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The word “intensity” can be chosen among those capable of characterizing the year 2025 for games. There have been big launches not only of well-made and critically acclaimed games, but also of consoles, like the Nintendo Switch 2 and the announcement of the Steam Machine.
The year was also marked by significant changes in the market and some crises: in addition to the takeover of EA (Electronic Arts) by the Saudi Sovereign Fund, the cancellation of the Olympic Games confirmed the bad phase of esports in the world and the rise in prices made access to games more difficult for players.
Economic and political changes in the sector are expected to influence the market and creative production of consoles for next year and for the end of the current generation.
It’s not difficult to choose an acclaimed title that will suit you this year. On the side of the Japanese giant, a new console gave rise to a series of new games eagerly awaited by consumers: from the outset, “Mario Kart World” brought more competitors and the new features necessary for the mustachioed racing franchise.
Another success from the Mario owner was “Donkey Kong Bananza”, which finally brought a 3D title, not seen in the monkey game series since the Nintendo 64. It was the end of an 11-year decline for the character. In December, “Metroid Prime 4: Beyond” divided critics, but was well received by players.
On the other hand, the company launched the plumber’s kart game at a price higher than that normally used by the industry until recently: US$80 (around R$435 at current price) in its digital version, 33% more expensive than the usual US$60 (almost R$325), which frightened those who followed the announcement.
In the area of high prices, “GTA 6” also marked the year: there is a sign from Rockstar Games that the most anticipated game in video game history will reach US$100 (around R$540). Repeated increases could push low-income gamers out of the gaming world.
Speaking of Rockstar, the developer has had a somewhat chaotic year: it had to postpone the release of “GTA” again, now until November next year. It is always a series of repercussions involving the dismissal of employees who wanted to join the union.
The trajectory of the global economy has not been very collaborative for the video game market. In addition to the Donald Trump effect and tariff policy causing price increases across the world, the increase in components is putting pressure on the production costs of equipment currently sold.
Microsoft, for example, is afraid of increasing the price of its Xbox Series. Valve is still deciding the price of its Steam Machine, announced last month – the value will determine the device’s commercial success.
There are also other games worth mentioning for their quality and success. “Hollow Knight: Silksong” is excellent, very well constructed in visual, mechanical and narrative terms. “Clair Obscur: Expedition 33” won the game of the year category at the Game Awards.
“Ghost of Yötei”, “Death Stranding 2” and “Hades 2” are games that are not only beautiful, but with a bold story and capable of offering players a real gaming experience: interaction with captivating characters and territories, captivating combat and narratives that give hours of gameplay.
In the political arena, the world has turned its attention to online gaming security. Games like “Roblox” have faced public scrutiny due to efforts to keep children away from content or sexual predators. In Brazil, an approved law on adultization also impacted gaming, banning reward boxes in games.
In the end, after a few lukewarm years of launches, even on such powerful and solid consoles of this generation, good and great stories have been consolidated. Despite the economic crisis, no general price increase has taken place. Let 2026 come and its consequences.
Play
game trick, new or old, to try
Marvel Cosmic Invasion
(Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, PC, PS4, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S)
Dotemu’s latest release with Tribute Games showed where it came from and can appeal to younger gamers and retro fans alike. With a mix of brawl (fighting multiple enemies at the same time) and RPG styles, the game offers good narrative construction and several challenges, reminiscent of an arcade with an established formula. The visual aesthetic of the game is quite captivating and reminiscent of classic superhero designs. The title offers a campaign mode and an arcade mode, where you can fight endlessly, with no life limit. The game’s construction also takes into account the diversity and complexity of several characters, such as Captain America, Hulk, Iron Man, Black Panther and other famous characters from the comic book publisher. These are gaming hours very well spent.
Update
news, launches, deals and what matters most
- Ubisoft announced the purchase of “March of Giants”, a new game in development, until now, by Amazon Games in Montreal. The developers of the title will switch to the French company and the game will be built normally, without any changes to the creation process. Additionally, Amazon will help the producer promote the new game via Twitch. The owner of “Assassin’s Creed” and “Tom Clancy’s: Rainbow Six Siege” wants to take advantage of the creation of the new game to build a strong intellectual property in the MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) sector.
- “Codex Mortis,” an action game developed entirely by artificial intelligence, will be the first game released on Steam produced entirely by technology. Crunchfest, the developer behind the game, said that the codes are all generated, and the same goes for arts, mechanics, and text. The company has released a free demo, but no release date is planned.
- The Intel Extreme Masters, the “Counter-Strike” championship, will be held in Rio de Janeiro from April 13 to 19. The event is a collaboration between the ESL Faceit Group, which organizes the tournament, the government of Rio de Janeiro and Ferjee (E-Sports Federation of Rio de Janeiro). The championship will take place at the Farmasi Arena in the city’s Olympic Park, and tickets to watch the matches from the 17th to the 19th are now available. A total of 16 teams will participate in the competition, with a prize pool of 1 million US dollars (around 5.4 million reais at current prices).
- Nintendo lost $14 billion (or around 76 billion reais at current prices) in stock market value in one week despite the accelerated pace of sales of the Switch 2, launched this year. The increase in the price of RAM (random access memory, in free translation, which manages the simultaneous tasks of a device) is the main reason, since the cost of these components in the new console of the Japanese giant would have increased by 41%.
- The Insider Gaming portal reported that a new “Half-Life” would be launched in 2026, linked to the arrival on the markets of the Steam Machine, the company’s gaming-focused computer. According to journalist Mike Straw, the company’s main concern is the price to charge for new equipment, especially in the context of rising RAM prices.
- British Prime Minister, Labor Keir Starmer, said last Wednesday (10) that the situation at Rockstar Games regarding its workers is “deeply worrying.” He commented on the situation of the company, which fired 34 employees who claimed to be unionizing, during a weekly question and answer session in Parliament. The developer of “GTA” claims that the professionals violated the company’s confidentiality rules, but has not presented proof. According to parliamentarian Chris Murray, the company did not respond to questions.
- Leon S. Kennedy returns as a playable character in “Resident Evil Requiem.” The game was announced last Thursday (11), during this year’s Game Awards ceremony. In addition to him, Grace Ashcroft will also be playable in the game. The title will be focused on action and horror, with Leon starring in the former genre and Grace, in the latter genre. The idea is to balance the game, which will debut on February 27 on Nintendo Switch 2, PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
Download
games that will be launched in the coming days and promotions that are worth it
15.dec
“A game to feed a black hole” (PC)
“Raiders of Blackveil” (PC)
“Tomba! 2: The Evil Swine Return Special Edition” (Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S)
16.dec
“ARK: Lost Colony” (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S)
“Five Nights at Freddy’s: The Secret of the Mimic” (Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S)
“Out of Time” (PC)
“Pioneer” (PC)
“Pure badminton” (PC)
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shattered Destiny” (Nintendo Switch 2)
“The Rogue Prince of Persia” (Nintendo Switch, Switch 2)
17.dec
“SPLITGATE: Arena Reloaded” (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S)
18.dec
“Oppidum” (Nintendo Switch, Switch 2)
“System Shock Remastered” (Nintendo Switch, Switch 2)
19.dec
“Layers of Fear, the final edition of the masterpiece” (Nintendo Switch 2)
“PBA Pro Bowling 2026” (PC)
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