17 Must-Play Games Coming Out in 2025 (Expert Picks)

The gaming world eagerly awaits 2025 as a landmark year with industry giant Grand Theft Auto 6 leading an impressive lineup of blockbuster releases.

Elden Ring Nightreign’s cooperative world and Death Stranding 2’s mysterious depths showcase an unprecedented wave of highly predicted titles. Heavy hitters like Monster Hunter Wilds, Doom: The Dark Ages, and Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater pack the year’s schedule.

Developers strategically time their releases around GTA 6 to avoid direct competition, creating an exciting spread of launches throughout the year. Our team analyzed the most predicted games of 2025 and compiled expert picks of 17 titles you shouldn’t miss.

Let’s explore these upcoming video games 2025 has in store, starting with the game everyone’s talking about – Grand Theft Auto 6.

Grand Theft Auto 6: The Most Anticipated Game of 2025

_{Image Source: www.rockstargames.com}

Rockstar Games’ next masterpiece leads the games coming out in 2025.

GTA 6 Release Date and Platforms

GTA 6 will launch in Fall 2025 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Take-Two Interactive expects net bookings over $7 billion for 2025. The game’s first trailer has reached 227 million views, showing unprecedented excitement from gaming fans.

New Features and Gameplay Mechanics

GTA 6 brings state-of-the-art mechanics to the fictional state of Leonida. The game’s enemy AI adapts to player tactics. A dynamic NPC system makes characters perform realistic activities. Players can look forward to:

• Gore and dismemberment abilities
• Dual wielding combat options
• Enhanced carjacking mechanics
• 3v3 basketball mini-games

Why GTA 6 Will Change Gaming Forever

GTA 6’s influence reaches beyond its gameplay innovations. Market analysts expect first-year revenue of $3.2 billion, making it one of the biggest entertainment launches in history. Other publishers have adjusted their release schedules to avoid competing with GTA 6. The game’s pre-orders are expected to generate $1 billion, setting new standards for the gaming industry.

Monster Hunter Wilds (February 2025)

_{Image Source: Monster Hunter}

Monster Hunter Wilds leads the pack of games coming out in 2025 with its revolutionary environmental dynamics and improved combat mechanics.

Monster Hunter Wilds Gameplay Overview

The game delivers an exceptional hunting experience where weather conditions reshape the environment. Monsters form packs to hunt during tough Fallow and Inclemency periods, which creates intense survival scenarios. Players must adapt their original tactics to these changes, especially when they face powerful creatures in the Forbidden Lands.

New Monster Types and Combat System

The innovative Focus Mode in the combat system explains monster weak points and lets players target with precision. Players can now use two weapons during hunts, giving them exceptional tactical flexibility. The game brings several powerful creatures:

• Rompopolo – A toxic gas-wielding behemoth
• Nu Udra – An octopus-like cephalopod with unpredictable attack patterns
• Ajarakan – A fire-based beast with berserker rage abilities

Multiplayer Features and Cooperative Play

The game works with crossplay on all platforms. Multiplayer lobbies can hold up to 100 players, creating a lively hunting community. Players can explore and tackle challenges together with the new Link Party system that makes shared play uninterrupted.

Monster Hunter Wilds System Requirements

You just need reliable hardware to run the game at its best. Here are the recommended specs:

• CPU: Intel Core i5-10400 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600
• RAM: 16GB
• GPU: GeForce RTX 2060 Super or Radeon RX 6600
• Storage: 75GB SSD

The game supports DLSS 3.7 and AMD FSR 3.1 to boost performance, running at 1080p/60fps with Frame Generation enabled under medium settings.

Avowed (February 2025)

_{Image Source: Obsidian Entertainment}

Obsidian Entertainment’s Avowed stands out as one of the most anticipated games coming out in 2025. Players can start their early access on February 13, with the full game launching February 18.

Avowed Game World and Setting

Players will step into the Living Lands of Eora as an Aedyran Envoy tasked to investigate the mysterious Dreamscourge plague. The game’s world spans four distinct regions that showcase unique biomes and settlements. Ancient adra minerals serve as conduits for a mysterious voice that guides players through the story’s progression.

Combat System and Character Classes

The game’s flexible combat system comes packed with these exciting features:

• Dual wielding capabilities allowing weapon combinations like ax with grimoire
• Quick-swap combat mechanics between spellcasting and melee
• Tactical advantages through mixed weapon loadouts

Players can pick from three primary classes – Fighter, Ranger, and Wizard. The system lets you blend abilities across different skill trees. This freedom creates an unprecedented level of player agency and supports many different playstyles.

RPG Elements and Progression

The game’s ability trees feature multiple tiers that need specific point investments to unlock advanced skills. Players can reach level 30 and max out two primary stats. A unique godlike status system shapes both your character’s appearance and story interactions. The ability to respec skills gives players room to experiment with different builds throughout their experience.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii

_{Image Source: tgs.sega.jp}

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii will hit the shelves on February 21, 2025. The game adds an exciting pirate adventure theme to the upcoming games 2025 lineup.

Story and Setting Details

The story picks up six months after Infinite Wealth ends, with Goro Majima finding himself stranded on Rich Island with no memory of his past. Players will explore three distinct locations throughout their journey. Rich Island serves as home to both fishermen and pirates. Madlantis, a hidden island, harbors various criminal organizations. Nele Island houses a community of ex-yakuza volunteers.

Combat and Gameplay Features

Players can master two unique combat styles:

• Mad Dog – Quick attacks combine with fisticuffs and short swords, letting players summon shadowy doppelgangers
• Sea Dog – Players wield dual cutlasses, grapple hooks, and muskets to strike from range

The game goes beyond traditional combat. Players can deck out their pirate ships with broadside cannons and front-firing rocket launchers. Naval battles are not just ship-to-ship affairs – players can board enemy vessels and fight up close.

New Mini-games and Side Activities

The game stays true to the series’ rich tradition of mini-games. Players can join karaoke sessions that include Majima’s fan-favorite “24-Hour Cinderella” song. Dragon Kart racing around Honolulu adds excitement, while the Crazy Delivery system returns from Infinite Wealth. The Pirates’ Coliseum in Madlantis lets players test their crew’s skills against other pirates in competitive naval battles.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows

_{Image Source: Ubisoft News}

Assassin’s Creed Shadows launches November 15, 2025, adding one of the most important chapters to the games coming out in 2025 by bringing the series to feudal Japan.

Feudal Japan Setting Overview

The game’s story unfolds in the late 16th century during the Azuchi-Momoyama era. This time marked massive political upheaval and social changes. Three powerful figures fought to control Japan during the long Warring States Period. The game world covers central Japan and we focused on areas like Kyoto, Iga province, and Arima.

New Stealth Mechanics

Players can now use dynamic shadows to hide – a first for the series. The game brings exciting new features:

• Prone movement and directional rolling
• Nightingale floor detection system
• Submerging in ponds to escape

Character Progression System

The mastery system packs 243 unique skills split between both protagonists. Each character brings their own strengths – Naoe shines at stealth and parkour, while Yasuke dominates in combat. Players can reset their knowledge points whenever they want and try different playstyles without any downsides.

Historical Accuracy and References

Ubisoft Quebec’s team put their heart into making the game historically authentic. They worked with expert historians, professors, and cultural consultants. The game stays true to Japan’s culture, from the way castles were built to the art of tea ceremonies. We have a long way to go, but we can build on this progress as the team keeps their creative freedom to tell an exciting story while honoring history.

Doom: The Dark Ages

_{Image Source: DOOM: The Dark Ages}

id Software’s latest Doom entry in the games coming out in 2025 brings a medieval twist that transforms the series.

New Combat Mechanics

Players now feel like a “tank” instead of a “Ferrari” in this grounded combat system. We focused on horizontal movement that rewards dodging enemy projectiles and smart positioning. The Shield Saw serves as the life-blood of combat and gives players contextual actions through a single input system. Players can block, parry, deflect, and barrel through enemy ranks with this versatile tool.

Weapon Arsenal and Upgrades

The medieval-themed arsenal has these distinctive weapons:

• Shield Saw – Functions as both defense and offense
• Skull Crusher – Grinds skulls to fire bone shards as projectiles
• Rail Spike Gun – Impales enemies to walls
• Flail – Gives close-quarter combat options

Players can customize their combat experience with adjustable difficulty sliders that control projectile speeds and parry windows. This system lets them match the challenge to their skill level.

Level Design and Enemy Types

Abandoned temples, dark forests, and brutal hellscapes make up the game’s world. The levels are bigger than previous entries and let players explore destructible environments extensively.

• Arachnotron
• Demon on a quadruped mount
• Corrupted Sentinels, shield soldiers, and other former humans
• Flying arachnotron or mastermind
• Giant tentacled flying demon
• Hell knight (now has a variant that wears armor and summons throwing axes)
• Imp (comes in two variants: a tall one resembling the classic imp and another resembling the 2016 design with grayish skin and hair)
• Lost soul (now resembling the classic version)
• Mancubus
• Revenant
• Six-legged spider-like cybernetic demon
• Titan
• Unidentified Hell nobles and other demons
• Winged tyrant-like demon
• Arachnotron
• Demon on a quadruped mount
• Corrupted Sentinels, shield soldiers, and other former humans
• Flying arachnotron or mastermind
• Giant tentacled flying demon
• Hell knight (now has a variant that wears armor and summons throwing axes)
• Imp (comes in two variants: a tall one resembling the classic imp and another resembling the 2016 design with grayish skin and hair)
• Lost soul (now resembling the classic version)
• Mancubus
• Revenant
• Six-legged spider-like cybernetic demon
• Titan
• Unidentified Hell nobles and other demons
• Winged tyrant-like demon”>The game adds new enemies like corrupted Sentinels and shield soldiers that create varied combat scenarios.

Elden Ring Nightreign

_{Image Source: Bandai Namco}

Games coming out in 2025 will feature Elden Ring Nightreign, which reimagines FromSoftware’s formula by emphasizing cooperative play.

Cooperative Gameplay Features

Three-player cooperative gameplay forms the heart of this game, where team synergy determines survival. Nightreign differs from traditional Souls games by introducing shared loot drops and coordinated revival mechanics. Team coordination plays a vital role as players mark locations on the map to tackle challenges together.

New Combat System

The game preserves Elden Ring’s core mechanics while adding class-specific abilities and ultimate attacks. The network test showcases four distinct playable classes:

• Wylder – A balanced warrior with grappling abilities
• Guardian – A tank specialist with defensive capabilities
• Duchess – An agile fighter with stealth options
• Recluse – A spellcaster with unique FP regeneration

World Design and Exploration

Players experience a roguelike structure by air-dropping into randomly generated maps. Teams need to survive through three days and nights, with each session lasting about 40 minutes. A ring of fire gradually closes in, making the environment more dangerous and pushing players toward boss encounters.

Character Builds and Classes

Characters come equipped with three relic slots for permanent upgrades between runs. The game eliminates traditional stat requirements, letting every class use any weapon effectively. Players can customize their builds through the relic system, which offers passive bonuses that carry over across multiple playthroughs.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater

_{Image Source: Konami}

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater launches on February 27, 2025. The game stands as one of the most important technical achievements among games coming out in 2025.

Graphical Improvements and Changes

The remake runs on Unreal Engine 5 and delivers native 4K resolution with dynamic scaling. Character models show incredible detail in facial features such as pores, wrinkles, and eye movements. Players can choose between two visual modes:

• Quality Mode: 4K/30 FPS with dynamic resolution
• Performance Mode: 1080p with higher frame rates

Gameplay Enhancements

Players can select between modern controls with an over-shoulder camera or legacy controls with the classic top-down view. Quick-select menus make camouflage changes smooth without pausing. The game’s combat animations look refined, and Snake’s body shows battle damage as missions progress.

New Features and Additions

The remake brings platform-specific content to players. PlayStation 5 owners will get an exclusive Ape Escape mode, while Xbox users receive a special Bomberman crossover. Players can find GA-KO collectibles – rubber ducks in ghillie suits – throughout the environment. The remake keeps the original’s level design intact while adding user-friendly menus and better interface placement.

Death Stranding 2

_{Image Source: Kojima Productions}

Kojima Productions’ latest masterpiece among games coming out in 2025 takes players beyond the United Cities of America to a whole new continent.

Story and Setting Details

A private organization called Drawbridge drives the narrative as it works to expand the Chiral Network into unexplored territories. Sam Porter Bridges teams up with Fragile, who heads the exploration team in areas where UCA’s presence would spark an invasion.

New Gameplay Mechanics

The game brings fresh environmental challenges through live terrain changes, including:

• Floods affecting bridge structures
• Forest fires altering pathways
• Earthquakes that revolutionize the landscape

The innovative Photo Mode blends right into the storyline, and player-captured images shape how the story unfolds. The development team stresses that players need to “take good pictures” of cast members.

Graphics and Performance

The next-generation Decima Engine powers Death Stranding 2 with remarkable visual quality. The game delivers stunning character details and keeps animations smooth even in busy scenes. Screen space reflections and ray-traced global illumination give players an exceptional visual experience.

Multiplayer Features

The Social Strand System builds on its predecessor’s foundation with improved cooperative elements. Players help build shared structures, upgrade existing installations, and leave equipment for others to use. This multiplayer approach creates a unique shared world without direct player interaction.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

_{Image Source: Nintendo}

Retro Studios brings Samus Aran back in their much-awaited addition to the games coming out in 2025. This new adventure continues story elements from earlier games in the series.

New Abilities and Power-ups

The game features an efficient weapon selection system that puts more emphasis on secondary weapons instead of traditional beam switching. Players start with basic gear that includes:

• Varia Suit with Power Beam capabilities
• Missile Launcher with customizable ammunition
• Morph Ball with improved mobility options
• Upgraded Scan Visor system

World Design and Exploration

The game keeps its classic room-to-room progression but now offers bigger areas than any previous title. Space Pirates clash with mysterious factions across multiple zones while Samus moves through hidden paths above them. Players must scan their surroundings for hints and solve environmental puzzles to progress deeper into each area.

Combat System Updates

The combat mechanics have evolved to create more dynamic action sequences. Players can switch between combat and exploration modes quickly with a dedicated Scan Visor button. A new D-pad selection system sits in the lower-left corner of the HUD. This lets players switch secondary weapons naturally during gameplay. The game introduces Sylux as the main antagonist who chases Samus while controlling Metroids, which promises some intense battles.

Fable

_{Image Source: Xbox.com}

Playground Games brings a new viewpoint to the games coming out in 2025 with their reimagining of the beloved Fable franchise.

New RPG Systems

The game features a user-friendly engine that gives players complete control over their adventure. Players can craft custom rules, mechanics, and entire worlds to shape the game that matches their vision. The Encounter Manager helps game masters create thrilling scenarios using any content from the platform.

World Design and Quest Structure

We used custom boards in the quest structure that draws inspiration from Trello-style organization. Players can track every quest, NPC, and item. The game’s world adapts to player choices made during The Weight of the World and ended up changing the environment and related elements.

Character Customization Options

The character customization system offers deep features with these distinctive elements:

• Physical changes based on combat style – melee adds muscle, while magic creates mystical blue veins
• Morality-based transformations affecting hair color and facial features
• Dynamic aging system that reflects story progression
• Interchangeable body types and voice options

Players can add unique properties to characters, items, and rules, so it fits their unique world vision. The development team has also built a system where character sheets adapt naturally to both cosmetic and functional modifications.

Ghost of Yōtei

_{Image Source: BlackFlix}

Sucker Punch Productions reveals an ambitious new chapter among games coming out in 2025 with Ghost of Yōtei. The game takes place in Hokkaido’s untamed wilderness.

Combat System and Mechanics

Players can dual-wield katanas in this refined combat system that reflects Edo period’s fighting styles. The gameplay mechanics focus on stealth and agility with these features:

• Advanced body-dragging abilities for concealment
• Quick-swap combat transitions
• Contextual stealth takedowns
• Better climbing mechanics to explore vertically

Story and Character Development

The story begins in 1603 and follows Atsu (voiced by Erika Ishii), who becomes ‘The Ghost’ when the Edo period starts. Players experience an “underdog vengeance” story and have exceptional control over Atsu’s choices and growth. This approach changes how character progression works, as player decisions shape Atsu’s experience.

Open World Features

The game world spreads across Mount Yōtei’s surrounding regions, where “people come to disappear” – a place beyond central Japan’s control. The team captured real nature sounds at Shiretoko National Park to create an authentic atmosphere. Sucker Punch wants to solve the problem of repetitive open-world activities by creating unique experiences throughout the map. The world responds to player choices and features ecosystems that range from big grasslands to dense forests.

Borderlands 4

_{Image Source: Borderlands – 2K Games}

Gearbox Software’s latest entry in the games coming out in 2025 challenges gaming limits with an incredible weapon variety and better multiplayer features.

New Weapon Systems

The game comes with billions of weapons and accessories, which is way more than its predecessor’s one billion guns. The team added to the arsenal by including more manufacturers and legendary weapons. Players will find unique ways to customize their gear and get surprising item drops that create unforgettable gaming moments.

Character Classes and Skills

The planet Kairos welcomes four brand new Vault Hunters with their own unique abilities and combat styles. Players can customize their characters more deeply than before through skill trees that blend passive and active abilities. The game lets players help with group goals even when playing alone through a new shared progress system.

Multiplayer Features

Players can team up using two-player split-screen or join three others online. The game connects players across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC platforms. Players can now build permanent groups through clan features and share resources to tackle tough content together.

Endgame Content

The game packs plenty of endgame activities like Raid Bosses and Takedowns. Players will find dedicated loot drops and tough battles, as shown in the Ripper_Raid content. Teams need to work together in these endgame challenges, and they’ll earn special rewards through a dynamic loot system.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A

_{Image Source: legends.pokemon.com}

Pokemon Legends: Z-A will launch worldwide in 2025. The game stands out among upcoming video games 2025 with its unique focus on urban development.

New Pokemon and Features

Mega Evolution makes its comeback in this game, a feature players haven’t seen since Pokemon X and Y. Players will witness Lumiose City’s transformation as it undergoes major rebuilding to create harmony between humans and Pokemon. The urban environment creates new ways to encounter Pokemon. Players can use buildings and city objects to hide instead of the usual brush cover.

Battle System Changes

An innovative Action Speed system now decides the turn order in battles. Players can choose from different battle styles:

• Agile Style – Enables faster attacks with reduced power
• Strong Style – Delivers powerful hits at the cost of speed

Mega Evolution could shake up turn order dynamics by changing Pokemon stats drastically. Players now have more strategic options with these battle styles that affect combat pacing.

World Design and Exploration

Lumiose City breaks away from the traditional wild environments players are used to. Pokemon live alongside humans in this urban setting, from busy construction sites to packed streets. The city keeps changing through its rebuilding plans, and players can discover new areas as they become available. Catching Pokemon in this urban setting brings fresh challenges that differ from traditional methods.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage

_{Image Source: Dont-nod.com}

DON’T NOD’s newest games coming out in 2025 tells a captivating story through time about four high school friends connected by music and mystery.

Story Overview

The story moves between two timelines – summer 1995 and 2022 after the pandemic. Players follow the journey of Swann, Nora, Autumn, and Kat who become inseparable through their punk band “Bloom & Rage”. A life-changing event forces them to make a pact of silence that keeps them apart for 27 years.

Gameplay Mechanics

Swann’s camcorder is at the heart of the game’s unique features and serves as both a storytelling device and gameplay tool. Players can experience these core elements:

• Live dialog system with interruptions
• Conversations that adapt based on what players focus on
• Video recording while exploring the environment
• Different viewpoints based on timelines

Musical Elements

Dream pop meets riot-grrl-inspired punk in the game’s powerful soundtrack. The team collaborated with talented artists like Ruth Radelet and Milk & Bone. Music plays a central role as players join band practices and create music videos that bring the characters closer together. Fans can get their hands on an 18-track OST on two colored vinyl records with the physical release.

South of Midnight

_{Image Source: Xbox Wire}

Compulsion Games adds a fresh spin to the games coming out in 2025 with South of Midnight’s unique stop-motion visuals and Southern Gothic atmosphere.

Southern Gothic Setting

The game’s world takes inspiration from Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth. Players explore a rich environment where decaying Americana meets magical realism. The bayous and swamps feature bottle trees, quilted patterns, and authentic Southern cultural elements. The development team captured raw sounds from Shiretoko National Park to boost the game’s immersive atmosphere.

Gameplay Features

Players step into the role of Hazel, who wields the magical power of “Weaving” that lets her summon ghostly threads. Her power works in several ways:

• Makes temporary gliders for movement
• Creates grappling hooks for platforming
• Summons spectral objects between worlds
• Fights entities known as “Haints”

Story Elements

The story unfolds chapter by chapter, as a narrator flips through an ornate book. We follow Hazel’s desperate search for her mother after a hurricane’s flash flood washes away their home. The tale connects with Mahalia, a spectral Weaver who guides enslaved spirits to freedom. The game tackles trauma stored in bottle trees while striking a balance between dark themes and whimsy.

The Outer Worlds 2

_{Image Source: Obsidian Entertainment}

Obsidian Entertainment’s sequel among games coming out in 2025 takes players away from Halcyon to a mysterious new frontier: the Arcadia colony.

New Planets and Locations

A brand-new star system serves as the backdrop where dangerous rifts tear through the colony. Players will discover diverse environments from cold industrial complexes to lush territories teeming with flora. The Protectorate stands as a dominant force, yet rebel groups actively challenge its religious order and corporate control.

Combat Improvements

The development team has refined the melee system with several vital improvements:

• Dedicated shield options for blocking and parrying
• More weapon variations with unique attacks
• Science weapons with distinctive effects
• Better defensive mechanics

RPG Systems and Choices

You’ll play as an Earth Directorate agent tasked with investigating deadly rifts. A robust reputation system tracks your influence across multiple factions. Character growth revolves around new perks that unlock special abilities. These perks affect both dialog options and your effectiveness in battle. The game’s factional warfare adds weight to your decisions, which shape diplomatic ties and outcomes. Your choices ripple through the campaign, affecting both the story and the state of the game world.

Comparison Table

Conclusion

The gaming world looks incredible in 2025 with seventeen amazing titles that challenge creative and technical limits. Grand Theft Auto 6 guides this impressive lineup. Games like Monster Hunter Wilds and Elden Ring Nightreign show equally bold visions through their groundbreaking mechanics and multiplayer features.

Fan-favorite franchises get exciting new takes. Metal Gear Solid Delta delivers stunning visual upgrades. Death Stranding 2 builds on its unique world, while Pokemon Legends: Z-A brings a fresh take on urban exploration. These games showcase technical excellence through next-gen engines and improved graphics.

Without doubt, cooperative gameplay stands out as a major trend. Elden Ring Nightreign and Borderlands 4 focus on shared adventures. Single-player experiences evolve too. Ghost of Yōtei and South of Midnight mix creative mechanics with gripping stories.

These seventeen games take different paths to advance gaming through technical breakthroughs, storytelling, and gameplay mechanics. Players can expect experiences in 2025 that will thrill both dedicated fans and newcomers alike.