A new year has arrived, and with it comes a fresh slate of video games to look forward to. With new installments in iconic franchises like Grand Theft Auto, Pokemon, and Civilization dated for a 2025 release alongside a slew of original titles, we're bringing back our annual list of games we're most excited to play this year.
Shacknews 25 Most Anticipated Games of 2025
These are the games the Shack Staff is most anticipating (in no particular order) in 2025.
Monster Hunter Wilds
Very few things in games are as significant as a major Monster Hunter release. This February, players will get their hands on Monster Hunter Wilds, an open world offering that promises to offer hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of play time. With so many weapons and styles of play, there is no shortage of engagement to be found, and typically there’s something for everyone. I personally can’t wait to craft all the Greatswords, stand underneath the biggest monsters, and get to work. February 28 can’t come soon enough.
Grand Theft Auto 6
Of all the games coming this year, none have the hype that Grand Theft Auto 6 does. Now, there’s a lot of predictions out there that GTA 6 will slip from a 2025 release to 2026, but right now what we know is that Rockstar intends to release their next open world behemoth this calendar year, and for that reason it has to be on any list of most anticipated games.
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Enough time has passed that at the start of any new year, it's fair to assume that this is the year that Hollow Knight: Silksong must arrive. Team Cherry has held its cards close to its chest since the last time its highly anticipated sequel was seen. When was that again? Oh yes, it was during the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase... in June 2022.
There has been such a hunger for Sliksong and for more of Team Cherry's captivating Metroidvania exploration and brutally difficult platforming and combat. This feels like the year that not only will the game finally release, but given that it was first unveiled all the way back in February 2019, there's almost a sense that its release date could be sooner than expected.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
When it comes to faithfully depicting medieval times, few games come close to the realism offered by Kingdom Come: Deliverance. Now, some seven years later, players are preparing to saddle up as Henry once again to experience Europe through the eyes of a man who started off as nothing more than a peasant in a village. The original game leaned hard into the realism, starting Henry off unable to read, let alone swing a sword. But through grit and determination, the player could learn to read, discover the marvels of alchemy, and even become something akin to a knight. Ready your blade, because Henry’s story has only just begun.
Earthblade
2018's Celeste was one of the best indies of the decade. It was so good, that whatever Extremely OK Games cooked up next would be a must-play video game. It's been a few years since the studio revealed Earthblade, a Metroidvania set in a fantasy world, as its next project. It's seen some delays since then, but we're operating under the assumption that 2025 is the year we finally get to experience Earthblade in all its glory.
Avowed
Obsidian Entertainment has sneakily become Xbox's most consistently reliable first-party developer. The studio's next project, Avowed, looks to marry the playstyle of an Elder Scrolls game with the charm and wit that only Obsidian can deliver. We were delighted by its character-building and combat features during a hands-on preview last year, and we're itching to play the full thing in February.
Split fiction
Hazelight is single-handedly keeping the couch co-op genre alive, and the studio's next game looks as ambitious as anything else coming out this year. Split fiction's blend of fantasy and sci-fi elements already has us enchanted, and we're expecting a heartfelt narrative that can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with It Takes Two.
Killing Floor 3
The Killing Floor franchise has taken on a gruesome life where Tripwire Interactive has taken the idea of a Zombies mode like Call of Duty Zombies and turned it into a fully-fleshed out and exciting sludge fest of guns, gore, and glory. Killing Floor 2 was already one of our favorite co-op games of all time, so it should come as little surprise that we're absolutely thrilled to see Killing Floor 3 getting set to enter the fray in 2025. Everything looks pushed to the max. The weaponry looks satisfying, the monsters look horrifying, and the dismemberment system looks better than ever. For those who don't know, most enemies in Killing Floor 2 could be blasted down to their very muscle and bones with constant visual feedback as you chipped away at them. It looks like enemy monsters will also be able to do the same to unfortunate players caught in the fracas as well. Everything in Killing Floor 3 looks like more of what we loved in the previous games. We just hope hilariously fun weapons like the Doomstick and Helios Rifle are set to make a return in some capacity.
Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves
Fighting game fans are still eating good. 2021 had Guilty Gear Strive, 2022 had The King of Fighters XV, 2023 brought us Street Fighter 6, and Tekken 8 stepped into the ring in 2024. This year, SNK has its chance at the spotlight again, and they are using it on one of the longest-lived franchises in the genre: Fatal Fury. City of the Wolves has looked impeccable in just about every showing it's had up to this point and it's finally set to release in April 2025. It's worth noting that this game is also very specifically a follow-up to Garou: Mark of the Wolves, which features refinements and enhancements of many of its systems and a return of many of the characters unique to that game. Garou was already a top-tier installment in the 2D era of fighters and we have little doubt City of the Wolves will be similarly amazing. The golden age of fighting games continues.
Doom: The Dark Ages
Bethesda and id Software set our blood a-pumpin' when it revived the Doom franchise with the impeccable 2016 Shacknews Game of the Year. Say what you will about Doom: Eternal, but it looks like Dark Ages is going to be a magnificent orchestra of deliciously brutal FPS action. Machine guns that use skulls as ammo, shields with saw blades, rock-em-sock-em giant mecha-versus-demon battles, and more have been making this game look like every fan of the series has to be there when it happens. That vibe was elevated to a fever pitch with an incredible behind-closed-doors trailer that appeared at QuakeCon 2024. We're still not sure when Doom: The Dark Ages is coming in 2025, but it promises to be another glorious chance to rip and tear until it is done.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater
You know it’s going to be a good year when more Metal Gear is on the horizon. While it might not be a brand-new entry in the lauded franchise, this remake of the 2004 classic is igniting the passion of fans all around the world. Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, lovingly referred to as Metal Gear Triangle, might be the fifth one in the series, but it makes the origin of a lot of stories that players have experienced throughout the years. Whether you’re an avid fan of the series or someone who has never played a Metal Gear game, this title is shaping up to be one everyone is clamoring to experience this year.
Civilization 7
If you’re looking for a good way to burn 1,000 hours in 2025, look no further than Civilization 7. I’ve often wondered how 2K Games can keep reinventing the wheel, but they keep doing it. This is a team that doesn’t miss with their Civ entries, and nothing beats taking a civilization from the stone age to the space age and all the nifty little moments in between that make for a great run. Civilization 7 is set to release in early February 2025, so you’re running out of road to book that time off in the interest of world domination.
Assassin's Creed Shadows
They aren’t without fault, but there’s something soothing about a good open world game from Ubisoft. Whether it’s the Far Cry or Assassin’s Creed franchises, it’s just a craving that you get from time to time. Assassin’s Creed Shadows looks poised to be another banger entry in the series. While it was delayed from February to March of 2025, I for one cannot wait to meet Naoe and Yasuke.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
With the Nintendo Switch rapidly approaching its twilight, one last blockbuster first-party title remains. It's the same title that has been lingering since it was first unveiled back in June 2017. To put it in perspective, that was three months after the Switch was originally released. It has indeed been a long journey for Samus Aran, but the fourth installment of the Metroid Prime series is hitting the home stretch.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is finally set to arrive this year, but in what form remains to be seen. Will it be the Switch's last big first-party release? Will be the first major title for the Switch's eventual successor? Will it be both? Whatever the answer is, we're excited to get back into first-person Metroid action.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A
The first Pokemon Legends game was a breath of fresh air for a franchise that's felt stuffy and stagnant for too many years. With the second Legends game set in the Kalos Region's Lumiose City, we're hoping it can provide the genuine sense of adventure that the Pokemon games have been lacking. A good part of our excitement for this one is tied to the fact that it'll likely be released on the successor to the Nintendo Switch, sporting better performance and visual fidelity.
Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet
Naughty Dog has reached that coveted status as a game developer where everything they make is something the world stops for. The announcement for Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet oozed style while setting itself apart from the studio's other notable projects. It doesn't matter what day it releases, what platform it'll be on, or whatever else is happening in the world, you can bet your bottom dollar we'll be firing up this new sci-fi adventure and taking it all in the moment we're able to.
Mafia: The Old Country
Family is important, and this is especially true when it comes to any sort of media that covers the mafia. This year, Mafia: The Old Country is asking players to dedicate themselves to their family, do whatever it takes to protect what’s yours, and maybe make a bit of money along the way. You’ll be thrust into the shoes of Enzo Favara in an action-packed, third-person adventure that takes you across the underworld of organized crime in 1900s Sicily.
Elden Ring: Night Reign
Just when you thought there wasn’t going to be any more Elden Ring, here comes Elden Ring: Nightreign. Except, this is unlike any Soulsborne game FromSoftware has ever released. This is a roguelike game set within the Lands Between, and it focuses entirely on multiplayer. It caught all of us off-guard when it was announced at the end of 2024 – I don’t think anyone had this on their bingo card. But if there’s one company that can deliver something spectacular, it’s FromSoftware. Plus, did we see a few Dark Souls 3 bosses in that trailer? Uh oh.
Ghost of Yotei
Sucker Punch took a bold step into Feudal Japan with the acclaimed Ghost of Tsushima. The captivating setting, the challenging combat, and the gripping story captured many imaginations and is a big part of why the announcement of a sequel was so well-received. Ghost of Yotei features more of Sucker Punch's foray into one of Japan's glory periods, this time fast-forwarding 300 years into the future.
What's most intriguing about Ghost of Yotei is that Sucker Punch has opted to leave Jin Sakai behind and introduce players to a new main character. In addition to presenting a new story, Ghost of Yotei will show players how Japan has evolved over three centuries. Players will get to witness how the surrounding land, as well as the samurai clans that inhabit it, have changed since Jin Sakai's day and embark on a brand new adventure.
Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
Like a Dragon games have grown in popularity over the years with last year’s Infinite Wealth garnering critical acclaim. The good times aren’t slowing down, as Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio is releasing Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii this year, which is promising to deliver all the hallmarks of the franchise that players have come to love. We’ve no doubt there will be in-depth storylines, compelling characters, as well as a bunch of whacky side quests, mini-games, and other systems in which to pour our time.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
Death Stranding was quite the polarizing opening act for Hideo Kojima at the then-new Kojima Productions, but with the idea established and the game now well-known, the sequel is looking intiguing as all get out. The reveal of Death Stranding: On the Beach brought us a solid look at what the new journey Sam Porter Bridges is about to take, filled with new faces and familiar ones alike. We couldn't have even begun to guess that Higgs would return looking like... that. But he won us over pretty quickly with the Crow/cyborg body and the electric guitar weapon. BTs are looking pretty surly in the second act too. There's still a lot we want to see out of this game, but based on the original nine-minute trailer, we're pretty sure Kojima will have plenty to show as we await the game's release sometime this year. Package delivery's about to get weird again in 2025.
Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra
All we really know about Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra is that it'll be a technical showpiece for what's achievable in Unreal Engine 5. We also know that it's being written and produced by industry legend Amy Hennig, who has delivered some of the greatest video game adventures of the 21st century. If 1943: Rise of Hydra lets us run around as Captain America and Black Panther and punch Nazis in the face, it'll be a win in our book.
The Outer Worlds 2
Obsidian Entertainment has always delivered incredible games for players to enjoy. The company has delivered hit after hit, with many titles diving into genres and styles few other developers would dare venture. While the studio might explore new areas, it still has RPGs in its bones, which is evidenced by the critically acclaimed Outer Worlds. The game blasted onto the scene back in 2019 and now, a lengthy six years later, players are finally getting to experience more of that zany universe with The Outer Worlds 2. We can’t wait to see how Obsidian Entertainment elevates the RPG genre once again in this heavily tongue-in-cheek romp across the galaxy.
Fable
Even after a few trailers, it's a bit of a challenge to pin down exactly what the new Fable is about. There are still questions, the biggest of which is whether Forza Horizon developer Playground Games can live up to the lofty legacy set by Lionhead Studios? Can players still build a custom character, build their legacy, and leave the fairy tale world they inhabit a better or worse place depending on their choices? If Fable can offer even a little bit of the player-driven RPG adventure of the original games, this will be a game worth experiencing. If nothing else, at least there's a star-studded cast that appears to be on board, including Richard Ayoade and Matt King.
Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound
Nothing could have prepared us for the return of Ninja Gaiden in 2D platforming style in 2025. An early trailer in Geoff Keighley's 2024 Game Awards, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound gave us an early high in the overall showcase. That high only heightened as we learned that Dotemu was overseeing the game and The Game Kitchen (makers of the Blasphemous games) would be developing. Ragebound is slated for a release sometime in summer 2025, so there's still a lot to see, but early looks seemed very promising. The game brings Ninja Gaiden back in luscious 2D style, featuring what looks like crisp platforming and movement, as well as stylish and brutal action. We would love to see Koei Tecmo revive the 3D side of Ninja Gaiden as well, but this is a more than amazing start for a fantastic franchise that we've been waiting to see make a return for years.
Those are the 25 games we're most looking forward to in 2025. Of course, the year will also bring unannounced surprises that we currently don't know about, and we look forward to seeing what the industry has in store. Let us know what games you're excited about in the Chatty!
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