With layoffs in the games industry, studio closures, and live streaming service disasters, there are still some great games out there, and 2024 is shaping up to be a busy year for the media. Some of the biggest stories this year have been marked by industry-wide shifts – from Xbox’s move to offer first-party games on PlayStation and Nintendo Switch to the continued decline of live-streaming services. In 2024, the launch of the PlayStation 5 Pro and Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard finally came to fruition, with Call of Duty coming to Game Pass.
But for all the biggest gaming stories of 2024, 2025 looks set to be even bigger. From a small game called Grand Theft Auto 6 to a successor to the successful console Nintendo Switch, the coming year could be a landmark year for the gaming world. 2024 has passed, let’s take a look at the things worth paying attention to in the gaming world in 2025:
Grand Theft Auto 6
Thirty years after the release of Grand Theft Auto V, Rockstar Games, the original rock star of open world gaming, will finally release Grand Theft Auto 6 in 2025. It’s been years of waiting and years of leaks, but patience will be rewarded when Grand Theft Auto 6 becomes a reality next fall. This is, without a doubt, the most anticipated game of all time. At this point, it’s not just a game; it’s a lightning rod for all games.
The next Grand Theft Auto will be a watershed moment not only for Rockstar, a studio that may have set the bar higher than other media, but for the gaming industry as a whole. It’s sure to reinvigorate console sales, bring unprecedented media attention and global attention to the game, and inspire endless online conversations for years to come.
Just like on the eve of Cyberpunk 2077’s release, there’s an undeniable feeling that GTA 6 will open a window into how future games will look and play. The first trailer has already set high expectations, and calls for a second trailer have now crossed the one-year mark. Since there’s no word yet on GTA 6 in 2024, we’ll also have a handful of updates for the upcoming game next year. We don’t have an official launch date yet, and it currently seems unlikely that it will be pushed to 2026. But whenever GTA 6 launches next year, it will be the biggest event on the gaming calendar.
nintendo switch 2
The Nintendo Switch is doing great. This cute little hybrid handheld console has sold more than 145 million units since its launch in 2017. Nintendo is finally ready to launch its successor, the Nintendo Switch 2. The Japanese company has been tight-lipped about its next-generation console, so far only confirming that the Switch 2 will launch before the end of March 2025 and will be backwards compatible with Nintendo Switch games.
Sales of the Switch 2 are likely to be strong this year, and there will be plenty of new console releases from Nintendo’s first parties. The successor to the Nintendo Switch will be more powerful, perhaps with a bigger display and a better battery. The leaked information sheds some light on the capabilities of the hybrid console. It may come with a stronger base, redesigned kickstand, and magnetic Joy-Con controllers to eliminate stick drift.
However, there’s still a lot to look forward to with the Switch 2. Its beloved predecessor is the third-best-selling console of all time, behind the PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DS. But expect Nintendo to be up to the task. The Nintendo Switch 2 could emulate the original Switch and become a defining product of gaming hardware for years to come.
More handheld games
Gaming handheld devices are back on people’s radar as multiple manufacturers have launched portable gaming devices over the past two years. The Nintendo Switch brought satisfaction, the Steam Deck opened the door, and now we have Windows-based gaming handhelds from brands like Asus, Lenovo, MSI, and more. By 2025, more such products may enter the market.
Lenovo may be preparing a new line of Lenovo Legion Go handheld devices at CES 2025 in January, and we expect more manufacturers to follow suit. Both Sony and Microsoft are reportedly developing handheld devices that can play PlayStation and Xbox games respectively. While these devices are unlikely to hit the market in 2025, we may see more details about them in the coming months.
The Nintendo Switch 2 will undoubtedly be the king of handheld consoles, and the Steam Deck remains strong amid growing competition, even as the release of its successor looks unlikely. But in the coming year, several other major players may enter the handheld space, including Nvidia. Between the Switch 2, Steam Deck, ROG Ally X, Lenovo Legion Go, and MSI Claw, the crowded field will have to make room for more products.
Steam Deck OLED to be released in 2023
Photo Credit: Valve
What’s next for PlayStation in 2025
It’s been an eventful year for Sony. From Concord, their biggest live service bet, launching to the sound of crickets and shutting down within two weeks, to Astro Bot winning Game of the Year at the 2024 Game Awards – 2024 has been a rollercoaster for the Japanese conglomerate. In the absence of major first-party releases, Sony is counting on outside studios to develop games for its platform. Hellraiser 2 was a huge success, releasing simultaneously on PS5 and PC, and provided a blueprint for Sony’s future multiplayer releases.
PS5-exclusive single-player games are a bit of a mixed bag. Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth was a cult favorite for Square Enix, but sales fell short of expectations. Team Ninja’s Rise of the Ronin and Shift Up’s Stellar Blade offer new experiences in a year lacking major PlayStation exclusives, but they don’t quite live up to the platform’s high standards. Astro Bot proves that Sony can look beyond third-person action-adventure games for its next big hit.
But the PlayStation parent company is certainly gearing up for a busier 2025. Sucker Punch’s long-awaited sequel to Ghost of Tsushima, Ghost of Tsushima, will be released next year, with Death Stranding 2: The Beach set to launch in 2025. There are also some interesting third-party PS5 exclusives released as well. But we may have to wait a little longer to get our hands on Naughty Dog’s Interstellar, Insomniac’s Wolverine, and the games Santa Monica Studio has been quietly developing since the developer released God of War Ragnarok. We’ll probably get more updates on these games next year, though.
What’s next for Xbox in 2025
Xbox is having an interesting 2024, from a shift in the company’s strategy of releasing first-party games on rival platforms to finally major first-party games showing the first signs of Microsoft’s acquisition spree bearing fruit. With Raiders of the Lost Ark, STALKER 2, and Senua’s Legend: Hellblade 2 on the horizon, Xbox is now looking ahead to its plans for 2025 — and they look good!
Microsoft will kick off 2025 with Obsidian’s next role-playing game, Avowed, in February, followed by Doom: Dark Ages and Midnight South later in the year. Playground Games’ long-awaited action RPG Fable is also scheduled to launch in 2025.
We may see more Xbox games coming to PlayStation and Switch, and we may get more details about an Xbox handheld device in development. There may not be any big surprises, but 2025 is going to be a great year for Game Pass subscribers and players on the Xbox platform.
