Bandai Namco, a giant in the gaming world, holds the keys to some of the most iconic franchises out there, such as Dark Souls, Pac-Man, Tales, and Tekken. Yet, 2024 delivered a rollercoaster of experiences for the company. On the upside, they rolled out some stellar games like Gundam Breaker 4, Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero!, and the critically celebrated Tekken 8. But not everything hit the mark this year. Titles like Jujutsu Kaisen: Cursed Clash and Unknown 9: Awakening were not exactly showered with praise, receiving mixed or downright negative reviews. Meanwhile, games such as Sword Art Online: Fractured Daydream and Death Note: Killer Within sparked some debate among players and critics.
Looking forward, Bandai Namco’s future lineup is generating some excitement. They’ve already put seven new announcements on the table. Among them are Little Nightmares 3, a horror platformer from Supermassive Games, and Dawnwalker, a dark action RPG crafted by Rebel Wolves. Though neither has a precise launch window just yet, some of their other projects do. In fact, four new games are expected to hit the shelves by mid-2025, barring any unforeseen delays. If everything goes as planned, Bandai Namco is set to kick off 2025 with a bang.
Come January, Bandai Namco is diving into its past by rolling out remasters instead of entirely new games. First on the list is Freedom Wars Remastered, upgrading an action RPG initially launched back in 2014. Its remaster will leap from the confines of the PlayStation Vita, launching on platforms like PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC on January 10, 2025. Just a week later, fans can get their hands on the remastered version of Tales of Graces f, available on a plethora of modern systems, including PS4/5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC, starting January 17.
It’s noteworthy that Tales of Graces originally debuted on the Wii in Japan before being ported to the PS3 for Western audiences. This remaster, therefore, marks a significant leap in accessibility, bringing it to players across all current platforms.
January also welcomes a fresh face from Bandai Namco: Synduality: Echo of Ada. This game mixes elements of sci-fi and PvPvE extraction shooter style, featuring epic battles with giant mechs. Part of a larger multimedia franchise, this title has Game Studio Inc. at the helm and will launch for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on January 27.
Rounding out early 2025, Bleach: Rebirth of Souls is slated for release. Following in the footsteps of Bandai Namco’s other anime-inspired games, it introduces a unique one-hit kill feature into its 3D arena fighter format. It’s especially notable as the first Bleach game designed for consoles in over ten years. While an exact date remains elusive, the company aims to release it in the early months of the year.
Even though Bandai Namco hasn’t locked in other first-half 2025 releases, some titles like Little Nightmares 3 and Fate/EXTRA Record might appear sooner than expected. Little Nightmares 3 was initially pegged for a 2024 release, but a delay pushed it into 2025, suggesting it could be nearing the finish line. Similarly, Fate/EXTRA Record, a highly anticipated JRPG, has been developing for almost five years. Though it’s best not to hold your breath until an official announcement, it wouldn’t be surprising to see these games becoming available in the not-so-distant future.
