Game Awards 2025: Diablo IV, Control Resonant, Tomb Raider
- Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred expansion announced; launches April 28, 2026 on Battle.net, Xbox, PlayStation and Steam.
- Control Resonant, Ontos (Frictional), and two new Tomb Raider games (Legacy of Atlantis and Catalyst) revealed.
- Key winners: DOOM: The Dark Ages (Innovation in Accessibility), South of Midnight (Games for Impact), ARC Raiders (Best Multiplayer).
- Sandfall’s Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 earned major nominations and recognition; many Xbox first-party titles received nods.
Major reveals from The Game Awards
Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred
Blizzard unveiled Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred, a substantial expansion that pushes the series toward its next arc. The campaign sends players to Skovos for a final confrontation with Mephisto and raises the stakes in Sanctuary.
Features include two new classes (including a Paladin), skill tree reworks, a higher level cap, and an overhauled endgame focused on player choice and mastery. Blizzard set the launch date for April 28, 2026, on Battle.net, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and Steam.
Control Resonant and other narrative hits
Remedy’s Control grows into a new chapter with Control Resonant, teasing a continuation of the series’ reality-bending storytelling and mysterious gameplay. Early details promise deeper worldbuilding and expansions on the paranormal systems introduced in prior titles.
Frictional Games announced Ontos, a spiritual successor from the creators of Amnesia and Soma, positioning itself as a new horror narrative to watch.
Tomb Raider: two projects revealed
Square Enix confirmed two Tomb Raider entries are in active development: Legacy of Atlantis and Catalyst. Both projects aim to expand Lara Croft’s universe in different directions, though the studio has not yet given release windows.
Winners, nominees and Xbox highlights
Notable winners
DOOM: The Dark Ages picked up the award for Innovation in Accessibility, recognizing its accessibility work. South of Midnight won Games for Impact, and ARC Raiders took Best Multiplayer.
Third-party standout Clair Obscur: Expedition 33—now notable on Game Pass—earned multiple nominations and wins, underscoring strong indie momentum.
Xbox and first-party performance
Xbox Game Studios and Bethesda titles (Avowed, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Ninja Gaiden 4, The Outer Worlds 2 and others) received several nominations across categories. DOOM and South of Midnight were particular highlights for Xbox-affiliated studios.
What’s next for players and fans
Release windows and platform news
Blizzard’s Diablo IV expansion joins Xbox, PlayStation and PC next spring. Compulsion Games confirmed South of Midnight will reach PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2 in Spring 2026, widening its audience.
Upcoming Developer_Direct and podcast
Xbox announced a new Developer_Direct for January featuring Playground Games. A special edition of The Official Xbox Podcast aired alongside The Game Awards; the episode includes interviews and further context for night’s reveals (watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/0_qWDiKmzlY).
Final note
The Game Awards 2025 mixed major expansion news, new sequels and indie breakthroughs. Between Blizzard’s Diablo IV expansion and multiple high-profile reveals, the year ahead looks busy for players on Game Pass, console and PC platforms.
