The most anticipated games of 2025 on PC

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

Released in 2018, Kingdom Come: Deliverance received mixed reviews. Players praised its unique gameplay mechanics, immersive atmosphere, and historical accuracy, but criticized its bugs, errors, and missing features. Developers later revealed that these issues stemmed from a lack of staff and budget.

Despite these challenges, the game achieved solid sales, allowing the team to develop a vastly improved sequel. In April 2024, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 was officially announced. According to Daniel Vávra, head of the development studio, the sequel will be the game they originally envisioned. The release date is set for February 4, 2025.

The story continues from the first game, although playing the original isn’t necessary to understand the sequel. Players will once again control Henry as he seeks to avenge his family. Developers promise a darker and more brutal narrative focusing on medieval European politics, expanding the scope from minor nobility to the dilemmas of kings.

The game remains a first-person RPG set in an open world, retaining its non-linear gameplay. Players can shape Henry into a formidable warrior, a cunning thief, or a charismatic diplomat. NPC AI is being enhanced—for example, villagers may suspect Henry of theft if items go missing, and crimes could lead to public shaming. The combat system is also being improved, with the addition of new weapons like the crossbow and the arquebus.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Ubisoft continues to expand the Assassin’s Creed universe, and 2025 will see the release of a new installment—Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Set in medieval Japan during the Sengoku era, a time of civil war and feudal power struggles, the game was initially planned for late 2024 but was delayed to February 14, 2025, to address historical inaccuracies and technical issues.

The story features two protagonists: Yasuke, an African samurai who arrives in Japan with Portuguese traders, and Naoe, a young female shinobi trained in ninja arts. The two meet in a war-torn world and unite to protect those who have suffered from the conflict.

The gameplay retains the series’ traditional mechanics, with the notable addition of character-switching. Each protagonist has a unique playstyle: Naoe excels in stealth, using shadows and the environment for covert movement, while Yasuke thrives in open combat, wielding samurai weapons to defeat multiple enemies at once. The game also introduces seasonal changes, impacting the environment and gameplay.

Sid Meier's Civilization VII

Sid Meier's Civilization VI was released in 2016, and fans of the franchise had nearly given up hope for a sequel. However, in June 2024, Firaxis Games announced Sid Meier's Civilization VII, set to release on February 11, 2025.

The new installment introduces significant gameplay changes, such as the impact of weather conditions, natural disasters, and climate change on city development. The political system becomes more complex, allowing players to customize details like tax policies and social programs. Additionally, a cultural evolution mechanic enables civilizations to adopt traits from one another, ensuring every game feels unique. Improved graphics, detailed cityscapes, and landscapes, as well as asymmetric multiplayer scenarios, aim to elevate the series to new heights.

Mafia: The Old Country

Mafia III, released in 2016, faced a massive backlash due to numerous bugs and technical issues, along with gameplay and story choices reminiscent of the Far Cry series rather than earlier Mafia titles. Developers from Hangar 13 redeemed themselves in 2020 with Mafia: Definitive Edition—a remake of the original first game—which was both a commercial and critical success. Encouraged by this, 2K Games greenlit a new installment. At Gamescom 2024, the developers announced Mafia: The Old Country, a new chapter in the criminal saga set in early 20th-century Sicily, the birthplace of the Italian Mafia. The game is slated for release in summer 2025.

The story follows Enzo Favara, a poor but ambitious young man who dreams of escaping poverty. He joins the mafia family of Don Torrisi, immersing himself in a world of crime, brutality, and intrigue. Players will witness Enzo's life journey and the rise of the Italian Mafia.

Little is known about the gameplay, but it will likely remain a third-person action-adventure game set in an open world. Expect intense gunfights and stealth missions. The developers are focusing on authenticity, with the entire game being fully voiced in the Sicilian dialect of Italian.

Doom: The Dark Ages

In 2004, the shooter Painkiller captivated gamers with its dark fantasy setting and atmosphere. It seems id Software drew inspiration from this game while creating Doom: The Dark Ages, the latest entry in the iconic action-shooter series. While the exact release date remains unknown, the game is planned for 2025.

The story will explore the early days of the Doom Slayer's fight against demonic forces, set in a techno-medieval universe blending fantasy and science fiction elements.

Doom: The Dark Ages retains its first-person action-shooter gameplay, with new weapons and slightly slower-paced combat compared to its predecessor. The game will feature new enemy types and locations for players to explore.

Gears of War: E-Day

Each mainline Gears game has advanced the overarching story of humanity's struggle against hostile mutants. Gears of War: E-Day marks the franchise’s first foray into the past, exploring the events of Emergence Day when the Locust Horde first surfaced on Sera. The game is expected to release in 2025, though the exact date remains unconfirmed.

The story focuses on young Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago, soldiers of the Coalition of Ordered Governments (COG), who find themselves in the chaos unleashed by the Locust invasion. Players will experience the first days of the war as the unprepared world faces this new threat.

Details about the gameplay are scarce, but the game is expected to remain a third-person shooter with cover mechanics. Developers aim to bring back the horror elements that characterized the early entries, making the atmosphere darker and more intense. Both single-player and co-op modes are anticipated.

Borderlands 4

The Borderlands series has long been regarded as the gold standard for single-player looter-shooters. After the successful launch of Borderlands 3 in 2019, fans eagerly awaited the next installment. At Gamescom 2024, Gearbox Software finally unveiled Borderlands 4, set for a 2025 release, promising a brand-new adventure on an uncharted planet.

The game takes place on Kyros, where the protagonists crash-land after a spaceship malfunction. They decide to lead the local resistance against a ruthless dictator and his synthetic army.

Borderlands 4 maintains its classic looter-shooter gameplay with RPG mechanics and a first-person perspective. Developers plan to eliminate loading screens entirely, offering a seamless open-world experience. New traversal options, such as a grappling hook, will be introduced. Players can enjoy the game solo or in four-player co-op mode.

Judas

After the release of BioShock Infinite in 2013, fans eagerly awaited the next project from game designer Ken Levine. At The Game Awards 2022, Ghost Story Games, founded by Levine, announced Judas, a new shooter set in a sci-fi universe.

The game is set aboard the spaceship "Mayflower," which is transporting the last survivors of Earth to a planet in the Proxima Centauri system. Aboard the ship, an accident occurs involving the protagonist, Judas, who has lost her memory. Her goal is to uncover the truth behind the disaster and survive the crumbling ship.

The gameplay and combat system resemble those of the BioShock series. For example, the protagonist can wield firearms in one hand and activate implants with the other, allowing her to shoot electricity or set enemies on fire. A key feature is the "Narrative Lego" system, which adapts the story based on the player's choices.

Fable

In 2016, the closure of Lionhead Studios left fans of the Fable series without hope for its continuation. However, in 2020, Microsoft announced that it had acquired the rights to Fable and tasked Playground Games, known for the Forza Horizon series, with developing the new installment. Although no specific release date has been revealed, the game is expected to launch in 2025.

The story takes players back to the updated world of Albion, where they assume the role of a hero whose decisions shape the environment and its inhabitants. Developers promise to preserve the franchise's signature humor and charm while integrating modern graphics technology and expanded interactions with the game world.

The gameplay will combine third-person action with RPG elements. Players can utilize various weapons, magic, and skills to defeat enemies and make choices with long-term consequences. The game is being developed using the ForzaTech engine, ensuring cutting-edge graphics and realistic physics.

GTA VI

Grand Theft Auto VI is the most anticipated game of 2025. Although it will initially launch exclusively for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles, players are hopeful that a PC version will follow. Even if it doesn’t release on PC in 2025, its eventual arrival is inevitable.

The story is set in Vice City and focuses on the criminal lives of a couple in love.

The gameplay will retain traditional series elements, such as an open world filled with side missions and diverse activities. Significant technical improvements are expected, including enhancements to graphics, physics, and AI. GTA VI is poised to set a new benchmark in computer graphics and gaming technology.