With 2024 drawing to a slow close, thoughts start turning to 2025 and what the new year has in store for us. If they have not already, people around the world will be starting to gather their ideas around what presents to gift or request from loved ones for Christmas. For those of the gaming persuasion, it might be worth slightly delaying any thoughts around Christmas presents. There are some exciting new launches expected from the gaming industry in 2025, so it might be worth saving those Christmas present credits for the new year. Here are a few things we can look forward to in 2025 from the gaming industry.
The Rise of Virtual Reality Gaming
On 22nd October 2024, Batman: Arkham Shadow was unleashed onto the world, and, with it, hopes that Virtual Reality (VR) gaming will finally take off and fulfill its potential. The trailers looked promising, with more realistic features built into the game that can be played exclusively with a Meta Quest 3 headset. Swing from the rooftops, punish enemies with your bare fists and save Gotham from the Rat King. The early reviews of the game are extremely good, which bodes well for VR gaming in 2025.
Release of Switch 2
It has been over seven years since the Nintendo Switch set anchor on the gaming console timeline. However, in 2025, the world will be ready to receive the next model of Switch device. With a supposed eight-core Cortex-A78AE processor and ten streaming multiprocessors, the new Switch is expected to possess 75% the power of a PlayStation 5. Nintendo is playing its cards close to its chest, with many different rumors around the release date currently doing the rounds. March 2025 has been mooted. However, others expect the likely handheld console to hit later in the year. Regardless of when Nintendo decides to make the switch, it is bound to make a splash.
More Online Gaming
During the pandemic, online gaming took off as a popular option to play while restricted to the confines of the home. Games like Call of Duty: Warzone managed to fully establish itself on the gaming market and engaged tens of thousands around the world in battle. Casinos at the Daily Star also found their way into the gaming mainstream as the only viable avenue to play casino games during those wretched times. Both these entertainment options have continued to thrive since the pandemic, which is a concrete sign of the shift to a more digital society. Both are expected to add to their successes in 2025, with online tech and software capabilities constantly improving. These capabilities have also allowed Esports to grow exponentially. With competitions such as the eChampions League and the inaugural Olympic Esports Games next year in Saudi Arabia, Esports are beginning to emerge as a noticeable rival to traditional sports.
This is only a small glimpse into what is expected from the gaming industry in 2025. More will be revealed between now and the new year. For the gamers out there, perhaps hold those Christmas lists until exciting new releases and launches drop.
