As we approach the end of December, we're getting to that time of year where everyone will start publishing their "Best Of" and "Game of the Year" lists over the coming weeks, and some outlets are even sharing theirs already.
Take the Associated Press, for example. The huge global news organisation has today highlighted its 10 top video game releases of 2025, and there are actually three Xbox first-party games in the mix here.
As far as know this isn't a ranked list, so The Outer Worlds 2, South of Midnight and Avowed are all contenders for Game of the Year in the AP's eyes. That said, they have special praise for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
Here's the AP's top 10 favourite new games of 2025:
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- The Outer Worlds 2
- Silent Hill F
- Assassin's Creed Shadows
- Donkey Kong Bananza
- The Séance of Blake Manor
- Avowed
- Ghost of Yōtei
- South of Midnight
- The Alters
As you can see, this is a curious list - it's got The Alters and The Séance of Blake Manor in there, and it's great to see those games getting recognition, but there's no place for the likes of Split Fiction or Hollow Knight: Silksong.
Then again, we were just saying last week how we felt South of Midnight deserved more Game Awards nominations, and it's definitely nice to see multiple Xbox Game Studios releases in the mix here.
What do you think? Is this the kind of list you'd put together? Let us know down in the comments below.