The 10 events that defined 2025
Here are the news stories that turned heads during another topsy-turvy year in video games.
Is anyone else feeling a distinct sense of deja vu as we close out the year?
Despite the phrase 'survive until 2025' perhaps naively giving some people cause for optimism before January had even rolled in, the 12 months that followed have been dominated by familiar headlines. Layoffs, conglomeration, generative AI, studio closures, and project cancellations once again swallowed the news cycle whole.
The word 'sustainability' still feels like a fever dream that might never be realized, despite the efforts of rank-and-file developers, who this year continued to push for better working conditions by way of unionisation (more on that in our upcoming trends piece).
The video games, as always, were splendid. There is always room for optimism on that front. Nevertheless, our coverage paints a picture of an industry that is still struggling to figure out how to help the people making those games realize their grandest vision yet: an industry that doesn't feel actively hostile to the very people it relies on.
Here are the biggest stories from another tumultuous year.
Saudi Arabia and Jared Kushner agree to EA buyout
In what might be most notable story of the year, a investor consortium that includes a firm co-founded by Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kusher and Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, PIF, agreed to acquire EA in a take-private worth $55 billion. The deal raised eyebrows because of Saudi Arabia's rather alarming human rights record and the fact the move will saddle the Battlefield publisher with a hefty amount of debt. If approved by regulators, the transaction will represent the largest all-cash sponsor take-private in history.
Ubisoft spins off major franchises with backing from Tencent
After months of speculation, Ubisoft finally secured some of that sweet, sweet Tencent moolah by establishing a new subsidiary called Vantage Studios with financing from the Chinese conglomerate. Tencent invested €1.16 billion into the nascent division, which will house key franchises like Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six. Ubisoft said Vantage will be formed of "autonomous, efficient, focused and accountable" creative houses, each with their own leadership, vision, and strategic roadmap.
GTA VI delayed (and then delayed again)
Presumably, the head honchos at Take-Two and Rockstar understand that GTA VI can only remain the most-anticipated video game in history if it never actually comes out. They're out here playing 4D chess while we're all stuck playing checkers. It's the only explanation as to why GTA VI could was delayed not once, but twice, in around seven months. Or maybe making video games on that scale is just really, really difficult.
The Switch 2 becomes Nintendo's fastest-selling console
We didn't hear many Switch 2 naysayers, but if there are any still kicking around I doubt they'll be piping up anytime soon. Nintendo's highly-anticipated Switch successor delivered the goods and then some during its first few months on shelves. The console sold 3.5 million units in four days to deliver the biggest launch in Nintendo history. It then rounded out the year by surpassing 10 million global sales to beat the company's internal expectations.
Microsoft conducts mass layoffs across video game division
In a story that continued developing over weeks and months, Xbox maker Microsoft laid off around 9,100 employees in July—including many within its video game division. The cuts impacted key studios such as King, Rare, ZeniMax Online Studios, and The Initiative, and seemingly led to the cancellation of both internal projects and third-party titles being developed with support from the company's publishing division. The redundancies marked the fourth major round of layoffs since Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard for almost $70 billion in 2023. The full extent of the cuts remains unclear.
Microsoft admits its tech was being used to surveil civilians in Palestine
Following mounting pressure from journalists, employees, and protestors, Microsoft finally conducted a review into how its tech was being used by a unit within the Israeli military and subsequently disabled certain subscriptions to ensure its services couldn't be used for the "mass surveillance of civilians." In a statement, Microsoft thanked The Guardian for publishing an extensive report that surfaced those allegations, but made no mention of the BDS boycott or open letter from some developers within Xbox Game Studios that accused the company of being complicit in genocide.
Rockstar accused of union busting by ousted GTA developers
In a story that will likely roll on into 2026, Rockstar was accused of illegally firing over 30 developers in the UK for engaging in trade union activity. The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) called the move one of the most "blatant and ruthless act[s] of union busting in the history of the games industry." By contrast, Rockstar claimed it fired those workers for sharing confidential information in a public forum. The move sparked protests outside Rockstar and Take-Two offices across Europe and the United States, and eventually resulted in IWGB taking legal action against the studio.
The Game Awards seemingly abandons Future Class program
Future Class, a program launched by The Game Awards to champion the "bright, bold and inclusive future of video games," was notably absent from proceedings for the second year in a row. The Game Awards organizers have failed to directly address the elephant in the room as to whether Future Class has been officially canned, and instead stated they do not have any plans for the program "at this time." The lack of communication and clarity from show organizers has left some Future Class alumni wondering whether the program was simply a superficial way for the oft-criticized extravaganza to garner a bit of goodwill.
Unknown Worlds co-founders duke it out with Krafton
Where do we even start with this one? In a public spat worthy of its own Hollywood adaptation, Krafton fired Unknown Worlds' leadership team for allegedly refusing to work on Subnautica 2. Those ousted execs then sued their former employer and claimed they had been jettisoned so the South Korea publisher could avoid paying a multi-million dollar earnout. That was just the beginning of an increasingly hostile feud that saw both sides air their dirty laundry in public during a trial in November. A ruling is expected next year, so expect more headlines after the holidays.
SAG-AFTRA ends voice actor strike after securing AI protections
In July, voice actor union SAG-AFTRA ratified a new Interactive Media Agreement that secured AI protections, wage increases, and new safety standards for performers working in the video game industry. It was a milestone moment that ended three years of negotiations and arrived after a high-profile strike designed to pressure companies, which, according to SAG-AFTRA, included 'alarming loopholes' in their AI proposals. In the end, 95 percent of participating union members voted in favor of the contract, with 5 percent opposed.