2025

Looks like Xbox is doing another January Developer Direct this year. The last few years, in January, they show off games that will be coming soon. It’s a smaller event showing only a handful of games and usually has some release dates revealed. This year’s event will be on January 23 at 1PM Eastern.

This year’s Developer Direct is going to focus on four games: South of Midnight, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, DOOM: The Dark Ages, and an unannounced game. Rumor has it that the unannounced game could be the rumored <a href=”/gaming/oblivion-remake-announcement-in-january”>Oblivion Remake</a>. Seeing as how the three known games all have 2025 release dates, whatever the unreleased game is, more than likely has a 2025 release date as well. It could very well be released on the 23rd for Game Pass.

If it is, it could be why the initial Game Pass drop for the year was a little underwhelming. Two Microsoft owned IP releases in a month could be why they didn’t add a lot of third party games to the lineup. Either way, we will find out what the third game is and potentially get release dates for the other three in a few weeks. Which ones are you excited about?

Wave 1 of January 2025 Game Pass games has been announced. The games are Diablo, My Time at Sandrock, Robin Hood – Sherwood Builders, Rolling Hills, Lightyear Frontier, and EA Sports UFC 5. On top of these 6 games, Road 96 returns today as well. The last few months, Game Pass has included at least one Activision Blizzard game, so having Diablo coming to the service isn’t that surprising. There are rumors that a Call of Duty: World at War is going to hit the service in May and that no other COD will come before that. If it’s true, then assuming this trend continue, we could see more Diablo, Crash Bandicoot, or Spyro pop up before then. There are also persistent rumors since August that Microsoft has secured a deal to bring Marvel’s Activision games back to the store and presumably Game Pass. This would mean that Amazing Spider-Man 2, Web of Shadows, Deadpool, and more would be coming back. These games were previously delisted and the only way to get them is through physical copies of the game. Some copies, like Amazing Spider-Man 2 are listed for $99 or more for the Xbox One version of the game. As always, take these rumors with a grain of salt.

Are you excited for these first Game Pass games of 2025? Is there anything you’re hoping for in Wave 2 or beyond? Let us know in the comments.

It is bound to be a big year for Marvel’s first family, the Fantastic 4. Not only are they getting a movie starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, but they are getting added to Marvel Rivals soon as well. The image was posted on the official Marvel Rivals X account, it includes Mr. Fantastic, Human Torch, The Thing, and Invisible Woman. The image also features H.E.R.B.I.E, a robot created by Mr. Fantastic and Master Xar of the Xandarians in the comics. Before the image was posted, Human Torch and The Thing were leaked for the game, but now we know for sure that all 4 members and potentially their robot friend too, will be in the game.

Recent leaks also show Ultron, Deadpool, Emma Frost, Modok, and more would be added to the game eventually. On January 6 at 11:00AM EST, there will be a trailer showcasing the Fantastic 4, could it also feature some other new heroes? Marvel Rivals season 0 is set to end on January 10 at 1:00AM EST. It’s unknown if season 1 will begin right away or if there will be a gap between seasons. We should have more answers than questions come Monday.

Are you excited for Fantastic 4 coming to the game? Is there anyone you’re hoping to play as in the future? Let us know.

Along with movies, 2025 features anniversaries of some pretty big games as well. Unfortunately not all of these are available to buy or stream on modern devices so going back and playing some might be harder to do than others.

• Pong (50th)
• Space Invaders (45th)
• Donkey Kong (45th)
• Pac-Man (45th)
• Super Mario Bros. (40th)
• Duck Hunt (40th)
• The Legend of Zelda (40th)
• Metroid (40th)
• Chrono Trigger (30th)
• Tekken 2 (30th)
• Command & Conquer (30th)
• Twisted Metal (30th)
• Time Crisis (30th)
• Resident Evil 4 (20th)
• God of War (20th)
• NBA Street (20th)
• The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (20th)
• Mass Effect 2 (15th)
• Red Dead Redemption (15th)
• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (10th)
• Life is Strange (10th)
• Super Mario Maker (10th)
• Bloodborne (10th)

It seems so surreal how old some of these games are. Red Dead Redemption does not look that old. Some of these should definitely get a remake or remaster soon, or even just a sequel. Twisted Metal’s sequel was reportedly cancelled, but the show should return for season 2 soon, so maybe that will renew interest in the games. Resident Evil 9 should be shown soon, especially if the rumored 2025 release date is real. A God of War remaster/remake is rumored to be in the world and the 20th anniversary would be a good time to release it. Metroid Prime 4 should be released this year, possibly even a launch title for the Nintendo Switch successor.

Do you want to see any of these games remastered, remade, or rebooted? Are you going to be playing any of these classics this year? Let us know in the comments.

2025 is here and this year is a big anniversary year for some amazing movies. Some of these seem like they came out just a few years ago, but then 10 years have passed. I have not watched them all, but I think I will make it a point to watch a lot of them that I haven’t seen or that I haven’t seen in a while this year. And when I say watch them, I mean watch their whole series, so all movies in the Rocky, Jaws, etc. series.

• Fantasia (85th)
• Pinocchio (85th)
• Psycho (65th)
• The Sound of Music (60th)
• Lady and the Tramp (70th)
• Jaws (50th)
• One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (50th)
• The Empire Strikes Back (45th)
• Friday the 13th (45th)
• Airplane! (45th)
• Superman II (45th)
• The Shining (45th)
• 9 to 5 (45th)
• Back to the Future (40th)
• The Breakfast Club (40th)
• Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (40th)
• Rocky IV (40th)
• The Goonies (40th)
• The Color Purple (40th)
• Beverly Hills Cop (40th)
• Ghost in the Shell (30th)
• Die Hard with a Vengeance (30th)
• Se7en (30th)
• Billy Madison (30th)
• Toy Story (30th)
• Pocahontas (30th)
• Braveheart (30th)
• A Goofy Movie (30th)
• Heat (30th)
• Bad Boys (30th)
• Clueless (30th)
• Jumanji (30th)
• Batman Forever (30th)
• Shaft (25th)
• Requiem for a Dream (25th)
• Gladiator (25th)
• Memento (25th)
• X-Men (25th)
• Cast Away (25th)
• Final Destination (25th)
• Unbreakable (25th)
• Chicken Run (25th)
• Remember the Titans (25th)
• American Psycho (25th)
• Scary Movie (25th)
• The Emperor’s New Groove (25th)
• Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (25th)
• Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (25th)
• Goodfellas (35th)
• Edward Scissorhands (35th)
• Home Alone (35th)
• Sin City (20th)
• Batman Begins (20th)
• Walk The Line (20th)
• Chicken Little (20th)
• Mr & Mrs Smith (20th)
• The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (20th)
• Revenge of the Sith (20th)
• War of the Worlds (20th)
• Sky High (20th)
• Madagascar (20th)
• Robots (20th)
• Corpse Bride (20th)
• The Family Stone (20th)
• Brokeback Mountain (20th)
• V for Vendetta (20th)
• Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (20th)
• The Social Network (15th)
• Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (15th)
• How To Train Your Dragon (15th)
• Black Swan (15th)
• Tron: Legacy (15th)
• Despicable Me (15th)
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid (15th)
• The King’s Speech (15th)
• Shutter Island (15th)
• Kick-Ass (15th)
• Toy Story 3 (15th)
• Inception (15th)
• Memento (15th)
• The Book of Eli (15th)
• Megamind (15th)
• Tangled (15th)
• Inside Out (10th)
• The Peanuts Movie (10th)
• The Force Awakens (10th)
• Creed (10th)
• Jurassic World (10th)
• The Hateful Eight (10th)
• Mad Max Fury Road (10th)
• Birdman (10th)
• It Follows (10th)
• Sicario (10th)
• Avengers: Age of Ultron (10th)
• Kingsman (10th)
• The Revenant (10th)
• The Martian (10th)
• The Peanuts Movie (10th)

I can’t believe some of these are that old. Ten years for Age of Ultron, the Martian and Birdman? It just doesn’t seem possible, but I guess it is. Personally I think covid messed with my sense of time a bit so fourse years is condensed into what seems like one year at this point. Will you be watching any of these movies this year to celebrate their big milestones?