Most Anticipated Games of 2026

2026 is shaping up to be an absolutely phenomenal year for gaming. From long-awaited sequels to groundbreaking new IPs, the gaming landscape next year will be packed with blockbuster releases across all platforms. Whether you’re a console gamer, PC enthusiast, or mobile player, there’s something incredible waiting for you. Let’s dive into the 10 most anticipated games of 2026 that you absolutely need to keep on your radar.

Grand Theft Auto VI

Release Date: November 19, 2026
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Developer: Rockstar Games

Grand Theft Auto VI is without question the biggest game launching in 2026. After 13 years since GTA V, Rockstar has finally confirmed that the next installment in the franchise is coming this November. The game has been in development for years and even suffered multiple delays, but anticipation has reached a fever pitch.

What makes GTA VI so significant is not just the game itself, but the cultural impact it will have. It’s expected to be one of the biggest entertainment launches of the generation, potentially breaking records for day-one sales and player engagement. While we haven’t seen extensive gameplay yet, the leaked footage from 2023 and official trailers have shown a fresh setting with new protagonists and the promise of Rockstar’s signature open-world design evolved for next-generation hardware.

The November release window ensures GTA VI will dominate the gaming conversation for the remainder of 2026 and likely into 2027. This is a must-play title that will define the year in gaming.

Resident Evil Requiem

Release Date: February 27, 2026
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Nintendo Switch 2
Developer: Capcom

Resident Evil Requiem marks the ninth mainline entry in the iconic survival horror franchise, and it’s bringing the series back to its roots in a major way. Revealed at Summer Game Fest 2025, this game takes players back to Raccoon City approximately 30 years after the original catastrophe that destroyed the city.

The innovative dual-protagonist system is a standout feature. Players will switch between FBI analyst Grace Ashcroft and legendary DSO agent Leon S. Kennedy, each with distinctly different gameplay mechanics. Grace’s sections emphasize methodical survival horror—creeping through tight spaces, managing scarce resources, and evading detection from grotesque creatures. Leon’s sections pivot to action-focused gunplay and combat, giving the game excellent pacing variety.

Another major innovation is the perspective flexibility. For the first time in recent entries, Resident Evil Requiem allows players to switch between first-person and third-person perspectives at will. The first-person view delivers claustrophobic, immersive horror, while third-person is perfect for those who prefer more dynamic action. Powered by Capcom’s RE Engine with ray-traced lighting and advanced creature modeling, Resident Evil Requiem is poised to set new standards for horror gaming in 2026.

Marvel’s Wolverine

Release Date: Fall 2026
Platform: PS5 (Exclusive)
Developer: Insomniac Games

After the massive success of Marvel’s Spider-Man and Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Insomniac Games is ready to take on another Marvel icon: Wolverine. The first real gameplay reveal happened at PlayStation State of Play in September 2025, and what was shown immediately got players excited for Logan’s solo adventure.

Marvel’s Wolverine is being developed as a PS5 exclusive, allowing Insomniac to fully leverage the console’s hardware for this brutal action experience. The game emphasizes Wolverine’s visceral, close-quarters combat. Players will unleash his iconic adamantium claws, perform devastating finishing moves, and tap into his berserker rage to build momentum in battles. The combat system looks fluid and punishing, rewarding precise timing and aggressive play.

The narrative follows a young Wolverine searching for answers about his mysterious past, adding character depth to what could easily have been a simple action game. Insomniac has stated they’re “breaking new ground” with this title, and given their track record with the Spider-Man franchise, this is absolutely one to watch. The Fall 2026 release window means Marvel’s Wolverine will conclude the year on an incredibly high note.

Nioh 3

Release Date: February 6, 2026
Platforms: PlayStation 5, PC
Developer: Team Ninja

Team Ninja’s Nioh series has earned its place as one of the most challenging and rewarding action-RPG franchises in gaming. Nioh 3 takes the formula and dramatically expands it with open-world exploration that fundamentally changes how players approach combat and discovery.

The most significant change is the dual combat system. Players can seamlessly switch between Samurai and Ninja playstyles during combat. The Samurai style remains faithful to the series’ roots—disciplined, deliberate weapon mastery with a new Arts Proficiency system that deepens martial techniques as players refine them. The entirely new Ninja playstyle is lightning-fast, evasion-focused, and excels at aerial attacks and ranged combat, featuring a unique “Mist” mechanic that creates phantom doubles to confuse enemies.

Beyond combat, Nioh 3 introduces substantially larger explorable spaces compared to the mission-based corridors of previous entries. Players can discover points of interest, complete optional challenges, and engage with yokai-ravaged villages in ways that emphasize player freedom. Combined with guardian spirit transformations, Soul Cores, and the series’ signature loot system, Nioh 3 offers incredible depth for action-RPG enthusiasts. This is February’s heavyweight champion.

Fable

Release Date: 2026
Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC, Game Pass
Developer: Playground Games

After nearly six years in development since its announcement in 2020, Fable is finally launching in 2026. This isn’t a continuation of the beloved original franchise—it’s a complete reimagining of Albion’s world with contemporary gameplay mechanics and stunning visuals.

Playground Games, the studio known for the Forza Horizon series, is handling this reboot with incredible attention to detail. Early gameplay footage revealed beautiful real-time rendering of Albion’s major cities, horseback riding mechanics (reminiscent of The Witcher 3’s scope), and the franchise’s iconic British humor remains intact. The game aims to blend the classic fantasy charm of the original games with modern open-world design principles.

What’s particularly exciting is that Fable is coming day one to Game Pass, making it instantly accessible to millions of players. For Xbox, 2026 is essentially defined by this title and GTA VI, and Fable represents Microsoft’s commitment to delivering AAA experiences that rival anything on PlayStation. Expect a sprawling fantasy adventure with player choice at its core.

Crimson Desert

Release Date: March 19, 2026
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Developer: Pearl Abyss

Crimson Desert is Pearl Abyss’ massive bet on creating a next-generation action-adventure RPG set on the war-torn continent of Pywel. Built on the proprietary BlackSpace Engine, this game is one of the most visually ambitious projects in development.

The protagonist, Kliff, is a master combatant with access to numerous weapons and fighting styles. The combat system is best described as “visceral and combo-focused,” drawing inspiration from fighting games with high-skill, action-centric mechanics. Kliff can parry, dodge, grapple, disarm opponents, and use the environment to his advantage—kicking enemies into fires, collapsing structures, or delivering cinematic finishing blows from horseback.

Exploration in Crimson Desert is both horizontal and vertical, emphasizing freedom and immersion. The world feels alive with dynamic weather, destructible terrain during battles, wild animals with AI-driven behavior, and hand-crafted settlements bustling with NPCs going about their daily lives. Pearl Abyss has even developed custom AI routines to govern the ecosystem—predators hunt prey, caravans move goods, and distant skirmishes erupt on the horizon. This level of world design ambition makes Crimson Desert one of 2026’s most exciting prospects.

Forza Horizon 6

Release Date: Early 2026 (estimated)
Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5 (post-launch)
Developer: Playground Games

Forza Horizon 6 is taking the Horizon Festival to Japan—one of the most requested destinations in the franchise’s history. The racing series is known for its stunning recreations of real-world locations paired with incredible driving physics and a festival atmosphere that rewards both competition and exploration.

Japan as a setting offers tremendous visual variety and cultural richness. From neon-soaked Tokyo streets to rural countryside roads, Mount Fuji vistas, and coastal highways, Forza Horizon 6 will showcase Japan’s diverse landscapes at their most beautiful. The game will launch on Xbox Series X|S and PC in early 2026, with PlayStation 5 receiving the game at a later date.

Like all modern Forza Horizon titles, the game will launch day one on Game Pass, making it an instant addition to millions of players’ libraries. For racing fans, Forza Horizon 6 is the definitive open-world driving experience, and Japan as the setting makes 2026 the year to jump in.

Gears of War

Release Date: 2026
Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC, Game Pass
Developer: The Coalition, People Can Fly

Gears of War: E-Day is not a continuation of the main storyline—it’s a prequel that travels 14 years into the past to explore Emergence Day, the catastrophic moment when the underground Locust Horde emerged and nearly destroyed human civilization on the planet Sera.

The game focuses on the origin story of Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago’s brotherhood. Both characters are younger, more vulnerable, and inexperienced in this story, offering a fresh perspective on two of gaming’s most iconic soldiers. Built on Unreal Engine 5, E-Day promises a “modern take” on the characters while maintaining the series’ core themes of brotherhood, melancholic atmosphere, and brutal action.

The team has emphasized that E-Day focuses on horror elements, similar to the earlier games in the franchise. This is a story about how an ill-prepared civilization reacts to an unstoppable apocalypse, told across multiple days with an intimate scope. For Gears fans, this prequel offers the opportunity to see how it all began.

007 First Light

Release Date: March 27, 2026
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Nintendo Switch 2
Developer: IO Interactive

007 First Light is the first major James Bond game in over a decade, developed by IO Interactive (the creators of the recent Hitman trilogy). This is an origin story that follows a young, inexperienced 26-year-old James Bond as he embarks on the mission that will earn him his legendary 00 status and license to kill.

The game draws inspiration from Ian Fleming’s original novels and short stories as well as the film franchise, creating an entirely original narrative that feels authentically Bond. Players will engage in stealth infiltration, precision gunplay, and high-intensity spy action across meticulously crafted set-pieces. The game features an impressive cast including young Bond portrayed by Patrick Gibson, with supporting performances from Gemma Chan and a villain role played by musician and actor Lenny Kravitz.

IO Interactive’s track record with the Hitman games (praised for stealth gameplay and player agency) suggests 007 First Light will deliver sophisticated spy action that goes beyond simple gunplay. This is a game for both Bond fans and stealth-action enthusiasts.

Phantom Blade Zero

Release Date: September 9, 2026
Platforms: PlayStation 5, PC
Developer: S-GAME

Phantom Blade Zero is a wuxia action RPG that represents a spiritual rebirth of the 2010 indie game Rainblood: Town of Death. After four years of intensive development, S-GAME is finally ready to unveil this stunning martial arts epic.

The protagonist Soul is an elite assassin serving a mysterious organization called The Order. The game’s combat happens at breakneck speed—rapid movements, high attack frequency, and spectacular finishers that dynamically shift the camera between wide and close-up angles, making every encounter feel like a scene from a kung-fu movie.

What makes Phantom Blade Zero particularly impressive is its sophisticated AI system. S-GAME developed a collective AI that follows formation logic, allowing multiple enemies to operate as an interconnected unit. This creates visually striking spectacles while keeping combat manageable through intelligent design. The game also features a compelling narrative hook: Soul has only 66 days to live due to a mystic healing method, and he’s desperate to unravel the conspiracy that has condemned him.