8 Best Winter-Themed Video Games
Winter is finally here! And what better way to spend those cold, snowy days than to play games? If you want to experience winter, but in a more virtual way, we’ve gathered some of the best winter-themed video games that will make you embrace the season without actually embracing the bitter cold. From games set during winter to titles with amazing winter seasons, these are the best winter-themed video games to play this season.
8. Batman: Arkham Origins
Hunker down this season by playing Batman: Arkham Origins, one of the best winter-themed video games. Not only is Origins considered one of the best in the Arkham trilogy, but it also has a breathtaking winter scene. In this game, the snow seems to help the player as they control Batman, running through snow-covered Gotham City, using the snow and storms to his advantage in stealthy missions.
7. Winter Burrow
Before we dive into the more intense games, let’s check out a cozier experience. Winter Burrow is a new game, released November 12, 2025, and sees players in a cozy woodland scene. In the game, players control a mouse who returns home to restore their childhood burrow. Explore, gather resources, craft, knit warm sweaters, bake pies, and meet the locals. It’s an adorable survival game with low stakes and low stress, perfect for a cozy night in.
6. Frostpunk
Have you ever wondered if you could survive the harsh winter climate? Well, now you have the option to test it with Frostpunk. In this game, players must build a city in a desolate winter environment, where they must find and manage resources. Not only is it a beautiful game with stunning visuals, but it also offers a challenge unlike any other game.
5. Until Dawn
For many, winter is the worst season of the year. Why not make it even more horrifying by playing this nightmare of a game? Until Dawn sees eight friends head to an isolated lodge where two friends vanished the year before. Players must make the right choices to survive. But will they all make it? This thrilling, slasher game is chilling, just like the scenery.
4. Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
Another superhero game that is full of winter themes and holiday spirit is Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. In this game, players control Miles Morales, the second Spider-Man in New York City. When his mentor, Peter Parker, is away, Morales must take over his duties, explore a snow-covered New York City while struggling to find the perfect balance between his personal and work life.
3. Metro Exodus
Metro Exodus is one of the best winter-themed video games because of how seamlessly it balances stunning visuals with a daunting story. This is yet another survival game with harsh conditions, forcing players to deal with monsters and radioactive materials in this post-apocalyptic world. Players must traverse through the natural elements, all while being hunted by unnatural forces, creating a tense, yet stunning game.
2. This War of Mine
While some of the best winter-themed video games are more whimsical and cute, some bring a rough story along with the brutal season. This War of Mine is one of those games. This realistic, bleak, and emotional game sees players control civilians who have survived a terrible war, searching for tools, medicine, and items in order to make it through each day.
1. The Long Dark
This 2017 critically acclaimed game is a favorite amongst survival fans. If you enjoy the idea of surviving the harsh cold, then The Long Dark is a great choice. The post-apocalyptic game has everything that you might want, from sandbox mechanics, open-world crafting, and even a touch of horror to keep things tense and lively.
