2024 mirrors 2023 with growing anticipation for the Switch 2, ongoing speculation about GTA VI, and a surge in gaming adaptations. Despite a wave of layoffs and rising CEO pay, notable projects emerged, especially in the JRPG genre. Asian titles made significant impacts, while the French gaming scene faces challenges. Looking ahead to 2025, excitement builds for Nintendo’s announcements and the potential release of GTA VI, alongside a promising lineup of other major games.
2024: A Year of Parallels
The landscape of 2024 bears a striking resemblance to the preceding year, 2023. Anticipation for the Switch 2 continues to build, GTA VI remains shrouded in mystery, and the trend of adapting video games into films and series shows no signs of slowing down. Meanwhile, the industry grapples with a significant crisis, as layoffs have surged to unprecedented levels, while the compensation packages for CEOs continue to soar.
Despite this turmoil, several well-established studios have managed to launch new projects. However, numerous junior staff and those in precarious roles—particularly in quality assurance—have seen their dreams crushed by companies making ill-advised decisions. The rising fascination with artificial intelligence in gaming, reminiscent of the previous obsessions with NFTs and cryptocurrency, adds to the complexity of the situation. It’s hard to celebrate the year’s standout successes, such as Balatro, Animal Well, Palworld, and Helldivers II, without a sense of bitterness lingering.
That said, there has been a noticeable diversity in gaming genres this year, with 2024 marking a remarkable surge for JRPGs. The year kicked off with Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, followed by the nostalgic return of Persona 3 Reload, and the highly anticipated Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.
Square Enix has made a commendable comeback with titles like Visions of Mana and Romancing Saga 2: Revenge of the Seven, alongside the fresh iteration of Fantasian, crafted by the creator of Final Fantasy. While Final Fantasy XIV with its expansion Dawntrail remains a financial pillar for the publisher, the overall lineup this year is quite impressive. Atlus has also had a stellar year, not only with the remake of Persona 3 but also with an enhanced version of Shin Megami Tensei V and the groundbreaking new title, Metaphor ReFantazio.
On a broader scale, Asia has truly shined this year. It’s not just Japan making waves; the Chinese game Black Myth Wukong has generated immense buzz, achieving 20 million sales almost instantly. South Korea also made a significant impact with Stellar Blade, a title that deserves more recognition for its gameplay mechanics and captivating soundtrack rather than just the visual appeal of its characters.
When it comes to our own gaming scene, the outlook for the French video game industry is mixed. We enjoyed titles like Baladins, Symphonia, Les Fourmis, and The Operator, which showcase the innovative spirit of French developers. However, we wish we could remain optimistic about the future.
Regrettably, the challenges faced by Ubisoft (with the cancellation of the much-anticipated sequel to Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown) and DON’T NOD highlight the vulnerabilities within the French gaming sector, despite having stronger job protections than elsewhere. The loss of funding for associations like Atlangames only adds to the somber reflections we hoped to avoid.
2025: A Year of Anticipation
But let’s shift our focus from lamentations. 2025 is just around the corner, and we step into this new year filled with hope for transformative changes. If current plans hold, we can expect at least two major developments. The first is the anticipated announcement from Nintendo, as the unveiling of the Switch 2 seems imminent in early 2025.
The launch of a new console is always a significant event, especially following the remarkable success of the original Switch. After years of re-releases, Nintendo must deliver standout titles alongside its new hardware, including a new Pokémon entry and possibly a fresh Mario adventure. Furthermore, third-party developers like Level-5, known for Professor Layton, are set to make waves this year.
The second major highlight will likely be the launch of GTA VI. Here’s hoping that Rockstar stays on track, as there’s always the possibility of shifting schedules that could delay this highly anticipated title to 2026. If all goes as planned, we’ll be witnessing the debut of one of the most significant cultural phenomena of the early 21st century, a sentiment echoed by the excitement surrounding its first trailer.
However, 2025 won’t just be about these two events. Even if publishers hesitate to announce release dates due to the looming presence of Rockstar’s blockbuster, the year is brimming with potential. We can look forward to titles like Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Monster Hunter Wilds, Civilization VII, and many more ready to captivate us from the start of the year, followed later by Borderlands 4, Mafia: The Old Country, and Crimson Desert. The sheer thought of this lineup has us excited.
It’s worth noting that the service games sector may experience a period of calm. If lessons from 2024 have been absorbed, which is uncertain, the pitfalls of launching service games have become apparent. Many developers throw spaghetti at the wall, hoping at least one project finds success to offset the failures of others. For Sony, this strategy did not yield positive results in 2024, as Concord is now regarded as one of the company’s major missteps. With Jim Ryan’s departure, Sony has scaled back its ambitions in this sector, although there are still a few projects in the works that the company is reluctant to abandon.