Gaming in 2025, Another Golden Year

Hello this is Tarrmu and welcome to Thinking Out Loud, I recently made a video talking about future games that we have to look forward to in 2024, and with the Summer Game Fest on the horizon I'm sure that there will be many more games to look forward to this year. But with the talks about future games in mind I wanted to look to the future and talk about 2025, as it seems that many games have already been given a release window of that year and discuss just how many of these games we're likely to see, and how excited we should be.

Grand Theft Auto 6

Obviously I'll kick this off with the most anticipated game that everyone is talking about a little known game called Grand Theft Auto 6. Yes, the next big juggernaut title from Rockstar is slated for a 2025 release and after the wait spanning longer than a decade we'll get another GTA game, and it'll be returning to Vice City, which is my personal favorite location. It's still to early to really tell with this one what the game will encompass other than that it'll be focused around a couple which will have a Bonnie and Clyde kinda dynamic. Overall I am really excited to see what the story is like and how Rockstar evolve this open world, as to this day I'm still learning about so many of the finer details of Read Dead 2, so I can't wait to see what they deliver with GTA 6.

Judas

Next up we have Judas, which is the next big game from Kevin Levine the mind behind the Bioshock series and I'm keen to see what Judas has in store for us. There have been many publications and influencers who have got some hands on time with the game describing the experience as one that has that Bioshock flavor, but as a video game plays differently with rogue-like elements thrown into the mix, and different key characters that you can align with which will facilitate different outcomes and storylines. I'm personally quite keen to see more about this one, and I imagine that 2025 will be the time where we will more than likely see it.

Death Stranding 2

The next game that I'm really excited for is the sequel to Hideo Kojima's latest wacky and wild universe that is Death Standing. I've always fallen in the camp as one of those people who enjoyed it back in 2019, and I'm keen to see here with the sequel how they continue to evolve on the formula for the different gameplay systems that provide this asynchronous world, that is continuously updating and evolving based on the actions of other players that you never physically see. To this day Death Stranding really is one of those games that I have a lot of love for, and I know that the long stretch of cutscenes and daily life of a delivery man gameplay really may not be for everyone. But it was this weird sense of journey that you undertake and the little things left behind for others sheds light into the journey others have taken before you. All and all I think this would be around the top of my list of games I'm anticipating.

Wolverine

Next up is the next big game from Insomniac which was unfortunately the subject of recent leaks, and that is of course the upcoming Wolverine game, which is sounding like it'll be a different kind of game compared to Spider-Man, and me personally I've tried to avoid the leaks and wait until Insomniac are ready to showcase the game, but I'm personally interested to see there spin on the character, because I feel like given how Spiderman's abilities are geared towards web swinging around, which services and Open-world game well, I feel Wolverine would be cool more in the confides of a linear open-hub world experience similar to the latest God of War games, where the game focuses on more of the carnage and action the encompasses being Wolverine, and hell it could even involve some stealth elements too, and I'd be cool with that. But I ultimately trust Insomniac and I'm keen to see what they put out.

Clockwork Revolution

The next game is one that I'm hoping we hear more about this year and potentially see next year and that is Clockwork Revolution. This is the new game from inExile and this is another game on this list that carries that Bioshock energy here, where it looks that the main character will be jumping between time periods making choices, which will alter history and the outcomes of the story. This is one of those games that we know little about outside of its reveal trailer, but it is one that I'm really excited to see more about, and eventually play.

Fable

After the recent Xbox Showcase I am interested to see how Playground Games the studio behind Forza Motorsport takes on Fable. At this point in time we still haven't seen a lot of gameplay, but one would hope with both Gamescom and The Game Awards we will get to see more. Fable is something that means a lot to people, and seeing this make a triumphant return would really be an fantastic edition to Xbox's lineup.

Monster Hunter Wilds

The next game is Monster Hunter Wilds which is slated to release in 2025 and as of right now we have that reveal trailer we received at the Game Awards to hold us over until Capcom are ready to share more. Honestly Wilds is does look cool, based on the trailer it looks like it'll be doubling down on the bigger open environments of Monster Hunter World, but making these locales more grander in scale and providing us with mounts to traverse these areas. It looks like it'll be evolving on the formula of World and I'm all for that and quite honestly I need to return to world and I'm itching for some Monster Hunter.

Expedition 33

Another game highly anticipated game to arrive in 2025 is one that was shown at the Xbox Showcase, was Expedition 33. This game looks incredible and was one of the best reveals from Summer Game Fest. It has this really cool artstyle and the approach to turn-based combat can't help but spur Lost Odyssey vibes in my mind. I'm overall keen to see the story unfold for this one and how it approaches turn-based combat.

Metal Gear Solid 3 Delta

The next one has me optimistically cautious and that is of course Metal Gear Solid Delta which is the remake for Metal Gear Solid 3, which is being developed by an internal studio at Konami. I'm hoping that this game is the great revival and chance for fans to relive the peaks of the Metal Gear Series, but at the same time, I am cautious given how Konami have handled the recent ports, and there history and treatment of many of these beloved IP's over the past decade. I guess it's another "time will tell" situation.

South of Midnight

Next up we have South of Midnight another game that was teased at Xbox's recent showcase, and I'm really liking the atmosphere and aesthetic for. Whilst I'm still keen to see more gameplay, I feel like this one has a lot of potential to be a standout experience, and really be an interesting title that a publisher like Xbox needs.

Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra

Next up we have Marvel 1943 Rise of Hydra and I know that the superhero fatigue has set in for many with this genre, but honestly I'm liking the vibe they're going for with this game, and the fact that it will be centered around Captain America and The Black Panther, offers a new perspective into characters that we don't generally see get there own stand-alone game. It also helps that Amy Henning's new studio is the minds behind this new game, so I feel like the chances of it being good are likely, but I guess we'll still need to see some gameplay, but this one is on the cards for 2025 so I'm sure we'll see more soon.

The Outer Worlds 2

We've seen more about Obsidian's upcoming fantasy Avowed, but I'd love to see them talk more about the Outer Worlds 2 I'm excited to see what they do with the sequel as I'm one of those people who actually enjoyed the first game. It was a much more tighter experience that focused on the Roleplay and storytelling, and had a pretty interesting universe too. I'm keen to see where they take this one next and how they continue to evolve on the dynamics of choice, exploration, and the inner conflicts of this hyper-privatized galaxy.

New Nintendo Console

Lastly it's the New Nintendo Console and what games could potentially release alongside it. I'm going to be going full tin-foil hat speculation mode hear. But I'm thinking that the new console will launch with Metroid Prime 4 and potentially a new Mario 3D platformer. That's where my money is, and I reckon in the Christmas period they'll probably be releasing the teased Pokemon Arceus sequel that takes place in the Kalos region. I'm just keen to see what Nintendo have been cooking because, it is clear that the era of the Switch as awesome as it was is now doing its final lap, before we transition to the Switch 2 or whatever is next.