The coming year is full of uncertainty for many reasons. Sticking to video games, few big publishers still dare to announce release dates well in advance. And for those who still do it, postponements are frequent. This means that once the first months of the year have passed, we are in a situation of vagueness, or even almost complete emptiness.
One of the tools used to determine the most anticipated games is the number of players who have added these games to their wishlist on Steam. You can easily consult the ranking of the most anticipated titles via Steamdb. This is obviously not a method that can be used for games that are not released on PC or do not yet have their dedicated page on Steam, for example.
Kingdom Come Deliverance 2
- Release date : February 4, 2025
- Platforms : PC, PS5, Xbox Series
The year begins at the beginning of February with the sequel to an atypical Action-RPG, Kingdom Come. Henry began the adventure as a simple beggar, but he managed to become a knight at the end of the first title. The first title stood out for the richness and realism of its open world, peppered with small stories in which to interfere in many ways. This sequel plunges him into the middle of a medieval war in the kingdom of Bohemia, in 15th century Eastern Europe, with a more epic dimension, at least when Henry does not find himself in an embarrassing situation. But the game still wants to be quite realistic. It shows the cruelty of that era without forgetting to be full of humor. If the developers have learned the right lessons and improved their recipe, especially in terms of gameplay, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 has the potential to be one of the best games of the year.
Civilization 7 : PC
- Release date : February 11, 2025
- Platforms : PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, Switch
It's already been 8 years since Civilization 6 was released and after a massive number of various DLCs, Firaxis and 2K Games finally said it was time to release a sequel. This transition is always painful, since the new title can hardly compete with its predecessor, enriched by several expansions and long years of development. Still, the appeal of the improved, less cartoonish graphics and revamped game mechanics is not to be underestimated. Civilization 7 draws inspiration from Humankind on several levels, while innovating with its era system, weapons and set of leaders among others.
Avowed
- Release date : February 13, 2025
- Platforms : PC, Xbox Series
After The Outer World, Obsidian Studios returns to its favorite universe of its creation, that of Pillars of Eternity. Its new title is not an old-fashioned CRPG, but a first-person Action-RPG. We can say that there will be competition in the niche at the start of 2025. But unlike its competitors, magic holds an important place in the universe and the gameplay. Many approaches to combat will be possible, whether melee or ranged, with original combinations such as a pistol in one hand and a wand in the other. The story is also intended to be rich, while offering in-depth interactions with the companions who will accompany us on our adventure facing a form of magical putrefaction capable of transforming living beings into zombies. Some people see this game as the new Skyrim and we can't wait to find out if this will be the case or not.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
- Release date : February 14, 2025
- Platforms : PC, PS5, Xbox Series
The last few years haven't been easy for Ubisoft, but when it makes an effort, the French studio and publisher is still capable of releasing very good games. With the postponement of Assassin's Creed Shadows for several months, we can hope that this new opus has been sufficiently refined to not spoil its potential. It must be said that players have been waiting for a long time for an Assassin's Creed title to take place in Japan. The recipe changes a little for the occasion, with two protagonists: a female shinobi and the only black samurai to have existed, Yosuke. Each will have their own style of play. Their adventure takes place during the Sengoku era, when different lords tried to seize power. Suffice it to say that this is a period ripe for assassinations capable of changing history.
Monster Hunter Wilds
- Release date : February 20, 2025
- Platforms : PC, PS5, Xbox Series
The license enjoyed worldwide success with Monster Hunter World in 2018 and Wilds can be considered its true successor. This time, Capcom has created a true open world with no transition between different regions, allowing you to hunt freely while remaining on the ground. We are promised a richer and larger universe, with changing and dangerous weather. Many gameplay elements have also been improved, with the integration of new attacks for each weapon, but also mounts that can be used during exploration phases, but also in combat. With all of this, hunting big monsters should be more interesting and enjoyable than ever, whether solo or with friends.
Hollow Knight Silksong
- Release date : 2025 (we hope)
- Platforms : PC, PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, Switch
We make the same joke every year by listing the Metroidvania Hollow Knight Silksong in this article, saying that “this time it will be the right one”. The sequel to the excellent Hollow Knight still does not have an official release date and it has not even given any sign of life in 2024. It is assumed that the Team Cherry studio is focusing on development and polishing, to live up to expectations. It has to come out one day all the same, and the chances of this happening every year increase. Let's hope that we won't have to include it in the most anticipated games of 2026.
Doom the Dark Age
- Release date : 2025
- Platforms : PC, PS5, Xbox Series
The latest Doom games were excellent in terms of atmosphere and gameplay, they knew how to find the right niche to set the license apart from its competitors like Wolfenstein and other Fast FPS. This new opus will go back in time and allow us to discover the Doom Slayer during his “Medieval” period, which is the perfect excuse to renew his arsenal and his powers. Whether it's a circular saw shield, a weapon that crushes the skulls of its enemies to use as projectiles, or a giant mecha, we can feel that the studio intends to go ever further. This should make it an excellent release of steam.
Borderlands 4
- Release date : 2025
- Platforms : PC, PS5, Xbox Series
Another potential release for next year is obviously the sequel to the looter shooter series, Borderlands 4. That being said, the series probably needs to rethink itself. The gameplay of the last opus, Borderlands 3, was still very good, but the story was even less convincing than usual and its humor also struggled to renew itself. We won't go into detail about the Borderlands movie here, although the development studio certainly had nothing to do with it, nor is it what we would call an encouraging sign for the sequel. Many players are waiting for this sequel and we hope they are right.
Death Stranding 2
- Release date : 2025
- Platforms : PS5
The least we can say is that Death Stranding was divisive. Even within the editorial team there are people who adore him and who hate Kojima's “strand game”. But no matter which camp you find yourself in, you have to recognize that the game has a very particular atmosphere and an intriguing universe. At least, when the protagonist isn't gulping down cans of Monster in close-up. We're really curious to see what this sequel has in store for us, as well as how it evolves in terms of gameplay. Will we always have to cross our apocalyptic universe on foot carrying a baby to deliver a still-hot pizza? Only Kojima knows.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond – Switch
- Release date : 2025
- Platforms : Nintendo Switch
Most of Nintendo's game development goes smoothly, but Metroid Prime 4 is a notable exception. After a complete reset of the project several years ago, the 3D Metroid series finally seems ready to make its return and we can't wait to see what it has in store. It's unfortunate that the game was not developed for the manufacturer's next console, but it will give fans something to sink their teeth into while waiting for the next generation of Big N games.
Ghost of Yotei
- Release date : 2025
- Platforms : PS5
The sequel to Ghost of Tsushima should arrive next year and we can say that a lot has changed. This new adventure takes place 300 years later, in 1603, with a new protagonist. As the name of the game suggests, we also change regions. The story will take place around Mount Yōtei, in the Hokkaido region, before it was officially incorporated into Japan. This fairly well-known volcano resembles Mount Fuji, on a smaller scale. The year chosen for the game marks the beginning of the Edo period and a period of gradual pacification of the country.
Elden Ring: Night Reign
- Release date : 2025
- Platforms : PC, PS5, Xbox Series
We can say that Fromsoftware was able to create a surprise with this announcement. It's also a notable risk-taking, since Night Reign is a spin-off of Elden Ring in almost every way. It borrows elements from many genres, to offer something unique. It can be described as a cooperative action-RPG roguelite. The objective is to survive three days in a randomly generated world, while seeking to gain power as quickly as possible, before facing the boss arriving with the night. The gameplay is more nervous than in Elden Ring and many elements have been simplified to speed things up, since each day only lasts 15 minutes. As big Sekiro fans, we can't wait to see what it all turns out to be. In addition, Night Reign could have the replayability that was somewhat lacking in previous titles.
Grand Theft Auto VI Vice City
- Release date : Fin 2025
- Platforms : PC, PS5, Xbox Series
Finally, there is no doubt that GTA 6 is the most anticipated game of recent years. The license has become extremely popular and the release of GTA 5 dates back to 2013. After seeing what Rockstar Games is capable of in Red Dead Redemption 2, we are even more eager to see what they concoct for us in terms of open world and interactions between characters. They will not lack subjects for mockery either, given the current state of American society, with reality which seems to have surpassed fiction. Officially, GTA 6 is still planned for the end of 2025 on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series, but we are not the only ones to fear a postponement to 2026.
