The PC game releases we're most excited about in May

By Tyler Wilde
published

Plus two big open betas to put on your calendar.

Warhammer 40K Boltgun art
(Image credit: Auroch Digital)

Computer games: they just keep making more of them. At the start of each month, we sift through the upcoming PC betas and game releases and pick out the most interesting of them—May's list is below, starting with a beta test you might not want to miss.

For a full picture of the year in PC gaming, check out our complete guide to 2023's new games. Next month is the traditional month of E3, which can sometimes be a little short on new games, but not so this year, with Diablo 4 and Street Fighter 6 both launching in June. Granted, E3 technically isn't happening this year, although that's not stopping publishers from scheduling big showcases. It isn't stopping us, either: We'll be back with the PC Gaming Show on June 11.

Upcoming PC beta tests

Diablo 4 "Server Slam"

Diablo 4 "Server Slam" | May 12-14
Blizzard wants us to beat up on its servers one more time, which in practical terms probably means sitting in a queue for a bit, but I appreciate the effort to make it exciting. This is another chance to get the previous beta rewards, plus one new one.

Men of War 2 open beta

Men of War 2 open beta | May 12-14
Diablo not your thing? Well here's another old fashioned PC gaming experience to try in beta: a WW2 RTS with both PvP and PvE multiplayer. There'll also be three singleplayer/co-op missions to try.

May's big PC release dates

Redfall

Redfall | May 1
Alright, "excited" might not be the right word here—the co-op vampire shooter is not what we might've hoped—but we'll see how Arkane responds.

Age of Wonders 4

Age of Wonders 4 | May 2
We've already reviewed Age of Wonders 4, and good news: It rules! Fraser called the fantasy strategy game "a flavorful and inventive 4X full of incredible spells and engaging empire management."

Darkest Dungeon 2

Darkest Dungeon 2 | May 8
A "roguelike road trip of the damned" and the sequel to one of our favorite games of 2016, leaving early access. Guide your heroes through turn-based combat encounters and watch as they grow into hopeless, dysfunctional people!

Image

Lego 2K Drive | May 19
An open world Lego racing game with customizable cars seems like a smart idea, given Forza Horizon's  popularity. And a surprising number of people on our team have fond memories of 1999's Lego Racers. Without Mario Kart on PC, we made do with what we could get.

Image

Warhammer 40K: Boltgun | May 23
A retro shooter named after one of Warhammer's most famous weapons. According to our hands-on preview, it lives up to the name. The Warhammer lovers on PC Gamer are definitely excited for this one.

Image

Star Trek: Resurgence | May 23
May 23 is looking busy, huh? Resurgence was recently on the cover of PC Gamer magazine. It's a throwback to '90s Star Trek, when some of the best episodes were about alien peace negotiations happening in the Enterprise boardroom.

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum | May 25
Gollum isn't the first LotR character I'd have picked to make a game about, but creepy little goblin guy stealth did work pretty well in Styx: Master of Shadows, so maybe that's just a genre now. (Note: I know Gollum's not a goblin please don't email me.)

System Shock

System Shock | May 30
A remake of the classic 1994 immersive sim from Looking Glass, the most legendary maker of stealthy first-person PC games. The remake comes from Nightdive, which previously remastered the System Shocks.

More games releasing in May

Tyler Wilde
Tyler Wilde
Executive Editor

Tyler grew up in Silicon Valley during the rise of personal computers, playing games like Zork and Arkanoid on the early PCs his parents brought home. He was later captivated by Myst, SimCity, Civilization, Command & Conquer, Bushido Blade (yeah, he had Bleem!), and all the shooters they call "boomer shooters" now. In 2006, Tyler wrote his first professional review of a videogame: Super Dragon Ball Z for the PS2. He thought it was OK. In 2011, he joined PC Gamer, and today he's focused on the site's news coverage. His hobbies include amateur boxing and adding to his 1,200-plus hours in Rocket League.

See comments