- 2025 has seen many notable indie and AAA releases, marking a shift in industry trends.
- Games like Split Fiction, R.E.P.O., Peak, Rematch, and Clair Obscur surpassed many AAA titles.
- On the flip side, well-funded titles like Mindseye and AC Shadows left a lot to be desired.
There was once a time when indie games were considered to be a small, quiet corner of the industry, but this year has seen the emergence of highly successful AA and indie launches that have completely thrown that perception on its head.
Entries like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Rematch, Split Fiction, Blue Prince, and Hollow Knight: Silksong have been the talk of the gamer town this year. They have sold like hotcakes and attracted many players who are fed up with AAA titles for one reason or another.
Why it matters: The dominance of AA and indie games this year shows the industry is shifting toward smaller, creative projects that prioritize player satisfaction over big-budget, safe releases.
Therefore, many gamers online argue that 2025 has already become the year of indie releases. Most of the agreed-upon Game of the Year nominations by fans this year are AA and indie games, which is likely a first in the industry.
Games like Blue Prince and Split Fiction have been so successful because they take bigger risks than AAA titles, with creativity and player satisfaction in mind before profits and budgets.
This year has also seen some successful AAA titles, such as Metal Gear Solid 3 Remake, Doom: The Dark Ages, and Elden Ring: Nightreign. However, launches like Mindseye, AC Shadows, and the smaller FBC: Firebreak disappointed fans for a multitude of reasons.
The current shifting trends suggest that more and more indie and AA games will replace the traditional AAA formula due to inflated budgets and development times. So, high-budget, blockbuster-level AAA games might become rarer as time goes on.
Do you think this year’s Game of the Year award winner will turn out to be an indie or an AA game? Which of them is the most likely one to hog the award? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or join the discussion on the Tech4Gamers forum.
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Shameer Sarfaraz has previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, he loves to devoutly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games. Besides his passion for breaking news stories, Shahmeer loves spending his leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited his articles.
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