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The biggest upcoming games of 2025 makes 2024 look like an even slower year for new releases. It seems to be a trend: as the average development time for games continues to grow, more and more major titles are dropping in batches during select years. Like 2023 before it, 2025 is going to be one of those years.
While the upcoming year will rightfully be defined by the release of Grand Theft Auto 6, the fact of the matter is that Rockstar’s next game could slip into 2026 and you’d still be left with an absolutely stacked year for new releases. That said, we apologize for putting that thought out into the world.
Here are the biggest games you need to keep an eye on in 2025!
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/Series S, Windows PC
Release Date: February 14
While its delay left many fans wondering about the state of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, and whether it’d be able to meet expectations, we remain optimistic about this latest chapter in the series.
As the Assassin’s Creed franchise’s long-awaited trip to feudal Japan, Shadows looks to make good on what many feel is the series’ most promising historical setting. Expectations are certainly high, but Shadows’ fascinating two-protagonist system and enhanced combat, stealth, and traversal mechanics suggest it could offer an ideal blend of classic gameplay with more modern flourishes.
Atomfall
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/Series S, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox One
Release Date: March
Another survival game? In this economy? Yes, though keep in mind that Atomfall has several tricks up its sleeve that instantly make it more appealing than the countless “craft some cheese” genre titles out there.
Developed by Rebellion, the team behind the exceptional Sniper Elite series, Atomfall places far more emphasis on worldbuilding and storytelling than the average survival title. Set in a fictional version of Northern England following a nuclear disaster, it tasks you with discovering the truth behind this twisted world as you fight to stay alive. Rebellion has suggested that Atomfall is closer to something like BioShock than Rust, which should be enough to excite even the most survival-wary out there.
Avowed
Platforms: Xbox Series X/Series S, Windows PC
Release Date: February 13
The phrase “new Obsidian RPG” is more than enough to get a title on any respectable list of anticipated upcoming games. Obsidian Entertainment is one of the greatest RPG studios of all time, and their recent efforts demonstrate their willingness to keep pushing the envelope.
In some ways, Avowed feels like the culmination of Obsidian’s efforts to create the ideal modern RPG experience. It’s an action-packed real-time experience filled with the kind of character-building, role-playing decisions, and clever writing that Obsidian is known for. While our preview of Avowed raised some unanswered questions about the game’s depth, the allure of its classic fantasy world is pretty powerful.
Borderlands 4
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/Series S, Windows PC
The recently revealed—but long-rumored—fourth major Borderlands entry will try to get the series back on track after Borderlands 3 proved to be a somewhat surprising “meh” entry into the largely celebrated franchise.
However, the surprising success of Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands and the Borderlands 4 team’s early promise to go bigger and better in every way with this game certainly suggests that they are aware of this franchise’s need to grow (and perhaps change a little bit).
Civilization 7
Platforms: Windows PC
Release Date: February 11
The announcement of a new Civilization game inspires equally powerful feelings of joy and dread. Yay, I get to lose myself in one of the finest strategy series ever created. Oh no, I’ll lose hours of my life to the game that famously makes players say “one more turn” until the cruel light of the rising sun invades the perimeters of their vision.
Still, a new Civilization game feels like mostly good news. We know little about this title (a strange theme for the coming year), though Firaxis Games’ guiding hand and the promised ability to mix and match large chunks of history certainly feels like a winning combo for this franchise that has rarely steered us wrong.
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
Platforms: PlayStation 5
Love it or hate it (opinions only seem to go one way or the other), Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding remains one of the most fascinating games of the last five years. The first significant project of Kojima’s post-Konami era featured all the eerily accurate social commentary, divisive gameplay, and bombastic storytelling we’ve come to expected from one of gaming’s few true auteurs, and the second installment promises to dive even deeper into the weirdness of this post-apocalyptic world.
Though we know relatively little about Death Stranding 2, the game’s star-studded cast, Kojima’s creative presence, and the original title’s fascinating concepts are enough reasons to consider this one of 2025’s most highly-anticipated new releases. It’s doubtful this sequel will make many efforts to appease those turned off by the original’s methodical gameplay, but Death Stranding 2’s confirmed meditations on the impact of post-COVID society should certainly cause a stir.
Doom: The Dark Ages
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/Series S, Windows PC
With 2016’s Doom and 2020’s Doom Eternal, developer id Software did so much more than bring the grandfather of FPS franchises into the modern age. Those games effectively set a new standard for single-player FPS titles that very few other games have been able to match.
At worst, Doom: The Dark Ages figures to be a victory lap for a studio making the most audaciously entertaining FPS games on the market. It looks to be so much more than that, though. Dark Ages‘ almost Painkiller-esque weapons, style, and gameplay pacing suggest id has somehow found yet another gear and isn’t taking their foot off the gas as they boldly navigate new territory once again.
Elden Ring Nightreign
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/Series S, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox One
Few expected FromSoftware to return to Elden Ring so quickly, and nobody expected them to deliver something like Nightreign. This spin-off of the Elden Ring series is essentially a co-op roguelike dungeon crawler with several Elden Ring-flavored twists. Picture Dark Alliance with more Elden Ring-like gameplay and…well, that still doesn’t quite paint the picture.
Yet, between Nightreign’s pre-set characters, generally lowered difficulty level, and much faster gameplay, it’s hard not to be intrigued by what FromSoftware is cooking. Are they testing the waters for a big new concept, or is this simply a standalone passion project?
Fable
Platforms: Xbox Series X/Series S, Windows PC
The Fable franchise is one of gaming’s oddest beasts. It has historically fallen short of expectations, in large part due to the outrageous promises that have come to define the series’ creator, Peter Molyneux. Yet, those original games also offered a rather unique genre experience that many crave due to a lack of proper alternatives.
With their reboot of the franchise (sans Molyneux), developer Playground Games looks to recapture the series’ unique charms while inching Fable closer to its full potential. It’s a tall task, but the Fable footage released so far demonstrates Playground’s understanding of the humor and whimsy that have long made Fable one of the most enjoyable fantasy franchises to lose yourself in.
Ghost of Yotei
Platforms: PlayStation 5
With 2020’s Ghost of Tsushima, developer Sucker Punch Productions delivered the rare modern open-world title that felt both comfortably familiar and creatively inventive. Ghost of Tsushima didn’t break the genre mold so much as it used its historical setting as the basis of one of the most stunning and engaging open-world experiences this side of a Rockstar Games production. It is also arguably the best samurai title ever made.
As the standalone sequel to Ghost of Tsushima, Ghost of Yotei obviously won’t be able to ride the wave of surprising delights that helped elevate Tsushima among those who went into it with modest expectations. Yet, the Yotei team’s promise to emphasize an “underdog of vengeance” story and “the romance and beauty of feudal Japan” should be more than enough to get you excited about the opportunity to dive back into this world where every pixel is a painting.
Grand Theft Auto 6
Platforms: PlayStation 5; Xbox Series X/S
Grand Theft Auto 6 may be the most anticipated release in video game history. It’s not just the 10+ years since the release of GTA 5, the absurdly high standards of this series, and the ways GTA has reached even the most casual modern gamers. There’s a strong argument to be made that the success or failure of GTA 6 could alter the fate of an industry that is increasingly dependent on its biggest blockbusters. Well, there is no blockbuster bigger than GTA 6.
Mind you, we still know relatively little about the game itself. With only one official trailer—and quite a few leaks—to go on, we can tell you that the next Grand Theft Auto will take us to a fictional version of Florida and focus on two lovers on the run from the law. Everything else will be a surprise, it seems. That’s actually kind of nice. Of course, it’d be a lot nicer if we could just finally play the damn game.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/Series S, Windows PC
Release Date: February 4
2018’s Kingdom Come: Deliverance boasts one of the strangest success stories in modern gaming. Following a Kickstarter campaign that seemed to be built on unrealistic promises, Deliverance launched with quite a few bugs and several controversies. And yet, a few patches and a little distance revealed Deliverance to be one of the best attempts to recapture those old Elder Scrolls feelings and a pretty incredible medieval RPG in its own right.
With Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, developer Warhorse Studios looks to make the most of the lessons they learned from the first game. Set shortly after the original, Deliverance 2 looks far smoother than its predecessor ever was yet has lost none of that outside-the-box ambition that made the original feel so special.
Mafia: The Old Country
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/Series S, Windows PC
Developer Hangar 13 gets to continue what they started in the underrated Mafia III with the upcoming Mafia: The Old Country. As the name suggests, this game will take the franchise back to its relative roots (early 1900s Sicily) and serve as a kind of origin story for the series.
The setting is unique relative to other crime games, and Hangar 13 has already shown that they can maintain and elevate this series’ standard for excellent storytelling, characters, and environments. It’s not ideal that this game is coming out the same year as GTA 6, but Old Country’s likely release date head start and distinct style should help it distinguish itself as a worthwhile alternative.
Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/Series S, Windows PC
The relative lack of Marvel games during the MCU era of entertainment was always a shock. Conventional corporate wisdom tells us that we should be swimming in games that adapt and go beyond MCU movies and shows. Yet, we’ve been left with slim pickings so far. Thankfully, Marvel 1943 looks to help fill that considerable void.
Set in Paris during World War II, this action/adventure game will follow Captain America, Black Panther, and their military allies as they battle Hydra and the Axis forces. On paper, that’s the exact kind of “familiar, yet distinct” approach to Marvel gaming that helped make Insomniac’s Spider-Man titles such a success.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/Series S, Windows PC
That siren you’ve been hearing is the warning sound that accompanied the announcement of Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater and has been trailing the game throughout its development. Simply put, the prospect of Konami approving a remake of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater following their infamous split with creator Hideo Kojima felt perilous at best and insulting at worst.
But the success of 2024’s Silent Hill 2 remake has a lot of people feeling much more excited about this next remake. Granted, they are different games being developed by different studios, but suddenly the prospect of a remake of a beloved Konami game delivering a worthwhile experience without the help of their original creators doesn’t seem quite so far-fetched.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Given that it was revealed around the time that the Nintendo Switch was released, we once thought that Metroid Prime 4 was going to be one of the titles that Nintendo used to sell people on their strange new hardware. Now, Metroid Prime 4 is poised to be the swan song for one of the most successful gaming devices ever made. Hey, no pressure.
Yes, it’s surprising that we’ve still seen so little of Metroid Prime 4. After all this time, though, the promise of more Metroid Prime is still enough to leave us impossibly excited about this project. At a time when the Metroidvania genre dominates the indie scene and is the DNA of many modern games, Metroid Prime 4 seems primed to finally earn this series the undeniable sales success it always deserved.
Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/Series S, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox One
The Ninja Gaiden franchise returns as a 2D sidescroller that will offer “the classic lore and gameplay of the Tecmo-developed Ninja Gaiden series from the 8-bit era with the depth and intensity of the modern 3D entries.” So, it’s not quite a throwback but rather a re-imagining of the franchise’s roots.
The biggest reasons to be excited about this one, though, can be found on the back of the box (relatively speaking). Published by Dotemu, the team behind many of the best retro revivals in recent years, and developed by The Game Kitchen, the studio responsible for the exceptional Blasphemous, this one is almost guaranteed to rock.
The Outer Worlds 2
Platforms: Xbox Series X/Series S, Windows PC
As the spiritual sequel to Fallout: New Vegas, 2019’s The Outer Worlds was essentially a dream Obsidian Entertainment RPG. Along with fulfilling quite a few Fallout fantasies, The Outer Worlds proved to be a compelling, enjoyable, genuinely funny, and surprisingly deep sci-fi role-playing experience in its own right.
With The Outer Worlds 2, Obsidian has made it clear that they intend to pick up where they left off and simply go bigger with everything. On paper, it’s not the most ambitious goal for a sequel. However, given that you can attribute many of The Outer Worlds’ biggest flaws to its first-draft nature, the team doesn’t have to go too far out of its way to make this one of 2025’s most essential role-playing experiences.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
The Pokémon series has been on a surprisingly rough run in recent years. While they’re as successful as ever, the recent mainline Pokémon games have rightly been criticized for their relative lack of ambition and various technical issues. One of the franchise’s highlights during that era—2022’s Pokémon Legends: Arceus—garnered acclaim for taking the series in a relatively fresh open-world direction.
Based on what we know, Pokémon Legends: Z-A looks to retain most of Arceus’ core concepts while exploring an era when Pokémon and humans were first learning to co-exist in shared environments. It’s a fantastic setup that also seemingly features the return of the largely beloved Mega Evolutions concept.
South of Midnight
Platforms: Xbox Series X/Series S, Windows PC
Developer Compulsion Games has made quite a name for themselves in recent years. Their previous titles—Compulsion and We Happy Few—were undeniably unique, yet each suggested that the studio’s best work was ahead of them. Well, South of Midnight may very well prove to be the developers’ masterpiece.
Set in a dark fantasy version of the Deep South, South of Midnight blends several regions of folklore with original creations and sets the whole thing to a rocking Southern soundtrack. It looks and sounds great, but it’s the game’s almost Beyond Good and Evil-esque gameplay that leads us to believe it could be something truly special.
Split Fiction
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/Series S, Windows PC
Release Date: March 6
Split Fiction is the latest game from Hazelight Studios, the studio behind the exceptional co-op adventures A Way Out and It Takes Two. Like those games, Split Fiction will emphasize the value of unique teamwork throughout its entirely co-op campaign.
Unlike those games, Split Fiction will explore a far wider variety of genres and gameplay concepts. Based on the idea that two writers have become stuck in their own creations, Split Fiction certainly looks like the most ambitious co-op game from a studio that is in a league of its own in that area.
The post The Biggest Games Coming in 2025 appeared first on Den of Geek.
