This year could mark a major moment in gaming history with the highly anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto 6. Set to launch in the summer, it has been eagerly awaited since the record-breaking success of its predecessor, GTA 5, back in 2013.
But until then, gamers have plenty to look forward to. From long-awaited sequels to exciting new titles, here are some of the most anticipated games hitting the shelves this year.
Sid Meier’s Civilization VII
Release date: February 11
The Civilization series has been beloved by its fans since the release of the first game in 1991. Since then, every release has advanced the reality of the experience and added new features to keep players interested. The objective of the game is world domination: take a society and grow it from simple means to cities of skyscrapers and nuclear power.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Release date: March 20
Postponed from last year, the next Assassin's Creed game is finally set for release next month. French studio Ubisoft announced that the game would be delayed due to it not being ready, which is admirable in an environment where many games are half-cooked, prompting discontent among fans. The game is set in feudal Japan and stars two characters, a female shinobi ninja and a black samurai.
Tales of the Shire
Release date: March 25
Lord of the Rings fans are eagerly waiting for the release of Tales of the Shire, a cosy gaming experience that will allow gamers to immerse themselves in the whimsical world of the films as they discover, decorate and share in this idyllic corner of Middle-earth.
Doom: The Dark Ages
Release date: May 15
The next instalment in the Doom series, which began in 1993, will be set in a gothic, medieval setting. The series was rebooted in 2016 for a new generation, upping the ante with loud rock 'n' roll and power weapons. The trailer for Doom: The Dark Ages shows a frenetic fun time, vanquishing enemies and levelling up in the process.
Grand Theft Auto 6
Release date: autumn
While fans still have trepidation about Rockstar’s current promised release date of "summer 2025", most are hopeful that they'll get the game after waiting more than a decade since the last Grand Theft Auto title. The open world in GTA 6 will be in a Miami-like setting, with two playable characters, a man and a woman.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater
Release date: August 28
The Metal Gear Solid series has many popular games, but the standout is Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. Directed by gaming auteur Hideo Kojima, it was first released in 2004 and was one of the bestselling games of that year. A reboot of the game called Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is coming this year, with many hoping to enjoy the game again in a graphically improved setting.
Borderlands 4
Release date: September 23
The fourth entry in the beloved Borderlands series (last year's film was less beloved) is coming this year – six years after the release of Borderlands 3. The first-person game is in the looter shooter subgenre, requiring players to take out enemies to loot their weapons, objects and collectibles. The game will be released a year after the movie was released, which only took in $33 million on a $110 million budget.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
Release date: TBC
Another Kojima game, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is a sequel to 2019’s popular Death Stranding. The objective is to move packages across a vast map and deliver them during an apocalypse-level event. The sequel looks to expand the world set in the first game and improve on the mechanics of delivering goods.
Ghost of Yotei
Release date: TBC
Ghost of Tsushima was one of the last great games on the PlayStation 4. It transported players to feudal Japan to assume the role of a disgraced samurai who must clear his name and rid his island from a Mongol invasion. The sequel is set more than 300 years after the events of the first and takes place in the mountains of Yotei on Hokkaido Island. The game’s protagonist is a female ninja who is out for revenge.
Fable
Release date: TBC
Xbox players have been anticipating the next game in the Fable series since the release of Fable: The Journey in 2012. The action role-playing game is set in a magical world where wizards are fought with spells and incantations. The game will feature British comedian Richard Ayoade as a major character who helps the protagonist on his quest.
Blade
Release date: TBC
From the same studio that created Deathloop in 2021, the new Blade game transports players to Paris. As the day walker, gamers must infiltrate a congregation of vampires who have been terrorising the city at night.
Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra
Release date: TBC
Captain America and Black Panther team up in this action game set during the Second World War. Details on the game are sparse but the two-minute trailer shows the story will involve espionage work behind enemy lines coupled with fight sequences.
Recent games such as Guardians of the Galaxy and Marvel's Avengers haven’t sparked much confidence, but gamers will be hoping Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra is more like the PlayStation’s popular Spider-Man games than the aforementioned flops.
Dune: Awakening
Release date: TBC
A new massively multiplayer online game, or MMO, set in the Dune universe is coming sometime this year. Taking place in the desert planet of Arrakis, the game will have players strategising and commanding the Fremen in their resistance of House Harkonnen and its grip on the spice trade on the planet.
Mafia: The Old Country
Release date: TBC
The Mafia series has had three mainline releases as well as a remaster of the first game. The next will be set in Sicily in the early 20th century. The game will follow protagonist Enzo Favara and his journey from the Italian island's sulfur mines to joining a crime family.
