We’re close to the end of 2025, and while most of the world is winding down for the holidays, the gaming industry clearly didn’t get the memo. December 2025 isn’t slipping quietly into the new year. It’s firing off major releases and highly anticipated titles that demand attention. December is shaping up to be one of the busiest months of the year, including the release of several eagerly anticipated titles.
If you thought gaming was done making noise in 2025, these upcoming titles are here to prove otherwise.
Marvel Cosmic Invasion
Marvel Cosmic Invasion is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated games of December 2025 thanks to a perfect blend of classic brawler nostalgia and modern design polish. Developed by Tribute Games, the team behind TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge, and published by Dotemu, the game taps into the golden age side scrolling beat ’em up formula but elevates it with fluid combat, stylish pixel art, and a deep roster of 15 playable heroes from across the Marvel universe.
We were excited for this gem the moment it was revealed, and our hands on time during Summer Game Fest 2025 only amplified that hype. The recent demo sealed the deal, delivering fast action, clever tag team mechanics, and an energy that left us wanting more. As the year winds down, Marvel Cosmic Invasion stands out as one of the best ways to close out 2025, offering an explosive and stylish beat ’em up that looks ready to deliver exactly what fans have been waiting on ever since Dotemu and Guard Crush Games delivered us Streets of Rage 4, and perhaps longer.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is shaping up to be one of Nintendo’s biggest releases in years, and for good reason. This is the long-awaited return of Samus Aran to the Prime formula that fans have been begging for since Metroid Prime 3 in 2007. With Retro Studios back at the helm, the game promises a return to atmospheric exploration, rich environmental storytelling, and the tense, isolated sci fi tone that made the original trilogy legendary. And everything I’ve seen so far from the previews have indicated that while there is some frustration of some changes, this is still the Metroid Prime title we’ve been looking forward too.
I wonder if Best Buy still has my pre-order buried somewhere in its system. I did pre-order this title way back when the Gamers Club was a thing and the title was supposed to released, before it was delayed multiple times.
Octopath Traveler 0
Octopath Traveler 0 marks the boldest evolution of the HD 2D RPG formula since Square Enix began the Octopath Traveler series. For the first time ever, we’re able to create our own protagonist. You’re able to choose the sex, eye color, hair color, skin tone, and voice. In addition to that, you’re also able to build up a party from more than 30 recruitable characters, giving the adventure a level of personal expression and replay value that the past games never offered. Toss in the massive eight-character battle system, deeper strategic options, and the emotional hook of rebuilding your hometown from ruins, and it becomes clear that Square Enix is pushing this prequel far beyond a simple side story.
Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut
Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut first released earlier this year, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch 2. On December 8th, 2025, it will finally release for PC, Xbox Series X|S and PS5. Why exactly should you be excited for Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut? Well, it adds significantly to the original game released more than a decade ago. Bringing both a new multiplayer game mode called Red Light Raid (the first ever multiplayer mode in the franchise) and also adds English voice acting to the previous Japanese only game. On top of that, RGG Studio has also added additional cutscenes to the game providing extra context to certain characters and moments when compared to the original release.
SLEEP AWAKE
SLEEP AWAKE arrived on the scene just this past spring, making a splash at the Tribeca Games Fest. The sci-fi horror game comes courtesy of Blumhouse Games and EYES OUT. Blumhouse Games has carved out its niche as a publisher of indie horror games, starting with last year’s underrated Fear the Spotlight. Meanwhile, EYES OUT is a new studio led by Cory Davis of Spec Ops: The Line and Robin Finck of Nine Inch Nails. So, if nothing else, the collaboration alone makes this title worth investigating.
But thankfully, we can already speak to the game’s quality and intriguing premise. We’ve gone hands on with SLEEP AWAKE twice, once with a Steam demo (you can check that out here) and once at a preview event. The preview gave us a much better idea of the game, which takes place in a world in which falling asleep can mean death. Players navigate a crumbling society, avoiding sleep as much as the shadowy organizations that prowl the streets. The gameplay so far has mostly been puzzle- and stealth-based, and the visuals and soundtrack have been top notch.
