After a 2024 that delivered genuine surprises, 2025 is already looking like it means business. Publishers have front-loaded the year with some enormous releases, a few long-delayed projects are finally crossing the finish line, and there are a handful of genuine wildcards that could go either way. Here’s what we’re watching.

Crimson Desert

Pearl Abyss’s open-world action RPG has been in development since 2019, delayed more times than anyone cares to count, and shown at enough gaming events to fill a highlights reel. But everything we’ve seen lately suggests it might actually be worth the wait.

The latest gameplay footage shows a world that genuinely looks alive: dynamic weather, dense NPC routines, and melee combat that owes a clear debt to Sekiro without feeling like a copy. The protagonist, Macduff, is a mercenary operating in a continent called Pywel, which has the kind of grim, grounded aesthetic that feels like a reaction to years of oversaturated fantasy games.

We’re cautiously optimistic. Pearl Abyss have form: Black Desert Online is still one of the best-looking MMOs on the market. Whether they can translate that visual flair into a focused single-player experience is the question. We’ll be watching the launch window closely.

Expected: 2025 (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S). No confirmed date yet.

GTA 6

At this point, GTA 6 barely needs an introduction. Rockstar’s trailer confirmed a return to Vice City, a dual-protagonist structure with Lucia as the lead, and an environment that looked more reactive and dense than anything the series has done before.

The console launch window is late 2025, with PC expected to follow 12 to 18 months later in keeping with Rockstar’s pattern. The online component remains unannounced in detail, which is the part worth watching: GTA Online printed money for over a decade, and whatever replaces it will define the game’s longevity.

Our main concern is scope. Rockstar’s world-building is unmatched, but recent games have leaned heavily on online monetisation. If GTA 6’s single-player gets the same attention as the trailer suggests, this could be a generational release.

Expected: Late 2025 (PS5, Xbox Series X/S). PC later.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach

Hideo Kojima’s follow-up to 2019’s divisive delivery simulator is shaping up to be exactly what you’d expect: ambitious, weird, and impossible to explain in a single sentence. The trailers have shown a world that’s moved on from the events of the first game, with new characters, new mechanics, and the same obsessive attention to atmosphere.

Whether you loved or loathed the original will largely determine how interested you are here. But for fans of Kojima’s particular brand of cinematic excess, this looks like everything they wanted.

Expected: 2025 (PS5 exclusive at launch).

Monster Hunter Wilds

Capcom’s Monster Hunter World was one of the best games of the last decade, and Wilds is shaping up to be the obvious successor. The shift to a dynamic, weather-driven ecosystem is the headline feature: monsters adapt to storms, migrate between regions, and behave differently depending on conditions.

The series has always been about learning and preparation. Wilds looks like it’s adding a layer of unpredictability that could make hunts feel genuinely different each time. The PC version is confirmed day-one, which matters: World’s PC port was excellent and significantly expanded the audience.

Expected: Early 2025 (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S).

Mafia: The Old Country

Hangar 13’s return to the Mafia series goes back to the beginning: 1900s Sicily, before the American immigrant gangs, before the jazz clubs and neon. The setting is a smart move. The early-century Mediterranean backdrop gives the game a visual identity completely distinct from its predecessors, and the focus on the origins of organised crime is the kind of story this series has always suited.

The previous entry, Mafia: Definitive Edition, was an underrated gem. If The Old Country builds on that quality, this could be a serious contender.

Expected: Summer 2025 (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S).

The Wildcard: Something From FromSoftware

There’s nothing officially announced. But FromSoftware’s cadence since Dark Souls has been remarkably consistent: a major release every two to three years, usually announced with minimal fanfare and released before anyone expects it. Elden Ring landed in early 2022, so the timing is right.

Whether it’s a continuation of the Elden Ring world, a new IP, or something else entirely is pure speculation. But if FromSoftware announces something this year, it moves immediately to the top of this list.

We’ll be covering all of these in depth as launch dates are confirmed. The Crimson Desert situation in particular has our attention: it’s been in development long enough that expectations are high and patience is running thin. If Pearl Abyss deliver, it will be one of the year’s biggest stories.

Check back for reviews, previews, and news as each release approaches.