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On one side, it appears that the gaming industry is accelerating. New genres may become obsolete before you even acknowledge them, and there is always a new craze or direction stirring the pot, for better or worse. Conversely, video game development tends to progress quite slowly in numerous instances, and the well-known elements still dominate. A significant element from the last decade is a 45-year-old title called Rogue.
Other discrepancies hinder efforts to grasp how gaming is evolving and its future direction, such as how the prosperous mainstream games sector has laid off thousands of employees over the past few years. We initiated Trend Watch late last year to compile these significant shifts, and as Wes mentioned recently, it seems a substantial transformation is on the horizon.
I won’t endeavor to foresee the specific nature of that substantial change—even making minor forecasts can be unwise, but at the beginning of each year, we strive to predict some of the gaming trends and events we anticipate over the coming year. Here’s what the PC Gamer crew has put together for 2025. For additional insights into the upcoming year, check out our extensive list of new games set for release in 2025.
The Epic Games launcher undergoes a major revamp and genuinely becomes a viable competitor to Steam
I think that if there is one topic that can unite us in agreement, it’s that the Epic Games Store is frustrating to utilize. The complimentary games are excellent, no doubt. However, the process of accessing and playing them is such a hassle that I frequently don’t bother. It also simply… does not provide native support for PlayStation controllers? Doesn’t Sony have a stake in your firm?
I digress. It’s a launcher I would genuinely appreciate using—as commendable as Steam is, it could benefit from some real competition. Robin Valentine expressed a similar sentiment when he reviewed several PC gaming launchers for 2024. If Epic can manage to add skibidi toilet to Fortnite, they can allocate some of those resources to enhance their platform, win over some of its critics, and give Steam a challenge.
Listen, you requested a daring prediction. —Mollie Taylor, Features Producer
A high-budget Phasmophobia or Lethal Company will finally materialize
Blockbuster titles typically require 5-8 years and often hundreds of millions of dollars to develop. In nautical terms, the largest publishers—Ubisoft, EA, Xbox, Take Two—are massive cargo ships that are sluggish to adapt to the increasingly fluid video game trends.
Five years after Phasmophobia (which remains quite enjoyable) should have provided ample time for one of these giants to capitalize on this still-emerging genre that merges co-op, proximity chat, and sandbox horror. The triumph of Lethal Company and Content Warning would have been too substantial to overlook, but even more pressing is the reality that everyone is engaging in games through the lens of their Discord friends, seeking experiences that pair well with socializing in a voice call. While the independently-made versions of these games are charming, larger budgets could lead to more intricate systems, enhanced visual quality, and generally more resources to fill those fearsome sandboxes. There is already one contender for this prediction underway: Midnight Murder Club, developed by the creators of Knockout City and published by Sony. —Evan Lahti, Strategic Director
Civilization 7 will be the title that disrupts the “Civ cycle”
The Civilization games consistently deliver quality. Indeed, they are nearly always exceptional. Civilization 4 established an incredibly high standard back in 2005, then elevated it further with multiple significant expansions. By the time Civ 5 launched in 2010, it was generally well-received, but I recall many individuals confidently asserting that Civ 4 remained the premier choice for several additional years. When Civ 5 received its expansions, it managed to win over the skeptics…and then Civ 6 was released.
This is the point where I would argue that the Civ cycle truly established itself: the preceding game, enriched with years of updates and comfortingly familiar, prevents the new installment from being the definitive Civ for the initial couple of years following its launch. As PC Gamer contributor Len Hafer stated in 2018: “It’s challenging to create a new strategy game that can contend with Civilization—even when that new strategy game is also Civilization.”
The excitement surrounding Civilization 7 (having won the title of #1 Most Wanted PC game of 2025) indicates to me that this installment is poised to break the cycle, however. It may not surpass Civ 6 in pure player numbers immediately—that would necessitate millions of sales right away. But I believe players are prepared for a new entry this time around. It’s been quite some time! From Civ 1 in 1991 to Civ 6 in 2016, Firaxis never took more than six years between releases. It has now been over eight years since Civ 6. The latest Civ received far more (and more timely) updates than any previous installment, but for once I think that’s actually going to result in the next…Civ a boost. Where on earth do you even begin with two expansions and 18 distinct pieces of DLC when trying to dive into Civ 6 today? I’m looking forward to Civilization 7 to clear everything away. Take me back to the primitive era. —Wes Fenlon, Senior Editor
Valve will unveil a new Half-Life game, or it won’t, but we’ll discover it regardless
It’s a tradition in PC gaming for someone to mistakenly assert that Half-Life 3 is just around the corner about once every six months or so, as recently observed in the baseless conjectures that it would make an appearance at The Game Awards. Just to clarify, I am not subtly hinting at any confidential proof I possess that a new Half-Life game is under development. I merely suspect there likely is one.
It has been five years since the release of Half-Life: Alyx, and I doubt Deadlock is the sole new title Valve has been engaged with since. A recent hint dropped by G-man’s voice actor, coupled with all the celebrations held for Half-Life 2’s 20th anniversary last year, lends a bit more weight to this theory.
I only hesitate to assert that the next Half-Life title will be announced this year because of Valve’s tight-lipped approach regarding the series. In the Half-Life 2 anniversary documentary, Gabe Newell clearly stated that Episode 3 did not materialize because he couldn’t ascertain how it was “advancing anything,” and after launching a remarkable VR experience, I’m uncertain whether Valve has determined its next direction.
If Valve is still hunting for the next significant technical milestone worthy of Half-Life, the wait may be longer than I am expecting. Nonetheless, if it hasn’t already been disclosed in some data-mined Counter-Strike 2 update, I genuinely believe we could see tangible proof of Valve’s quest for that premise this year. —Tyler Wilde, US Editor-in-Chief
Ubisoft regains its footing
A bit disappointing that this qualifies as a “daring” forecast, but I believe Ubisoft can still bounce back after a rather unfortunate stretch of years. All indications suggest that the publisher’s destiny will hinge on the success of its only major title with a set launch date, Assassin’s Creed Shadows. The action RPG has been pushed back to February, which I view as a positive sign considering the company’s history of hastily pushing out unstable games. The silver lining is that Shadows is looking increasingly impressive with each reveal. I can see the signs of a Ubisoft that recalls its roots in crafting exceptional stealth games.
Speaking of which, that Splinter Cell remake still lacks a release timeline. If the way forward involves taking smaller risks on niche games, a linear stealth title with a legacy (now long enough that a newer generation will experience Sam Fisher for the first time) would be a solid start. Additionally, Rainbow Six Siege remains a reliable source of quality tactical shooting. The FPS is set to embark on its 10th year of updates. Meanwhile, XDefiant will close down in June after just turning one year old. —Morgan Park, Staff Writer
I am as eager as anyone for The Sims franchise to face some genuine competition. EA has held the crown uncontested for too long. However, if we believe that Inzoi is going to arrive with a flawless launch, we are fooling ourselves. Simulation games are inherently buggy. They are so intricate that avoiding issues is virtually impossible. Therefore, Inzoi will launch with glitches: bizarre animations, Zois getting stuck or baffled, lighting issues, crashes to desktop, you name it.
I’m mentally ready, but I think many individuals who have eagerly been awaiting Inzoi’s rise will not be prepared for reality on day one. When footage of those glaring bugs circulates on social media, we will witness the type of chaos Tumblr hasn’t encountered in years. Sims enthusiasts who have rejected Inzoi on principle will arrogantly revel in the turmoil while Inzoi advocates retaliate and suppress criticisms. There will be passive-aggressive finger-pointing for weeks as Krafton scrambles to issue hotfixes, I promise you. — Lauren Morton, Associate Editor
Rocksteady reveals a new Batman Arkham game, at last
Wow, it has been nearly 10 years since Batman: Arkham Knight? And Rocksteady’s last title, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League “didn’t meet the company’s financial expectations?” And people are so eager for new Batman content they’ve been creating Batman-inspired projects even though they can’t include him, like a TV series featuring the Penguin and another show that bizarrely explores the origins of Batman’s iconic butler? Yeah, I suspect Rocksteady is transitioning to Whoops, All Batmans if it hasn’t already, so anticipate Batman: Arkham Something to be unveiled around the not-E3 period, if not earlier. —Christopher Livingston, Senior Editor
Bethesda finally reveals its long-expected Oblivion remaster but it must contend with Skyblivion
There have been speculations regarding an officially developed remaster of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion by Bethesda circulating for years now—it was reportedly even intended for a release back in 2022. The rumor mill is once again active concerning this long-rumored project, and I believe this might finally be the year.
It makes perfect sense: The Elder Scrolls 6 is still quite far off, Starfield was somewhat underwhelming, and Bethesda has both the motivation and availability in its release agenda to rejuvenate an old classic and rekindle excitement about its games. Skyrim has already been re-released countless times, Morrowind would necessitate a significantly more extensive overhaul of its core systems (and quest design, in my opinion), so Oblivion finds itself in an excellent position to gain from a remaster without being a colossal development undertaking. Beyond just a fresh visual update, aligning Oblivion’s combat, loot, and leveling more closely with Skyrim or Fallout 4 would enhance what is already an enchanting, immersive open world. The prolonged development time of this remaster leads me to believe it’s likely beyond just a simple upgrade like Skyrim Anniversary edition.
There’s just one catch: There is already an Oblivion remaster in the pipeline, we’ve witnessed it in action, and it looks stunning. The Skyblivion total conversion for Skyrim resembles a high-quality remake, and it’s expected to launch in 2025. In my view, Skyblivion holds a significant edge as a known entity with a wealth of community goodwill, while an official Oblivion remaster would have Bethesda striving to regain favor after a stretch of lean years. Conversely, Bethesda possesses resources that the Skyblivion team can only aspire to, and if the studio approaches the project as an experimental ground for what it hopes to accomplish in The Elder Scrolls 6, that would heighten the excitement. I am keen to see how this unfolds one way or another. —Ted Litchfield, Associate Editor
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