Upcoming Video Games That Will Blow You Away In 2025

Let's be honest, 2024 was a bit of a mixed bag for the gaming world. We got some truly incredible surprises, and games like "Black Myth: Wukong" blew everyone away while reminding us why small studios are so important. At the same time, the industry as a whole suffered some massive setbacks. There were devastating game cancellations, gut-wrenching studio closures, and thousands of layoffs that crushed passionate game developers.

In light of that, we could all use some good news, and luckily 2025 is ready to provide. The beginning of every year is always a time for optimism, but this really is one of the most exciting years for gamers in recent memory. Some of the biggest gaming franchises of all time are getting sequels or prequels this year, and, on the other hand, there are also indie studios putting out completely original games that look beyond promising. From shooters to stealth games, and from hellish action titles to cerebral sci-fi explorations, this year has a stacked release schedule. Shrug off the worst that 2024 gaming had to offer and step into the future as you take a look at the games that are going to blow you away in 2025.

For fans of magic, folklore, and completely original stories, "South of Midnight" is definitely one of the most exciting new releases of 2025. From Compulsion Games, the studio behind "We Happy Few," comes an action-adventure game set in the American Deep South as viewed through the haze of a fever dream. The story follows a young woman named Hazel, who's life is transformed after a hurricane hits her hometown. Hazel's life is upended, but things get even stranger when she unlocks her inner abilities and becomes a magic-wielding being known as a Weaver.

As Hazel tries to find her mom and protect her town, players will lead her through a wildly imaginative journey to all kinds of mystical settings. They'll encounter strange creatures and even stranger allies, and they'll need to unlock new powers and weapons if they want to fight through to see another day. The combat system has been noted as feeling reminiscent of other 3D action games like "God of War," but "South of Midnight" spices up the tried-and-true formula with a visual style and storytelling approach that's utterly unique. The game debuts on Xbox and Windows on April 8.

Since its inception, the "Doom" series has continually set the bar for pulse-pounding FPS action, and over the course of more than 30 years, that bar has been raised pretty high. Developer id Software saw massive success with the most recent entries in the franchise, 2016's "Doom" and 2020's "Doom Eternal," and now the company is looking to expand that run with a prequel.

"Doom: The Dark Ages" looks to be exactly what the title promises. The game has all the fast-paced, hyper-violent gunplay that fans have come to know and love, but now the entire ordeal is dripping with a medieval aesthetic. The Doom Slayer is once again warring his way through the forces of hell, but this time we get to see how he forged his legend in fire. If you're a sucker for how much the recent "Doom" games have built upon the series' mythology, then it looks like this game will give you everything you want and so much more. Players will face down demons with a new array of weapons, including a throwable shield with serrated edges. If you thought the real Earth's Dark Ages were grim, then you'd better steel yourself before exploring Hell's. 

Fans of "Devil May Cry" and "Final Fantasy" have been looking forward to "Lost Soul Aside" for quite some time. The game was announced over nine years ago, when its then-solo dev Yang Bing dropped a trailer showcasing his concept for the game using stock assets. Since then, Bing has founded Ultizero Games, and a whole team of developers have poured their heart and souls into the game. Now "Lost Soul Aside" is set to release for PlayStation 5, Steam, and the Epic Store on May 30.

The game follows a rebel named Kaser, whose ongoing fight against the corrupt Emperor is interrupted when meteors begin raining from the sky. The entire world is changed after the meteor shower, and Kaser finds himself wielding a shapeshifting weapon in a world full of foes he could never have imagined. "Lost Soul Aside" pairs a dramatic high fantasy story with frantic combat that you can tailor to your own sense of style. It's not every day that we get an indie action RPG that looks this polished, and after nearly a decade of waiting, gamers are dying to get their hands on this one.

"Metal Gear Solid" is another beloved video game franchise that's getting a new release in 2025. We aren't getting a fresh story, but we are getting a sharp-looking remake of one of the franchise's most popular games. 2004's "Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater" was an instant classic and is roundly considered to be one of the best video games of all time. "Metal Gear Solid Delta" is a full remake of that landmark title, bringing the original experience into a new decade on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

Aside from the eye-popping look of "Snake Eater" rendered in Unreal 5, there's another major reason why gamers are excited for "Metal Gear Solid Delta." The remake also features completely new controls, so newcomers can now experience the classic story without the quirks (and headaches) that come with 2000s-era stealth controls. For the deeply nostalgic (or truly masochistic), the original control scheme will remain an option, so your "Delta" experience can be as faithful to "Snake Eater" as you want it to be. The developers have promised that although the experience as a whole has gotten a facelift and multiple quality-of-life improvements, players who loved the original don't have to worry about the game's bonkers story and mission structure changing too much. This is the same classic "Snake Eater," only more. Fans previously got a bit of an update to "Snake Eater" when the "Metal Gear Solid" HD collection came out in 2011, but once it arrives on August 28, "Delta" is going to be the definitive edition.

If you like sci-fi mysteries and hack-and-slash games, then "Hell is Us" needs to be on your radar. From developer Rogue Factor, the game is set in Hadea, a fictional country being torn apart by civil war. Players step into the shoes of Rémi, a man who's returned to Hadea hoping to find clues that might lead him to his missing parents. Along the way, Rémi also encounters strange supernatural creatures and finds himself fighting for his life.

Battling the dangerous creatures that roam Hadea is only half of the challenge in "Hell is Us." The game also immerses players by making them explore the country without map markers, quest objectives, or any real guides whatsoever. Much like the Lands Between in "Elden Ring," Hadea's semi-open world is filled with environmental hints and storytelling cues. The NPCs that Rémi meets will be full of useful information, but players might need to jot it down for themselves. When it comes to navigating the game and solving the mystery at its core, you're really on your own. "Hell is Us" offers an incredibly entrancing experience and a dark, mature story, as well as an addictive melee combat system that's sure to please fans of survival RPGs across the board. The game is slated to arrive on Xbox, PlayStation, and Windows on September 4.

If you like lootin' and shootin', then you're probably already looking forward to "Borderlands 4." The "Borderlands" franchise has been around for a long time now, and it's carved out a unique place for itself in the gaming landscape. With its unique art style, distinctive sense of humor, and a commitment to giving gamers more guns than they can possibly handle, "Borderlands" has inspired legions of fans (and one ill-fated big screen adaptation).

"Borderlands 4" is ready to proudly continue the series on September 23. This time around, Vault Hunters will be exploring a new planet, Kairos, as well as squaring off against a new uber villain. The Timekeeper is a would-be authoritarian trying to bring order to the world, and while we don't know much about his plan right now, we can safely assume we'll be disrupting it with plenty of firepower.

Unlike "Borderlands 3," which saw players hopping between worlds, the new game features one expansive and completely open planet for players to explore. "In 'Borderlands 4,' everything you're seeing is playable space that you can get to and reach without a load time," Gearbox Software CEO Randy Pitchford said in an interview with GameSpot. Pitchford also emphasized the amount of hand-crafted details that populate the game's world, saying that the devs tried to focus on making sure that every new location offered great options for the franchise's hectic combat.

"Dune" has one of the most iconic settings in all of science fiction, and in 2025, you'll be able to live there yourself. With "Dune: Awakening," Funcom is promising a massive survival experience set in the deserts of Arrakis. The game is set to be released for PlayStation, Xbox, Windows, and Linux on May 20, but Steam users can already get a feel for it by checking out the in-depth character creator and benchmark mode.

"Dune: Awakening" is one part survival game and one part MMO. Hundreds of players all coexist on the desert sands, where death is only ever a moment away. The game takes place in an alternate version of the "Dune" timeline in which the Fremen seemingly don't exist, Paul Atreides/Lisan al Gaib was never born, and war between the Atreides family and the Harknonnens has spread across the planet. After taking care of basic needs, players will be able to build bases, construct ornithopters, and craft powerful new weapons, all of which will be used to fight to the top of Arrakis' power hierarchy. You can finally explore all the nooks and crannies of Frank Herbert's beloved world, and you can even bring a friend along for the ride.

"Ghost of Tsushima" was the samurai game that many of us had been dreaming of for years. It had a massive open world to explore, multiple fighting styles to master, and an array of weapons and gadgets that kept combat encounters feeling fresh and exciting even after 80 hours of playing. Sucker Punch created a classic, and in September 2024 the developer revealed its plans for a "Tsushima" successor.

While we still don't have an official release date, we do know that "Ghost of Yotei" will be debuting sometime in 2025. In a move that probably won't surprise anyone who played through the final moments of "Tsushima," Sucker Punch has decided to tell a completely new story with the sequel. In fact, "Yotei" is set 300 years after the events of the previous game, and it takes place in a different region of Japan.

Our titular Ghost is a warrior named Atsu. We don't have many details about her story just yet, but we do know that she's destined to become as powerful of a fighter as Jin Sakai was in the first game. Thanks to its unparalleled visuals and next-level combat, "Ghost of Tsushima" has been hailed one of the best PlayStation 4 games of all time, and based on what we've seen so far, "Yotei" looks ready to carry on that legacy on the PlayStation 5.

It's always a big deal when Hideo Kojima releases a new game, and the hype for "Death Stranding 2: On the Beach" backs that up. The first "Death Stranding" introduced players to one of the strangest stories in all of gaming, players as a mailman delivering packages across a post-apocalyptic United States. In classic Kojima fashion, the game introduced not just outlandish sci-fi concepts, but also wild plots of political intrigue and more than a few larger-than-life characters.

From what we know about "Death Stranding 2," the sequel looks ready to pick up where the bonkers story of the first game left on and hit the ground running. The trailers are packed with hints and Easter eggs that fans have been picking apart since 2022, and absolutely no one can guess where the plot is going to go next. Kojima also hasn't revealed much about the actual gameplay of "Death Stranding 2," but it's safe to assume that the many package-delivery mechanics from the first game will make a return.

At the time of this writing, we don't know the official release date of "Death Stranding 2." As recently as September 2024, Kojima insisted that the game will be released in 2025. Needless to say, fans are keeping an eye on his social media profiles for more news.

We all know how this story ends ... sort of. Back in 2021, we learned that former "Uncharted" creative director Amy Hennig would be working with Skydance New Media and Marvel Games on a narrative-focused game set in the Marvel universe. Then in 2022, we got a first look at where their collaboration took them.

As the name implies, "Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra" is an action game set in the midst of World War II. The game features Captain America and Black Panther working alongside Howling Commandos member Gabriel Jones and Wakandan spy Nanali to fight back against Axis forces. The Nazis have occupied Paris, and our heroes have to put their heads and super abilities together to force them out of the city and ultimately liberate the rest of France.

Of course, we already know that Cap will end up on ice and Hydra will embed itself within S.H.I.E.L.D. for decades to come, but the game is still undoubtedly going to include all sorts of fun details for massive Marvel fans and total newcomers alike. We haven't seen much of the game since Skydance gave us a cinematic reveal trailer, but we should expect marketing to ramp up as its 2025 release gets closer. Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and its printed source material are already champing at the bit to learn more about the secret shared history between Captain America and Black Panther.

"GTA 6" isn't just the most anticipated game of 2025; it's one of the most anticipated games of all time. The game's reveal trailer broke the internet, bringing in millions of excited viewers in a matter of hours. Thanks to games like "Red Dead Redemption 2" and "GTA Online," Rockstar's reputation is rock solid, and the entire gaming world is waiting with bated breath to see the developer's biggest game yet. At the time of this writing, we don't have a specific release date for "GTA 6" nailed down, but the company has repeatedly promised that the game will be out sometime in 2025. That is, the PS5 and Xbox Series X versions will — the PC version may not launch anytime soon.

Like the last game, "GTA 6" features multiple protagonists, a Bonnie-and-Clyde-style duo named Lucia and Jason, but Rockstar hasn't revealed how (or even if) character swapping will work this time around. The game is going back to the classic "GTA" setting of Vice City, though this time around the city is going to be significantly larger and likely filled with a mind-boggling amount of detail. "GTA 5" has remained incredibly popular more than a decade after its release, and there's no doubt that Rockstar's follow-up game is aiming for an even higher level of longevity and acclaim.