Is this the new golden age of video games?

RTÉ News​

2 days ago

Gamers are nostalgic people. Often, if you get chatting with someone about their favourites, you'll time-travel ten or twenty years in a single conversation, back to an era of cartridges, discs and dial-up internet.
I'm no stranger to this. The very sight of a pixelated Pokémon sprite, and I can hear the S.S. Anne's theme ringing in my ears. When I see the modern Lara Croft, I'm transported back to the 90s, when you'd pass a PlayStation 1 controller between friends and take turns trying to keep the polygonal heroine alive in a death-trap tomb.
I remember those massive raids in the original World of Warcraft on snail-speed internet, or how, even though I replayed Final Fantasy VII hundreds of times, I was always hunting for something new in a playthrough. My point is that when we think of the best games and experiences, we're often looking backwards. Rarely do we look around.
Over time, you tend to assume that modern games are merely a flashier repeat of a successful formula. Especially as we're just moving on from a long-winded period of remakes and remasters, you convince yourself that we'll never return to those all-important watercooler moments.
And yet, recent games are changing the script in a big way.
As we approach the halfway point of 2025, with record-breaking sales, widespread critical acclaim, several spin-offs and adaptations in the works, and soundtracks charting across the world, is it safe to say we are witnessing the birth of a new age of creative glory with video games? Absolutely.
A new wave of reinvention – narrative-rich games go from strength to strength
Video games are now unmistakably at the epicentre of art and culture. That is a brave statement to make, but a true one at that. Without even needing to go near a console, they are everywhere. And you don't have to be a gamer to be influenced (and entertained) by them, either.
Think about it. Turn on your TV, and there's no escaping the latest adaptation dominating the most-watched lists. The biggest blockbuster hits in recent memory? Most are, you guessed it, based on games. Musicians now pen chart-topping songs inspired by games, while orchestras recreate our favourite soundtracks inside packed arenas.
World-class writers craft engrossing characters and worlds, while artists, designers and developers bring them to life in untold, magical ways in our homes. It's one of the few entertainment industries that draws on a rich array of extremely talented people under one mission.
And this is why I believe we're on the cusp of a new golden era in gaming. The titles you are playing now are most likely going to be the movies, TV shows, novels, and concerts you and your family will enjoy in the next few years. Except for gamers, we don't have to wait for Hollywood to catch up. We can enjoy them now. This year.
A prime example of this is Clair Obscur Expedition 33. Released under relative obscurity back in April, it is now ranked as one of the most critically acclaimed games ever made. Selling over 3.3 million copies in 3 months, it's already been greenlit for a movie adaptation, to the surprise of no one.
Set in a Belle Époque-inspired fantasy world, the game tells the heartbreaking story of a team of young adults journeying into the unknown to try and defy their fate. Enchanting French music, powerhouse performances, and blending traditional gameplay mechanics with a modern flair were all the ingredients needed for critical acclaim and the title of a masterpiece.
The game quickly won the hearts of millions of fans, including French President Emmanuel Macron, who posted on social media that the game was "a shining example of French audacity and creativity." Months later, the game continues to inspire the world through its story. And this is just one example from this year alone.
Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 was one of the first major releases of the year and has enjoyed equal acclaim and love from gamers. It sold over 2 million copies in just two weeks, capitalising on the world's thirst for all things historical fiction.
Set in the 15th century, you play as Henry of Skalitz, whose journey from a humble blacksmith forge to the court of Kings is one of the most transformative and immersive experiences you can get. And if you're looking to get absolutely lost in an open world, you'll find a home here.
No one can deny the sheer freedom this game allows you. With an estimated script of over 2.2 million words (most likely more), it's safe to say that a strong narrative is at the core of this Medieval adventure's success.
The idea that the gaming industry has run out of stories to tell, or things to say, is simply untrue.
The best interactive medium in the world
One of the most exciting things about video games is how they tell their stories. The gameplay that takes you from A to B, keeps you guessing, keeps you immersed, and takes advantage of the rapid speed at which technology is evolving.
With the right design, even the simplest idea can take on a completely new life. How the environment is presented or the colours used, how the music plays (and when), and who you get to play it with all contribute to games making a lasting impression.
In March of this year, Split Fiction was released to universal acclaim, selling over 4 million copies to date. It's an action-adventure cooperative game that sees you and a friend assume the roles of aspiring writers, Mio and Zoe, who become trapped in life-like simulations of their stories.
As well as a gripping story that covers everything from love and joy to grief and loneliness, the true magic of the game lies in how you play it and with whom. Together with a friend online, you'll explore this game in split-screen, and every couple of minutes, a brand new mechanic is introduced to keep both of you transfixed.
In one instance, you're parkouring across a Medieval city of ogres; the next, you're trying to escape an exploding sci-fi world on motorbikes. And then, in a flash, you're raising dragons in a fantasy realm before transforming into magical pigs to solve puzzles. Several times, I was rendered speechless from sheer laughter at what the game allowed (and expected) me to do.
Pigs fly when Split Fiction launches on PS5 March 6 🌈
Hands-on report dives into the imaginative co-op adventure: https://t.co/uufUdTzh8T pic.twitter.com/uCFPtNRoPz
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) February 14, 2025
It's modern experiences like these that hark back to those golden-era, nostalgic vibes of passing the controller around the room so everyone has a turn. Of linking your Game Boy together with a cable in person just to trade something. Now? Now, you can jump online with friends thousands of miles away and experience something magical together in real-time. Modern games break down distance and barriers in a truly unique way, something I think we often take for granted.
Backwards compatibility also means that the games we grew up loving can be re-experienced in new ways on modern systems. So, whether it's through cooperative gameplay, a multiplayer mode, VR technology, or some new technology yet to be unveiled, games will always find new ways to entertain and bring us all together.
The challenges that lie ahead
Video games are not without their challenges. And we can't look at all the recent magic and success of the year through rose-tinted glasses. Widespread layoffs across the sector (including over 14,000 in 2024 alone) are still a major threat to the safety, security and well-being of the industry, which has no doubt robbed us of some amazing projects and creatives.
Failed games like Suicide Squad or Concord from last year continue to haunt the airwaves, causing a ripple effect that sinks other promising projects still stranded in development. The rising cost of development, along with concerns over microtransactions and the reliance on live-service platforms, could also be seen as crippling creativity.
Listen: Today With Cliare Byrne Show on Sony's gaming flop Concord
But then, we can return to the games of 2025, and there's some silver lining. Clair Obscur Expedition 33, for example, is an indie title developed in a fraction of the time its peers took, and with a significantly smaller team to boot. Or Split Fiction, whose generous friend's pass means an owner can invite a friend to play across any platform for free, halving its sales potential but doubling the fun we can all expect from it.
While the future remains uncertain, the present is clear: great games continue to be made. And great studios are finding ways to tell their stories, defying the odds and limitations.
I'm confident that there will be waves of future gamers looking back on this decade (and this year), with the fondest of memories. And we've still six months left to enjoy!
Who knows what the next new games of 2025 will have in store for us? But one thing is for sure - you no longer need to look back in time to experience a masterpiece.