The beauty about the gaming industry is that there is always something new to look forward to. Game releases are strategically scattered throughout the year to maximise the launch and initial sales. Console releases such as those from Sony and Microsoft in the past have adopted the same strategy with far less frequency, but ultimately, it is the game titles that gaming enthusiasts are interested in as the year progresses. And in 2025, there is plenty more to come from the industry along with a few surprise packages and major launches.
Football Manager 26
There are very few clues as to what new features FM 26 will have, but one thing is certain, the release is certainly highly anticipated and overdue. This is due to Sports Interactive’s decision to pull the release of FM 25. The difficult decision to focus all development on FM 26 was disappointing for fans looking forward to steering their club from the lower leagues to European dominance.
Updates were provided to ensure that FM 24 was kept relevant to transfer dealings occurring across transfer windows in the summer of 2024 and winter of 2025, but the predicted release of the latest edition in a highly successful franchise cannot come sooner for football fans. The pressure on Sports Interactive to deliver an exceptional game to make up for the lack of FM25 will be extremely high, but with many of the updates and enhancements previously expected in FM25 rolled over to FM26, the new edition could feel like two editions in one once it is released later this year.
Online Slots Bonus Buy Games
For many gaming fans, this might seem a surprise inclusion in this piece. However, due to the incredibly rapid rise of online casinos in the last few years, online slots games have established themselves in the gaming mainstream. The pandemic benefited online casinos massively and online casino markets across the world have continued to build on that success with enhanced graphics, animations, soundtracks and interactive features creating a more immersive and entertaining online casino experience.
Although millions of players around the world are propping themselves up at online roulette and blackjack tables, online slots have been by far the most popular choice of game with the latest bonus buy slots feature proving especially popular. The feature, that allows players to buy bonus rounds for extra investment but without any added guarantee of a win, can be found on popular titles such as Dead or Alive 2, Big Bass Splash, and Money Train. The online casino industry is expected to make greater strides in the coming years with tech such as augmented and virtual reality expected to improve the game play further.
Nintendo Switch 2
In a slight switch of pace (excuse the pun), we will change our focus to the release of a console that is expected to dazzle gaming fans across the world. With the second edition of the hybrid console being unleashed to different markets across the globe across the month of June, the summer could be the time to switch it up for players that are new to the Switch world, and a chance for existing Switch holders to improve their visuals and game play with the enhanced model.
With 4K resolution and a larger console screen to provide visual spectacles, Nintendo’s latest long-awaited creation expects to sell 20 million units between the release dates this month and March 2026. The versatility has always been one of the main selling points for the Nintendo Switch, and just over eight years after the original model was released, the unique gaming experience could be one of the most exciting releases of 2025.
