GTA 6, the Nintendo Switch 2 and what else to watch out for

Even should you have been fortunate sufficient to get a brand new console or video games this Christmas, you have in all probability acquired your eye on some upcoming releases.

And 2025 is shaping as much as be an enormous one.

Most agree that 2024 was a painful yr for the video games business, with tens of 1000’s of layoffs and worldwide studio closures.

There is a hope that issues will bounce again – no less than partly – subsequent yr.

And two big releases particularly are prone to minimize by way of in an enormous method.

A cultural second, a day hundreds of thousands of avid gamers have been awaiting for a really, very very long time.

The discharge of Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6).

It is as a result of land in autumn, 12 years after prequel GTA 5 arrived on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, breaking launch records.

The sequel already broke information with its first trailer, which racked up an astonishing 90 million views in 24 hours when it debuted final December.

And that in all probability will not be the final document that shall be damaged.

“The anticipation for that is not possible to measure,” says James Batchelor, editor-in-chief of GamesIndustry.biz.

“It is undoubtedly going to be considered one of, if not the most important, sport launches of all time.”

Developer Rockstar hasn’t revealed an enormous quantity concerning the new sport past its twin protagonists and scenes from its fictional, Florida-inspired setting Leonida.

The massive query on most followers’ minds is whether or not the discharge date will slip, as has occurred for earlier massive releases from Rockstar.

James says he is seen nothing to counsel that it’ll – but – but when issues keep quiet it is time to begin worrying.

“If we nonetheless have seen completely nothing by summer season, and definitely if we have seen nothing of it by, say, finish of August, then yeah, that is going to 2026,” he says.

The discharge of GTA 6 is anticipated to have an effect on the broader video games business.

“I believe it would in all probability be a kind of moments the place the rising tide goes to carry the entire boats,” says George Osborn, marketing consultant and creator of the Video Games Industry Memo newsletter.

He says an enormous hit – particularly one with the cultural resonance of GTA – can get extra folks “within the temper to purchase video video games” and publishers need to capitalise on that.

There are different massive releases deliberate for this yr – Murderer’s Creed Shadows from French writer Ubisoft, Ghost of Yōtei from Sony and technique sport Civilization VII, to call simply three.

“The problem for the builders is how do you retain your self out of the Grand Theft Auto window?,” says George.

Avoiding the juggernaut of GTA 6 will seemingly imply different publishers launch their new video games early within the yr and even maintain them again to early 2026.

Another factor we do know is that the sport will launch first on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Collection consoles, with a PC launch to observe later.

Many avid gamers are nonetheless sticking with their previous-generation machines, and Sony and Microsoft shall be hoping GTA 6 will lastly encourage them to improve.

“If something goes to persuade folks to leap to a brand new console in the event that they have not already it should be GTA 6,” says James, who estimates that PlayStation 4 customers nonetheless depend for 50% of Sony’s energetic gamers.

But when we’re speaking {hardware} upgrades, there may very well be some competitors.

This is what we all know, formally, about Nintendo’s subsequent console.

It exists.

Your present Swap video games will work on it.

And that is it.

There is not any official title but, however followers have been calling it the Nintendo Swap 2.

Regardless of unconfirmed leaks and rumours the machine’s capabilities stay a thriller and the corporate’s promised some form of official announcement by the top of March.

There is a feeling, although, that Nintendo will not need to change the successful system of the unique Swap, which has bought 146 million items since its 2017 launch.

“The smart cash is on only a larger, higher Swap,” says James.

Anticipate it to look comparable with extra processing energy beneath the bonnet.

“Which may sound reductive,” he provides.

“However given the extent of success this has had they’d be daft to not simply construct on the inspiration they’ve made right here.”

James argues that affirmation of backwards compatibility – with the ability to play video games initially made for the primary Swap – strongly suggests the brand new machine will not be 1,000,000 miles away from its youthful sibling.

He says there’s a hazard that, as has occurred with earlier Nintendo consoles, clients won’t perceive that the brand new machine is completely different to what they’ve already acquired at house.

However James is not certain it would expertise the identical destiny.

“That was a very long time in the past,” he says. “I believe they’ve discovered quite a lot of classes since then.”

A few of 2024’s greatest success tales got here from small, unbiased builders.

Probably the most notable was Balatro – an addictive, poker-inspired card sport that ended the yr within the working for high-profile sport of the yr awards.

Journalist Rachel Watts, who hosts the Indieventure podcast, feels that has helped to set the stage for extra breakout success this yr.

“There’s been so many nice indies this yr,” she says.

“On the triple-A facet quite a lot of critics and gamers have mentioned ‘it is such a quiet yr, there’s not many massive releases’, however for indie video games, there’s all the time so many cool issues to play.”

Successful like Balatro is extremely uncommon, and one of many massive points for indie builders in 2024 has been discoverability – getting players to actually find your game.

Rachel says the variety of releases on Steam – the web retailer the place most PC video games are purchased – is “frankly bonkers” and getting observed is “one of the troublesome issues”.

“I simply do not see that turning into any simpler,” she says.

Rachel says indie builders are additionally struggling to search out funding and the monetary outlook is “fairly bleak” going into 2025.

However she does suppose that extra avid gamers are beginning to recognise the creativity that exists within the sector – and extra breakout hits will observe.

“The indie house is a spot the place I retreat to only play video games that get me enthusiastic about gaming once more,” says Rachel.

“If Balatro can knock elbows with among the greatest titles of the yr, then I am hoping different different indies will.”

There’s one other massive second to observe in 2025: the primary Olympic Esports Video games will happen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

“I believe it is an essential second as a result of the Olympic motion has historically not been too eager on esports,” says George.

After years of campaigning the Worldwide Olympics Committee agreed a 12-year cope with Saudi Arabia to host the gaming model.

The primary esports World Cup befell within the kingdom this summer season, and George says the occasion “did not actually minimize by way of” to a wider viewers.

“It’s going to be attention-grabbing to see whether or not or not the eSports Olympics with the official IOC branding and the official Olympic motion branding behind it has a distinct influence,” says George.

Some followers, gamers and commentators boycotted the World Cup in protest over Saudi Arabia’s human rights information.

George says the esports Olympics will revive conversations about sportswashing – the concept Saudi Arabia makes use of its huge wealth to spend money on sports activities and leisure to enhance its worldwide fame – one thing it is denied.

“You might have this actually attention-grabbing factor,” says George.

“Your massive esports second – esports turns into an Olympic sport.

“That is actually attention-grabbing. However the one method it is principally been in a position to occur is as a result of Saudi Arabia’s bankrolled it.

“So, you recognize, what do folks really feel about that?”

Hearken to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays – or pay attention again here.