Gaming
Gaming
The best games of 2025: 10 gaming highlights for the new year
2025 promises to be a gaming year of superlatives, packed with a number of highlights. Here are the 10 best games you can look forward to.
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A huge expansion for Elden Ring, a new TEKKEN and one of the best platformers of all time with Astro Bot: The gaming year 2024 had quite a few gaming highlights in store. But that's nothing compared to 2025, where one top-class game follows the next. Here are 10 of the best games of 2025 that you should put on your wish list.
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Gaming hardware trends and rumours 2025
01
Assetto Corsa EVO
- Release: 16 January 2025
- Platforms: PC
- Genre: Racing game
Assetto Corsa EVO promises photorealistic graphics
© KUNOS Simulazioni
The gaming year 2025 starts with an absolute highlight for racing game fans, as the Italian genre professionals from KUNOS Simulazioni bring a true successor to the legendary racing simulation to the starting line with Assetto Corsa EVO.
Like the first two instalments in the series, the latest part also focuses on maximum realism. Both on and off the track. The high-end racer aims to set new standards in terms of driving behaviour, but the racer also makes huge improvements from a technical perspective.
The tracks are reproduced in great detail thanks to laser scanning, while an innovative system simulates dynamic weather and tarmac conditions. The vehicle fleet also has a lot to offer with road cars, classics, hypercars, prototypes and racing cars. It starts on 16 January 2025 in the Steam Early Access programme.
More racing game highlights
02
Civilisation 7
- Release: 11 February 2025
- Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch
- Genre: Strategy
Civilisation 7 should feel fresh thanks to many new features.
© 2K Games
The global strategy hit Civilization 6 is already almost nine years old, but is still one of the spearheads in its sub-genre of strategy games. So it's finally time for a successor. And, oh wonder of wonders, it will be released in the year 2025 with Civilization 7, and you can start building a world empire again on 11 February.
Of course, numerous new features await you in the seventh main instalment, even if the core gameplay with its iconic hexagon fields remains largely untouched. However, you can now switch freely between civilisations in the three ages of a game.
At the same time, the familiar district system of its predecessors has been dropped. In Part Seven, your cities are now divided into urban and rural areas, with each civilisation having its own unique buildings that combine to create a special district. Sounds exciting.
The diverse genre of strategy games
03
Assassin's Creed: Shadows
- Release: 20 March 2025
- Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
- Genre: Open-world / action-adventure
Assassin's Creed Shadows continues the melody of Ezio
© Ubisoft
After the Assassins from Ubisoft took a break last year following the successful, rather compact Mirage from 2023, you can look forward to a new spin-off in March 2025. Even though the game has already been postponed several times, the time has finally come on 20 March 2025: Assassin's Creed: Shadows will not only be much bigger than its indirect predecessor, but with feudal Japan, it will also finally be set in an era that fans of the series have wanted for several years.
But it's not just the setting that is fresh. With Naoe, an accomplished shinobi assassin from the province of Iga, and Yasuke, the powerful African samurai from historical legends, there are two main characters for the first time who are very different from each other in terms of gameplay.
While Naoe, a master of stealth, uses noise, light and shadow to her advantage, Yasuka is more the man for the rough stuff with an extensive arsenal of katana, kanabou, bows, naginata and more. A huge, picturesque open game world that invites you to explore and discover skilfully rounds off the overall package.
04
Monster Hunter Wilds
- Release: 28 February 2025
- Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
- Genre: Open-world / action role-playing game
Monster Hunter Wilds is a candidate for Game of the Year.
© Capcom
The third game highlight in February 2025 is another contender for Game of the Year. After all, its indirect predecessor Worlds still has a huge fan base to this day. Monster Hunter Wilds expands the cult game with a gripping story and new game elements without straying too far from the roots of the series.
The core idea remains largely the same: as a hunter from a guild of hunters, it is up to you to hunt giant monsters in the Forbidden Land. The stronger story focus naturally makes Wilds more accessible, especially for newcomers to the series, but the complex combat system, 14 weapon types and numerous unique creatures are of course still included.
Thanks to numerous quality-of-life improvements (including a mount, for example), a huge open game world and extensive co-op options, we can expect an absolute highlight here.
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05
Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6)
- Release: 4th quarter 2025
- Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S
- Genre: Open-world / action
GTA VI once again takes us to the neon-drenched streets of Vice City
© Rockstar Games
It would be presumptuous to say that GTA 6 is not THE most important game of 2025. After all, the series is one of the ten best-selling game series of all time. GTA 5 alone sold over 200 million copies and is more of a pop culture phenomenon than "just" a video game.
So far, we don't know too much about Grand Theft Auto VI. What we do know is that the game will be released in 2025. But probably not until the end of the year. For the first time in the history of the series, GTA 6 will feature a female protagonist in the form of Lucia, who will be accompanied by an additional male protagonist.
The game takes you to the fictitious US state of Leonida, home to the Miami-based metropolis of Vice City, which already achieved cult status in the PS2 game of the same name from 2002. The only difference is that in GTA 6 everything will be bigger, more beautiful and more impressive.
06
2KXO
- Release: 2025
- Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
- Genre: Fighting game
Darius uses Ekko's assist to launch his offence
© Riot Games
When League of Legends makers tackle a new project, quality is always guaranteed. That was the case with the hit shooter VALORANT, it was the case with the cult series Arcane and it is guaranteed to be the same with 2KXO .
The development team wants to revolutionise the genre with this 2-on-2 fighting game. Originally called "Project L", the game is based on a huge roster of well-known characters, including Jinx, Ekko, Ahri and Brau, who take each other on in intense battles with stylish comic graphics.
The team has combined classic 2D fighting gameplay with fresh ideas such as tags and assists. You can call your second character into battle to perform different actions. With the innovative Fuse system, you can also define a special action for your duo that can give you an advantage in battle.
With the expertise of Riot Games, 2KXO is undoubtedly a highlight in the fighting game genre that is sure to play an important role in esports events.
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07
Ghost of Yotei
- Release: 2025
- Platforms: PC, PS5
- Genre: Open-world / action-adventure
Ghost of Yotei will be an absolute graphics highlight
© Sony Interactive Entertainment
The cult open-world game Ghost of Tsushima is undoubtedly one of the prettiest games on PlayStation 5 and PC, and with Ghost of Yotei, the adventure is getting a proper sequel next year.
The game takes you to Hokkaido, the northernmost of the Japanese islands, in the year 1603. The beginning of a new era, the Edo period, has thrown the country into turmoil and the country is on the verge of unification after years of war.
There will be a new main character, Atsu, who is apparently also a former samurai. From a gameplay perspective, you can once again look forward to an impressive open world that you can explore freely.
08
Deadlock
- Release: 2025
- Platforms: PC
- Genre: MOBA / Shooter
MOBA meets shooter: Valve is working on Deadlock
© Valve
Deadlock promises to be an extremely exciting game. This unique combination of League of Legends-style MOBA and third-person shooter comes from Half-Life developer Valve, who have years of expertise in this genre thanks to DOTA 2.
The game combines classic MOBA gameplay with various lanes, jungle camps and enemy bases with varied heroes and fast, precise shooter gameplay to create a unique mix.
The closed alpha for the game has been running for some time now and those who have already had a chance to get a taste of it are very enthusiastic about Deadlock. One of the most important multiplayer games of the year is coming our way.
09
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
- Release: 2025
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch
- Genre: Metroidvania / Action-Adventure
Bounty hunter Samus Aran finally returns from obscurity with Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. After the game was announced four years ago, the fourth instalment of the game series, whose debut is considered one of the best video games of all time, has been quiet.
There is no concrete information on part four yet. However, you can once again look forward to thrilling Metroidvania action from a first-person perspective and an intricate game world full of secrets.
Metroid Prime 4 could potentially act as a launch title for the new Nintendo Switch 2, but is also set to be released for Nintendo Switch. Similar to The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess in 2006, the adventure could bridge the gap between the two console generations.
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10
Anno 117: Pax Romana
- Release: 2025
- Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
- Genre: Building strategy
Anno 117: Pax Romana will be a highlight for strategy fans
© Ubisoft
The strategy game genre is incredibly popular, especially in Germany. One of the biggest names in the genre is undoubtedly Anno. So it's only fitting that Ubisoft in Mainz is preparing a new instalment of the build-up strategy series with Anno 117: Pax Romana.
In contrast to the last instalment, Anno 1800, set in the Industrial Revolution, the game takes you to the Roman Empire of the year 117, where you take on the role of a city governor in order to build your own metropolis.
The typical Anno elements of construction, economy and rule naturally also play an important role in the latest instalment. Only with significantly less support from machines than in the previous instalments.
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