A chill breeze, a red leaf on a tree, the distant sound of “Spooky, Scary Skeletons” playing — October has officially arrived. And while my non-gamer, civilian self revels in the sudden appearance of pumpkins, fall foliage and literal spooky, scary skeletons … my gamer self is battening down the hatches. Because the most crowded, games-heavy month of the year is finally upon us. You thought you had no time for games before? You really don’t have time for October’s release slate.We’ve talked about it before, but just to remind you, here is a short list of the games that are coming out this month: Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Super Mario Bros Wonder, Cities: Skylines II, Alan Wake 2, Lords of the Fallen, Detective Pikachu Returns, Forza Motorsport, The Lamplighters League, Hellboy Web of Wyrd, Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged, The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria and Ghostrunner 2. No wonder Alone in the Dark ran scared from this release window.It’s been another downer of a week, with layoff news coming from Telltale Games, Team 17 and Naughty Dog. We’ve also heard news that several former Ubisoft executives have been detained by French police, who are investigating claims of sexual assault and harassment at the company (details of which broke in several 2020 reports). Even as we celebrate the deluge of fantastic games this month, it pays for us to also remember the people who made them — many of whom no longer have jobs.In personal news, I’ll be playing more of Spider-Man 2 as we prep for the GamesBeat review — but I am definitely going to make time for Assassin’s Creed Mirage. This series and I have so much history that I feel obligated to make space for it in my life no matter what. I’ve also heard interesting things about the newly released Cocoon, and I might as well check it out since it’s on Game Pass.GamesBeat Next 2023Join the GamesBeat community in San Francisco this October 24-25. You’ll hear from the brightest minds within the gaming industry on latest developments and their take on the future of gaming.What’s new:New on subscription services:GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it. Discover our Briefings.Enjoy access to special events, private newsletters and more.© 2023 VentureBeat. All rights reserved.