With E3 long gone, Gamescom is one of just two remaining game events to get us excited for upcoming releases. The opening night to 2024’s extravaganza has me practically vibrating for 2025, as there’s no better time to start adding games to your Steam wishlist.
Whittling down more than 30 games is pretty difficult, but some certainly stood out more than others. Here are five entries I’m most interested in, placed in no particular order. Hopefully, they stand up to their hype.
Sid Meier’s Civilization VII
Release date: Feb 11, 2025 | Developer: Firaxis Games | Shop Civilization on Amazon
For those unfamiliar, Civilization VII is a turn-based 4X strategy game. In it, you control one of multiple nations, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. My favourite thing about the franchise is that it gives me time to think rather than rushing me like its real-time rivals. These bones don’t move as fast as they used to. Without the pressure of a ticking clock, I can ignore the angry groans of my peers when I take too long and treat it like a game of chess instead.
From what we know so far, Civ 7 offers several different ways to win, from total conquest to cultural domination, much like its predecessors. However, for the first time in the series, you can mix and match leaders to different civilisations, remixing history to your liking. You can play new additions, like Tecumseh of the Shawnee people (a pre-order bonus in the Deluxe and Founders Edition), leading the Romans to victory.
And I thought Civ 6 was replayable with more than 130 hours into it… This leaves the new game with countless combinations that’ll have me returning time and time again. I just hope it runs well on Steam Deck since the graphics don’t look too different.
Dying Light: The Beast
Release date: Coming Soon | Developer: Techland | Shop Dying Light on Amazon
Who knew Techland was working on another Dying Light game? I certainly didn’t, but I’m glad since there’s been a gaping hole in my life since finishing Dying Light 2: Stay Human for the second time. Saying that I love this series would be an understatement. The adrenaline rush you get from surviving a night chase when you are full of loot is rarely equalled. Not helping that everything in this post-apocalyptic world wants you dead.
The Beast features some familiar faces, including the return of protagonist Kyle Crane and iconic voice actor Roger Craig Smith. Although the new open-world should only take you around 20 hours to explore, I have hopes completionists like myself will get much more out of combing Castor Woods for all it has. After all, Stay Human kept me coming back for more, which is a rarity for single-player games in my case.
We don’t know too much else aside from The Beast isn’t just a fancy title. The eponymous creature will roam the woods for some reason. Hopefully, you’ll be able to go toe-to-toe, given all Crane went through in the previous game.
Call of Duty Black Ops 6
Release date: October 25, 2024 | Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software | Shop Call of Duty on Amazon
This one may sound cliché, but hear me out. While Infinity Ward revolutionised the FPS genre with the original Modern Warfare, Black Ops takes my heart with its setting, Cold War-era writing, and fantastic Zombie modes. No other copy has come close. I do take issue with the annual releases doing away with all my cosmetics, but that’s nothing Game Pass can’t fix when it comes to value for money.
Rather than a simple recycle, which has become the norm, Black Ops 6 shines with its new Omnimovement feature. No longer do you feel like a lumbering idiot, but a slick soldier who can dodge, duck, dip, dive, and dodge in any direction seamlessly. Pair this with Intelligent Movement for smarter sprinting and crouching, and it should play like a dream.
It’ll still have all the staples, though. 16 new multiplayer maps at launch with more to come, a Prestige system, and scalable modes. However, my heart belongs to single-player, which is now set in the Gulf War during the fall of the Soviet Union. A bit of 90s nostalgia will go far with me.
inZOI
Release date: Coming Soon | Developer: Krafton | Check out the game on Steam
This one is simple, you take The Sims and crank it to 11. With EA sitting on its licence spamming DLCs instead of giving us a new game with fresh mechanics, Korean dev Krafton took it upon itself to give players what they asked for: a game that pushes character interactions to the next level while offering a massive graphical fidelity jump.
That said, like with The Sims, I am more interested in house construction and customisation than character development. This game may encourage me to try other facets, but the main point I am looking forward to is building my dream abode. And if you’re worried about community support, don’t! It’ll come with full mod support. The developer is even hunting down creators to prepare content ahead of release.
Speaking of which, the game still doesn’t have a release date. Early footage of the building system seems excellent, with details as small as extra kitchen stools and wall dimension modification. If you want a small taster, you can try the character creator until August 26.
RoadCraft
Release date: 2025 | Developer: Saber Interactive | Check out the game on Steam
From the makers of MudRunner, RoadCraft is a simulation game where you manage a construction company tasked with clearing debris and faulty equipment following natural catastrophes. You can renovate damaged roads and bridges using massive machines, probably with the same detailed controls as in previous Saber Interactive games. I have always loved watching documentaries about heavy machinery, so this one is just up my alley.
And the best part is you can play this one with up to three friends in co-op to finish the task faster. In my opinion, when you play with friends, the game doesn’t even have to be super detailed as long as it gives you total freedom. For instance, I just played Supermarket Together – a f2p game – and it was quite fun even though it has a basic gameplay loop. Heck, we wasted at least 30 minutes hitting each other with broomsticks instead of attending customers.
Before we close, here are some honourable mentions. Reanimal, a co-op horror adventure similar to Little Nightmares, Directive 8020, a sci-fi horror game from the developers of Until Dawn, and Cairn, a climbing sim with survival elements. The latter will soon get a demo on Steam. You probably have different picks, so don’t forget to tell us on Facebook or X.