2024 has been an eventful year across the gaming industry. From blockbuster releases on both console and in Hollywood to revolutionary changes in the foundations of the industry itself, here’s a recap of standout moment in gaming from the past year.

Widespread Industry Layoffs

Microsoft Gaming cut around 2000 jobs in January, aiming at establishing a more sustainable cost structure. EA similarly cut around 5% of its workforce, being roughly 670 employees, in February. Along with this, they announced the ‘sunsetting’ of IPs they believed could not stand up to the competitive modern industry. This did nothing to soothe the fears of those in the gaming workforce looking for secure employment in the face of scarily rapidly evolving technology.

Akira Toriyama Passes at 68

Known for creating the wildly successful Dragon Ball series, Toriyama left a sizeable impact on the gaming industry. Not only did Dragon Ball spawn several games spanning across console generations, but he also lent his distinct art style to design characters for Chrono Trigger, Blue Dragon and Dragon Quest. His passing in March left admirers of his work mourning.

Fallout Hits the Small Screen… Again

A project that was in the works since 2020, Fallout finally premiered on Amazon Prime Video this April. Based on the popular Bethesda series, the Ella Purnell-fronted TV adaptation went down a treat with critics, receiving 16 Primetime Emmy nominations.

Confirmation of Olympic Esports Games

This move for the Olympics into the Esports space has been long discussed, first being pitched in 2007, but finally it was confirmed in July that next year we will be seeing the Olympic Esports Games. In a change to the traditionally format, the Olympic Esports Games is expected to take place annually, with the first formal edition being Saudi Arabia 2025.

Zenless Zone Zero Releases

Building upon the success of its smash-hit predecessors Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail, Zenless Zone Zero launched in July as a free-to-play post-apocalyptic RPG. Metacritic pinned it as a 76/100, just falling short of the ratings of its older siblings at 81 and 80 respectively.

Venue Gaming Returns

I couldn’t resist including this one. After some time away, Venue’s Gaming section finally returned in August, helmed by yours truly.

Princess Zelda Steps Up to the Plate

In a series named after her from the beginning, it has only taken 38 years for Princess Zelda to take centre stage as protagonist in a Legend of Zelda title. When Echoes of Wisdom released in September, the Princess of Hyrule finally got her chance to save the world.

No More Sims 5

Longtime Simmers had their hearts crushed as it was confirmed in September that the Sims 5 would no longer be a thing. Instead, the previously announced ‘Project Rene’ (which many had assumed would be the Sims 4’s successor) was clarified to be launching alongside other projects in the Sims franchise. This marks a departure from the traditional sequential release structure in favour of a more interconnected universe of coexisting games.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

The Call of Duty series returned for its first Black Ops title since 2020 in October. Already it seems Call of Duty fans have returned with their perfectionist lens, critiquing the game’s continuation of the trend of skill-based matchmaking.

The Nintendo Museum Opens its Doors

Also in October, the Nintendo Museum opened its doors in the corporation’s birthplace of Kyoto. The architecture is littered with carefully thought-out nods to Nintendo’s projects over the years. Surely a must visit for any Nintendo fans visiting Japan.

Sony’s PlayStation 5 Pro Launches Worldwide

November saw an enhanced version of the already-popular PlayStation 5 release, with critics lauding it was the most powerful PlayStation console yet, providing a smoother PS5 experience. Alas, with how recent this upgrade is, many existing PS5 games have yet to be updated to be compatible with the new buffed-up system.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Sees the Year Out

As of writing, this film has yet to release but the end of December is expected to see the release of the third Sonic the Hedgehog movie adaptation. This instalment will see the introduction of Shadow the Hedgehog to the big screen, voiced by Keanu Reeves and the return of Jim Carrey as Dr Robotnik.

What to expect in 2025?

2025 already has plenty of enticing releases on the cards of all kinds. From continuations of beloved series, including Borderlands 4 and Assassin’s Creed Shadows and fresh interpretations of previous hits, such as Ghost of Yotei and Pokemon Legends: Z-A, there will be plenty of games for us to try out in the new year. Not only this, but we can expect news of the Nintendo Switch’s successor console in the next year, if not the console release itself. And finally, Hollywood is expected to provide us with the Minecraft movie in April, as well as season 2 of The Last of Us’s TV adaptation in Spring. Hopefully 2025 can be a year that goes down in gaming history for all the right reasons.

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