This year is fingering sex videosshaping up to be a pivotal one for PC gaming. With the release of more powerful GPUs from Nvidia and AMD, developers are pushing boundaries with titles that showcase even greater graphical fidelity.
Game development budgets keep rising, which isn't always a good thing, and one of the most anticipated games in over a decade will arrive in the fall – but will it come to PC this year?
Our list of the most anticipated games of 2025 features a mix of industry-shaking titles: a game that could determine the future of a long-running studio, the revival of a beloved franchise, one of the most visually stunning games ever created, and an unexpected spinoff of 2022's GOTY. Dive into the full lineup below, complete with trailers and release dates.
Civilization VII
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- Release Date: February 11
- Genre: 4X Turn-based Strategy
- Buy if you like: Previous Civilization games, Humankind, Age of Wonders 3, Old World
Hard as it is to believe, it's been nine years since Civilization 6 arrived. Fans of the long-running 4X turn-based strategy series have been aching for a new entry to sink countless hours into, and judging from what we've seen so far, the wait for Civilization 7 may well be worth it.
There are plenty of big changes coming to Civilization 7, including a reworked Ages system in which players guide their civs through the Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern periods, each containing legacy paths or goals.
That's fewer than the eight eras (or nine, with Gathering Storm) in Civilization 6, but Civ 7's are longer and more focused. The civilizations evolve throughout the ages, replaced by the new ones you select. These come with a fresh set of bonuses, units, and buildings. Various elements will be carried forward, too, allowing you to create a cultural lineage.
The other big change is that players will be able to pair any leader with any Civilization, though the game will recommend certain civs based on leaders' attributes. You also get to pick influential figures such as Ben Franklin, Harriet Tubman, and Machiavelli. And in a series first, players can change their civilizations at different points during the game.
Other new features include dynamic map terrain changes that evolve over time, streamlined tech and culture trees, and the introduction of crisis events. Change can be a scary thing, but this is still a Civilization game at its heart. That "one more turn" feeling will return on February 11.
?Avowed
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- Release Date: February 13
- Genre: First-person Fantasy RPG
- Buy if you like: The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, The Outer Worlds, Fallout: New Vegas
Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II, Neverwinter Nights 2, Fallout: New Vegas, Pillars of Eternity I and II, few companies have a resume filled with as many fantastic RPGs as Obsidian, which is why we should be excited for Avowed.
Avowed actually takes place in the same universe as Pillars of Eternity – the world of Eora – but gone is the isometric view, replaced by a Skyrim-like first-person or optional third-person perspective.
With its mix of weapon-based melee combat, firearms, and good old-fashioned spells, Avowed looks very promising. It's said to contain plenty of classic RPG elements, including a classless progression system, allowing players to develop their characters' abilities through multiple skill trees and weapon upgrades.
Like Obsidian's other games from the genre, there's a big emphasis on story, choices, consequences, and interacting with characters. You also have companions with different personalities and skills, but unlike most RPGs, you won't have the option to pursue romantic relationships with them. Instead, you get to "build thoughtful relationships," which doesn't sound quite as sexy, admittedly.
Avowed arrives on February 13, two days after Civilization VII. Next month is going to be a busy one.
?Borderlands 4
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- Release Date: H2 2025
- Genre: Looter Shooter
- Buy if you like: Other Borderlands games, Risk of Rain 2, Outriders
Tiny Tina's Wonderlands didn't really capture the imagination in the way that Gearbox hoped, and the less said about the painfully bad movie adaptation of Borderlands the better. Thankfully, Borderlands 4 should remind us what we love about the looter-shooter series.
The next Borderlands takes place on Kairos, described as a vast, war-torn planet ruled by an oppressive dictator called the Timekeeper. Players get to choose from four new vault hunters, each with their own unique abilities and skill trees.
So far, so Borderlands – but if it ain't broke... There are some new features, of course: Gearbox says the game will have a "seamless" world with no loading screens between areas, as well as new traversal tools, including a grappling hook. There'll also be the usual billions of procedurally generated weapons, co-op fun, and the series' trademark humor.
Borderlands 4 releases sometime in 2025, likely between July and December.
?Doom: The Dark Ages
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- Release Date: May 15, 2025
- Genre: FPS
Buy if you like:Doom (2016), Doom Eternal, Wolfenstein: The New Order, Titanfall 2
Many wondered what id Software would do with the Doom franchise after the brilliant Doom Eternal games, but few, if any, would have imagined a techno-medieval prequel that examines the origins of the Doom Slayer himself, back when he was the "super weapon of gods and kings."
We've already seen some of the awesome-looking new weapons that we'll be using to eviscerate demons in the next Doom, including the chainsaw-on-a-shield Saw Shield, the Warhammer 40K-inspired (maybe) Skull Crusher, and the enemy-impaling Quake-like Rail Spike. There's also a more gothic Super Shotgun and a flail, naturally.
Doom: The Dark Ages looks like the familiar fast-paced FPS with a pounding industrial-metal soundtrack that we all adore, but there are plenty of unexpected elements. Never before have Doom players been able to fly around on a cyborg dragon to engage in some aerial combat, or climb into a skyscraper-sized mech suit.
The next Doom installment looks visually stunning. Nvidia has also confirmed it will be DLSS 4 enhanced, including immersive path tracing, meaning we can expect even higher fidelity along with faster framerates.
The ripping and the tearing restarts sometime on May 15.
?Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
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- Release Date: February 4
- Genre: Action, Role-playing
- Buy if you like: Kingdom Come: Deliverance,
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Gothic series
One of the first titles to launch on this list, action role-playing game Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 concludes Henry of Skalitz's story. It takes place directly after the excellent first game as Henry looks to avenge the death of his parents in 15th-century medieval Europe.
Deliverance 2's world map is twice the size of the original's and split into two distinct regions. The sequel also introduces crossbows and even early firearms, which can be used while mounted.
RPG fans should be happy to know that they will be able to play Henry however they want, but the choices they make will matter, will have consequences, and will influence the people and the world around them.
As before, the almost sim-like realism is a big focus here, especially the sword combat, which appears to once again take time to master. Players need to eat, sleep, and train, and the advanced reputation and law system is still in place.
We return to Bohemia on February 4.
?Fable
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- Release Date: Sometime in 2025
- Genre: Action, RPG
- Buy if you like: Fable, Fable 2, The Witcher 3, GreedFall
I fondly remember playing the original Fable on my Xbox around twenty years ago. It's been fifteen years since the launch of Fable III, which wasn't particularly well received, and series developer Lionhead Studios sadly closed in 2016. Can the reboot capture the old magic?
The next Fable game is developed by UK-based Playground Games, which since being founded in 2010, has made only the Forza Horizon series, but at least it should capture the dry British humor that made the early games so loved.
There still aren't too many details about the next Fable, though we know it remains set in the fantasy world of Albion. The trailer suggests that, like the other entries, the choices you make will play a major part in what happens to your character. There are some almost Witcher-like combat scenes in the clip, it's likely open-world, and it all looks very pretty – the game is being built using the ForzaTech engine.
Fable is set to launch in 2025. Being from Xbox Game Studios means it'll be available on PC Game Pass from day one.
?Elden Ring Nightreign
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- Release Date: Sometime in 2025
- Genre: Soulslike
- Buy if you like: Elden Ring, Dark Souls series, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Elden Ring, a game so good that its expansion was nominated for a Game of the Year award, is getting a standalone spin-off this year.
The next FromSoftware game is still a Soulslike, but this time it's also a co-op roguelike. Players form teams of three, called Nightfarers, and must survive three nights in a procedurally generated version of Limgrave.
The game features a battle royale-style shrinking map that resets after players defeat a boss at the end of each game day, survival elements, eight distinct heroes, and more.
While a lot of it sounds quite different from Elden Ring, many of the most distinctive characteristics remain, including it being incredibly hard, no doubt.
?Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
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- Release Date: April 24, 2025
- Genre:Turn-based RPG
- Buy if you like: Metaphor Refantazio,
Persona series
For those who lament the move from traditional turn-based gameplay to real-time action in certain famous RPGs, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 could be a welcome arrival.
The game's plot sounds interesting. It sees the titular Expedition 33 looking to put an end to the Paintress, a creature with godlike powers who annually kills individuals of a certain age by simply painting said age on a monolith.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 looks gorgeous, but what really stands out is the combat. It uses a hybrid system that mixes turn-based and some real-time mechanics. It's described as using quick-time-event-augmented turns that place an emphasis on both tactics and reactions. Every attack, which costs action points, requires a timed input. The more complex the move, the more complicated the QTE. You can also target enemy weak points using a free-aim system. Defense-wise, there are real-time dodges, jumps, and parries, with perfect deflects leading to massive counter-attacks.
The usual RPG staples are also here, from skill trees and passive abilities to weapons with unique properties. There's also a stellar cast, including Daredevil's Charlie Cox and Gollum himself (and many other characters), Andy Serkis.
?Monster Hunter Wilds
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- Release Date: February 28
- Genre: Action Role-Playing
- Buy if you like: Monster Hunter: World, Monster Hunter Rise
The full release of Capcom's next monster hunting shenanigans is almost upon us. Being a new entry in the successful Monster Hunter series means there's a lot of pressure to get things right, but what we've seen and heard so far looks good.
As always, players can expect a slew of creatures to hunt and fight. The latest entry also introduces Seikrets, new dinosaur-like mountable companions that enhance exploration and combat. These offer auto-navigation to guide players to their targets and can store backup weapons, too.
Wilds also features a wounds system that creates weak spots on monsters that cause them to take more damage when attacked, as well as dynamic weather systems. The game looks very beautiful, which could be why Capcom is pushing the use of frame generation.
There are two more open beta tests for Monster Hunter Wilds next month ahead of its full launch on February 28.
?South of Midnight
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- Release Date: April 8
- Genre: Action-Adventure
- Buy if you like: Star Wars Jedi series, Black Myth: Wukong
South of Midnight is one of those games that we still don't know a huge amount about, but what little we know and have seen shows a lot of promise.
Developed by Compulsion Games, maker of We Happy Few, South of Midnight is a third-person action-adventure game set in a gothic fantasy American Deep South. Players control Hazel, a young woman with ancient "weaving" powers who confronts mythical creatures, known as Haints, as she tries to untangle her family's past.
The stunning creature design, magic-filled combat, stop-motion animation style of the cutscenes, great music, and lush environments have put South of Midnight on many gamers' radar. The combat looks very good, too, bearing a resemblance to the Star Wars Jedi series and Black Myth: Wukong.
It's just been announced that South of Midnight will arrive on April 8
Little Nightmares 3
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- Release Date: Sometime in 2025
- Genre: Platformer, Puzzler
- Buy if you like: Little Nightmares 1 & 2, Limbo, Inside, It Takes Two
2017's Little Nightmares remains one of this writer's favorite games, as does the excellent sequel, which has an ending you won't quickly forget. It's been almost four years since we last visited the surreal horror of this platform-puzzler world, with its hideous giant creatures. A return is well overdue.
The next game in the series introduces two tiny and slightly terrifying masked children, Low and Alone, who are trying to escape The Nowhere without meeting a grisly demise.
The third installment of Little Nightmares will be the first to feature optional online co-op alongside playing solo with an AI. With Low using a bow and arrow and Alone utilizing a wrench, it sounds like there will be plenty of It Takes Two-style co-op puzzle-solving, just a lot darker.
?Assassin's Creed Shadows
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- Release Date: March 20, 2025
- Genre: Open-world action-adventure
- Buy if you like: Assassin's Creed Valhalla/Mirage/Origins, Ghost of Tsushima, Like a Dragon: Ishin!
The failure of Star Wars Outlaws worried Ubisoft so much that it decided to postpone the release of Assassin's Creed Shadows from its original launch date last year to February 14, then again to March 20. If ever a company needed a game to succeed, it was this one.
While Mirage never really captured gamers' imagination, Assassin's Creed Valhalla was a brilliant if bloated addition to the AC franchise, one that spawned many, many DLCs, expansions, and more. Ubisoft will certainly hope Shadows turns into an equally lucrative money-maker, but whether it does remains to be seen.
The next AC's enormous open world is set in 16th-century Japan near the end of the Sengoku Period, a time of intense civil war. Players will be able to freely switch between an African samurai called Yasuke, inspired by the historical figure of the same name, and Naoe, a female shinobi assassin.
Each character has their own gameplay mechanics, offering both stealth and combat-first options. We're promised dynamic lighting and environmental interactions, including a grappling hook for parkour, seasonal changes such as frozen water in winter, and non-linear missions.
?Crimson Desert
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- Release Date: Late 2025
- Genre: Open-world action-adventure
- Buy if you like: Dragon's Dogma 2,?The Witcher 3, Ghost of Tsushima
Despite CD Projekt Red getting us excited over the Witcher 4 recently, Ciri's adventures won't be arriving for a very long time. Until then, Crimson Desert could be one of those high fantasy games that bridge the gap.
Crimson Desert's spectacular trailers look so incredible that some thought they were too good to be true. It appears to meld games like The Witcher with some Dark Souls-like elements and a splash of Ghost of Tsushima – you even get to fly around on a dragon, roasting people below Game of Thrones-style.
Published by Pearl Abyss, the creators of Black Desert Online, this open-world action-adventure promises a dynamic combat system with a variety of styles, large-scale conflicts, and some huge bosses to fight as protagonist Kliff, the leader of the mercenary group known as the Greymanes.
Crimson Desert isn't on a lot of people's radar, but it could be the surprise hit of the year.
Honorable mentions
GTA VI
The most anticipated game of 2025, the next Grand Theft Auto, would be the first name on this list if Take-Two had confirmed its release on PC this fall. But we still don't know when the game will hit our favorite platform, and based on Rockstar's previous titles, it's unlikely to be this year. GTA VI launches on console this fall. It's anyone's guess when a PC version will get here. Still, here's hoping.
Atomfall
Atomfall appears to answer the question: what if Fallout: New Vegas was set in England's Lake District? The first-person open-world adventure might be analogous to Obsidian's classic, but it also features detective and survival elements. It arrives on March 27.
InZOI
The Sims has long held the undisputed crown within the life simulation genre, so InZOI will have a battle on its hands trying to get fans to take notice. However, the game promises unique features such as the karma system, incredibly life-like graphics, and the ability to control not only individual characters' interactions but also broader city dynamics. There's also a focus on AI-driven behaviors. The game launches on March 28.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater
Konami knows people love updates of classic games, hence the success of Silent Hill 2 last year. The studio's next title to get the remake treatment is 2004's Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. Expect overhauled graphics, revamped controls, and more elements that make this a modern game. Hopefully, it will arrive in 2025.
Dying Light: The Beast
One of those games that was originally conceived as a DLC before its size demanded it become a game of its own, The Beast marks the return of Kyle Crane, the protagonist from the original Dying Light who now has zombie-human hybrid powers. Expect more excellent parkour, brutal melee combat, and beating the crap out of the infected. Coming summer 2025.