“I’m looking forward to it as both a user and a creator”.
Japanese publication Famitsu has held its traditional end-of-year interview round-up with game creators, speaking to 158 different people about their hopes and aspirations for 2025.
The replies weren’t totally focused on games – some of the interviewees spoke about what they were looking forward to seeing in the worlds of movies, music and tech in 2025 – but it was interesting to note that two of the Square Enix staffers included in the round-up mentioned Switch 2.
Nightdive Studio’s The Thing: Remastered launched in North America back on 5th December, giving Switch gamers in that territory the chance to (re)acquaint themselves with Computer Artwork’s cult squad-based shooter from 2002. However, the European release has been tied up for weeks and it’s yet to appear on eShops east of the Atlantic.
The developer and publisher of the remaster took to social media with an update, indicating that the game — based on John Carpenter’s 1982 film, of course — has been submitted to Nintendo of Europe and the team is just waiting for it to appear. Presumably, it’s wedged somewhere in Nintendo’s holiday backlog, so it looks like it’s going to be a 2025 release around these parts:
Unlike a lot of the team I’d imagine, my opinion is this: I thought the year was quite middling for games. Or at least, it was middling for my own personal taste, which is quite unsavoury at the best of times. Most of my best picks made it into the calendar proper, but a couple didn’t. One I hadn’t even played properly until after the vote, and the other? The other is a flawed pick, but one that I couldn’t stop thinking about.
Anyway, hope you all have a restful Xmas folks and a cracking new year. I hope Santa bought you some nice warm socks or a chocolate orange so dense, you could tee it off at your local golf club.
The fell moons rise, and in their cold glare emerges a parcel from the dirt. Bloat and gangrene, crimped as if by tourniquet. A dark promise wriggles within. Grip the fibrous handles, feel its jagged soul imprint upon your palm. Now pull! Rend the sinew, tear muscle from bone, hatch their fetid gift! The yoke draws near! Take up the slip and read the words upon its face.
Time to enjoy your lovely joke!
Q: What game does Geoff Keighley play now that E3 is gone forever?
Sonic’s profile has continued to skyrocket in recent years thanks to a trilogy of successful live-action movies and multiple games that have been mostly well-received by fans and critics alike.
As for what’s next for the blue blur, it’s not clear exactly what to expect just yet in terms of future major outings, but whatever it is, it must be a “great game” according to Sega’s president Shuji Utsumi.
“KOF Studio will proudly carry on the 30-year legacy”.
As part of The King of Fighters 30th anniversary, SNK Corporation has established a new King of Fighters studio to keep the “legacy” going and also bring forth a new “revolution”.
Here’s the official announcement on SNK’s website:
Over the holiday season, we’re republishing some of the best articles from Nintendo Life writers and contributors as part of ourBest of 2024series. This article was originally published in September. Enjoy!
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they’ve been chewing over. Today, Jim’s reliving Splatoon 3’s epic climax…
With 2025 and the New Year quickly approaching, now is the time to score some last-minute holiday deals. Here are the best deals for Monday, December 30.
Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection for $24.96
Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection packs in all six mainline Mega Man Battle Network games, with plenty of new features included. You can check out and listen to over 180 tracks of music with the Music Player or even head over to the Gallery Network to view concept art, character sketches, and more. Try out the different filters to customize your Battle Network experience! For $25, you’re getting an excellent celebration of Mega Man, with over 100 hours of gameplay to experience.
Save 37% Off The HORI Fighting Commander OCTA (Street Fighter 6 Cammy Edition)
If you’re searching for a new fighting game fightpad, look no further than this HORI Fighting Commander OCTA. Compatible with both Windows 11 and Windoews 10, this tournament grade controller features microswitch buttons, a six-button layout, accurate D-Pad, analog slide pad, and more. Plus, this particular model features art of Cammy in Street Fighter 6!
Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics for $34
You can score Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics for only $34 today at Amazon. This collection packs in seven different titles, including the beloved Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes. At last, you can play these classic titles on modern platforms.
Persona 5 Royal for $14.88
Walmart has digital Nintendo Switch copies of Persona 5 Royal available on sale for only $14.88. Acting as the definitive version of P5, Persona 5 Royal is one of the must-play RPG experiences of the last generation. This game offers well over 100 hours of content, making this an excellent deal.
Gran Turismo 7 for $19.97
Walmart has Gran Turismo 7 available for $19.97, and this is a perfect last-minute gift for the racing fan in your life. This is still one of the PlayStation 5’s best games, with hundreds of hours worth of fun at your hands. You can test and drive over 500 cars in total. Plus, you can even play Gran Turismo 7 in VR with PlayStation VR 2!
Apple Watch Series 10 for $359
Amazon has the Apple Watch Series 10 on sale for $359 this weekend, which nets you $70 off this extremely popular device. Series 10 marked Apple’s first wide-angle OLED display on Apple Watch, with the device itself being the thinnest watch yet. If you’re not an Apple Watch owner or someone who has an older model, this is the perfect time to score an upgrade.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD for $39.99
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is the long-awaited remaster of the classic Wii game. Set at the beginning of the Zelda timeline, Skyward Sword takes Link to the skies as he traverses across the world to save his childhood friend Zelda. You’ll uncover the Master Sword was created as part of this journey, among other things. For $39.99, this is an excellent title to add to your Switch collection.
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven for $39.99
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is arguably the best entry point into the SaGa series at this time. Acting as a full 3D remake of the 1993 release, this game features English and Japanese voiceovers, rearranged music, retooled gameplay, and more. If you’re still unsure about Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, you can check out the free demo across all platforms!
LEGO Icons Poinsettia Plant Building Set
If you’ve been on the lookout for LEGO deals, don’t pass up this LEGO Icons Poinsettia Plant set. Featuring 608 pieces, this set features a woven-basket LEGO flowerpot, five flowers, and plenty of foiliage to surround the plant. For $33, this is a great set to pick up and build before 2025.
Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition for $44.99
If you recently completed the Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, this is the perfect game for you. Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Defintive Edition is the newest mainline title in the series, and there is so much it offers. For many, this is one of the best Dragon Quest games out there, and you can’t go wrong picking this up for only $44.99.
Things really weren’t looking good for Atari for a while. Before current CEO Wade Rosen shifted the company’s focus back to retro gaming, Atari had its eyes firmly on cryptocurreny and… hotels? Yeesh. It wasn’t great. Now, however, the future looks bright for the once-mighty Atari, with the firm’s acquisitions of Digital Eclipse and Nightdive Studios seemingly paying off.
To demonstrate this, Atari has released a 2024 recap video in which it showcases every major release from the previous 12 months. While Atari itself has a few noteworthy launches here such as qomp2, Yars Rising, and RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic, it’s the addition of games from Digital Eclipse and Nightdive Studios that make 2024 such a stellar year for Atari.
We’re already at the end of 2024? They say time flies when you’re having fun, and boy, did we ever have a blast this year. We started with top-notch RPGs Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, dove headfirst into the multiplayer chaos of Helldivers II, enjoyed gorgeous combat in Stellar Blade, went on a nostalgia trip with Astro Bot, revisited old gaming grounds in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree and Silent Hill 2 and so much more. But with a new year comes the promise of many new gaming experiences, and the first four months of 2025 are already jam-packed with standout titles. Let’s look at some of the great games you’ll have the opportunity to experience in the next few months.
Gaming’s most epic retelling of the historical Three Kingdoms saga returns in its most ambitious entry yet. Dynasty Warriors: Origins begins at the start of the story, as a new martial artist hero encounters the soon-to-be-legendary figures Guan Yu and Zhang Jiao just as history takes drastic turns. Origins features the most detailed battlefields in the series to date, each one packed with soldiers that you and your allies must overcome with a mix of action and strategy. Whether you’re a fresh-faced recruit or a seasoned Warriors expert, Origins is bound to surprise and exhilarate with story and action.
Publisher: Koei Tecmo | Developer: Omega Force | PS5
Mecha combat and exploration combine in a gorgeous but dangerous post-apocalyptic third-person shooter. Based in the same universe as the Synduality: Noir anime, Echo of Ada is a stand-alone story based in a future where the remnants of humanity have been forced into small clusters due to the double threat of deadly rainfall and the vicious creature it spawns. As an apprentice Drifter, you use a mech called a Cradlecoffin to collect essential energy sources, accompanied by an intelligent and powerful AI called a Magus. Customize your mecha and use Magus’s abilities to conquer the fierce Ender creatures and other players.
Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment | Developer: Game Studio | PS5
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, the acclaimed, award-winning sequel, is swinging on over to PCs early next year. This game is a web-slinging open-world adventure on the streets and in the skies around New York City. It stars Peter Parker and Miles Morales, two of the greatest to don the Spider-suit. They’ll use a repertoire of skills and gadgetry–along with the fan-beloved symbiote suit–to battle Kraven and his gang of Hunters.
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment | Developer: Insomniac Games | PC
Strategy fans, get ready for the game that will consume you. Yes, the legendary Civilization series has returned. Once again, you’ll lead your little pocket of humanity to grow and thrive over the ages into a culture envied the world over. Choose one of three distinct historical ages–Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern–each offering bespoke gameplay elements and playable civilizations–and confront a challenging Crisis before moving into the next historical period. With leaders, you can choose to be independent of your civilization, follow the path of established history, or veer off into wild what-if scenarios.
Publisher: 2K | Developer: Firaxis Games | PS5, PS4
One of the most beloved and revered series in gaming returns with a new setting, dual protagonists, and all of the mystery and intrigue you’ve come to expect. Set in Sengoku-era Japan, you’ll control both female ninja Naoe and samurai warrior Yasuke in an ever-changing open world filled with friends, foes, quests, and secrets. Not only will you use the series’ trademark stealth elements to explore and take down foes and targets, but you’ll also be able to utilize new tools and wield various traditional Japanese weapons. Your skills and senses will prove as essential to victory as your prowess with the blade.
It’s time to revisit an oft-forgotten period in the history of one of gaming’s leading ladies. Lara Croft returns to the spotlight with three more remasters of vintage Tomb Raider titles. Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation, Tomb Raider Chronicles, and Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness. Besides a host of graphical improvements and a choice between classic and modern controls, players will have access to a brand-new photo mode with plenty of poses and outfits to create cool, stylish showcases for Lara.
Longtime followers of the Like a Dragon saga know that Mad Dog Goro Majima has typically been slightly strange. His latest escapade, however, is wickedly bizarre even by Majima’s standards. After getting stuck on a faraway island and losing his memories, Majima emerges as a new man: a scoundrel of the seas! But since he’s still Majima at heart, prepare for delightfully unhinged seafaring beatdowns. Use Majima’s Mad Dog and Sea Dog combat styles to lay the smackdown on punks on the shores of Honolulu and Madlantis, or take to the seas for really old-school cannon combat…alongside all the odd jobs, minigames, and karaoke you’ve come to love from the series.
Publisher: Sega | Developer: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio | PS5, PS4
No matter where you go in the vast universe of Monster Hunter, there’s no shortage of really, really big game to take down. When a region is called Forbidden Lands, you know it’s probably bad news–and everyone thought it was completely uninhabitable. That is, until a young boy from the Forbidden Lands shows up, saying that a monster called the White Wraith ransacked a previously unknown settlement. Time to grab your weapons and gear to hunt down that sucker (and a whole rogue’s gallery of nasty critters). Whether you hunt in the Forbidden Lands solo or online with companions, you’re bound to have a thrilling adventure.
Staging a rebellion against a corrupt government isn’t easy, but the odds look slightly better when you’ve got 107 friends standing behind you. Suikoden I & II HD Remaster is a collection of two of the original PlayStation’s finest turn-based RPGs, each featuring a twist-filled story of conflict, heartbreak, friendship, and perseverance in times of war and strife. In both games, you’ll go from a small band of rebels to building a formidable fortress by recruiting members of the 108 Stars of Destiny, warriors, wizards, and lovable weirdos who unite under your banner to fight for your cause.
What if you could just spend your days among happy little hobbits in the lush green lands of the Shire? That’s the question answered by Tales of the Shire, a cozy little life-sim game focused on the daily existence of delightful little demi-humanoid hobbits. Travel to the village of Bywater and enjoy some of the finest fishing, crop-raising, foraging, and culinary delights the Shire has to offer, taking in the sights and sounds of daily life–all while getting to know your fellow hairy-footed neighbors better.
One of the longest-running, most beloved fighting game series of all time returns in a big way. Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves brings the saga of Terry Bogard, Rock Haward, and the eclectic citizens of Southtown back to center stage with gorgeous new visuals, finely-tuned combat, and an all-new Rev system that enhances movement and offense options. The cast of characters includes returning favorites like Mai Shiranui, Joe Higashi, and B. Jenet, newcomers like Preecha and Vox Reaper, and Street Fighter guest stars Ken and Chun-Li. Longtime Fatal Fury fans and newcomers alike will enjoy City of Wolves’ stylish visuals, fast-paced gameplay, and cinematic presentation.
Publisher: SNK | Developer: SNK | PS5,PS4
To discover more anticipated games of 2025, head to playstation.com.
