Between video games {industry} layoffs, studio closures, reside service disasters, and — regardless of all of it — some glorious video games, 2024 was a packed 12 months for the medium. Among the largest tales of the 12 months have been marked by industry-wide shifts — from Xbox making its first-party video games accessible on PlayStation and Nintendo Change, to reside service video games shedding floor. 2024 additionally noticed the discharge of PlayStation 5 Professional and Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision-Blizzard lastly bearing fruit with Name of Responsibility coming to Sport Cross.
However for all of 2024’s largest gaming tales, 2025 one way or the other guarantees to be greater. From just a little recreation known as Grand Theft Auto 6, to the successor to a modestly profitable console known as the Nintendo Change – the approaching 12 months may very well be a landmark 12 months in gaming. With 2024 in our rearview mirror, let us take a look at our picks for issues to look out for in gaming in 2025:
Grand Theft Auto 6
What looks like three many years after the launch of Grand Theft Auto 5, Rockstar Video games, the unique rockstars of open world video games, will lastly launch Grand Theft Auto 6 in 2025. It has been years of wait and years of leaks, however endurance goes to repay when GTA 6 turns into a actuality within the Fall of subsequent 12 months. It’s, with out a shred of doubt, essentially the most anticipated recreation of all time. At this level, it isn’t only a recreation; it is a lightning rod for all that gaming is and will be.
The subsequent Grand Theft Auto shouldn’t be solely a watershed second for Rockstar, a studio that has maybe set the bar increased than anybody else within the medium, but in addition for the video games {industry} as a complete. It’s sure to revitalise console gross sales, deliver unprecedented press and world consideration to the medium and encourage limitless dialog on-line for years to return.
Identical to throughout the run as much as the discharge of Cyberpunk 2077, there’s additionally an simple feeling that GTA 6 will slam open a window to what video games of the longer term will look and play like. The primary trailer already set the expectations excessive, and the clamour for a second trailer has now crossed the 12 months mark. With no information on GTA 6 in 2024, subsequent 12 months can even deliver a drip feed of updates on the upcoming recreation. We do not but have an official launch date, and a delay into 2026 appears unlikely at this level. However at any time when GTA 6 comes out subsequent 12 months, it will likely be the most important occasion on the gaming calendar.
Nintendo Change 2
Nintendo Change has achieved properly. The lovable, little hybrid handheld has bought over 145 million models because it went on sale in 2017. And Nintendo is lastly able to deliver out its successor, the Nintendo Change 2. The Japanese firm has remained tight-lipped on its subsequent console, solely confirming to date that the Change 2 can be launched earlier than the tip of March 2025, and it will likely be backwards appropriate with Nintendo Change video games.
The 12 months will seemingly see robust gross sales of the Change 2 and a bunch of Nintendo first-party releases for the brand new console. The Nintendo Change successor can be extra highly effective, maybe function an even bigger show and a greater battery. Leaks have supplied some insights into the options of the hybrid console. It’s more likely to get a extra highly effective dock, a redesigned stand and magnetic Pleasure-Con controllers to remove stick drift.
The Change 2, nevertheless, has rather a lot to reside as much as. Its beloved predecessor is the third-highest promoting console of all time after the PlayStation 2 and the Nintendo DS. However count on Nintendo to be up for the duty. The Nintendo Change 2 might emulate the unique Change and turn into the defining piece of gaming {hardware} for the following few years.
Extra Gaming Handhelds
Gaming handhelds are again within the image, with a number of producers launching their transportable gaming gadgets over the previous two years. The Nintendo Change scratched an itch, the Steam Deck opened the door, and now now we have Home windows-based gaming handheld PCs from manufacturers like Asus, Lenovo, MSI and extra. 2025 will seemingly see extra of those make it to market.
Lenovo is probably going readying its new lineup of Lenovo Legion Go handhelds for CES 2025 in January and we are able to count on extra producers to observe swimsuit. Each Sony and Microsoft are reportedly engaged on handhelds that may play PlayStation and Xbox video games, respectively. Whereas these gadgets are unlikely to reach in 2025, we may even see extra particulars about them emerge within the coming months.
Nintendo Change 2 will undoubtedly be the king of the hand-held kind issue, and Steam Deck has held robust in opposition to rising competitors, at the same time as an announcement about its successor seems unlikely. However the coming 12 months might see another main gamers bounce into the hand-held house, together with Nvidia. Between the Change 2, Steam Deck, ROG Ally X, Lenovo Legion Go and MSI Claw, a crowded subject must make room for extra.
The Steam Deck OLED launched in 2023
Photograph Credit score: Valve
What’s Subsequent from PlayStation in 2025
This was an eventful 12 months for Sony. From their largest reside service wager, Harmony, launching to the sound of crickets and shutting down withing two weeks, to Astro Bot successful Sport of the 12 months at The Sport Awards 2024 – the Japanese conglomerate was on a curler coaster trip in 2024. Within the absence of main first-party releases, Sony positioned its religion in exterior studios growing video games for its platforms. Helldivers 2 was an enormous hit, launching concurrently on PS5 and PC, and offering a blueprint for future multiplayer releases from Sony.
Single-player titles unique to the PS5 have been a little bit of a combined bag. Last Fantasy VII: Rebirth was a crucial darling however fell wanting gross sales expectations for Sq. Enix. Group Ninja’s Rise of the Ronin and Shift Up’s Stellar Blade supplied new experiences in a 12 months missing a tentpole PlayStation unique, however they did not fairly meet the excessive requirements of the platform. And Astro Bot proved that Sony might look past third-person action-adventure titles for his or her subsequent massive hit.
However the PlayStation mum or dad is definitely gearing up for a busier 2025. Ghost of Yotei, Sucker Punch’s long-awaited follow-up to Ghost of Tsushima, is popping out subsequent 12 months and Dying Stranding 2: On The Seaside additionally arrives in 2025. There are some attention-grabbing third-party PS5 unique releases lined up, as properly. However we might seemingly have to attend longer earlier than we get to play Naughty Canine’s Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, Insomniac’s Wolverine and no matter Santa Monica Studio has quietly been cooking because the developer launched God of Conflict Ragnarök. We might, nevertheless, get extra updates about these video games subsequent 12 months.
What’s Subsequent for Xbox in 2025
From a strategic shift that noticed the corporate launch its first-party video games on rival platforms, to main first-party releases that lastly confirmed the primary indicators of Microsoft’s acquisition spree bearing fruit – Xbox had an attention-grabbing 2024. With Indiana Jones and the Nice Circle, Stalker 2 and Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 in its rearview mirror, Xbox now seems in direction of its 2025 slate – and it is wanting good!
Microsoft will kick off 2025 with Avowed, Obsidian’s subsequent RPG, in February, earlier than Doom: The Darkish Ages and South of Midnight launch later within the 12 months. Playground Video games’ long-awaited action-RPG Fable can also be slated to launch in 2025.
We’d see extra Xbox video games make their method to PlayStation and Change, and we might get extra particulars in regards to the Xbox handheld reported to be within the works. There won’t be any massive surprises, however 2025 is about to be good 12 months for Sport Cross subscribers and gamers on the Xbox platform.
