8 Massive Video Game Comebacks in 2025 Gamers Didn’t See Coming

I think we can't deny that 2025 has been a year full of everything: incredible releases, equally big controversies, unexpected resurgences, sudden collapses…

Overall, the last months have left us with numerous events, both positive and negative, in the interactive media, but I think it's necessary to focus on the former from time to time to appreciate what we have before us properly.

In particular, the last year has been among the finest in terms of releases, though this refers not only to the intrinsic quality of the video games published but also to what they mean for their franchises or even genres.

As a result, to give recognition to those experiences whose return to an optimal state is beneficial for everyone, I invite you to read this list of eight massive video game comebacks in 2025 that gamers didn't see coming—and why they're so important.

8 Fortnite

It Returned to Its Prime

I wouldn't say 2024 was the worst year for Fortnite because I think that title definitely belongs to 2020, but I think we can all agree that it wasn't the most outstanding year for Epic Games' behemoth either.

Likewise, I feel we can all agree that the last season—and year in general—has felt like some of the best in this multiplayer's history, perhaps even rivaling the peak it reached in 2018.

Between collaborations, events, and a well-balanced rotation of game modes, I myself decided to return to playing Fortnite after a very long time without even touching it, and the truth is, it's been much more rewarding than I expected.

And I think that's a good thing, because although I'm aware that it's impossible to match the production capabilities of this global phenomenon, it's undeniable that it remains the main benchmark for online games in the market. Thus, doing things right sets a good precedent, even within the harmful aspects of games as a service.

7 Dying Light: The Beast

Techland's Best Apologies

After Dying Light 2 was a disaster in more ways than I can even imagine, I feel it's essential to acknowledge the redemption Techland has achieved with Dying Light: The Beast.

They were humble, listened to the community's criticisms of why the sequel didn't work, included the standalone expansion as a free game for Ultimate Edition owners, and delivered a worthy continuation for the great Kyle Crane.

Therefore, The Beast is not only arguably the best in the series in terms of parkour, atmosphere, combat, technology, and even story, but it's also the result of the developer doing everything humanly possible to make amends to its fans.

In an industry where financial returns are often prioritized above all else, this represents redemption not only for the magnificent Dying Light franchise but also serves as an example for developers worldwide who should learn to deal with their mistakes in this way.

6 Ninja Gaiden 4

A Beacon of Hope for Hack and Slash

This year has confirmed what I've long suspected: entire genres are dying at an alarming rate, including my beloved hack-and-slash, a loss we should all feel.

However, just as Dying Light: The Beast is not only a resurgence for its IP, I believe Ninja Gaiden 4 is a new opportunity for both the genre and the Ninja Gaiden series, whose last main installment was one of the biggest disasters in video game history.

PlatinumGames not only managed to restore confidence in the series with an exceptional release, but also reminded us how impressive melee-based titles can be without being directly influenced by the Soulsborne formula.

Along with Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, Ninja Gaiden 4 brought one of the greatest icons of the interactive entertainment industry back to life, and it did so in the best possible way. I don't know if this will serve as inspiration for all the developers who grew up with hack-and-slash games, but I have faith that it will.

5 Overwatch 2

Reliving the Good Memory

Just as I was among those who loved Overwatch back in the day, I was also among those who hated Blizzard Entertainment with a passion for everything related to Overwatch 2.

The damage was so extensive that I'd say my disdain still lingers, though 2025 made me feel like giving it a chance, and it's a lot that I didn't end up utterly disappointed as always.

The microtransactions are still awful, and I still debate whether competitors like Marvel's Rivals aren't infinitely superior, yet, for the first time in who knows how many months, the developer is steering things in the right direction.

While this can be positive for hero shooters in general, I think it's particularly important because it somewhat redeems the 2016 Game of the Year winner, even though that's an impossible task to accomplish completely.

For all those users who devoted their body and soul to the original title, this may be a modest initial step towards a more exhaustive redemption, so I would like to view it with optimistic eyes and think that they are not going to make a colossal mistake… again.

4 Battlefield 6

War is Trending Again

Speaking of big names in the video game industry that have suffered consecutive flops, I believe Battlefield is a franchise that has been in a questionable state for a couple of generations now.

I feel like we don't fully grasp the magnitude of this because its historic rival, Call of Duty, is probably in worse shape, but the release of Battlefield 6 is what made me realize how long it had been since we'd had a truly great installment in the series.

It had been far too many years since a DICE (now Battlefield Studios) game had been able to generate this kind of buzz, which is more than justified because we're looking at one of the decade's most immersive and exciting multiplayer war games.

Therefore, this isn't just positive news for Battlefield as an IP, but I'd like to believe it's the necessary incentive for Call of Duty to wake up after more than ten years of not doing anything interesting. Perhaps war games are back in fashion, and if not, at least Battlefield 6 is an excellent reminder of how good they used to be.

3 Shinobi: Art of Vengeance

Waiting for Two Decades

If being a fan of series like Darksiders leaves me constantly stressed due to the long and uncertain waits for a new installment, I can't imagine what it must be like to be a Shinobi fan.

I say this not only because of the accumulated anxiety, but particularly because of the idea of ​​suddenly receiving a sequel (Shinobi: Art of Vengeance) that adapts the series to modern times and is also among the best games of the year.

Although it doesn't revolutionize the genre, as it's an excellent but traditional side-scroller/Metroidvania, it's truly impressive to revive an old franchise in such a grand way.

It's difficult to believe Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is the latest in a line whose last main entry dates back to 1995, because it's so polished and refined that it seems as if the series has given us installments in every generation.

Therefore, the game is not only a love letter to Shinobi fans, but also a demonstration to large companies around the world that, if they don't know what to do with their aged IPs, the possibility of handing them over to an independent studio to create a wonderful work is more alive than ever.

2 Dispatch

Episodic Comedies are Alive

Since I just mentioned the notion of dead genres earlier, I think it's important to recognize that what Ninja Gaiden 4 does with hack-and-slash games is similar to what Dispatch does with episodic story-driven titles, which fell into obscurity after Telltale's hiatus.

I don't want to ignore Life is Strange's existence, far from it, but I think it's not unreasonable to think that AdHoc Studio's game has achieved what its French counterpart hasn't: popularizing and making mainstream a genre that has never been successful outside its niche.

Perhaps it's too early and even excessive to say so, but I genuinely see in this creation an invaluable opportunity for the golden age of graphic adventures to return, from a fresh perspective capable of convincing users who previously would never have grasped it.

Dispatch feels more mature, smarter, more focused, and, above all, more interactive, which is a monumental victory for a genre that doesn't usually have much in the way of gameplay. Time will tell, but my belief in its lasting significance is exceptionally strong.

1 Rematch

I'm a massive football fan and, paradoxically, a big critic of football video games, mainly because their leading representatives have embarrassed me immensely with their lack of quality over the last decade.

I had long since given up on the idea of ​​ever seeing the world's greatest sport properly represented in the interactive industry, but my beloved Sloclap came along to amaze me for the third time with their signature style, thanks to the glorious Rematch.

Perhaps I'm biased because I love Absolver and Sifu, but the truth is I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a football game so much, much less one that I returned to every week for so many consecutive months.

Rematch is important not because it redeems its creators or a particular franchise, but because it takes on the mantle of an entire sport whose presence in video games has been reduced to cash grabs, microtransaction bonanzas, and disrespect for the discipline.

I want to believe this will demonstrate to the entire industry that you don't need to be called Electronic Arts or Konami to interpret football uniquely, especially since this year we also received the great Despelote to confirm it.​​​​​​​