15 Upcoming Games of 2025
Upcoming games of 2025, Including release dates, platforms, and everything you need to know about the biggest titles of the year.
In This Post
1. Grand Theft Auto VI
Release Date and Platforms
Rockstar Games’ highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI is slated for release in 2025. While an exact date hasn’t been confirmed, the game is expected to launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Given the franchise’s history, a staggered release across platforms is possible, with consoles likely receiving the game before PC.
Setting and Gameplay Innovations
Set in the fictional state of Leonida, inspired by Florida, GTA VI promises a vibrant open world teeming with life. The game introduces two protagonists, Lucia and Jason, marking the series’ first female lead. Players can expect a dynamic narrative that shifts between characters, reminiscent of GTA V‘s storytelling approach. Enhanced AI, realistic weather systems, and a more interactive environment aim to elevate the gameplay experience.
2. The Elder Scrolls VI
Anticipated Features
Bethesda’s The Elder Scrolls VI remains shrouded in mystery, but expectations are high. Rumors suggest the game will be set in Hammerfell, offering vast deserts, coastal regions, and mountainous terrains. A revamped engine promises improved graphics, physics, and AI behavior. Players can anticipate deeper role-playing elements, expanded faction systems, and more impactful choices.
Development Updates
Announced in 2018, TES VI has been in development alongside Starfield. With Starfield released, Bethesda’s focus has shifted entirely to TES VI. While no official release date has been provided, industry insiders speculate a late 2025 launch. The game is expected to be available on Xbox Series X/S and PC, with PlayStation availability uncertain due to Microsoft’s acquisition of Bethesda.
3. Doom: The Dark Ages
Medieval Twist on a Classic
Doom: The Dark Ages takes the franchise in a bold new direction, blending the series’ signature fast-paced combat with a medieval setting. Players will wield swords, shields, and ancient firearms to battle demonic hordes. The game’s aesthetic combines gothic architecture with hellish landscapes, creating a unique atmosphere.The Verge+2Polygon+2Vulture+2
Gameplay Mechanics and Visuals
Built on id Software’s latest engine, the game promises smooth performance and stunning visuals. New mechanics, such as horseback combat and siege warfare, add depth to the gameplay. Multiplayer modes are also expected to return, offering both cooperative and competitive experiences. Doom: The Dark Ages is set to release on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC.
4. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
Story Continuation
Hideo Kojima returns with Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, continuing the enigmatic journey of Sam Porter Bridges. The sequel delves deeper into the mysteries of the Death Stranding phenomenon, introducing new characters and expanding the lore. Expect a narrative rich in symbolism, emotional depth, and unexpected twists.Wikipedia
New Gameplay Elements
Building upon the original’s unique traversal mechanics, the sequel introduces new tools and vehicles to aid in exploration. Enhanced combat systems, stealth options, and cooperative multiplayer elements aim to diversify gameplay. The game also boasts improved graphics and environmental effects, creating a more immersive world. Death Stranding 2 is anticipated to launch on PlayStation 5 and PC.
5. Borderlands 4
Return of the Loot Shooter
Gearbox Software’s Borderlands 4 brings back the chaotic looter-shooter action fans adore. Set in a new region of the galaxy, the game introduces fresh vault hunters, each with unique abilities and skill trees. The signature cel-shaded art style returns, enhanced by next-gen graphics.
Characters and Storyline
While details are scarce, the narrative is expected to continue the saga of the Vaults and the corporations vying for control. Familiar faces may return, alongside new antagonists and allies. Cooperative multiplayer remains a core feature, with cross-platform play likely to be supported. Borderlands 4 is set to release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
6. Monster Hunter Wilds
New Monsters and Environments
Capcom’s upcoming title Monster Hunter Wilds is shaping up to be a monumental evolution in the franchise. This time, the environments are more dynamic and expansive than ever before. Expect ecosystems to react to your presence and the monsters themselves to have adaptive behaviors depending on the time of day, weather conditions, and even your previous encounters. Fans are particularly excited about the inclusion of never-before-seen monsters with intricate attack patterns and habitat-based instincts. These new beasts are designed to challenge veteran hunters and encourage strategic thinking rather than button mashing.
Each biome promises a unique setting—from arid desert expanses to stormy mountain peaks, bringing a level of diversity we haven’t seen in prior entries. Real-time environmental transitions and hidden secrets within the world will ensure that no two hunts feel the same. You’ll have to plan carefully before setting out on expeditions because the terrain can shift mid-hunt, sometimes to your advantage, other times to your demise.
Multiplayer Enhancements
What’s more exciting is the multiplayer overhaul. Capcom is refining the co-op system to feel more organic. Now, players can seamlessly drop in and out of each other’s worlds without cumbersome loading screens or session IDs. The game also introduces a new support class system, encouraging teamwork with more defined roles such as damage, support, and trap-setter—adding layers to group strategy.
Communication tools, ping systems, and coordinated attack prompts have all been reworked for smoother teamwork. Whether you’re teaming up with friends or joining public lobbies, the enhanced multiplayer will feel more immersive and functional. With cross-platform compatibility almost confirmed, Monster Hunter Wilds is expected to redefine what cooperative hunting games can be.
7. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
Samus’s New Adventure
After years of anticipation, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is finally back on the radar, and it looks like Nintendo is pulling out all the stops. Samus Aran returns in what is rumored to be her most emotionally charged and expansive mission to date. The game picks up the thread from Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, but we’re diving even deeper into her origin story and the mysteries of the Chozo.
Nintendo is also pushing the boundaries in terms of scale. This installment takes Samus across a galaxy of interconnected planets, each with its own biome, lore, and secrets. You’ll be solving environmental puzzles, scanning ancient ruins, and discovering lost civilizations. It’s not just about shooting anymore; it’s about uncovering hidden truths and evolving your playstyle as Samus upgrades her suit and weaponry.
Gameplay and Exploration
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond remains a first-person adventure, but it now includes several new traversal mechanics. Think jet-boosted jumps, enhanced Morph Ball maneuvers, and even limited-time flight modules. This opens up vertical exploration like never before, rewarding curious players with powerful upgrades and rich lore snippets.
The graphics have seen a massive overhaul, running on an advanced version of the Nintendo Switch engine rumored to power the next-gen “Switch 2.” Lighting effects, texture detail, and particle effects create an atmospheric world full of tension and wonder. Fans of the series will appreciate the return of scanning and logbook mechanics, with added voice-overs and cinematic sequences for a more narrative-driven experience.
8. Pokémon Legends: Z-A
Setting and Story
Building upon the success of Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Z-A takes the franchise in a thrilling new direction. This time, we’re heading to Lumiose City in the Kalos region, a metropolis with deep connections to Mega Evolution. Unlike previous games, the story focuses heavily on urban development and the effects of modernization on both Pokémon and people.
The storyline centers around a mysterious group intent on altering evolution itself. As a trainer tasked with investigating this anomaly, you’ll traverse different districts of Lumiose, each with its own themes, Pokémon spawns, and mini-stories. There’s an underlying theme of ethics versus progress, making it one of the franchise’s most mature narratives.
Gameplay Innovations
The semi-open-world design returns, but this time it’s more refined. Dynamic day/night cycles, interactive city elements, and vertical exploration (think rooftop hopping and underground tunnels) make the city feel alive. Pokémon interact more naturally with the environment, and trainers must adapt by using stealth, bait, and terrain tactics.
Mega Evolution is back with a twist. Trainers can now customize and craft Mega Stones through quests, enhancing their connection with specific Pokémon. The game also introduces multi-trainer battles where you can team up with NPCs or online players against powerful raid bosses. It’s not just a catch-and-battle game anymore—it’s a rich RPG with mechanics that reward exploration and experimentation.
9. Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra
Superheroes in WWII
Set during the height of World War II, Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra tells a compelling alternate-history tale where Captain America, Black Panther (Azzuri), and other lesser-known heroes battle against a Hydra-led global coup. Rather than following the glossy superhero tropes, the game leans into gritty realism and historical references, weaving a deep political thriller beneath the superpowered chaos.
This is not just fan service—it’s a richly crafted narrative filled with espionage, betrayal, and tough moral choices. You’ll navigate war-torn Europe, ancient Wakandan temples, and secret Hydra installations as you piece together a puzzle that could change the course of history. Expect heavy-hitting cutscenes, character-driven dialogue, and narrative twists that challenge your perceptions of heroism.
Combat and Storytelling
Gameplay is third-person, blending stealth, brawling, and light puzzle-solving. Each character has unique abilities—Captain America excels at crowd control, while Black Panther uses agility and stealth. Players can switch between them in real time or co-op with a friend, depending on the mission.
The storytelling borrows from narrative-heavy titles like The Last of Us and God of War, with choices affecting relationships and branching dialogue trees that influence mission outcomes. Expect richly detailed environments, orchestral soundscapes, and a mature script that appeals to both comic book fans and gamers craving a serious action-adventure experience.
10. South of Midnight
Unique Art Style
South of Midnight, developed by Compulsion Games, immediately caught the gaming community’s eye thanks to its jaw-dropping claymation-style visuals and deep Southern Gothic atmosphere. The art direction blends eerie bayous, haunted plantations, and mythical creatures pulled straight from American folklore. Every frame of this game feels like a moving painting, exuding style and substance.
It’s not just visual flair either—this style plays into the mechanics. Creatures behave differently depending on whether it’s dusk or midnight in-game. Shadows bend and warp, hiding threats or revealing paths. This game dares to be different, leaning into visual storytelling rather than heavy exposition.
Narrative and Gameplay
You play as Hazel, a young woman with the rare ability to interact with spectral beings and manipulate time. As she unravels the mysteries of her hometown’s cursed history, you’ll engage in combat, environmental puzzles, and time-based challenges. Dialogue is sparse but impactful, with voice acting and sound design playing a massive role in building tension and emotion.
Gameplay leans toward action-adventure with light RPG elements. Hazel can craft charms, gain abilities from spirits, and form uneasy alliances with entities both human and supernatural. Expect a slow-burn narrative that rewards attention to detail and exploration. This is a game for players who appreciate atmosphere as much as action.
11. Ghost of Yōtei
Feudal Japan Setting
Ghost of Yōtei is being developed as a spiritual successor to Ghost of Tsushima and brings players into the cold, mountainous northern regions of feudal Japan. Set during the early 14th century, the game is grounded in historical events but enriched with supernatural folklore. Mount Yōtei—often referred to as the “Mount Fuji of Hokkaido”—is at the heart of the game, surrounded by dense forests, cursed villages, and shrines teeming with spirit activity.
Unlike its predecessor, which focused on Mongol invasions, Ghost of Yōtei dives deep into local legends and spirit myths. You’ll encounter yokai, kami, and ancient curses that blur the line between the living and the dead. The developers have prioritized cultural accuracy, working with historians and folklore experts to shape the game’s stories and environmental design.
Combat and Exploration
Combat returns with a heavy emphasis on katana duels and stealth, but new magical elements shake things up. Players can now use spiritual energy gained from vanquished spirits to unleash devastating attacks or alter time during fights. The new stance system allows for adaptive fighting styles based on the enemy type—whether it’s a ronin, a cursed samurai, or a demonic entity.
Exploration is open-world, but not in a traditional sense. You’ll rely on environmental clues and folklore-inspired puzzles to navigate between regions. Animal companions like foxes and owls act as spiritual guides, leading you to hidden temples or quest markers. With a dynamic weather system, seasons change not just visually but also mechanically—affecting visibility, enemy types, and traversal routes.
12. The Duskbloods
FromSoftware’s New IP
Known for the brutal worlds of Dark Souls and Elden Ring, FromSoftware’s next title, The Duskbloods, promises to be both a departure and a continuation of their masterful game design. This time, we’re taken into a dark-fantasy world inspired by gothic Victorian aesthetics fused with sci-fi horror. Think cosmic dread meets black-powder rifles.
You play as a Duskblood—one of the cursed few who survive by absorbing the essence of corrupted gods. This gives players unique mutation-based abilities that can evolve depending on their decisions and gameplay style. FromSoftware’s signature storytelling remains intact: cryptic, layered with lore, and open to interpretation.
Multiplayer and Mechanics
The combat system is tighter than ever. The Duskbloods blends gunplay with brutal melee combat, introducing a parry-based system and new stamina-management mechanics. Every boss is a puzzle in itself, requiring not just reflexes but strategy, positioning, and patience.
Multiplayer goes beyond simple co-op or invasion. Now, entire realms can be co-inhabited by other players in real-time, allowing for emergent alliances or betrayals. FromSoftware has also added a clan system that affects world events—your allegiance can open quests or lock you out of specific lore paths.
With visual fidelity pushed to the max and haunting sound design, The Duskbloods is poised to redefine dark-fantasy RPGs for a new generation.
13. Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet
Sci-Fi Narrative
Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet is a breakout title from indie studio White Nova, and it’s already being called “the next Mass Effect.” Set in a distant future where humans have been exiled from Earth by an AI deity, you take on the role of a rogue prophet rallying alien factions to challenge the divine code that governs the galaxy.
The game blends hard science fiction with theological debates and philosophical undertones. Each choice you make affects the alignment of entire civilizations. You’ll be traveling to hostile planets, navigating political tensions, and managing inter-species relationships.
Gameplay and World-Building
The game features a hybrid combat system combining third-person shooting with command-based strategy. Your squad, made up of alien warriors, scientists, and mystics, can be directed individually or allowed to act autonomously based on AI behavior trees that you customize.
Ship exploration is massive. You can customize your vessel, make repairs, and upgrade it through alien tech. Interstellar travel isn’t just a backdrop—it’s a gameplay mechanic with risks like wormhole anomalies, space pirates, and diplomatic inspections. Visually, the game draws from retro-futurism, combining glowing interfaces with biomechanical alien aesthetics.
Dialogues are choice-heavy, and characters remember your past actions, altering storylines and potential endings dramatically. Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet is shaping up to be a must-play for fans of deep, meaningful science fiction RPGs.
14. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Artistic RPG Experience
If you ever wished for a video game to feel like living inside a painting, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 might be your dream come true. Set in a surrealist dreamworld, this turn-based RPG follows a group of outcasts on a mission to rewrite fate itself. The game’s painterly art style and orchestrated score give it a hauntingly beautiful aesthetic.
Players explore dreamlike cities, floating castles, and abstract battlefields. Time and memory are recurring themes, with environments shifting based on player decisions and character trauma. The game invites you to reflect on identity, consequence, and sacrifice in a way few games dare to.
Combat and Story
Combat is turn-based with real-time prompts similar to Paper Mario or Persona. Every character has an affinity—like color, emotion, or season—that influences their abilities and narrative arcs. You can also “paint” or “erase” parts of the world during combat, affecting outcomes and unlocking secrets.
The story is deeply personal. Each party member has a tragic backstory connected to the world’s unraveling fate. Through dialogue, exploration, and memory reconstruction, you piece together their lives and the role they must play in saving—or ending—the world. It’s as much a game as it is an emotional journey.
15. Slay the Spire 2
Deck-Building Evolution
Slay the Spire 2 brings back everything fans loved about the original roguelike deck-builder but amps it up with bold innovations. Multiple new heroes, customizable decks, and a branching multiverse map make every run unique. Each hero now has a meta-class system, allowing players to specialize in archetypes like combo, stall, or burst damage.
The visual style has been polished but retains its quirky, hand-drawn charm. Enemies are more complex, with behaviors that evolve during the run. Some bosses even “learn” from your deck-building choices, forcing you to pivot strategies mid-game.
New Characters and Mechanics
Three new characters debut in this sequel: The Stitcher (a puppetmaster), The Pariah (a curse wielder), and The Conductor (a rhythm-based tactician). Each comes with unique mechanics and resource types, making them feel radically different from one another.
Meta-progression is also richer. You now unlock permanent relics, alternate realities, and even parallel versions of bosses who behave differently. The game supports both solo and multiplayer challenges, with daily runs, scoreboards, and even co-op boss raids where players can combine decks in creative ways.
Slay the Spire 2 is a love letter to roguelike fans and a bold step forward in the genre’s evolution.
Conclusion
2025 is shaping up to be a monumental year for gaming. From long-awaited sequels like GTA VI and The Elder Scrolls VI to ambitious new IPs like The Duskbloods and Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, the variety and quality of games on the horizon is unprecedented. Whether you’re a fan of fast-paced shooters, narrative-rich RPGs, or genre-defining adventures, there’s something to look forward to. These titles are not only pushing the boundaries of graphics and gameplay but also storytelling, world-building, and emotional engagement. It’s a good time to be a gamer.
FAQs
1. What are the most anticipated games of 2025?
Grand Theft Auto VI, The Elder Scrolls VI, and The Duskbloods are among the most talked-about releases for 2025.
2. Will these games be available on all platforms?
Most will launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Some, like Metroid Prime 4, will be Nintendo exclusives.
3. Are there any new IPs to look out for?
Yes, titles like The Duskbloods, Intergalactic, and Clair Obscur are entirely new properties bringing fresh ideas.
4. What genres are dominating 2025 releases?
Expect a strong presence of action-adventure, RPGs, and narrative-heavy sci-fi/fantasy games.
5. How can I stay updated on release dates?
Follow official game sites, developer social media pages, and platforms like Steam or PlayStation Store for regular updates.
Please don’t forget to leave a review.
Explore more by joining me on BuyMeACoffee