Video Games Year in Review: Part 2, 2025

The second half of 2025 in the video game industry was defined by significant geopolitical shifts, regulatory challenges, and major corporate consolidation. This review highlights a period marked by increased censorship, the intersection of gaming with political propaganda, and high-stakes financial maneuvers that reshaped the global market.

Key industry developments included the $55 billion acquisition of Electronic Arts by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, facilitated by Affinity Partners, and a $108.4 billion hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros. by Paramount Skydance. Additionally, Ubisoft secured a €1.16 billion investment from Tencent, granting the latter a 26.32% stake in a new subsidiary. Market data from Niko Partners indicates that the Asia and MENA regions reached a valuation of $88.97 billion in 2025, reflecting a 2.7% growth and a total player base of 1.7 billion.

Regulatory and political pressures remained a central theme throughout the latter half of the year. Platforms such as Steam and Itch.io faced intense scrutiny and pressure to censor sexual content, while the UK’s Online Safety Act prompted new age-verification requirements that led to data privacy breaches, notably at Discord. Furthermore, the industry saw the weaponization of intellectual property for political messaging, exemplified by the U.S. government’s use of Halo imagery for recruitment and political promotion.

The industry also grappled with the "gamer-fication" of extremist violence and ongoing censorship in international markets, such as Russia’s ban on Roblox. Despite these challenges, the sector continued to see major product developments, including the delay of Grand Theft Auto VI to 2026 and the successful reception of titles like Hollow Knight: Silksong. These events underscore a volatile year where the industry’s economic interests became increasingly entangled with global political agendas and stringent regulatory oversight.