Rockstar Games' GTA VI artwork with character Jason and Lucia. Photo: Rockstar Games
With massive acquisitions and layoffs from major publishers and major title releases few and far between, it is safe to say 2024 was a turbulent year for the games industry.
But it was not all bad - the industry giants laying low meant independent developers got the opportunity to showcase some unique and splendid new titles, giving many smaller games much-needed recognition in last year's Game Awards.
The release roster for 2025 looks very different, with about 200 games set to come out this year, many of which are long-awaited big budget sequels.
So, hold on to your wallets and get ready to expand those hard drives as we look at a few titles that gamers cannot wait to play.
Warning: Some trailers feature adult and graphic content.
Sid Meier's Civilisation VII
- Platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
- Release Date: 12 February
- Age rating: PG
Nine years since its prequel, the newest addition to the franchise aims to be more ambitious than ever before. This grand turn-based strategy game lets you play through the entire history of the world in a single game. Pick from a new roster of historical figures to lead your empire as you grow your civilisation through new civics and science progression trees.
The game features a diverse range of cultures depicted through detailed architecture and character design, with even more ways to explore and interact with the world map.
The biggest change this time around is "ages", certain events or passage of time cause the world to enter a new age. Each age brings new challenges, new civics, new tech and new civilisations based on historical accuracy while retaining all their previous advancements.
Get ready to spend thousands of hours as you explore, grow, engage in diplomacy, inevitably wage war and lose your friends to in game global politics.
Doom: The Dark Ages
- Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- Release date: Some time in 2025
- Age rating: Pending
Doom: The Dark Ages is a prequel to the Doom (2016) reboot that brought some of the best action-packed gameplay and music of the last decade. You play Doom Slayer, a warrior fighting through hell against endless hordes of demonic monsters.
The devs claim it is going to be an epic cinematic origin story and that might very well be true, but I don't have a clue what the plot has been so far because I was too busy enjoying the gameplay.
Doom stands as a testament to the fact that a great game doesn't need anything fancy like a story. All we really want is healthy arsenal of weapons to destroy a variety of monsters and a killer industrial metal soundtrack for adrenaline-fuelled headbanging.
This iteration takes things up a notch with unhinged weapons like the "skull crusher" (a modified woodchipper that converts demon skulls into projectile shrapnel), a chainsaw shield, a Mecha dragon with jet engine wings to ride into battle, and a pilotable giant demonic mech. Nothing more needs to be said but "fantastic! Gimme 14 of them".
Avowed
- Platforms: Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- Release date: 19 February
- Age rating: R13
Avowed is a first-person single player RPG (role-playing game) set in the high fantasy world of the lesser-known Pillars of Eternity franchise. Due to its similarity to the Elderscrolls franchise, Obsidian Entertainment was quick to point that Avowed is more akin to games like Outer Wilds with a relatively linear plot progression.
You embark on the island Aedyr to investigate a plague and discover an ancient secret that could destroy the Living Lands. Players can choose their combat style and form varying combinations of magic, guns, swords or bows as they explore many strange environments with unique ecosystems the living lands have to offer.
This story-rich experience lets you adventure alongside different non-playable companions based on your choices made through branching dialogue trees. Avowed is a much-needed IP in a world of sequels with new major titles few and far between.
High fantasy action games aren't particularly ground-breaking but fans of the genre are excited to explore this new title that could very well be the start of a new franchise.
Borderlands 4
- Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- Release date: Some time in 2025
- Age rating: pending
Despite the spectacular failure of the Borderlands movie, this game continues to be on top of many gamers' wish list for 2025. Fans are eagerly waiting to see where the story is heading since Borderlands 3 felt like a conclusion to the series.
Its new chapter begins many years later, on planet Kairos. The events of the last game left it vulnerable, leading to the rise of a horde of bandits known as Rippers who are at war with The Order lead by the Timekeeper and his army of synthetic soldiers. You get to choose from four vault hunters with larger skill trees (yet to be revealed) as you shoot and loot your way through the chaos on the planet.
It is set to release in sometime in 2025, but a gameplay debut should be coming very soon as much is still unknown. Bits of gameplay from the trailer shows new traversal mechanics and vehicles that would make for more interesting exploration and combat.
The franchise's weakest aspect, i.e. its humour, will also see a shift in comedic style as per the game's director, Sam Winkler. The game will also have split-screen local co-op which is very rare in 2025. As always, the game would have even more loot, more character progression options and more large-scale battles than before.
GTA 6
- Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S (PC port not officially announced)
- Release Date: Some time in 2025
- Age rating: pending
The most-anticipated game of 2025, gamers have already coined GTA VI game of the year without seeing any gameplay. What we know from the reveal trailer is that the game returns to Vice City, a fictional Miami, and follows partners in love and crime, Jason and Lucia.
GTA V was an epic single player open world crime adventure. It had some of the most iconic moments in gaming. It was very much a reflection of the times and depicting an American reality through its sharp witty humour. We are expecting GTA VI to be more of the same.
The trailer shows clips through a TikTok/Instagram live lens, making fans speculate that the game would have a social media mechanic integrated into its gameplay. It teases the standard grand heist in the making, a prison stint for Lucia and a rich vibrant Florida with all its stereotypical craziness.
Much of what is known is through insider info, unreliable leaks and wild speculation, but Rockstar games has delivered nothing but the best with GTA and Red Dead Redemption and it is highly likely that GTA VI will be all anyone talks about for the next decade.
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