The PlayStation platform has developed a strong reputation due to its memorable and genre-defining exclusive releases over the years, with Sony's wide range of iconic gaming IPs being a core element of the platform's continued growth and industry presence. 2025 is set to be no different for the brand, with several high-profile releases being slated to come to PlayStation over the course of the year.
Two massively anticipated projects are billed for a 2025 release for PlayStation in the form of Death Stranding 2 and Ghost of Yotei, with both of these titles having some big boots to fill following the success of their respective predecessors. Crucially, both of these projects offer different takes on the open-world genre with different pacing and core mechanics, meaning fans of open-world experiences are in for a great combination of fresh experiences on PlayStation throughout 2025.
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2025 is Set to be a Good Year For PlayStation's Open-World Offerings
The Death Stranding franchise is quite distinct in its unusual take on the open-world formula, with the Kojima Productions IP valuing atmospheric and immersive exploration above all else. The 2019 launch of the series' debut title was praised so highly because of this, with its core gameplay premise largely being centered around the player using a variety of tools and approaches to act as a dystopian courier on long and unforgiving journeys.
The pacing and themes of Death Stranding's usual gameplay offer a much more relaxed overall experience compared to the usual formula of open-world games, with things like combat and rapid exploration taking a firm back seat. This unique approach allows the slower and more methodical premise of the game to truly shine, with this almost one-of-a-kind gameplay making the longstanding calls for a sequel all the more understandable. Death Stranding 2 is looking to continue and expand on this niche formula when it releases on June 26, and while the game may release on other platforms further down the line, it will be an exclusive experience for PlayStation users for the foreseeable future.
Ghost of Tsushima was another title that helped cement PlayStation's continued penchant for genre-defining open-world games, with the game featuring a sprawling and beautifully crafted game world based around the first Mongol invasion of Japan in 1274. Away from the slower gameplay of Death Stranding, Ghost of Tsushima focused on the other side of the open-world coin, with a responsive and highly satisfying combat system being the main source of its difficulty.
Ghost of Yotei and Death Stranding 2 Should Combine to Provide a Complete Open-World Experience
Fans are equally excited about a successor to Ghost of Tsushima as they are for Death Stranding 2, with Ghost of Yotei currently aiming to deliver on a 2025 release window. While Ghost of Yotei is confirmed to focus on a new protagonist in a journey set 329 years after its predecessor, it seems likely that the project will portray the same beautiful landscapes and addictively challenging combat, being another perfect counter to the likely slower pace of Death Stranding 2.
It is possible that the release of Ghost of Yotei could be delayed into 2026, although Sucker Punch Productions is holding firm on a 2025 release as things stand.
It seems much more likely that Ghost of Yotei will maintain its status as a PlayStation exclusive, despite Microsoft's pattern of bringing Xbox exclusives over to the Sony platform, and it hopefully will not be long before PlayStation users can experience the title alongside Death Stranding 2. Despite how popular the open-world genre is in the modern gaming industry, the likes of Death Stranding and Ghost of Tsushima have carved out contrasting and defining core experiences that are set to be given a new lease of life throughout 2025.
