Breaking PC Game Releases We're Most Excited About In December

We're ending the year with a handful of possible gems and more time for the 2025 backlog.

And just like that, the year is over. While 2025's new game release calendar saw the occasional dry spell, we were never left lacking for long, and with a gauntlet of big shooter releases barely behind us, I'm ready for some downtime. I'll need it before the new 2026 games roll in.

That's not to say we're totally clear of new games for the month, though. I've had my eye on a few holiday horror releases like Sleep Awake and Routine, because of course I want to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year with tales of an insomnia plague and a haunted lunar base. Then there's Skate Story—which is about a less-haunted, but equally weird, moon—and Unbeatable, a rhythmic adventure game set in a world where music is illegal.

December's schedule also features the usual end-of-year shows, including our very own PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted, and The Game Awards a week after. If you're still hurting for something to do, then keep on scrollin' to the end, where I've outlined the dates for Steam's Winter sale, games with big updates on the way, and even more new releases. I've been good this year, so I'm asking Santa for Octopath Traveler 0. The naughty kids have to play the first one again. Sorry.

Sleep Awake (Steam) is out this month with a woefully relatable horror story about fighting sleep, which somehow makes insomnia sound more scary than usual. I trust my colleague Elie with all things spooky, so when they sang praises in their Sleep Awake preview, I was sold.

Routine (Steam) was over a decade in the making, but the '80s-themed future is finally here as the creepy sci-fi FPS launches early this month. From the looks of it, Routine's lunar horror show is a testament to a bit of age-old internet wisdom passed on for generations: Moon's haunted.

Skate Story (Steam) makes you a demonic Tony Hawk in what I can only describe as a reverse Majora's Mask situation, where you must eat the moon. Instead of fearing the moon, the moon fears me. I don't know how else to explain it, but it sure looks stylish as hell.

Unbeatable (Steam) combines action adventure and rhythm gaming for a musical number somewhere in between. As Beat, you'll commit a few crimes in an anime world where music is illegal and punching cops involves a whole song-and-dance routine.

Effulgence RPG (Steam) brings its world crafted entirely from ASCII art to early access on December 2

Cloudheim (Steam) sends

Source: PC Gamer