Between video games {industry} layoffs, studio closures, dwell service disasters, and — regardless of all of it — some wonderful video games, 2024 was a packed 12 months for the medium. Among the greatest tales of the 12 months had been marked by industry-wide shifts — from Xbox making its first-party video games obtainable on PlayStation and Nintendo Change, to dwell 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 Move.
However for all of 2024’s greatest gaming tales, 2025 in some way guarantees to be larger. From a bit sport referred to as Grand Theft Auto 6, to the successor to a modestly profitable console referred to as the Nintendo Change – the approaching 12 months might 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 seems 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 persistence goes to repay when GTA 6 turns into a actuality within the Fall of subsequent 12 months. It’s, with no shred of doubt, essentially the most anticipated sport of all time. At this level, it is not only a sport; it is a lightning rod for all that gaming is and could be.
The subsequent Grand Theft Auto shouldn’t be solely a watershed second for Rockstar, a studio that has maybe set the bar larger than anybody else within the medium, but in addition for the video games {industry} as a complete. It’s certain to revitalise console gross sales, deliver unprecedented press and world consideration to the medium and encourage limitless dialog on-line for years to come back.
Similar to through 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 long run 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 may even deliver a drip feed of updates on the upcoming sport. We do not but have an official launch date, and a delay into 2026 appears unlikely at this level. However each time GTA 6 comes out subsequent 12 months, will probably be the most important occasion on the gaming calendar.
Nintendo Change 2
Nintendo Change has achieved effectively. The lovable, little hybrid handheld has offered over 145 million items 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 up to now that the Change 2 shall be launched earlier than the tip of March 2025, and will probably be backwards appropriate with Nintendo Change video games.
The 12 months will probably see sturdy gross sales of the Change 2 and a number of Nintendo first-party releases for the brand new console. The Nintendo Change successor shall be extra highly effective, maybe function an even bigger show and a greater battery. Leaks have offered some insights into the options of the hybrid console. It’s prone to get a extra highly effective dock, a redesigned stand and magnetic Pleasure-Con controllers to get rid of stick drift.
The Change 2, nonetheless, has loads to dwell as much as. Its beloved predecessor is the third-highest promoting console of all time after the PlayStation 2 and the Nintendo DS. However anticipate Nintendo to be up for the duty. The Nintendo Change 2 may emulate the unique Change and develop into the defining piece of gaming {hardware} for the subsequent few years.
Extra Gaming Handhelds
Gaming handhelds are again within the image, with a number of producers launching their moveable gaming gadgets over the previous two years. The Nintendo Change scratched an itch, the Steam Deck opened the door, and now we’ve Home windows-based gaming handheld PCs from manufacturers like Asus, Lenovo, MSI and extra. 2025 will probably 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 anticipate 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 type issue, and Steam Deck has held sturdy towards growing competitors, at the same time as an announcement about its successor seems to be unlikely. However the coming 12 months may see another main gamers soar into the hand held area, together with Nvidia. Between the Change 2, Steam Deck, ROG Ally X, Lenovo Legion Go and MSI Claw, a crowded area should 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 greatest dwell service wager, Harmony, launching to the sound of crickets and shutting down withing two weeks, to Astro Bot profitable Sport of the Yr at The Sport Awards 2024 – the Japanese conglomerate was on a curler coaster journey in 2024. Within the absence of main first-party releases, Sony positioned its religion in exterior studios creating video games for its platforms. Helldivers 2 was a large hit, launching concurrently on PS5 and PC, and offering a blueprint for future multiplayer releases from Sony.
Single-player titles unique to the PS5 had been a little bit of a combined bag. Remaining Fantasy VII: Rebirth was a important darling however fell wanting gross sales expectations for Sq. Enix. Group Ninja’s Rise of the Ronin and Shift Up’s Stellar Blade provided 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 may look past third-person action-adventure titles for his or her subsequent large hit.
However the PlayStation mother or father is unquestionably 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 Seashore additionally arrives in 2025. There are some fascinating third-party PS5 unique releases lined up, as effectively. However we might probably 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 may, nonetheless, 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 fascinating 2024. With Indiana Jones and the Nice Circle, Stalker 2 and Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 in its rearview mirror, Xbox now seems to be 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 strategy to PlayStation and Change, and we might get extra particulars concerning the Xbox handheld reported to be within the works. There may not be any large surprises, however 2025 is ready to be good 12 months for Sport Move subscribers and gamers on the Xbox platform.
