# 2025 in video games
**2025 in video games** was defined by the record-breaking launch of the [Nintendo Switch 2](https://www.edgepedia.org/nintendo-switch-2), a wave of studio closures and layoffs, the repeated delay of Grand Theft Auto VI into 2026, and a $55 billion agreement to take [Electronic Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/electronic-arts) private, alongside a release slate that produced major commercial hits and an unusually strong showing from independent and mid-sized studios.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Biggest hardware launch | Nintendo Switch 2 launched June 5, 2025; 3.5 million units in four days and 10.36 million in four months[1](https://www.gamesindustry.biz/the-biggest-games-industry-news-stories-of-2025-year-in-review) |
| Top US seller | Battlefield 6, the best-selling game of 2025 in the US, reaching a reported 10 million copies after an October launch[2](https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/2025s-biggest-gaming-news-banned-games-gta-6-delayed-price-hikes/2900-7312/) |
| Biggest delay | Grand Theft Auto VI moved to May 26, 2026 in May 2025, then to November 19, 2026 in November 2025[2](https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/2025s-biggest-gaming-news-banned-games-gta-6-delayed-price-hikes/2900-7312/) |
| Largest deal | $55 billion take-private of Electronic Arts with $20 billion in debt financing, the largest leveraged buyout in Wall Street history[3](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/28/play-on-or-game-over-a-look-back-at-2025-for-the-video-game-industry.html) |
| Labor climate | Microsoft cut as many as 9,000 jobs in July 2025; industry layoffs totaled roughly 4,000 more by July 2025 after 14,600 in 2024[4](https://www.theverge.com/news/697125/microsoft-xbox-layoffs-2025) • [5](https://dl.acm.org/doi/full/10.1145/3774758) |
| Game of the Year | Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 won The Game Awards Game of the Year and a record nine categories[6](https://www.bfi.org.uk/features/2025-year-video-games-switch-2-indie-big-hitters-fortnite-devours-all) |
| US market | Consumer spending of $60.7 billion, up 1.4% and the second-highest level on record[7](https://www.theesa.com/2025-u-s-consumer-spending-on-video-games-nears-pandemic-level-peak-at-60-7-billion-second-highest-on-record/) |
| Strike resolved | The 11-month SAG-AFTRA video game strike ended in June 2025 with AI guardrails and higher base wages[8](https://gamesbeat.com/big-money-long-delays-continued-layoffs-and-the-other-stories-that-defined-video-games-in-2025/) |
## Overview of 2025
The year's defining events pulled in opposite directions. On the commercial side, the Switch 2 became the fastest-selling hardware platform Circana had tracked at 10.36 million units in its first four months[3](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/28/play-on-or-game-over-a-look-back-at-2025-for-the-video-game-industry.html), US spending reached its second-highest level on record[7](https://www.theesa.com/2025-u-s-consumer-spending-on-video-games-nears-pandemic-level-peak-at-60-7-billion-second-highest-on-record/), and independent and AA (mid-budget games, between indie and big-studio productions) titles such as [Clair Obscur: Expedition 33](https://www.edgepedia.org/clair-obscur-expedition-33), [Kingdom Come: Deliverance II](https://www.edgepedia.org/kingdom-come-deliverance-ii), and [Hollow Knight: Silksong](https://www.edgepedia.org/hollow-knight-silksong) became breakout successes[9](https://newzoo.com/resources/blog/year-in-review-2025-to-date).
On the industry side, the year brought the largest leveraged buyout in [Wall Street](https://www.edgepedia.org/wall-street) history with the $55 billion Electronic Arts transaction[3](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/28/play-on-or-game-over-a-look-back-at-2025-for-the-video-game-industry.html), the closure of Warner Bros. studios including Monolith Productions and the cancellation of its [Wonder Woman](https://www.edgepedia.org/wonder-woman) game[8](https://gamesbeat.com/big-money-long-delays-continued-layoffs-and-the-other-stories-that-defined-video-games-in-2025/), Microsoft's July layoffs of as many as 9,000 employees with heavy impact on Xbox[4](https://www.theverge.com/news/697125/microsoft-xbox-layoffs-2025), and the November delay of Grand Theft Auto VI to November 19, 2026, which sent Take-Two shares tumbling[3](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/28/play-on-or-game-over-a-look-back-at-2025-for-the-video-game-industry.html).
## Major releases
The 2025 slate was dense even without Grand Theft Auto VI. Titles released during the year included Ghost of Yotei, Elden Ring Nightreign, Death Stranding 2, [Doom: The Dark Ages](https://www.edgepedia.org/doom-the-dark-ages), Borderlands 4, [Metroid Prime](https://www.edgepedia.org/metroid-prime) 4: Beyond, [Monster Hunter Wilds](https://www.edgepedia.org/monster-hunter-wilds), Pokémon Legends: Z-A, and South of Midnight[10](https://www.polygon.com/24188125/2025-video-game-release-dates-new-upcoming/), along with Blue Prince in April, Hades II, Silent Hill f, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II[6](https://www.bfi.org.uk/features/2025-year-video-games-switch-2-indie-big-hitters-fortnite-devours-all).
**Commercial standouts.** [Battlefield 6](https://www.edgepedia.org/battlefield-6) launched in October 2025, selling 7 million copies out of the gate and growing to a reported 10 million; it needed just 22 days to become 2025's best-selling game in the US and posted the highest single-month US sales for any game since 2022[2](https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/2025s-biggest-gaming-news-banned-games-gta-6-delayed-price-hikes/2900-7312/). [Assassin's Creed Shadows](https://www.edgepedia.org/assassins-creed-shadows), launched March 20, delivered the second-highest Day 1 sales revenue in franchise history, with players logging 160 million hours[11](https://staticctf.ubisoft.com/8aefmxkxpxwl/75aGUbWM9kwnQj44Tr7d6H/ce4ca047ddadf45cf1e98cea8d1d7a78/Ubisoft_FY25_PR_English_vfinal.pdf). [Split Fiction](https://www.edgepedia.org/split-fiction) sold nearly 4 million units after its March launch[12](https://news.ea.com/press-releases/press-releases-details/2025/Electronic-Arts-Reports-Q4-and-FY25-Results/default.aspx), and Embark Studios' Arc Raiders, launched in October at $40, sold close to 8 million copies by one analyst's count[2](https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/2025s-biggest-gaming-news-banned-games-gta-6-delayed-price-hikes/2900-7312/).
**The big slip.** Take-Two's slate had dated Grand Theft Auto VI for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on May 26, 2026[13](https://ir.take2games.com/node/31216/pdf); Rockstar delayed it in May 2025 to that date, then in November 2025 again to November 19, 2026, citing the need for more time to deliver a quality product[2](https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/2025s-biggest-gaming-news-banned-games-gta-6-delayed-price-hikes/2900-7312/).
## Hardware and platforms
**Switch 2.** Nintendo launched the Switch 2 on June 5, 2025, with GameChat for internet voice chat, game screen sharing, and video chat with a USB camera, and GameShare for play with a single game copy[14](https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2025/250508_4e.pdf). It sold over 3.5 million units in four days and 10.36 million in four months, double the original Switch's pace[1](https://www.gamesindustry.biz/the-biggest-games-industry-news-stories-of-2025-year-in-review), and Nintendo stated it was the highest global sales figure for any dedicated Nintendo video game platform in the first four months after launch[15](https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2025/251105e.pdf). Circana called it the fastest-selling hardware platform it has tracked, and it led US hardware sales in December and for the year, with the Switch 2 Pro Controller the year's best-selling accessory[16](https://gamesbeat.com/battlefield-wins-against-call-of-duty-in-2025-sales-circana/). The launch lineup included [Mario Kart World](https://www.edgepedia.org/mario-kart-world) and third-party support from Capcom, CD Projekt Red, and Sega[6](https://www.bfi.org.uk/features/2025-year-video-games-switch-2-indie-big-hitters-fortnite-devours-all); [Deltarune](https://www.edgepedia.org/deltarune) led Switch 2 digital unit sales at launch[9](https://newzoo.com/resources/blog/year-in-review-2025-to-date). Concerns were raised about the console's lack of indie games, slow dev-kit rollout, and Game-Key Cards for game preservation[1](https://www.gamesindustry.biz/the-biggest-games-industry-news-stories-of-2025-year-in-review).
**Pricing.** Nintendo charged $80 for Mario Kart World, the first new game in a long time from any company to sell for that much; Microsoft said it would charge $80 for games beginning with The Outer Worlds 2 but later reversed course for 2025[2](https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/2025s-biggest-gaming-news-banned-games-gta-6-delayed-price-hikes/2900-7312/). Both Sony and Microsoft raised prices on their current-gen consoles[8](https://gamesbeat.com/big-money-long-delays-continued-layoffs-and-the-other-stories-that-defined-video-games-in-2025/), and tariff policies had a demonstrable impact on the Switch 2's asking price before launch[17](https://variety.com/vip-special-reports/state-of-video-game-industry-special-report-nintendo-switch-2-gta-6-last-of-us-minecraft-1236376454/). Microsoft raised Game Pass Ultimate pricing by more than 50% in October, angering subscribers[6](https://www.bfi.org.uk/features/2025-year-video-games-switch-2-indie-big-hitters-fortnite-devours-all).
**Multiplatform shift.** Xbox embraced a multiplatform approach from January 2025, with titles such as Indiana Jones and Forza Horizon releasing on PS5, while PlayStation continued releasing titles on PC[3](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/28/play-on-or-game-over-a-look-back-at-2025-for-the-video-game-industry.html) • [1](https://www.gamesindustry.biz/the-biggest-games-industry-news-stories-of-2025-year-in-review).
## By the numbers
Market estimates for 2025 differ by scope and methodology. Newzoo's Global Games Market Report projected $188.8 billion in revenue (+3.4% year on year) with 3.6 billion players, reaching $206.5 billion by 2028[18](https://newzoo.com/resources/trend-reports/newzoo-global-games-market-report-2025), while its year-in-review forecast $197 billion (+7.5%)[9](https://newzoo.com/resources/blog/year-in-review-2025-to-date). Bain estimated around $219 billion excluding hardware, advertising, and esports, with about 4% annual growth forecast through 2028[19](https://www.bain.com/globalassets/noindex/2025/bain_report_gaming_report_2025.pdf), and Variety put the business at $178 billion[17](https://variety.com/vip-special-reports/state-of-video-game-industry-special-report-nintendo-switch-2-gta-6-last-of-us-minecraft-1236376454/). Newzoo's report forecast console revenues of $45.9 billion (+5.5%, boosted by the Switch 2), PC revenues of $39.9 billion, and mobile revenues of $103.0 billion[18](https://newzoo.com/resources/trend-reports/newzoo-global-games-market-report-2025).
In the United States, total video game sales rose 1% to $60,685 million from $59,876 million in 2024, with hardware up 9% to $5,435 million and accessories down 7% to $2,953 million[16](https://gamesbeat.com/battlefield-wins-against-call-of-duty-in-2025-sales-circana/). After a March 2026 restatement, final 2025 figures were $60.8 billion total: $52.4 billion on content, $5.4 billion on hardware, and $2.9 billion on accessories[20](https://www.theesa.com/timeline-entry/history-of-video-games-2025/). Battlefield 6 was the top-grossing console and PC full game, followed by NBA 2K26 and Borderlands 4; MONOPOLY GO! led mobile[7](https://www.theesa.com/2025-u-s-consumer-spending-on-video-games-nears-pandemic-level-peak-at-60-7-billion-second-highest-on-record/). Nearly 20,000 games launched on Steam in 2025, bringing the catalog to more than 117,500 titles, with almost half of the year's releases receiving fewer than 10 reviews[21](https://games.gg/news/best-selling-games-of-2025/).
## Industry business and labor
**Acquisitions and closures.** A consortium led by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund with Affinity Partners and Silver Lake announced the $55 billion take-private of Electronic Arts with $20 billion in debt financing[3](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/28/play-on-or-game-over-a-look-back-at-2025-for-the-video-game-industry.html); EA entered the deal from a position of strength, ranking first by monthly active users in August 2025 with 53.6 million across Newzoo's tracked markets[9](https://newzoo.com/resources/blog/year-in-review-2025-to-date). In February, Warner Bros. closed Monolith Productions, WB Games San Diego, and Player First Games, and canceled Monolith's Wonder Woman game; Monolith had existed for more than 30 years[8](https://gamesbeat.com/big-money-long-delays-continued-layoffs-and-the-other-stories-that-defined-video-games-in-2025/) • [1](https://www.gamesindustry.biz/the-biggest-games-industry-news-stories-of-2025-year-in-review).
**Layoffs.** On July 2, Microsoft announced layoffs affecting as many as 9,000 employees, with major impact on Xbox studios: The Initiative was closed, Perfect Dark and Rare's Everwild were canceled, and Turn 10 Studios lost more than 70 employees[4](https://www.theverge.com/news/697125/microsoft-xbox-layoffs-2025). EA and Amazon also laid off hundreds of staff, and cuts hit Eidos-Montreal, Square Enix, Funcom, Crystal Dynamics, Cloud Chamber, Supermassive, Niantic, Bend, Netease, and Ubisoft, among others[8](https://gamesbeat.com/big-money-long-delays-continued-layoffs-and-the-other-stories-that-defined-video-games-in-2025/) • [2](https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/2025s-biggest-gaming-news-banned-games-gta-6-delayed-price-hikes/2900-7312/). An academic analysis counted 10,500 job losses in 2023, 14,600 in 2024, and roughly 4,000 more by July 2025, with the US suffering the deepest cuts, a severity it attributes partly to the at-will employment doctrine and weak dismissal protections[5](https://dl.acm.org/doi/full/10.1145/3774758). In the GDC State of the Game Industry survey, 41% of developers said they were impacted by layoffs in the past year, up from 35%, and the share reporting no layoffs at their companies fell from 53% to 43%[22](https://investgame.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/0794a269-d5c4-4994-9bcf-8c5730d0815e_2025_GDC_State_of_the_Game_Industry_report-1.pdf).
**Unionization and the strike.** 2025 saw the establishment of the industry's first industry-wide union, United Video Game Workers-CWA Local 9433[8](https://gamesbeat.com/big-money-long-delays-continued-layoffs-and-the-other-stories-that-defined-video-games-in-2025/), and 58% of surveyed developers said game industry workers should unionize[22](https://investgame.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/0794a269-d5c4-4994-9bcf-8c5730d0815e_2025_GDC_State_of_the_Game_Industry_report-1.pdf). The SAG-AFTRA video game actors' strike that began in July 2024 ended in June 2025 after 11 months, with a ratified Interactive Media Agreement including AI guardrails protecting performers' rights, higher base wages, and better retirement benefits[8](https://gamesbeat.com/big-money-long-delays-continued-layoffs-and-the-other-stories-that-defined-video-games-in-2025/).
**Generative AI.** Generative AI moved from fringe prototypes into the year's biggest releases: ARC Raiders used it for character dialogue and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 also used it, drawing controversy[23](https://www.theverge.com/entertainment/848368/gen-ai-video-games-2025) • [2](https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/2025s-biggest-gaming-news-banned-games-gta-6-delayed-price-hikes/2900-7312/). In the GDC survey, 30% of developers said generative AI is having a negative impact on the industry, a 12-percentage-point increase from the prior year[22](https://investgame.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/0794a269-d5c4-4994-9bcf-8c5730d0815e_2025_GDC_State_of_the_Game_Industry_report-1.pdf).
## Awards and events
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the debut role-playing game from French studio Sandfall Interactive, won Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2025 and a record-breaking nine categories, earning a commendation from President Emmanuel Macron and prompting debate over the limits of the "indie" label[6](https://www.bfi.org.uk/features/2025-year-video-games-switch-2-indie-big-hitters-fortnite-devours-all) • [24](https://gameinformer.com/feature/2025/12/16/the-2025-year-in-review). The ceremony featured reveals including Star Wars, with Casey Hudson returning to direct Fate of the Old Republic, Tomb Raider, and Larian, plus an Evanescence performance[25](https://thegameawards.com/rewind/year-2025). Beyond games, Riot Games' Arcane won multiple Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Animated Program[20](https://www.theesa.com/timeline-entry/history-of-video-games-2025/).
## Live-service in 2025
Live-service retrenched. After the failure of Concord in 2024, Sony pulled back from its live-service strategy, canceling two unannounced live-service titles from Bend Studio and Bluepoint Games in January 2025 and retreating from a 2022 goal of launching more than 10 live-service games by the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026[1](https://www.gamesindustry.biz/the-biggest-games-industry-news-stories-of-2025-year-in-review). Developer appetite followed: only 13% of surveyed developers said they would be interested in developing a live-service game as their next title, while 42% were not interested[22](https://investgame.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/0794a269-d5c4-4994-9bcf-8c5730d0815e_2025_GDC_State_of_the_Game_Industry_report-1.pdf). At the same time, established live-service titles such as Fortnite, Minecraft, and Roblox dominated monthly-active-user rankings on PC and console[9](https://newzoo.com/resources/blog/year-in-review-2025-to-date), and MIDiA Research described the live-service goldrush as already having had its winners[26](https://www.midiaresearch.com/reports/midia-research-global-games-forecasts-20252031-the-market-is-mature-so-double-digit-growth-is-a-fantasy).
## How it compares with 2023 and 2024
By spending, 2025 was a modest recovery rather than a boom: US sales rose 1% to $60,685 million[16](https://gamesbeat.com/battlefield-wins-against-call-of-duty-in-2025-sales-circana/), the second-highest level on record behind the pandemic peak[7](https://www.theesa.com/2025-u-s-consumer-spending-on-video-games-nears-pandemic-level-peak-at-60-7-billion-second-highest-on-record/), and Bain described the industry as rebounding from post-pandemic consolidation with 5% growth to around $219 billion[19](https://www.bain.com/globalassets/noindex/2025/bain_report_gaming_report_2025.pdf). The labor climate worsened relative to both prior years: layoffs of roughly 4,000 by July 2025 followed 14,600 in 2024 and 10,500 in 2023[5](https://dl.acm.org/doi/full/10.1145/3774758), and the GDC survey's layoff-impact share rose from 35% to 41%[22](https://investgame.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/0794a269-d5c4-4994-9bcf-8c5730d0815e_2025_GDC_State_of_the_Game_Industry_report-1.pdf). As a release year, 2025 delivered a dense slate of blockbusters and, unusually, a Game of the Year winner from a debut studio, with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 joining Kingdom Come: Deliverance II and Hollow Knight: Silksong as standout independent and AA successes[9](https://newzoo.com/resources/blog/year-in-review-2025-to-date).
## References
1. [The biggest games industry news stories of 2025, GamesIndustry.biz](https://www.gamesindustry.biz/the-biggest-games-industry-news-stories-of-2025-year-in-review)
2. [2025's Biggest Gaming News: Divinity AI Debate, Banned Games, GTA 6 Delayed, Price Hikes, GameSpot](https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/2025s-biggest-gaming-news-banned-games-gta-6-delayed-price-hikes/2900-7312/)
3. [Play on or game over? A look back at 2025 for the video game industry, CNBC](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/28/play-on-or-game-over-a-look-back-at-2025-for-the-video-game-industry.html)
4. [Xbox hit hard with layoffs: from canceled games to a shuttered studio, The Verge](https://www.theverge.com/news/697125/microsoft-xbox-layoffs-2025)
5. [From the Atari Shock to a Modern Crisis: Analyzing Mass Layoffs in the Post-Pandemic U.S. Video Game Industry, ACM Games: Research and Practice](https://dl.acm.org/doi/full/10.1145/3774758)
6. [2025 – the year in video games, BFI](https://www.bfi.org.uk/features/2025-year-video-games-switch-2-indie-big-hitters-fortnite-devours-all)
7. [2025 U.S. Consumer Spending on Video Games Nears Pandemic-Level Peak at $60.7 Billion, ESA](https://www.theesa.com/2025-u-s-consumer-spending-on-video-games-nears-pandemic-level-peak-at-60-7-billion-second-highest-on-record/)
8. [Big money, long delays, continued layoffs and the other stories that defined video games in 2025, GamesBeat](https://gamesbeat.com/big-money-long-delays-continued-layoffs-and-the-other-stories-that-defined-video-games-in-2025/)
9. [Newzoo, 2025 PC and console games industry year in review](https://newzoo.com/resources/blog/year-in-review-2025-to-date)
10. [Games releasing in 2025: The biggest & best new upcoming video games, Polygon](https://www.polygon.com/24188125/2025-video-game-release-dates-new-upcoming/)
11. [Ubisoft Full-Year 2024-25 Earnings](https://staticctf.ubisoft.com/8aefmxkxpxwl/75aGUbWM9kwnQj44Tr7d6H/ce4ca047ddadf45cf1e98cea8d1d7a78/Ubisoft_FY25_PR_English_vfinal.pdf)
12. [Electronic Arts Q4 and FY25 Results](https://news.ea.com/press-releases/press-releases-details/2025/Electronic-Arts-Reports-Q4-and-FY25-Results/default.aspx)
13. [Take-Two Interactive Q4 and FY2025 Results](https://ir.take2games.com/node/31216/pdf)
14. [Nintendo Financial Results Explanatory Material, May 2025](https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2025/250508_4e.pdf)
15. [Nintendo IR presentation, November 2025](https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2025/251105e.pdf)
16. [Battlefield wins against Call of Duty in 2025 sales, Circana via GamesBeat](https://gamesbeat.com/battlefield-wins-against-call-of-duty-in-2025-sales-circana/)
17. [State of the Gaming Industry: Nintendo Switch 2, M&A, 'GTA 6' & More, Variety](https://variety.com/vip-special-reports/state-of-video-game-industry-special-report-nintendo-switch-2-gta-6-last-of-us-minecraft-1236376454/)
18. [Newzoo's Global Games Market Report 2025](https://newzoo.com/resources/trend-reports/newzoo-global-games-market-report-2025)
19. [Bain Gaming Report 2025](https://www.bain.com/globalassets/noindex/2025/bain_report_gaming_report_2025.pdf)
20. [History of Video Games 2025, ESA](https://www.theesa.com/timeline-entry/history-of-video-games-2025/)
21. [Best Selling Games of 2025, games.gg](https://games.gg/news/best-selling-games-of-2025/)
22. [2025 GDC State of the Game Industry Report](https://investgame.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/0794a269-d5c4-4994-9bcf-8c5730d0815e_2025_GDC_State_of_the_Game_Industry_report-1.pdf)
23. [In 2025, AI became a lightning rod for gamers and developers, The Verge](https://www.theverge.com/entertainment/848368/gen-ai-video-games-2025)
24. [The 2025 Year In Review, Game Informer](https://gameinformer.com/feature/2025/12/16/the-2025-year-in-review)
25. [TGA 2025, The Game Awards](https://thegameawards.com/rewind/year-2025)
26. [MIDiA Research global games forecasts 2025–2031](https://www.midiaresearch.com/reports/midia-research-global-games-forecasts-20252031-the-market-is-mature-so-double-digit-growth-is-a-fantasy)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Video games and digital play › Game industry › Industry events and awards › History and criticism of industry events*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license