What will Baldur's Gate 3 be in 2025?

If you told me that a turn-based cRPG based on Dungeons & Dragons would surpass the core Bethesda game, I would never have believed you. They didn't even believe it. Baldur's Gate 3 has moved Starfield's release date. This is a niche genre aimed at a die-hard audience rather than the mainstream. But with the arrival of these compelling characters, Larian has become better than ever.

Looking into 2025, I wonder what could create a similar storm. There are many worthy contenders, but before we look ahead, let's take a look back at the year we have ahead of us.

What was Baldur's Gate 3 in 2024?

Balatro - Ben Starr as Jimbo

There are a lot of candidates for Baldur's Gate 3 this year. Black Myth: Wukong, Palworld, Helldivers 2, and even Dragon's Dogma 2 to name a few. But none achieved greater popularity than Balatro.

The game sold 3.5 million copies, crossed over with Among Us, Vampire Survivors, and Cyberpunk 2077, won Best Indie at The Game Awards, and was even nominated for GOTY. The addition of a mobile port broke the constraints of card-based roguelikes and catapulted them into the mainstream in a way developer LocalThunk never expected.

If you had told me at the beginning of the year that a solo developer's poker game would be bigger than a Dragon Age sequel, I never would have believed it. But here it is. But who will take the throne in 2025?

declared

At Obsidian We Trust

The Avowed protagonist who fights the Xaurips.

It's difficult to know exactly what to expect from Obsidian Entertainment's latest RPG. On the surface, Avowed looks surprisingly similar to The Elder Scrolls, right down to the unnatural NPCs and awkward stuttering. Clunky, clumsy gameplay and boxy dialogue dragged The Outer Worlds down, so a return to its Bethesda inspiration would be worrisome.

But the previews are glowing, and I've yet to play a bad Obsidian game. Despite being under tight deadlines, we were able to deliver the best Fallout in the series, and a lot of that was due to the meticulous care put into world building and character building. At least I can expect the Avowed to capture me in every conversation and quest… You'd be surprised at how noticeable it is throughout the year, and even in a month as crowded as February. It already feels destined to become a cult classic.

fable

I'm not holding my breath.

Fable on Xbox Series X (4)

If Avowed were unlikely, Fable would be a miracle. Despite already being in development for several years, it was announced four years ago before it even had a lead writer or narrative designer. It's scheduled for a final release in 2025, but we've seen very little of it so far. Maybe something great will emerge that will overcome the odds and offer a fresh new perspective on this world, but I'm not holding my breath.

Citizen Slippers 2

don't sleep on it

Characters from Citizen Sleeper 2 floating in a spaceship

Developed by one-man studio Jump Over The Age, Citizen Sleeper was one of the most surprising games of 2022. They even gave it GOTY. Although it began as a niche, narrative-driven dice-based RPG cherished by the genre's most dedicated fans, it steadily rose into the limelight through word of mouth and critical acclaim, eventually selling over a million copies.

A sequel is already in the works for next year and is facing stiff competition, but it's not hard to imagine Citizen Sleeper 2 taking the ideas of its predecessor even further and becoming one of the most celebrated icons of 2025.

no light fire

You might end up starting a fire

No Fire Press Kit 3

No Man's Sky crashed and burned upon release, and could easily have gone down in gaming history as an unfortunate lesson for ambitious developers. In other words, it is a warning about larger promises that cannot be fulfilled. But Hello Games returned the favor with each update, making No Man's Sky one of the best indie sandboxes of all time.

Many are riding on its spiritual sequel, Light No Fire. Excitement is contagious, and just like in 2016, it's hard not to get caught up in anticipation. There is some skepticism gnawing at my heart, but if Hello Games sticks to the landing this time, it will probably be one of the biggest events. Games after 2025.

Can anything beat Grand Theft Auto 6?

Lucia appears in the reveal trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6.

Baldur's Gate 3 miraculously came out on top despite being released monthly during the year, competing with games like Starfield, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Diablo 4, and Final Fantasy 16. We're still talking about it today and it's more popular than ever. However, competition is expected to become more intense in 2025.

After winning the TGA's most anticipated award, it's hard to imagine any game that can stand up to the behemoth that is Grand Theft Auto 6 when it releases next year. Like every GTA before it, it will be the biggest and most talked-about game of the year, and will leave a legacy that will last for more than a decade. The trailer alone received over 100 million views in just 24 hours, making it the second most viewed video game trailer of all time..

Under GTA 6's massive shadow, it's unlikely we'll see anything approaching the impact of Baldur's Gate 3. If so, it would be the biggest breakthrough in video game history.

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I want to play RPG slowly in 2025

Trying to rush a huge RPG to keep up with the industry is exhausting.

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