Now that 2024 is almost over, it is time to reflect on the amazing gaming releases of the past year and envision what the upcoming year 2025 will be like. 2025 is expected to have some major game changers, including the likes of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, as well as Dragon Age: The Veilguard. In this piece, we will be discussing the most hyped games for 2025 on both the PC and Xbox platforms. Yes, there are a lot of cross overs, but they have the capability to run flawlessly on two platforms.

• 1. Doom: The Dark Ages  
• 2. Subnautica 2
• 3. Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era – A Triumphant Return  
• 4. The Outer Worlds 2  
• 5. Avowed
• 6. South of Midnigh
• 7. Atomfall
• 8. Solasta 2
• 9. Fable
• 10. Sid Meier's Civilization 7
• 11. Hollywood Animal 
• 12. InZOI
• 13. Marvel's Spider Man 2 (PC)

↖ 1. Doom: The Dark Ages  

• - Release Date: 2025
• - Developer: id Software
• - Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
• - Genre: Shooter
• - Publisher: Bethesda Softworks

With Doom: The Dark Ages marking the resurgence of the Doom legacy, it goes without saying that this series looks towards constructing its prequels in a completely unique manner. Continuing the trend from the Doom Eternal, this new adaptation has set aside the platform centric movements, instead looking to ensure that the protagonist is heavier, or tank like, making for a better experience. The game promises to have rough aesthetic cut out alongside the designs ensuring that rougher visuals are preserved with better weapons in place. Moreover, key features like controllable dragons and robots are also being looked into, with the game expected to be optimized for both Xbox and PC.

↖ 2. Subnautica 2

• - Expected Date: 2025
• - Studio: Unknown Worlds Entertainment
• - Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, PC
• - Genres: Adventure, Action, Survival
• - Publisher: Krafton

The sequel comes with variety of vehicles, Genetic engineering for diverse set of skills and addition of co-op gaming, all alluding to successor of Subnautica. Subnautica 2, while staying true to the mechanics of its predecessor, aims to rectify the flaws plaguing below-zero along with new features being incorporated in the set game. This time, S9manta hopes to do justice to the craze the Mexico one did with the support or Xbox and PC being exclusive initially within the release window of 2025

↖ 3. Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era – A Triumphant Return  

• - Release Date: Q2 2025 (Early Access)
• - Developer: Unfrozen
• - Platform: PC
• - Genres: RPG, Turn-Based Strategy
• - Publisher: Ubisoft

The Olden Era is quickly becoming a fan favorite in the Heroes of Might and Magic franchise. The new continent of Jadame provides the backdrop for a prequel that features a sole vast campaign and six factions including humans, elves, dark elves, undead and a swarm of insects at the start. There have also been improvements to technology that includes active skills for units and laws for each faction which look to build on the nostalgia while being groundbreaking at the same time. The game looks to further the good news by introducing ranked matches and spectator modes.  

↖ 4. The Outer Worlds 2  

• - Release Date: 2025
• - Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
• - Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC.
• - Genres: Action/RPG, Shooter
• - Publisher: Xbox Game Studios

The Outer Worlds 2 is yet another great addition to the community, and this time it stems from a Kansas-based entertainment company known as Obsidian Entertainment Office. Even though the game is still in the works quietly around the company, there was a teaser that suggested enhanced weapon variety & improved visuals to be among the many features that the game would have. And, based on the teaser, many are hoping that The Outer Worlds 2 continues the first game's tradition of humor and character-driven storytelling. And given it's an Xbox Game Studios experience, expect Polish on Xbox and PC.

↖ 5. Avowed

• - Scheduled to be released on February 13, 2025
• - The company Obsidian Entertainment is the Developer of the Game
• - Platforms Include: Xbox Series X/S and PC
• - Includes Genres: Action/RPG and Shooter
• - Publisher: Xbox Game Studios

Avowed is an action RPG based on the extensive lore of the Pillars of Eternity universe combined with enticing combat mechanics. If wanting a combo, players have the ability to dual wield either weapons or magic items. Although the game doesn't allow an open world concept, it has a wide range of handcrafted areas. Since the game is built on Unreal Engine 5 it has breathtaking graphics but dulls the game with questions about performance optimization being present. 

↖ 6. South of Midnigh

• - Planned to be released in 2025
• - The company Compulsion Games is the Developer of the Game
• - Platforms Include: Xbox Series X/S and PC
• - Includes Genres: Action and Adventure
• - Publisher: Xbox Game Studios

The game is set in the highly detailed and story rich southern part of America which is home to South of Midnight. There players are allowed to immerse themselves in a world filled with voodoo magic and various other fantastical creatures. The game is based on the mythical character Hazel who has to travel through a world hindered by her towns destruction due to a huge hurricane, the game incorporates magic as well as puzzles and combat to create a more enjoyable experience. The game also has a very distinct art style which is similar to stop motion animation, this allows it to stand out from the rest in the year.

↖ 7. Atomfall

• - Release Date: March 27, 2025
• - Developer/Publisher: Rebellion
• - Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PC, Xbox One
• - Genres: Shooter, Survival

With a storyline based on Atomic Heart and Fallout: New Vegas, the game takes place in 1960s Britain, approximately sixty years after a nuclear apocalypse has taken place and players have to try to decipher the truth of what happened while fighting violent groups and using the retro futuristic technology available. With engaging storytelling and focus on player agency, Atomfall has the potential to be at the top of the survival shooter industry.   

↖ 8. Solasta 2

• - Release Date: 2025
• - Developer/Publisher: Tactical Adventures
• - Platform: PC
• - Genres: RPG, Turn-Based Strategy

For anyone who used to love tabletop RPG as Dungeons & Dragons, Solasta 2 will be a great digital version of it. Unlike the first part of the franchise, this game is set to go for a more refine feel with respect to the tabletop rules instead of the flat graphics along with building a better connection with the players.

↖ 9. Fable

• - Release date: 2025
• - Developer: Playground Games
• - Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, PC
• - Genre: Action/RPG
• - Publisher: Xbox Game Studios

The long-awaited reboot of Fable is set to bring one of the gaming's beloved franchises back. Becoming of the Xbox exclusive, the reboot is quite vague as of the time, but giving more emphasis on multiplayer aspects and the early footage is a great mix of The Witcher 3 inspired story and combat. Was it worth the wait? Fans think so and are delighted to go back to Albion for a fresh mission.  

↖ 10. Sid Meier's Civilization 7

• - Release date: February 27, 2025
• - Developer/Publisher: Firaxis Games/2K
• - Platforms: PC, Consoles (including Switch)
• - Genre: Turn-based Strategy

Sid Meier's Civilization 7 that belongs to this course succeeds the players who have control over different civilizations to having historical based campaign over antiquity, age of exploration and modernity which means the players have the chances to strategize their play which fits better than Civilization 7's pacing. Keeping the controls still retains the mechanics of the hord and emphasizes the bones of the game.  

↖ 11. Hollywood Animal 

• - Release date: February 12, 2025
• - Developer/Publisher: Weappy Studio
• - Platforms: PC
• - Genre: Strategy, Simulation

Hollywood animal takes the notion of strategy games one step further due to its unique blend of storytelling and strategy forgiving players the freedom to create their own dilemmas while also being able to strategize their moves hence portraying themselves as a movie director guiding all the political bullshits and censorship placed on Hollywood.

↖ 12. InZOI

• - Release Date: March 28, 2025
• - Developer/Publisher: Krafton
• - Platform: PC
• - Genre: Life Simulation

Similar to what The Sims seek to provide, InZOI hopes to offer hyper realistic images and adult systems to its players. Unreal Engine 5 will serve as the foundation for an engaging life-simulation game but leaves questions regarding hardware requirements.

↖ 13. Marvel's Spider Man 2 (PC)

• Release Date: January 30, 2025
• Developer/Publisher: Insomniac Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment
• Platform: PC
• Genres: Action/Adventure

Also available in Roblox, but enjoyed on PlayStation 5, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 has made its debut on PC and comes with amazing visuals and modding capabilities. Engage into a friendly duel with Venom and Kraven the Hunter while swapping IDs between Peter Parker and Miles Morales.

With such an impressive lineup across diverse genres and settings, 2025 is being predicted to become yet another great year for gaming within PC and Xbox consoles!