each game is, some fans may find it interesting that they are launching on the same day. After all, many gamers who own a PlayStation 5 and a Nintendo Switch may be interested in both games but be forced to choose between them at launch. It's not as if these upcoming releases are from new IPs, either, since both Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and Super MarioBros. Wonder are part of long-running franchises that are considered among the best of their respective genres.
Of course, the October 20 release date is far from arbitrary. It's the start of a weekend, which means that many gamers will have extra free time to play the game and promote it through word-of-mouth. Additionally, the late October release coincides with fall in the Northern Hemisphere and is right around the time when its residents are spending more time on indoor activities. It's also possible that both games releasing on the same day isn't awful for either, as Sony would likely want to use the impressive Marvel's Spider-Man 2 to compete with Nintendo and Nintendo is no doubt interested in maintaining the strong momentum that began with Tears of the Kingdom this spring.
Along those same speculative lines, it's probable that both companies will want to take this opportunity to compete with Microsoft, with Starfield dominating games media this past month and being one of Xbox's most successful exclusives. As the dust Starfield kicked up starts to settle, both PlayStation and Nintendo may be interested in reminding consumers of the popular IPs that they still have control over.
The so-called "console wars" can often be immature and pointless, but issues like Nintendo's aging hardware and Sony's expensive games-on-demand offerings can impact real-world interest in these consoles, so remaining ahead of the pack is certainly a priority for all three major console manufacturers. Whether the shared release date is a coincidence or a result of methodical, strategic planning, one thing is certain: October is set to be another fantastic month for gaming, regardless of which console a gamer owns, and the continuation of a trend that has seemed to hold true for all of 2023.
