Happy New Year! After a year of highs (Balatro!) and lows (bigotry!), we’re here to start anew.
Let’s be honest: The idea of our society embracing a healthy “reset” is lunacy. We made some terrible collective choices in 2024, and there’s no walking it back. Some people are more culpable than others, but the reality remains that we made a bed we must now lay in, orange-tinted bed bugs and all.
It’s impossible for me to look into the crystal ball and say, “Yep, it’s going to be a banger year, folks.” None of us can. But what I love about New Year’s is that we can all challenge ourselves to be better. Regardless of who you are, where you come from, and what you believe, I hope you’ll take the next few weeks to imagine your best self—then take the next 11 months to live up to that person.
But I’ll step off the soap box. This is a gaming website; we’re here to talk about games—and Atreus, my boy, are there some games to talk about! From Ghost of Yotei to Grand Theft Auto, Death Stranding 2 to the Switch 2, there’s so much to get excited about in 2025 and beyond.
5 Resolutions To Kick Off the Year
In preparation for the coming months, I’m looking to keep things disciplined. Here are five ways I plan to lock in for the new year.
1. Don’t Get Fooled Again
2024 was an impressive year for gaming, and by all indications, 2025 will continue the trend. In addition to Q1 heavy-hitters like Civilization VII and Monster Hunter Wilds, this year is poised to feature contributions from Kojima Productions (Death Stranding 2), FromSoftware (Elden Ring Nightreign), and Retro Studios (Metroid Prime 4).
One big studio omitted from the list above? Rockstar Games. While Grand Theft Auto VI is currently slated for a 2025 release, I’ll go on a fairly safe limb and predict the game gets pushed to 2026.
Another game I expect to miss 2025? Team Cherry’s Hollow Knight: Silksong. Despite optimism from others in the industry—including Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier—I’ve been burned on Silksong too many times to count. For my own health and well-being, I’m keeping the hype thrusters in check heading into the new year.
2. Be Realistic About the Backlog
As much as I’m looking forward to this year’s crop of games, I’m also looking in the rearview mirror. We run a site named The Punished Backlog for a reason: It’s hard to play all those new releases!
Last year, I pledged to beat 24 titles from my gaming backlog. I failed miserably at that challenge, completing only two games: Lies of P and Elden Ring. I may well revisit that list in 2025… but for now, I’m being realistic about what’s in scope.
This year, I vow to play 12—count ‘em!—games from my backlog (exact list still TBD). Yes, it’s a smaller goal than the one I had before, but it’s also a more attainable one. If I can cross off just one game a month, I’ll consider it a massive win.
3. Stop Buying Random Steam Games
Of course, completing a video game backlog is practically impossible when you’re constantly buying new games. I’m as guilty as anyone, with a Steam wishlist that’s as long as the Nile.
In 2025, I’m finally saying no! No more random $2.99 games that entice me just because “they’re on sale” or “the reviews are overwhelmingly positive.” That Steam Deck already has 100+ games installed, and the Switch 2 is on the horizon. Get a hold of yourself, dammit!
4. Play More Games With Friends
In the same vein, I’d love to spend more time playing games I already own—preferably with company. From Sea of Thieves to Helldivers 2, Black Ops 6 to Fortnite, there are countless social experiences waiting for me, if I’d only invest the time.
Heck, the experience doesn’t even have to be multiplayer. Here at The Punished Backlog, we’ve experimented with a monthly “Game Club” where we each play the same single-player game, then discuss our personal journeys. We’ve also done group backlog challenges, like our 2022 Fire Emblem: Three Houses playthrough.
Live-service games have flooded the industry—yet you wouldn’t know based on my rotation of titles. In 2025, I plan to embrace the social craze, if only to realize I made a grave mistake and go back to my single-player comfort food.
5. Build a Gaming PC
Despite 20 years playing games (and nearly a decade writing about them), I’m a bit embarrassed to admit I’ve never owned a gaming PC. I’ve had stand-ins—an old desktop gifted by a coworker, a low-end laptop for indies, my coveted Steam Deck—but I’ve always preferred console gaming to the so-called “master race.”
Well, in 2025 I may have no choice but to take the plunge. For one, I want to play games with my high school buddies, most of whom play exclusively on PC. But second, and far more important, my partner is a massive “Sims girlie.” She’s accrued hundreds of hours in The Sims 4, painstakingly recreating our apartment, our avatars, and our dachshund. Her mouse glows in shades of neon pink and green. Now, she wants a souped-up rig to “play Sims with all the mods.”
Her current laptop, albeit a capable machine, sounds like a jet engine running on fumes. To appease her, and give her hardware a break, I will be on the lookout for the perfect gaming PC in 2025.
What Are Your 2025 Gaming Resolutions?
Let me know in the comments below!
