Right, So Eurogamer's Cracking Open the 'Best of 2025' Vault – Time to Cast Your Spells, Legends!
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Eurogamer has opened its annual poll for readers to vote on their top 50 games of 2025, offering a chance for the community's voice to shine amidst specific rules for eligibility and the anticipation of next-gen console ports. It's a delightful dive into the games that genuinely resonated with players, with a dash of behind-the-scenes chaos.
Alright, gamers, gather 'round! Jeff here, freshly emerged from a digital rabbit hole, and I’ve got a scoop that’s buzzing with the energy of a freshly cast, slightly chaotic spell. You know that yearly ritual, don’t ya? The one where we all start pontificating, arguing, and occasionally having existential crises about what, exactly, constituted the 'best' games of the past twelve months. Well, Eurogamer, bless their cotton socks, has officially thrown open the voting gates for their readers’ Top 50 Games of 2025.
Fair dinkum, it feels like just yesterday we were all losing our minds over *actual* 2024 releases, but here we are, staring down the barrel of December 2025, and the gaming landscape, much like my desk, is a glorious, sprawling mess of titles.
Now, a little bird (or rather, Tom Orry, Eurogamer's Editorial Director, who sounds like a solid bloke) let slip the 'why' behind opening the poll a bit earlier this year. Apparently, it's not some grand, strategic manoeuvre, but simply because if they left it any later, they'd be up to their eyeballs in an Excel spreadsheet trying to 'collate all the votes and comments and turn them into an article'. And honestly, mate, who can blame them? Processing the collective gaming wisdom of thousands of us? That’s a Herculean task, or at least a highly demanding one for whoever’s stuck wrestling with pivot tables. It’s a classic case of the magic behind the curtain being less mystical and more 'oh god, deadlines!' – something I can absolutely relate to when I'm trying to untangle a particularly knotty rumour mill.
But what does this early opening tell us? Well, for starters, it hints at what a bloody bonza year 2025 must have been for gaming. Tom himself reckons there’s a 'nice and varied mix' making up his personal top 10, which means we, the perpetually opinionated player base, should have a treasure trove of contenders to pick from. And that, my friends, is exactly what we want, isn’t it? Not a year dominated by one or two behemoths, but a veritable smorgasbord of digital delights.
So, how does one actually cast their ballot in this grand digital election? Eurogamer's asking for your *ranked* top five games. Crucially, they’re also giving you the option to tell them *why* each game had that 'special sauce'. This is where the magic truly happens, where your personal connection to a digital world gets etched into the annals of gaming history (or at least, into a nicely formatted online article). It's not just about picking names; it's about sharing the feels, the moments, the glorious failures and triumphant victories that made a game stick with you.
Now, every good game has rules, and so does this poll. And this is where it gets interesting, because the eligibility criteria always spark a bit of a debate, don't they? Let's break down these digital commandments:
* **DLC/Expansions?** Only if they're standalone. No sneaking in your favourite season pass content unless it truly stands on its own two feet. Fair enough, I reckon – an expansion is often brilliant, but it’s still *expanding* something already there. * **Ongoing games not released in 2025?** Nope. Sorry, live service fanatics, your favourite endless grind won't count this year unless it had a proper '1.0' launch in 2025. This always sparks a bit of healthy debate, but it helps keep the focus on what's fresh. * **Ports of older games?** Generally no, unless we're talking about the *fabled* **Switch 2 versions**. Ah, the Switch 2! The whisper on the wind, the rumour in the tea leaves. If a Switch 2 version has been 'significantly altered/added to,' it's in. This is a classic 'what happens if…' moment for Jeff. It acknowledges the inevitable march of hardware, but also leaves a delightfully vague loophole. 'Significantly altered'? That’s a lovely bit of subjective wizardry, isn’t it? Gives me delightful shivers just thinking about the discussions that’ll spawn. * **Early Access?** Not eligible. Makes sense; let a game bake properly before we declare it a masterpiece. No half-finished spells allowed. * **Remakes and significant remasters?** Absolutely! This is where things get juicy. A good remake isn't just a lick of paint; it's often a complete re-imagining, a new way to experience an old friend. This acknowledges the craft and effort that goes into truly revitalising a classic. * **Games released from Early Access into '1.0' in 2025?** Eligible! This is the perfect compromise, acknowledging the journey of development and celebrating a game's official 'birth' into the wild.
Speaking of the voting mechanics, it sounds like Eurogamer had a bit of a hiccup with a dropdown menu – apparently, 'failed for multiple reasons.' So, it's back to the 'old-fashioned way' of typing names into boxes. Honestly, sometimes the most cutting-edge digital wizardry just needs to concede to the humble text input, eh? It’s like when your fancy portal spell misfires, and you just have to walk.
If you're feeling particularly verbose, and happy to share your Eurogamer username, your eloquent words could even make it into the final article, which is slated for December 30th. That’s just a day before Eurogamer's *own* official Game of the Year is revealed. And honestly, I'm already rubbing my hands together in anticipation. Which list will be more shocking? Which will spark the most 'you're all wrong!' comments? The community list vs. the critics' list – it's a tale as old as time, and always fascinating to observe the divergence.
So, if you’ve got a game (or five!) that truly blew your socks off this year, that captured your imagination or dragged you willingly into its digital embrace, then get over to Eurogamer and cast your vote. They're asking for everything to be in by the end of Sunday, December 14th. And who knows, maybe your pick for 'Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour' (or whatever mad game you're championing) will actually make it to the top! You never know what chaos a collective community vote can unleash.
Seriously though, it's a cracking opportunity to champion the games that mattered to *you* this year. Let your voice be heard, and let's see what digital marvels truly resonated with the gaming faithful in 2025.
Tags: Gaming Polls, Game of the Year, Community Voting, Nintendo Switch 2, Gaming Culture
Original article: Eurogamer