One thing gaming enthusiasts can look forward to each year is a raft of new, exciting releases across the complete range of consoles and digital devices that constantly spice up the gaming and entertainment industry. Half the year has already disappeared, and a plethora of new games and gaming avenues have already reshaped the market, but what have been the standout releases and what great titles can we still expect this year?
Call of Duty: Warzone
At first, you might think this section is somewhat outdated. But for all Call of Duty fans out there, this multiplayer game is still very current, especially with the reemergence of the original Verdansk map that came out with a new range of game formats that have appealed to the whole CoD community. The return of Verdansk was highly anticipated right up to the point of return on 3rd April this year – a home from home for many fans who have been frequent visitors to the Warzone since it was released in the pandemic-plagued year of 2020.
Despite reports that Activision is losing players, the playing numbers are still extremely strong with just shy of 21 million players still reportedly dropping into Verdansk. Following the brief excursion to the Al Mazrah warzone, the familiarity of Verdansk convinced Activision to re-release the original map with familiar areas including Storage Town, Quarry, Farmlands, and Prison. With a new Battle Royale: Casual mode which includes bots in the playing lobby, non-experts of the game or players that do not professional stream themselves in action have been enticed to extend their stay in Verdansk.
Online Slots Games
Perhaps a surprise inclusion in this piece but one that has fully justified its mention is the world of online casinos. Ever since the pandemic, when online entertainment as a whole was given a major boost, online casinos, and online slots games in particular have exploded in popularity. The convenience and practicality of quickly setting up an account, logging in and accessing a gaming floor has made online casino gaming extremely popular.
Furthermore, with more bonuses and interactive features found on bonus buy slots, a more immersive and gamified experience has been created by online casino game developers. The level of graphics and sound that can be created have also received enhancements which further enables game designers to create a gaming environment that is getting closer to matching classic console games.
The aforementioned bonus buy feature, which gives players the chance to potentially win larger with higher multipliers, is currently driving the online slots sensation and with more technology such as virtual reality to be introduced into the gaming, there is certainly more to come from online slots.
Football Manager 26
One of the most highly anticipated games of 2025 is Football Manager 26. Mostly driven by Sports Interactive’s own failure to produce and release FM 25. While the scrapping of FM 25 should be treated as an outlier in what is otherwise a phenomenally successful franchise, FM fans around the world are already chomping at the bit to manage their favourite team to glory.
With few clues released around the next title, there is certainly more pressure on Sports Interactive to deliver a mind-blowing release. But with over two decades of game experience, game designers and developers at SI will relish the challenge. In what will be the 22nd edition of the football management simulation video game, online managers will be dusting off their tactics boards closer to October/November, when the game is expected to be released. In a few months, the yearlong sabbatical will be over and managers from across the globe can recommence battle with each other.
