PC Gaming In 2025: Most-Anticipated Games And What To Expect

The PC landscape has continued to thrive in recent years. PC hosts numerous storefronts, such as GOG, Epic Games, and Origin, but the go-to home for most remains on Steam. Record-breaking numbers seem poised to continue dropping on Steam in 2025. In 2024 Black Myth: Wukong became the second most popular game of all time based on concurrents, sneaking past the figure set earlier in the year by Palworld, which saw 15 million copies sold on Steam in just a month. The sheer number of game releases on Steam also continues to grow every year, making for an overwhelming landscape to track.

On the hardware front for PC gaming, the biggest news continues to come from impressive--and expensive--graphics cards, along with numerous handheld systems. The handheld trend doesn't seem to be slowing, so expect even more hardware, and maybe even more operating systems, options in 2025.

Opting to be a PC gamer arguably provides you access to a wider array of games than ever before. Xbox is set to continue releasing every first-party game day and date on Steam and PC Game Pass, and PlayStation will continue to port titles over, with The Last of Us Part 2 and Marvel's Spider-Man 2 already announced for 2025. PlayStation also seems committed to launching its live-service titles, like Helldivers 2 and the now-offline Concord, on PC the same day as PS5.

Below, we've got a collection of hardware trends to keep an eye on, and details of PC games both confirmed for 2025 and some that might show up in 2025. For a broader look, check out all of the upcoming 2025 game release dates.

• Xbox In 2025
• PlayStation In 2025

The Steam Deck was not the first handheld console--it wasn't even the first to play PC games--but its support for Steam games and ease of use has certainly made it the most popular. Handheld gaming has become a booming market, and a number of additional hardware competitors are in development. Just at the start of January, it was confirmed that the Lenovo Legion Go S will come with the SteamOS as the default. It's the first non-Steam Deck to come with the software, and Valve confirmed there will be more coming.

Many Steam Deck competitors run on Windows 11, which allows more freedom in terms of what you can install at the cost of being more cumbersome, since the OS is designed for a desktop. Microsoft has stated that it's working on a more handheld-friendly version that could be a huge boon for these handhelds. That updates OS doesn't have a release date, but it sounds closer to launch than Microsoft's own Xbox handheld, which might exist somewhere between an Xbox and a handheld PC.

In the end, the increasing competition between companies could lead to some welcome and exciting developments in the space.

Nvidia's next generation of graphics cards, the 50-series, are releasing very soon. There are four new cards: the Geforce RTX 5090, 5080, 5070, and 5070 Ti. On the high end, the 5090 will cost $1,999 USD, with the 5070 coming in at $549 on the low end. In terms of power, Nvidia claims that the 5090 is twice as powerful as the 4090 but will require a 1,000-watt power supply, a big jump from the 4090.

The 5080 is being touted as twice as powerful as the 4080, and the 5070 is supposedly as powerful as the 4090, but comes in at a third of the cost. Much of this added power comes from new features and not just from the actual processing power of the cards. DLSS 4 upscaling allows for games at lower resolutions to be brought up to 1440p and 4K. It also includes Multi Frame Generation, which can generate up to three additional frames for every one frame of rendered gameplay, thereby increasing frame rates.

The 5080 and 5090 release on January 30, with the 5070 and 5070 Ti coming in February.

PC users have been unhappy with most publisher-specific game launchers, or really anything outside of Steam, for years, and it seems like game publishers are finally accepting it. Last year saw a few notable companies break away from their own launchers. Dragon Age: The Veilguard was the first PC release for EA in years that didn't require the EA App to play the game via Steam. There was still a third-party EULA but it's a step in the right direction.

2K has fully shut down its launcher and removed it from all of its Steam releases, so it won't be there for Civilization 7. Ubisoft announced that Assassin's Creed Shadows will be launching on Steam the same day as everywhere else, instead of exclusively on the Ubisoft store for PC. Ubisoft hasn't confirmed if this is the plan for all of its games moving forward but at least shows a shift in how the company approaches PC releases.

PlayStation continues its trend of releasing its exclusives on PC and Steam, with at least a year of buffer time first (for the non-live service games). Two games are already announced, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 on January 30 and The Last of Us Part 2 on April 3, with more potential ports coming sometime later in the year. There are a few games that haven't made the jump yet, like the PS5 launch title Demon Souls remake or Astro Bot, that could be announced for this year.

There is also the potential for some new releases coming to PC as well. Multiplayer titles have been launching the same day on Steam as PS5, and Bungie's Marathon might launch in 2025 and is already confirmed for PC, along with Xbox Series X|S. The only other announced multiplayer/live-service game from PlayStation that hasn't been canceled is Fairgame$, which was also announced for PC, although no release window has been given.

One other situation to monitor is Sony's PSN requirement for many games on PSN, including single-player ones. That went over poorly with the Helldivers 2 crowd, but the company has continued ahead with subsequent releases.

Unfortunately, not everything on this list is good news. Rockstar is sticking with its staggered release strategy for its games, which means that Grand Theft Auto 6 is not yet announced for PC; it is, however, due out on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S in 2025. Take-Two reconfirmed this strategy in May 2024, and while Rockstar has stood firm on its Fall 2025 launch window, there's been no word about the PC launch. While there are a few oddities, like the original Red Dead Redemption not coming to PC until 2024, there is reason to think it won't be a similar wait for GTA 6. Grand Theft Auto 5 took about a year-and-a-half (consoles in September 2013 and PC in April 2015) and Red Dead Redemption took just over a year to come to PC, so hopefully Rockstar won't make PC players wait too long for a port.

The only thing predictable about game releases from Valve is how unpredictable they are, but we do know for sure it has at least one game in the works. That game is Deadlock, which has been in closed beta on Steam for longer than it's been announced. It's a third-person MOBA shooter that you can play right now, assuming you have a Steam friend with access who can invite you. While it doesn't have an official release date or window, it seems possible that it will, at a minimum, see its beta opened up to more players during 2025.

Naturally, there are rumors of the long-awaited, and possibly not real, Half-Life 3. There was some speculation stirring thanks to a game listed on a voice actor's resume that lined up with some datamined information about a Valve game, and the G-Man voice actor made a mysterious tweet continuing hashtags for Valve and Half-Life. As always, you should take rumors and leaks with a grain of salt, and that goes double for Half-Life 3, but maybe, just maybe, this is the year.

Square Enix only has one new game confirmed for 2025, Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake, which is coming to PC the same day as everywhere else. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth just arrived on PC as well following its PlayStation exclusivity, and it seems likely that there will be more PC releases from Square Enix to come. After FFVII Rebirth and Final Fantasy XVI didn't meet sales expectations, Square Enix said it would be going all in on a multiplatform approach, which should mean more day and date PC releases.

Both Dragon Quest 12 and Kingdom Hearts 4 have already been announced by Square Enix, either having a decent shot at releasing in 2025, but it could also have some unannounced games up its sleeves. Maybe the rumored Final Fantasy IX remake could be revealed.

• Release Date: February 2

Rift of the NecroDancer is the sequel to Crypt of the NecroDancer, a rhythm-based game with musical combat. It has a striking art-style, over 30 original tracks, and rhythm-focused combat that has four difficulties, enough to satisfy even the most hardcore rhythm fans.

• Release Date: February 4

Warhorse Studios' sequel, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, offers a medieval action-RPG taking place in 15th century Medieval Europe. It offers bloody combat and an epic--and occasionally funny--adventure with knights, kings, and horses.

• Release Date: February 11

The next iteration of Sid Meier's classic turn-based strategy series, Civilization VII, arrives in early 2025, offering a big roster of leaders and new gameplay features, like choosing a leader and civilization separately. These new features offer more strategic approaches than previous games, all with a fresh coat of paint.

• Release Date: February 18

Avowed is a fantasy first-person RPG from Obsidian, the studio that made The Outer Worlds, Pentiment, and Fallout: New Vegas. Set in the Pillars of Eternity universe, you can use swords, guns, and magic to explore The Living Lands. Like most Xbox first-party games, it will be on PC Game Pass in addition to Steam on launch day.

• Release Date: February 28

The next generation of Monster Hunter arrives with Monster Hunter Wilds, which has a more open-zone take on the monster hunting formula. The experience appears to be streamlined without taking out the grind that Monster Hunter fans love, while adding long-requested features like no gender-locked armor.

• Release Date: March 20

Delayed out of 2024, the next large-scale RPG Assassin's Creed game arrives in March. Set in the long requested era of Feudal Japan, Assassin's Creed Shadows features two protagonists, Yasuke, the powerful samurai, and Naoe, the stealthy assassin. The two characters offer different gameplay approaches, letting you choose between all-out action and a stealth-first approach.

• Release Date: March 25

Tales of the Shire is a cozy life-sim game set in the Shire, home to the Hobbits in Lord of the Rings. You decorate your home, meet new friends, and enjoy a cozy and simple life. GameSpot's preview found the game to be as cumbersome as its title, but those rough edges could get sanded off before release.

• Release Date: March 27

Rebellion's Atomfall takes place in England, inspired by the events of the Windscale nuclear disaster in North England. It's a survival-action shooter where you must explore areas impacted by the disaster, uncovering bizarre mysteries, cults, and more.

• Release Date: March 28

InZOI is a Sims-like from a brand-new Krafton developer, InZOi Studio. Its pitch is to take the creation and simulation aspects of the Sims and expand it out to more than just a home, such as into parts of the city and other aspects of life. It features activities like riding roller coasters and communing with ghosts, as just a few examples of its expansion simulation.

• Release Date: April 24

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a turn-based RPG with active battle elements, taking place in a Belle Époque France-inspired world. The Paintress has been slowly killing everyone of a certain age and has now reached 33, forcing people of that age to trek out to defeat her. It also features an all-star cast, including the voices of Daredevil and Gollum.

• Release Date: May 15

Doom: The Dark Ages is a prequel to Doom (2016) and Doom Eternal, taking place in a medieval setting. Don't worry, you'll still be mowing through demons from hell with a variety of firearms, but now the Doom Slayer has a shield with a buzzsaw on it too. It will also have a more forward momentum focus for its combat, relying a little less on the combat arena structure of Doom Eternal.

• Release Date: 2025

2XKO is a free-to-play 2v2 tag-team fighting game from Riot Games, based on characters from League of Legends. The game has gotten a few tests in 2024 and was announced with a 2025 release window. The free-to-play fighting game will feature characters like Jinx, Ahri, Ekko, and more, with plenty of characters on the League of Legends roster that could come down the line.

• Release Date: 2025

Baby Steps is the next game from the creator of QWOP and the creators of Ape Out, a walking simulator where you have to contend with absurd controls. You must help unemployed Nate explore the world by putting one foot in front of the other, a task easier said than done.

• Release Date: Unannounced

While Hades 2 is already available on Steam in early access--and is already a superb game--there's a decent chance the game reaches its full launch in 2025. It entered early access in May 2024, and considering how polished it already is, it just might reach 1.0 status in 2025. The roguelike game builds upon the god powers and fast-paced runs of the original, while delivering an incredible story with a cast of memorable characters.

• Release Date: 2025

After the mixed response to Borderlands 3's writing and narrative, the team at Gearbox appears to be trying to right the ship for Borderlands 4. The narrative director has expressed a disdain for meme-focused jokes and toilet humor, hopefully steering the next entry in the looter-shooter in the right direction. Borderlands 4 also promises to have more guns to loot, and new gameplay features like a grappling-hook and seamless open world to explore.

• Release Date: 2025

Crimson Desert is a single-player open-world RPG from Pearl Abyss, the developers of Black Desert Online. It takes the incredible graphics and massive world of the MMO, and translates it into the continent of Pywel, which you can explore. It has been delayed a few times already but is currently set for a 2025 launch window.

• Release Date: 2025

DeltaRune is the next game from Toby Fox, the creator of the beloved indie RPG Undertale. The game features a parallel story to Undertale and the first two chapters are already available for free. While not the final chapters of DeltaRune, Fox has confirmed that the next chapters will arrive sometime in 2025.

• Release Date: 2025

One of the biggest announcements at The Game Awards 2024, Elden Ring: Nightreign is a standalone game in the Elden Ring universe. More intriguing though, is that it is a run-based co-op adventure, where you must survive three days and nights on a journey to defeat bosses from across From Software's catalog of games.

• Release Date: 2025

Fable, a reboot of the goofy RPG series from the Xbox 360 era, maintains that goofy tone in its magical world of Albion. Developed by Playground Games, only a short gameplay trailer has been revealed, but it reportedly has Witcher-like combat. It has a release window of 2025.

• Release Date: Unannounced

Judas is the next game from Ghost Story Games and is led by Ken Levine, the creative director of BioShock and System Shock 2. The trailers have shown a sci-fi setting, with plenty of chaos and special powers in an FPS that certainly wears its BioShock pedigree on its sleeves. It doesn't have a release window, but we do know that it's a procedurally generated roguelite.

• Release Date: Early 2025

Dune: Awakening is an MMO set on Arrakis, in an alternate timeline from the main Dune story. You will need to content with the harsh desert biome, as you struggle for water and fight over spice against other players.

• Release Date: 2025 (early access)

Slay the Spire 2 is the follow-up to one of the best deck-building roguelikes. Craft unique decks and make hard choices to advance through brutal monster encounters. Slay the Spire 2 will be launching into early access in 2025.

• Release Date: 2025

Splitgate 2 is bringing its Portal-meets-Halo formula into the modern shooter era, adding classes and more customization. It's sticking with its arena-focused gameplay but now has a bigger focus on speed. In addition, the classes each have special abilities, adding a new layer to the shooter.

• Release Date: Summer 2025

Mafia: The Old Country takes the organized crime stories of the series to early 1900s Italy, following Enzo Favara through the gritty underworld. It is a more-linear third-person action-adventure game, featuring horses and knife fights. It's currently set for a Summer 2025 release.

• Release Date: Early 2025 (early access)

The long-awaited Skate sequel from EA, simply titled Skate, takes place in the now-abandoned San Vansterdam. This means that the skaters of the city are free to customize and shred to their heart's desire. The free-to-play game will enter early access sometime in early 2025.

• Release Date: 2025

Bungie's Marathon revival is a multiplayer extraction shooter, pitting players against each other as they try to gather resources and loot, before getting out alive with it. Bungie hasn't revealed much about the game, but it has hinted to some play tests coming in 2025. It is expected in 2025.

• Release Date: 2025 (early access)

Subnautica 2 is the follow-up to the crafting survival, underwater exploration game. Gather some friends and explore, and in some cases survive, numerous underwater biomes. It has a new story, along with more tools, vehicles, and underwater creatures. It will enter early access in 2025.

• Release Date: 2025

Big Walk is the next game from the creators of Untitled Goose Game, and it looks like another silly adventure. A multiplayer exploration game, you can explore a large world, solving puzzles, getting lost, and just getting into mischief with your friends.

• Release Date: 2025

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is an action-RPG souls-like, set during the late Ming Dynasty in China. It takes a fantastical approach to its setting, featuring warring factions and incredible monsters that you will need to battle through on an epic journey.