Epic Titles to Anticipate in 2025!

Grand Theft Auto 6

A rising tide lifts all boats, and new Nintendo hardware will undoubtedly support the gaming sector; however, the other significant 2025 release that is bound to create some excitement is Grand Theft Auto 6. I don’t need to elaborate on the level of anticipation this title generates. GTA 5 is the second top-selling game ever, and after a long twelve-year wait encompassing three console generations, fans are eagerly anticipating Rockstar’s next move with its iconic series. I’m predicting right now: it’s likely to be the top-selling game of the decade, and almost certainly the best-selling title of 2025 – provided it indeed releases in 2025. It’s important to note that nearly every major Rockstar launch, be it GTA or otherwise, has faced a delay or two. So, let’s hope we receive GTA 6 as scheduled, but also, you know, prepare for disappointment and you’ll avoid being let down.

TBC 2025

Now it’s time to discuss the large assortment of titles we anticipate for some point in 2025, which currently lack specific release dates. This creates difficulty in determining their order, and by the time you review this list, some may have received release dates or even been pushed back a year. So just remember this is all prone to alteration and please bear with me.

Hideo Kojima enthusiasts are in for a treat in 2025, or at least, enjoying some snakes. Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, the complete modern remake of the beloved third installment in the tactical espionage action franchise, will be available on current-generation consoles and PC. Although Hideo Kojima has had no role in this project (other than directing the original), it appears that Konami is taking great care to ensure it’s done right. This appeared in a PlayStation promotion that launched last January highlighting significant 2024 releases, and a November 17 release date was momentarily leaked by GameStop, but that information was subsequently deemed incorrect. Nevertheless, it appears that we’ll see it sooner rather than later. This will be available on PS5, Xbox Series consoles, and PC.

PlayStation Games 2025

In the meantime, Kojima’s next major project is Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, which will anchor on PS5 sometime in 2025, and will likely wash ashore on PC, Xbox, and possibly even Mac and iOS in the future, based on the rollout of the first game.

Another big PS5 exclusive that we know of currently is Ghost of Yotei, the next open-world Samurai game from Sucker Punch. While many titles aim for fall release windows, Sony tends to launch major first-party titles earlier in the year. For example, Ghost of Tsushima was a July launch, and The Last…of Us Part 2 and Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart were both launched in June, while God of War 2018 was released in April. That said, God of War Ragnarok debuted in November, so there you have it.

Xbox Games 2025

Sony has been keeping things rather secretive, but we have a clearer picture of what Xbox is planning. One title is Fable, which revives the cherished fantasy RPG series from previous console generations. This time, Playground Games has taken the lead, if you’ll allow the analogy. Playground is the team behind the Forza Horizon franchise – which is essentially their sole publicly recognized work, making me eager to witness their approach to an RPG. I have no interest in racing or vehicles and can barely handle driving one in reality, yet somehow I invested 120 hours into Forza Horizon 5 – so if they can captivate me with something I’m not particularly invested in, I’m keen to see how they tackle an expansive fantasy experience filled with wizardry, humor, and giant frogs. This game will be available on Xbox Series consoles and PC.

Another title that likely features other sizable swamp beings and sorcery is South of Midnight, a southern gothic fantasy action-adventure from the developers of We Happy Few. It will be released on PC and Xbox Series consoles.

So, you know what game looks incredibly awesome? Doom: The Dark Ages. I want to highlight that weapon which pulverizes skulls and fires them at enemies, because that is so metal it’s downright comical. And let’s not forget the shield adorned with sawblades, the ability to ride a dragon, and Doom guy sporting a little fur coat? I genuinely appreciate the innovations coming from id Software, and each new release feels like a more sophisticated version of the doodles I was passionately sketching on my math homework back in fifth grade. It’s set to launch on PC and Xbox Series consoles, in addition to being available on PS5 as well.

Regarding Xbox-published titles arriving on PS5, anticipate Indiana Jones and the Great Circle to make its debut on the console featuring a circle button come spring. Moreover, speaking of Xbox-backed projects based on Disney-owned properties, there’s a potential that we’ll catch a glimpse of Arkane’s Blade title sometime in 2025. Admittedly, that is contingent – game development is arguably an even slower and more arduous endeavor than ice skating up a hill, so I wouldn’t be surprised if the daywalker doesn’t get released until 2026.

Multiplatform Games 2025

And hey, Blade isn’t the sole Marvel title in development – there’s also Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra, scheduled for 2025. This project is coming from Skydance New Media, helmed by Amy Hennig, known for her work on Uncharted, Legacy of Kain, or Michael Jordan Chaos in the Windy City. This game will showcase Captain America joining forces with the Black Panther during World War II – specifically, Azzuri, the grandfather of T’Challa. This should not be mistaken for the other Black Panther game being crafted by Cliffhanger Games, which likely has a much later release.

A variety of eagerly awaited sequels or newly introduced installments in established franchises are set to drop in 2025. Borderlands 4 will be the first numbered version in Gearbox’s looter shooter series since 2019, and hopefully a new game will capture more attention than that film adaptation did. It’s slated for new-gen consoles and PC. If you lean toward grindrails instead of loot, Skate 4 is finally anticipated to kick off early access this year – however, they’ve completely dropped the number from the title. It’s simply Skate now. It’s more streamlined. Before you get too enthusiastic, though, it’s important to mention that it’s going to be a free-to-play live service title published by EA, so temper your expectations. Meanwhile, Crazy Taxi is undergoing a similar transformation, and Sega’s arcade/Dreamcast classic is being revamped as an open-world MMO. Rumors suggest it could be released in 2025. At least one of these games better have The Offspring on the soundtrack.

If you’re fond of sand, then get hyped as we have a couple of literal sandboxes on the horizon. There’s Dune: Awakening, the survival RPG set within Frank Herbert’s spicy sci-fi domain – more specifically, on the planet of Arrakis. Next up is Crimson Desert, a single-player action title situated in the world of Black Desert Online. Judging by all the foliage, Crimson Desert doesn’t genuinely appear to occur in a desert, but perhaps it’s more of a mindset.

In any case, one title that finds itself in a contrasting environment to a desert is Subnautica 2, which is scheduled to launch in early access in 2025. It will have been over ten years since the inaugural title entered early access, and it has gained its fair share of enthusiasts during that period, so it is hoped that the sequel will satisfy them.

For those who prefer shuffling cards over mopping decks, there’s also Slay The Spire 2, the successor to the popular roguelike deckbuilder that made its debut back in 2017. If your interest lies in defeating enormous fearsome creatures, then there’s also Hell is Us, which appears to be soulslike, though it remains uncertain if it truly fits that genre. It features third-person gameplay with melee combat and exploration that’s likely to offer a solid distraction for Soulsborne aficionados waiting for whatever mystical creations FromSoft is currently brewing.

Would you believe I began crafting this article prior to the airing of The Game Awards? As it so happens, the mysterious creations FromSoft has been working on are Elden Ring Nightreign, a standalone cooperative multiplayer roguelike title expected to launch quite soon. Essentially, it replaces the tedious grind of the main game with a more efficient rush to collect runes and equipment on a reimagined and reshuffled map of The Lands Between that becomes even more bizarre as night falls. Additionally, there’s a rapidly diminishing circle of acid rain to navigate – or ring if you prefer. So yes, it has a touch of Fortnite – but is definitely something distinct altogether. While I greatly appreciate how FromSoft has steadily honed that fundamental Soulsborne experience, this seems like a direct nod to the inventive methods players have been utilizing in their games – you know, completing speed runs with DDR mats, or finishing the game without jumping, leveling up, or whatever, or crafting mods where every adversary is swapped out for Malenia and similar ideas. I’m uncertain if it’s something I would personally find enjoyment in, but I am eager to see how others engage with it. It will be available on all PlayStations, Xboxes, and PC.

Bioshock enthusiasts have awaited a new entry even longer than those for GTA, and though it might not be an official installment in the series, Judas clearly serves as a spiritual heir, and it’s supervised by Ken Levine, the man who first introduced us to Rapture and Columbia. We’re expected to see that sometime in 2025 – and of course, there’s also the chance that 2K unveils an official Bioshock again, about which we’ve been hearing rumors for quite some time now.

On the subject of GTA, if you feel Rockstar’s open-world crime saga has too much dancing and TikTok and desire your criminal activities to be a bit more structured, there’s also Mafia: The Old Country – this seems poised to build upon Olive Garden’s core principle of “When you’re here, you’re family” within a sprawling turn-of-the-century Sicilian landscape. Anticipate its release on new-gen consoles and PC sometime this summer. Capisce?

If silly first-person RPGs set in space with real-time combat and a number 2 in the title is your thing, The Outer Worlds 2 fits the bill, which is coming to Xbox Series and PC. If serious isometric RPGs in fantasy worlds featuring turn-based combat that accurately replicates D&D’s 5th edition ruleset and a Roman numeral II in the title are more your style, Solasta II also checks that box, expected on PC and likely consoles later on.

If you believed No Mans Sky had an excess of space and a shortage of inhabitants, Hello Games has been diligently working on their next incredibly ambitious venture, Light No Fire, which replaces deep-space interplanetary exploration with a fantasy realm for you to traverse. Interestingly, this fantasy world happens to be situated on a planet that is literally the size of Earth (as in, the large rock on which you currently reside), which remains a very extensive area. If you don’t believe me, try playing Flight Simulator. Or simply go outside, whichever suits you. Presently, Light No Fire is listed solely for PC. Oh, and if this game doesn’t meet all your expectations at launch, perhaps allow it some time. If No Man’s Sky has demonstrated anything, it’s that Hello Games will eventually deliver, so think twice before sending threats if there aren’t enough dragons or something.

If you’re short on zombie parkour games and craving a fresh one, well, wonderful news as Dying Light: The Beast is a standalone quest set in Techland’s undead universe expected to arrive in 2025 as well.

If the notion of dying upsets you and you’d prefer a game filled with many immortals, then you’re in luck – is 33 Immortals sufficient? If three’s a crowd, then thirty-three co-op players is quite a gathering, but that’s what is happening in this chaotic multiplayer roguelike from the studio behind Spiritfarter and Jotun. It will land on Xbox and PC at some point.

You may have observed that we haven’t extensively covered any remasters or re-releases, which was intentional, but we’re making one exception for Lunar Remastered Collection, which revives and enhances Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete and Lunar 2: Eternal Blue, titles that originally launched on the Sega Saturn almost three decades ago. Why this exception? Because Lunar is the all-time favorite game of Amanda Medina, who produced the video version of this article that you can view at the top of the page. If you’re producing these videos, you can tweak the rules and select the games.

Long Awaited Games That Might Drop in 2025 if We’re Lucky

There are a few titles that may eventually launch, but which have faced repeated delays to the point where it resembles a classic boy-who-cried-wolf scenario. In one instance, somewhat literally, with Telltale’s The Wolf Among Us 2. That was announced back in 2019, and to our last knowledge, it was set to debut in 2024. However, it did not materialize, so perhaps it will be ready for 2025. Or perhaps it might not come out at all! Simultaneously, Ark 2 was unveiled in 2020, originally scheduled for a 2022 release, yet it, too, failed to meet that timeline. Lastly, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 was originally slated for early 2020. I conducted an interview regarding that title at E3 2019, which now feels like eons ago.

On the topic of eons, we aren’t getting any younger, so I’ll conclude here. Once again, let me stress that these are by no means all the titles set for release in 2025. I can assure you that at least one of the games I mentioned will not be released in 2025. For further comprehensive and current updates on upcoming titles, we produce videos about the monthly game releases. The moment I finish this writing, I’ll begin drafting the script for January’s major games, so stay tuned for that.

And, moreover, if you really wish to stay informed on forthcoming releases, check out IGN Playlist. It’s akin to Letterboxd or Goodreads, but specifically for video games. It features a dedicated app where you can track what you have played, what you are currently playing, and what you wish to play in the future. Special thanks to Logan, who manages the extensive database of games that IGN Playlist utilizes. Each time a new title gets announced, he has to update it, and I suspect this year’s Game Awards may have pushed him to his limits.