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dOver my three-decade career as a games journalist I’ve written many articles about “the most anticipated games of the year,” and they almost always have a familiar theme: “Well, programming is dominated by sequels (yawn), but at least At least At least there are one or two original titles to look forward to!” From today’s point of view, this weariness with the games industry’s predictability seems incredibly quaint. We didn’t know how good we had it.
The last five years have seen seismic changes in the mainstream industry, mainly related to the irresistible rise of “live service” games like Fortnite, GTA Online and Genshin Impact, which survive for several years through voracious gaming models. subscription. The biggest ones are incredibly profitable: since its launch in 2017, Fortnite is It is estimated that he earned 20 billion dollars (£15.7 billion), maintaining 500 million player accounts in his sixth year. GTA Online still estimates $500m a year (£399m), more than a decade after its initial release.
Over the past two years, major publishers have fought for their share of the live service bonanza, often with disastrous results. In the past 18 months, three major live service games have been cancelled: Creative Assembly’s Hyenas, Sony’s Concord and Ubisoft’s XDefiant, with losses running into the hundreds of millions, as well as studio closures and staff layoffs. In 2023 there were around 10,000 layoffs in the gaming industry; according to the online layoff tracker Maintained by game artist Farhan Noor, the number for 2024 approached 15,000. As Olivia Rodrigo succinctly put it: “God, it’s brutal out here.”.
So now, when I look at the games coming in 2025, my mood has changed a bit. In fact there is a batch of sequels. Grand Theft Auto VI will, of course, be the mega event of the year when it arrives in the fall. But there’s also Hideo Kojima’s post-apocalyptic sci-fi opera Death Stranding 2; Sid Meier’s historical strategy simulator Civilization VII; Monster Hunter Wilds, Capcom’s epic beast-capturing open world; and Ubisoft’s latest time-travel odyssey, Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Not a month will go by without some sort of nostalgia-filled franchise iteration.
And I feel… relieved. Naturally, many of these massive, expensive and ambitious projects will have gone into production. before The industry doubled down on its obsession with identikit’s live services wallet destroyers. However, it’s strangely comforting to see that they haven’t been summarily abandoned or, as far as I know, turned into free-to-play games. gacha games packed with microtransactions and multiple interconnected currencies.
I suspect that in the coming months we will see a lot of dilapidated intellectual property being rebuilt by large publishers as they look for alternatives to the clearly extremely precarious carousel of live services. This year we expect a relaunch of the classic Fable RPG series, while Sega is exhuming brands like Crazy Taxi and Shinobi, and SNK brings back the Fatal Fury fighting game series after more than 25 years. This is all very similar to the way the music, film and performance industries continually repackage classic albums and films to create profitable premium experiences for older fans. In these difficult and unpredictable times, we all need peace of mind.
But I don’t think the big titles coming out next year are simply a sure source of money. We don’t know much about GTA VI, but we do know that it will be wild, controversial and extremely adult, unlike most live service titles, which are aimed at the widest possible global audience. Death Stranding 2, like its predecessor, will be a nearly incomprehensible but absolutely magnificent examination of death and loneliness on a ruined planet. Doom will be what it has always been: disgusting and hyperviolent. These are such big games that they don’t have to worry about alienating key demographics; They don’t have to incorporate virtual currencies or seasonal battle passes into their extensive narratives (although GTA VI will certainly come with an online multiplayer side hustle). One of the last games I reviewed in 2024 was the moody and depressing open-world adventure Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl, a game about fighting your way through a destroyed Ukraine, eating moldy bread to stay alive, and being attacked by dogs rabid My God, what a pleasure it was to be thrown once more into this miserable landscape; How wonderful that this game can still be made and sold.
Somehow, in the madness of the modern games industry, returning to what gaming used to be has become something tremendously brave and optimistic. What a time to be alive, holding a joypad, hoping to be entertained… with a sequel.
what to play
If you’re looking for a rogue-like fantasy adventure of incredible depth and enjoy the aesthetic of ’80s computer role-playing games, Qud Caves It’s for you. It’s a vast, richly detailed opera of a sci-fi-tinged game filled with strange mutant creatures, exotic plants, and ruined civilizations, all conveyed through simple (but elegant) 2D visuals and numerous interconnected menu systems. The world and story elements are procedurally generated, leading to wildly different playthroughs as you explore landscapes, slay monsters, and collect items.
Developed over 15 years by a small team, it has the same idiosyncratic and obsessive qualities as the renowned genre classic Dwarf Fortress, but I’ve found it more accessible and enticing. You sit down for a while and then five hours mysteriously disappear. A true marvel.
Available in: personal computer
Estimated playing time: hundreds of hours
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what to read
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He The Steam Winter Sale is underway! There are many bargains to be had, but Only until tomorrow, when the sale ends.. Polygon has a great list of recommended titles. Balatro, I Am Your Beast and Stardew Valley are ridiculously good value for money.
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If you are looking for console gadgets, VGC has a good piece. in the last nintendo switch 2 speculation, including a much more powerful dock and the removal of “stick drift”, which led to many Switch users losing control of their games.
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A recent study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research has found that open world games can help with relaxation and mental well-being. According to Neuroscience News“Open-world games, known for their expansive environments and player autonomy, offer a form of cognitive escapism that helps players disconnect from daily stressors and improve their mood.” The research team clearly did No Look at me trying to beat Maliketh, Black Blade, in Elden Ring.
What to click
Question block
This recent question from a reader comes up regularly, so it’s worth considering again:
“What iPad games can I get for a five-year-old?” That don’t contain microtransactions or require a monthly subscription?
It has become extremely difficult to find premium (paid) games on the App Store, especially those suitable for children. All the money is on the free model where games cost nothing to download, but then hit you with in-app purchases, ads, or both. However, I asked Andy Robertson, founder of the excellent Family Games Database and author of the book Taming the games for your suggestions. “Mouse and crane “It’s perfect for five-year-olds,” he says. “It’s a charming cooperative puzzle game about three unlikely friends who live in a port and repair machines. Chuchell It is another great option. It is an adventure comedy in which you play the furry hero Chuchel and his rival Kekel to solve simple puzzles and recover the precious cherry.” My children also loved the Toca Hair Salon games, which allow you to cut and style the hair of various fun clients.
If you have any questions for the ask block, or anything else to say about the newsletter, hit reply or email us at pushbuttons@theguardian.com.