Gaming Influence: Thoughts - Game Awards 2025

Hello everyone,

Welcome to Gaming Influence, a reboot of the same name I created in WrestleCorp. However, I will not only be giving my thoughts on certain video games and video game series but also on video game movies, video game anime, video game digital presentations, etc.

For this edition of Gaming Influence, I'll share my thoughts on the Game Awards on December 11, 2025.

Before I start, not every game shown in this presentation will be discussed, as I will mainly talk about games that I care about and are interested in. If the games you care about and are interested in don't show up here, don't take it personally, have nothing against the games, but they're just not for me, or it's just that I don't have much to say about them except cool. However, if you're happy with the games that you care about and are interested in, I have nothing to say about it; good for you, and I'm happy for you.
Anyway, let's get started!

If you're wondering what the Game Awards are, you can check that out with my thoughts on last year's show here: Game Awards 2024 Thoughts

With that out of the way, let's get to it!

The Free Shepherd is an adventure game developed and published by Frame Interactive where the game will be released on PS5 and PC in 2027.

Okay, I didn't expect a game where you play as a dog as you get to gather a herd of sheep, but it looks relaxing and fun. I'm very curious to see how this game will turn out as it'll be a while until it's released. Regardless, hope the game turns out well once it's released in two years.

AUDIOMECH: your music transformed is a rhythm action game developed and published by Dylan Filterer where the game is set to be released on PC in the future. 

Very cool to see that Dylan Filterer is developing a new game as his previous game was very good as well. Love the art style and the music sounds incredible so far too. The gameplay looks to be a lot of fun too with the mix of action and rhythm. Plus, there's a demo for the game right now on PC by the time that you are reading this, so curious to see how it turns out once it's released.

PRAGMATA is an action-adventure game developed and published by Capcom where the game is set to be released on PS5, Xbox Series X, PC, and Switch 2 on April 24, 2026.

Finally, after so many years when it first got revealed, it has a release date and it's coming a lot sooner than expected. Not only that, but the game is also coming to Switch 2 as well which is very impressive and awesome at the same time. The game is looking amazing so far in terms of graphics, story seems intriguing, and the gameplay looks fun too. Plus, there's a demo for the game now on PC with the demo on consoles later in the future. Looking forward to seeing how this game will turn out in the end once it's released in four months.

Bradley the Badger is an action-adventure game developed and published by Day 4 Night, where the game is set to be released on PC in the future.

A plaftormer mixed with Soulslike gameplay while playing as a badger?! Sign me up! This game definitely looks great as it also has a lot of personality too in terms of the protagonist. Love the idea of mixing a plarformer and Soulslike into one which should make it quite interesting. Curious to see more of this game in the future and I hope it turns out great.

Stupid Never Dies is an action role-playing game developed and published by GPTRACK50 Inc. where the game is set to be released on PS5 and PC in 2026.

I definitely like the art style of this game as it looks to be a fun action RPG as well. The combat looks like a lot of fun and I'm very curious to see how the final product will turn out to be. Hope to see more information on this game in the future once it's released next year.

Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic is a narrative-driven action role-playing game developed by Casey Hudson and published by Lucasfilm Games. The game is set to be released on unannounced consoles in the future.

Holy crap! We're getting a new game in the Star Wars: Knight of the Old Republic series with the old developer back?! I didn't expect that at all, but very cool to see. Granted, I kind of wished that we saw gameplay, but the fact that this game exists is awesome. Looking forward to seeing gameplay of the game once we do and hope to see more of it in the future.

Divinity is a role-playing game developed and published by Larian Studios. The game is set to be released on unannounced consoles in the future.

Well, the mysterious statue that Geoff Keighley and his team kept teasing about was the next Divinity game from Larian Studios which is awesome to see. It has been nine years since the last Divinity game with Divinity Original Sin 2 in 2016, so great to see Larian Studios getting back to the series. However, the fact that they're just naming this Divinity as of this time makes me believe that this is a reboot to the series, but only time will tell. Hope to see more of this game in the future.

4:LOOP is a tactical four-player co-op shooter developed by Bad Robot Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. The game will be released on PS5 and PC in the future.

Even though this type of game is not usually for me personally, it does look fun especially when it comes to multiplayer. I don't know if it'll do anything different compared to other shooters, but as long as it's fun with multiplayer, it should be great regardless. We'll see how this game will turn out once we get to see more of it.

Coven of the Chicken Foot is an adventure game developed and published by Wildflower Interactive, where the game is set to be released on PC in the future.

This game definitely caught my interest in terms of its art style and gameplay. The game reminds me a lot of The Last Guardian where the player has to guide a creature to follow them around. This game has potential to be something great and hope to see more of it in the future once it's released.

Resident Evil Requiem is a survival horror game developed and published by Capcom, where the game is set to be released on PS5, Xbox Series X, PC, and Switch 2 on February 27, 2026.

This game continues to look amazing every time we see it, and the game can't come soon enough. Also, we got confirmation that Leon will be in Resident Evil Requiem and his design looks great. It looks like in Resident Evil Requiem; we'll be playing as both Grace and Leon with Grace dealing with the survival horror gameplay while Leon is dealing with action gameplay which should be interesting. Can't wait to play the game for myself once it's released in two months.

Order of the Sinking Star is a puzzle adventure game developed by Thakla Inc. and published by Arc Games. The game is set to be released on PC in 2026. 

Wow didn't expect the developer of Braid to make a new game, but here we are, and it looks like a lot of fun. Plus, a thousand puzzles in one game are insanity and the fact that it has a story behind it as well is quite interesting. Very curious to see how this game will turn out and hope to see more of it soon once it's released next year.

Exodus is a science fiction role-playing game developed by Archetype Entertainment and published by Wizards of the Coast. The game is set to be released on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC in early 2027.

This game has been showcased in the past, but we got a release window this time around as it'll be a while until it's released. Regardless, it looks to be a fun sci-fi game with intense action and an intriguing story as well. Hope to see more of this game in the future once it's released in two years.

CONTROL Resonant is an action role-playing game developed and published by Remedy Entertainment where the game is set to be released on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC in 2026.

Holy crap! Remedy is making a new CONTROL game?! Didn't expect that, but that's awesome. However, with the connection of CONTROL and Alan Wake, it makes sense for another CONTROL game, and it looks fantastic. Gameplay looks like a lot of fun where the protagonist can shapeshift his weapon to anything which is cool. It makes me wonder if this game takes place within the same timeline as CONTROL, or a time skip before or after CONTROL. Either way, hope to see more of this game soon once it's released next year.

GANG OF DRAGON is an action-adventure game developed and published by Nagoshi Studio Inc, where the game is set to be released on PC in the future.

Holy crap! Toshihiro Nagoshi finally revealed his first game ever since leaving Sega and it's a spiritual successor to Yakuza/Like a Dragon?! Count me in! I really like how it's very similar to Yakuza/Like a Dragon especially since the game is taking place in Kabuchiko. The protagonist looks quite interesting in terms of his looks and his personality, and if it's anything like the combat of the classic Yakuza/Like a Dragon games, we're in for a treat. Looking forward to seeing more of this game in the future.

LEGO® Batman™: Legacy of The Dark Knight is a Lego-themed action-adventure game developed by Traveller's Tale and published by Warner Bros. Games. The game is set to be released on PS5, Xbox Series X, Switch 2, and PC on May 29, 2026.

We've seen this game numerous times in past presentations, but we finally got a release date, and it continues to look great. Nice to see that a lot of the classic Batman allies and villains will be in this game as a celebration somewhat for Batman which is quite awesome. Very curious to see how the game will turn out overall once the game is released in five months.

Tomb Raider: Catalyst is an action-adventure game developed by Crystal Dynamics and published by Amazon Games. The game is set to be released on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC in 2027. 

Alright, we finally got ourselves a new Tomb Raider game and it looks awesome. It looks like they're doing another reboot of the series in a way in terms of character design, voice acting, etc., but glad to see Lara Croft back and she looks fantastic. Very curious to see on how the gameplay of this game will turn out but hope to see more of it soon once it's released in two years.

Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis is a reimagining of the action-adventure game developed by Crystal Dynamics and published by Amazon Games, Tomb Raider from PSX in 1996. The game is set to be released on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC in 2026.

Oh snap! The fact that Crystal Dynamics is also doing a reimaging of the first game is quite awesome and it actually looks great too. Crystal Dynamics are definitely going all out with these games ever since leaving Square Enix and it's awesome to see. Very curious to see how this reimaging of this game and we'll probably get to see more of it soon once it's released next year.

Invincible VS is a fighting game developed by Quarter Up and published by Skybound Games. The game is set to be released on Xbox Series X, PS5, and PC on April 30, 2026.

We got ourselves a new character to be introduced in this game in Ella Metal and she looks to be fun to play as well. She definitely looks great in terms of her design and her moveset looks to be a lot of fun too with her elemental combos. Very curious to see how this game will turn out overall and hope to see more of it once it's released in four months.

Orbitals is an intergalactic two-player co-op adventure game developed by Shapefarm and published by Kepler Interactive. The game is set to be released on Switch 2 in 2026.

Okay, this was another big surprise that caught me off guard on this show, but it looks incredible. I really love the 80s anime art style to it and it's a co-op game that looks a lot like It Takes Two and Split Fiction and with the split screen which is quite cool. Hope to see more of this game soon in the future once it comes out next year.

Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred is an expansion of the action role-playing game developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment, Diablo IV. The expansion will be released on PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC on April 28, 2026.

The next expansion of Diablo IV is coming, and it looks to be an interesting one as well too. The story seems quite interesting from what they showcased here and I'm very curious to see what else this expansion has to offer. We won't have to wait long now as it'll be released in four months, so we'll see how it turns out.

007 First Light is an action-adventure game developed and published by IO Interactive, where the game is set to be released on Xbox Series X, PC, PS5, and Switch 2 on March 27, 2026.

Well, we finally got a release date for this game as this game continues to look great. Also, Lenny Kravitz playing Bawma in this game is quite awesome and so far, it seems like he's doing a great job playing the character. I'm very curious to see how this game will turn out overall and I can't wait to experience the whole game myself once it's released in three months.

Saros is an action game developed by Housemarque and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. The game is set to be released on PS5 on April 30, 2026.

Every time we see more of this game, I continue to be impressed by it as it just looks incredible. The gameplay continues to look smooth and a lot of fun to play, and the story seems quite interesting from what they showcased in this trailer here. We won't have to wait long now for the game's release as it'll be out in four months.

Total War: WARHAMMER 40000 is a real-time strategy game developed by Creative Assembly and published by Sega. The game is set to be released on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X in the future.

Nice to see a new WARHAMMER 40000 game and it looks to be the biggest one yet. This game apparently takes place in the future which is a different setting compared to other WARHAMMER 40000 games which is quite interesting. The gameplay looks like your traditional WARHAMMER 40000 game which isn't a bad thing at all, and it looks to be massive in terms of its world and setting. Hope to see what else this game has in store and hope to see more of it in the future.

ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE is an action game developed and published by Bandai Namco, where the game is set to be released on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC in 2026.

Oh wow, I didn't expect a new ACE COMBAT game here, but here we are! It has been six years since the last ACE COMBAT game, so it makes sense for the next one to come out and it's looking great. I'm very curious to see how this game will turn out and hope to see more of this game soon once it's released next year.

STAR WARS: Galactic Racer is a racing game developed by Silverball Studios and published by Secret Mode. The game is set to be released on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC in 2026.

Oh wow! Another surprise that I didn't see coming, but this was neat. The fact that this game is developed by the director that is well known for Burnout and Need for Speed, STAR WARS: Galactic Racer might be a lot of fun. It also has been a while since we last had a STAR WARS racing game as well, so I'm very curious to see how this game will turn out. Hope to see more of this game soon once it's released next year.

Out of Words is a cooperative platformer adventure game developed by Kong Orange and WiredFly and published by Epic Games. The game is set to be released on PS5, Xbox Series X, and Switch 2 in 2026.

We've seen this game previously in past presentations earlier this year and we got to see more of it as it continues to look great. I really love the art style and love the concept of the protagonists not being to talk due to losing their mouths. Plus, the co-op aspect of the game looks to be a lot of fun as well and I'm very curious to see how the overall game will turn out. Hope to see more of this game once it's released next year.

Phantom Blade Ø is a wuxia action role-playing game developed and published by S-Game, where the game will be released on PS5 and PC on September 9, 2026.

Finally! We got a release date for this game after seeing this game in past presentations for the past few days as it continues to look incredible. The graphics look amazing, the gameplay looks smooth, story seems very intriguing, and the music is enjoyable to listen to as well. This game has the potential to be really good, and I really hope the final product turns out great. We just have to wait a bit longer as it'll be released in nine months.

Mega Man: Dual Override is an action platformer developed and published by Capcom, where the game is set to be released on Switch 2, Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, and PC in 2027.

Oh my god! We're finally getting a new Mega Man game after nine years! Holy crap! The last Mega Man game we got was Mega Man 11 back in 2018, so this is huge. It also looks a lot like Mega Man 11 but looks to have new mechanics with its gameplay and the visuals got updated too which is great to see. I'm so upset that we have to wait two years until this game is released, but I'm so happy to see this series back and can't wait to play it once it does come out.

Highguard is a free-to-play action game developed and published by Wildlight Entertainment Inc., where it will be released on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X on January 26, 2026.

Even though the game definitely looks like a lot of fun in terms of its gameplay where there are different weapons and characters to choose from, the fact that this was the last game they showcased in this presentation is probably not the best game to showcase last in my opinion. I personally prefer if they put a different game in this spot, but that's just me. Plus, it's a free-to-play game, so who knows how long the game will even last before it gets shut down in case it fails. I guess we'll find out how the game will turn out overall as it'll be released next month.

Overall, this was a solid presentation from Geoff Keighley and his team. In terms of announcements, it wasn't at the same level compared to last year's Game Awards but still had some great trailers and game announcements on the show. Plus, getting to see the trailer for the Street Fighter movie as well as a new trailer for the Super Mario Galaxy movie was a nice treat. Not only that, but the musical performances were also well done, and I personally believe the awards were done well too in terms of giving the developers time to speak as well as the winners including Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 winning most of the awards whether you like it or not as I believe they rightfully earned it. In addition, the pacing was well done too, and they continue to improve each and every year which is great to see. Hopefully, we'll get another Game Awards that has great pacing and a lot of great announcements along with it. Until then, not bad this year, but last year was better in my opinion.

You can catch the whole presentation of the Game Awards yourself with the link below:

What are your thoughts on the Game Awards?

What were your highlights, and what games do you really want?

Let me know in the comments below and thank you for reading.