24/7 Insights

• Our most anticipated upcoming video games include daring and innovative games from big studios and indie developers.
• The best games we look forward to are original games or sequels to popular franchises.
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Modern consumers are becoming increasingly distrustful of modern advertising. As marketing becomes more persuasive and pervasive, the quality of products continues to drop, leaving customers disappointed and angry. How can you know which products, especially expensive video games, are any good when the marketing all looks the same and so very impressive?

You’re not alone if you feel this way. When our budgets are being stretched to the breaking point by inflation (or more accurately, price gouging), most consumers can barely afford to buy any full-price games at launch. But, if you are wanting to pick up one of the most anticipated games at launch, you can’t go wrong with some of the games on this list.

Naturally, with a list of this kind, it’s going to be subjective, but we did employ at least some rules to determine which games to include. First, we only included full, original game releases. Any game that is already in early access won’t be on this list even though its real launch is in the future. (So, while we’re very excited for Hades II, it won’t be on this list since it is already in early access).

That also means we won’t include any expansions, DLC, remasters, re-releases, or remakes. Second, we took the games we are most excited about but did not rank them in order. How can you rank ‘excitedness’, anyway? Third, we included games that have been announced, even if they don’t have a concrete release date. That being said, we only included games coming out in 2024 and 2025. Some games might get delayed beyond that time frame, but currently, all these games should be out and playable before Christmas 2025.

That being said, here are the 17 upcoming video games we’re most excited about.

Why Are We Talking About This?

There are so many video games it can be hard to keep track of them all. If you’re looking to spend your money wisely, or even invest in the industry, then it pays to see what games are coming soon, which ones promise to be successful, and what gamers react positively to. Sometimes, even the most successful games don’t have the impact on the industry that smaller, more ambitious games do.

#1 Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

• Launch Date: September 9

If you feel like there’s a new Warhammer game coming out every other weekend, you’re not wrong. With a wide universe that spreads over one of the most popular tabletop war games, one of the longest-running book series, television shows, games, and more, there is an endless amount of video games, both good and bad for players to explore. It is not exaggerating, however, to say that Space Marine 2 is one of the most anticipated of those games in a long time, if not the most anticipated game of the year overall.

The great thing about Space Marine 2? You don’t need to be a Warhammer fan to enjoy it. Like the first game, if you are a fan of bloody, gory, over-the-top action, grimdark science fiction, or big guns, then you’re going to enjoy Space Marine 2 no matter what.

#2 Frostpunk 2

• Launch Date: September 20

Besides the fun gameplay, enthralling storytelling, and unique mechanics, the best thing about the original Frostpunk was the way it drew players into its wholly original world. It is a stressful and immersive city builder that presents the player with political and moral dilemmas to solve while they struggle to keep their city alive. Frostpunk 2 promises to deliver more of the same and improve upon this winning combination. We’re looking forward to losing ourselves in the frozen wasteland once again!

#3 The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

• Launch Date: September 26

Echoes of Wisdom lets players control Princess Zelda, in a rare break from the series norm and has a similar art style to Link’s Awakening released in 2019. Like all Zelda games, Echoes of Wisdom will introduce an original story and new mechanics for players to enjoy. This time, the new major mechanic is the ability to create “echoes” which are copies of objects and characters in the game. It remains to be seen what shenanigans players will get up to.

#4 The Wolf Among Us 2

• Launch Date: Delayed to 2024 (unlikely to meet)

The original The Wolf Among Us was a graphic choose-your-own-adventure game played in episodes and is a prequel to the comic book series on which it is based. It was one of the last games developed by Telltale Games before it was forced to shut down, and The Wolf Among Us 2 was one of the games in development at the time, resulting in it being significantly delayed and now being developed by a new Telltale Games studio with AdHoc Studio.

The first game was a fantastic ride and we look forward to an expanded world and more immersive story. Or at least give us more of the same!

#5 Kingdom Come Deliverance 2

• Launch Date: End of 2024

A direct sequel to the first game released in 2018 which promises to be bigger, better, and even more immersive! Sign us up. According to the publisher, Deep Silver, the sequel will be an “authentic rendition of 15th-century Bohemia, so history buffs around the world better be excited!

The original was widely praised for its historical accuracy, attention to detail, and immersive world but suffered from bugs and technical issues. With a larger team and more experience, Warhorse Studios is sure to outdo itself the second time around.

#6 Grand Theft Auto VI

• Launch date: Late 2025

Are you ready to see the biggest media event in the history of humankind? The sixteenth game in the GTA series is all but guaranteed to break sales records and blow players and critics away when it launches in 2025. Even with limited information and details about the game itself (only one trailer has been released so far), excitement is high and people are eager to see what Rockstar has been up to since their last big game, Red Dead Redemption 2. If Grand Theft Auto VI is anywhere near the level of quality as that game, then we’re in for a real treat.

#7 Fable

• Launch date: Sometime in 2025

The original Fable trilogy was a massive success and holds a special place in the hearts of those who played through it. It was a whimsical, fun, interesting, and innovative series, and it seems like Microsoft Game Studios is banking on strong nostalgia to make this reboot a success.

The reboot of the franchise was officially announced in 2020 and is being made by Playground Games which developed the Forza series of games. How will that talent transfer into a fantasy RPG setting? I suppose we will find out. Promises have been made about the quality of the game and the depth of its systems, but if it can at least maintain the spirit and style of the original series, then this will be a blast to play.  

#8 Avowed

• Launch date: Late 2024

A first-person (or third-person) action RPG developed by the same company that made Fallout: New Vegas, Pillars of Eternity, and Outer Worlds? Where do we sign up? Obsidian said that Avowed takes place in the same world as Pillars of Eternity, so if you enjoyed that universe as much as we did, then this should be a fantastic journey. The gameplay will focus on the use of companions and will be similar to previous RPGs developed by Obsidian.

While comparisons have been made to Skyrim (which isn’t a bad thing), company reps have said Avowed will have a wholly original combat and skill system.

#9 Ara: History Untold

• Launch date: September 24, 2024

If there’s one thing the author of this article will always need more of, it’s turn-based, 4X, grand-strategy games that let them act out their most fantastic dreams of world domination and social restructuring.

Many of the developers at Oxide Games, which is making the game, used to work at Firaxis Games when it created the Civilization franchise, so they will be bringing their experience and talent to the project.

According to the company, Ara features a non-linear technology tree and a national crafting system, and all players take their turns at the same time. Sounds like a refreshing entry to the genre!

#10 Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time

• Launch date: Sometime in 2024

This is a sequel to the original Fantasy Life released in 2012 which received positive reviews. This next entry will feature time travel and the ability to build up an island town from scratch. We always enjoy life simulation games, and when you throw in RPG elements and time travel, it’s sure to be a good time, especially since the original was released on the Nintendo 3DS so this will be a welcome game to waste time while on the train.

#11 Civilization VII

• Launch date: 2025

How could we not be excited about the next entry in the 4X grand strategy genre? The series that popularized the “one more turn” meme, Civilization has been a tentpole of the PC gaming community and has pioneered many of the strategy fundamentals that we enjoy today. We’re excited to see details of the game as they are revealed, and even more excited to lose sleep to this game!

#12 Slay the Spire II

• Launch date: Early access in 2025

The sequel to one of the most recent surprise hits will feature new and familiar characters. The developers at MegaCrit said it was the extremely positive feedback for the original that inspired them to make a sequel in the first place.

While the first game was simple and easy to love and play, it had a surprising depth that allowed for endless replayability. With more funds and more experience, the sequel should be better in every way.

#13 Keepsake County

• Launch date: Planned for 2024

The Steam page for Keepsake County describes this unique game like this: “Burglarize hideous farmhouses in the middle of nowhere and get outta dodge. You have moments before the cops arrive to rob a procedurally-generated house that you’ve never seen before. If you’re caught, residents will call the police even sooner… or take the law into their own hands.”

Sounds fun to us! Especially since it combines a unique art style, fun writing, and similar gameplay to Hello Neighbor. It is currently available with a demo.

#14 Nirvana Noir

• Launch date: 2025

If you haven’t played the original Genesis Noir, we recommend you stop reading now and give it a try. Critics and players praised it for being unlike anything else on the market right now in terms of style, feel, and look. You will feel satisfied that you solved the complicated puzzles yourself as the game doesn’t hold your hand through its series of beautiful vignettes.

If the sequel is anything like the original, then it will be yet another trip adventure through the universe with fun puzzles and beautiful music.

#15 Reka

• Launch date: August 2024

Become an apprentice to the legendary Baba Yaga? Be a witch in the dark woods? Build and customize your own chicken-legged, walking cottage? Explore, solve quests, and craft magic and spells? How is this not a game yet? Lucky for us, this game is already in early access and launching this month! We can’t wait to get our hands on it.

#16 Tiny Glade

• Launch date: Third quarter 2024

Want a relaxing game with no combat, no wrong answers, and no complicated management mechanics? Looking for a game that lets you build your own castle and town from the ground up in any way you want? Do you love building dioramas, or wish you had the talent to create your own medieval dioramas? Then Tiny Glad is for you!

According to Geekism: “Tiny Glade is the most beautiful pile of digital Lego I’ve ever seen!”

Sometimes we just want to relax and build cool stuff, and it seems like Tiny Glad is the perfect game for that.

#17 Way to the Woods

• Launch Date: Probably 2025

Way to the Woods is an indie game developed by solo developer ant tan at onepixel.dog about a deer and her fawn that must explore an abandoned planet in order to find their way home. We love games that tell a story without explicit dialogue and let us explore and see a world through the eyes of someone completely different. It promises to be a short, powerful experience, and we can’t wait to be a part of it.

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