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News: Gaming Update: 2026 Predictions & 2025 Review Revealed

A calendar showing December 25, 2025, with gaming-related icons, symbolizing a year of predictions and reviews.

Well, would you look at the calendar! It's December 25, 2025, and another wild year in gaming is drawing to a close. Before we dive headfirst into the mysteries of 2026, it's time for our annual tradition: cracking open the prediction vault! Every year, the team here at Pocket Tactics makes ten audacious guesses about what the next 365 days will bring. And now? Now it's time to see if we're seers or just... well, enthusiastic guessers.

You know what was on everyone's minds back in January? The fabled Nintendo Switch successor. That console was the elephant in every gaming room, and thankfully, we didn't have to wait long for official word. Nintendo dropped the bombshell on January 16, 2025. Let's just say, some of us were pretty darn close to nailing it!

The Nintendo Switch 2: A Triumphant Launch

Our Editor, Ruby, was spot on with the name, correctly guessing 'Nintendo Switch 2,' though her reveal estimate was a touch off. No biggie, the important thing is we got it! And what a console it turned out to be. We predicted a slew of games, but even I thought some of our team's picks were downright audacious. Deputy Editor Kayleigh, however, proved us all wrong by correctly predicting both Elden Ring and Cyberpunk 2077 would make the jump, complete with exclusive features for the Switch 2!

We're still eagerly awaiting the Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition release date, but CD Projekt Red's RPG came out swinging. Seriously, Kayleigh's 9/10 in her Cyberpunk 2077 Switch 2 review speaks volumes.

Following a recent flurry of remakes and remasters, Hardware Editor Connor had a hunch, a really strong hunch, about a new 3D Donkey Kong game. And boy, was he right! Donkey Kong Bananza didn't just meet expectations; it blew us away. Not only did it snag the Best Family Game award and a coveted GOTY nomination at The Game Awards 2025, but it's also Connor's personal Switch GOTY. If you read his 10/10 Donkey Kong Bananza review, you'll understand why!

Our crystal ball wasn't entirely foggy on other Switch 2 details either. Here are a couple more wins:

  • Launch Price: Staff Writer Sam accurately predicted the console's launch price would sit comfortably between an Xbox Series X/PS5 and an Xbox Series S. Perfect positioning!
  • New Zelda Port: Staff Writer Holly correctly foresaw a new Zelda port. Technically, she was right, as we received Switch 2 editions of both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. Close enough for a win in our book!

So, yeah, we're pretty chuffed with our Nintendo insights. However, not every dream came true. We're still holding out hope for games like Monster Hunter Wilds, Metaphor: ReFantazio, Marvel Rivals, and even Call of Duty to grace Nintendo's system. The good news? Most of these are fantastic Steam Deck games, so you can still play them on the go!

Pokémon's Wild Ride: Hits and Misses

As Pocket Tactics' resident Poké-person, I swung for the fences with my predictions. And, well, let's just say my bat didn't connect often. I was utterly convinced we'd see a Black and White remake this year, especially after the Black Bolt and White Flare TCG set. Nope. Zero official news on the tenth generation of games either, despite the massive Game Freak leak giving us plenty to chew on. Still no third Charizard Mega Evolution (yet!), and my beloved Project Voltage remains a dream. Though, to be fair, Hatsune Miku did share the stage with Pikachu and Eevee in a series of concerts in Japan. God, I wish I were there!

Connor, on the other hand, was much more attuned to the Pokémon universe this year:

  • He correctly guessed that Pokémon TCG Pocket wouldn't introduce any new battle mechanics.
  • His favorite dragon Pokémon, Dragonite, received a new Mega Evolution in Legends: Z-A. Nice one, Connor!

Several other PT favorites got some love too, with Raichu getting not one, but two new megas in the DLC! Ruby's hope for an open-world Pokémon game came up short, but we did get the surprise announcement of Pokémon Pokopia, a charming farming and life sim clearly inspired by gems like Minecraft, Stardew Valley, and Dragon Quest Builders.

Gacha, Mobile & Hoyoverse's Big Year

If you thought 2025 wasn't a huge year for gacha games, then you clearly missed The Game Awards! Wuthering Waves scooped up the Player's Voice award, and Umamusume: Pretty Derby galloped away with Mobile Game of the Year. Impressive stuff!

In Genshin Impact, we finally got to visit Nod Krai, a detail Guides Editor Tilly kinda predicted by saying we'd get more Khaenri'ah lore before making a straight shot to Snezhnaya. As for me, I was wrong about Zenless Zone Zero coming to the Switch 2, and Ruby's Ananta mobile GOTY prediction missed the mark entirely because... well, the game still isn't out. Will it ever see the light of day?

Hoyoverse specifically had a colossal year, pulling back the curtain on two massive new mobile games:

  • Petit Planet: Tilly thought it might revert to its previous name, Astaweave Haven, but 'PP' is here to stay. And no, don't confuse it with Poppy Playtime! Hugely different vibes.
  • Honkai: Nexus Anima

Tilly was right about Hoyoverse using Genshin events to test out possible mechanics, though, and her prediction of a closed beta for Petit Planet also hit. You can check out our Petit Planet preview for a deeper dive into this interstellar cozy game.

Beyond the Big Three: Digimon, Tomb Raider & Heartbreak

On top of all this excitement, Ruby finally nailed a prediction for a new Digimon game, and she absolutely adored it! Just peek at her 9/10 Digimon Story: Time Stranger review if you need proof.

Sadly, Tilly's prediction that Square Enix would kill another mobile game in 2025 was grimly accurate. Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link faced cancellation before a full launch, and War of the Visions: FFBE tragically fell victim to the Persona 5 curse. Ouch.

While she's still patiently waiting for any news from the Spyro and Crash Bandicoot series, Kayleigh was right about a new Tomb Raider game. And, unfortunately, she was also right about GTA 6 getting delayed again. Some predictions you wish weren't true, eh?

We're still holding out hope for a ton of huge titles like Kingdom Hearts 4, Persona 6, Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3, and Witchbrook, but news remains few and far between. Hopefully, it won't be long until we can add them to our lists of new Switch games.

So, there you have it – another year in the books! We had some glorious hits, a few understandable misses, and a whole lot of fun along the way. Gaming in 2025 was anything but boring. In the meantime, don't forget to fill your gaming backlog with picks from our Switch GOTY 2025, mobile GOTY 2025, and Steam Deck GOTY 2025 lists. We'll see you in 2026, ready for more predictions!

FAQs

When was the Nintendo Switch 2 officially announced?

Nintendo officially announced the Nintendo Switch 2 on January 16, 2025, much to the excitement of gamers worldwide.

Which older games received Switch 2 editions in 2025?

In 2025, Nintendo released Switch 2 editions of both The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, bringing these beloved titles to the new hardware.

Were there any major mobile game cancellations from Square Enix in 2025?

Unfortunately, yes. Square Enix canceled Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link before its full launch, and War of the Visions: Final Fantasy Brave Exvius also ceased operations.