2025 was a banner year for video games, but it looks like 2026 is set to somehow surpass it anyway

2025 was a great time in the gaming industry, especially for indie titles, but for games across the gamut of genres and development.

While indies like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Hades 2 racked up the accolades, AAA games still brought some bangers like Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Ghost of Yotei, Battlefield 6, and more. Basically, no matter what kind of game you’re into, 2025 had something for you.

As the calendar is ready to flip into 2026, we are in for some more excellence. While Grand Theft Auto 6 looming at the end of the year, there are a myriad of games coming out beforehand that should fill the time with lots of fun and excellence along the way.

Games to look forward to in 2026

Animal Crossing: New Horizons – Switch 2 Edition (Jan. 15)

New content is coming to one of the biggest and most popular casual titles of the past 10 years, along with enhancements for the Switch 2 version. Let’s just hope our villagers aren’t too upset (who am I kidding, they hate me).

Cult of the Lamb: Woolhaven (Jan. 22)

More cozy DLC? Sign us up. One of 2022’s best games’ new expansion is focused on the new Woolhaven area, surviving winter, ranching, and exploring a new mountain area.

Mario Tennis Fever (Feb. 12)

Mario and pals are hitting the court again for more tennis fun, including new power-ups and 38 playable characters. And hopefully soon, Nintendo can bring Mario and co. back to the baseball field (seriously, it’s been way too long).

Resident Evil Requiem (Feb. 27)

Gaming’s worst-kept secret is finally out, and I can’t wait. Leon S. Kennedy returns to star alongside Grace Ashcroft in one of 2026’s most anticipated games. And it’s now just a couple of months away.

Pokémon Pokopia (March 5)

This Pokémon and Animal Crossing hybrid looks to be yet another fun time for cozy gamers when it drops in the beginning of March. You play as a Ditto posing as a human, gathering Pokémon from around the area and making the land habitable for them while using their abilities to do so.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire (March 19)

This one’s been on my radar for a few years. It’s an incredibly stylish FPS with the visuals of a 1930s cartoon, and it’s one of my big titles to keep an eye on for sleeper surprises of the year.

007 First Light (March 27)

James Bond’s origins will be explored in this action title that’s sure to combine driving, gunplay, and cinematics to create what should hopefully be the start of a new awesome franchise from the makers of Hitman.

Marathon (March 2026)

Bungie’s extraction shooter is locked in for some time in March, and it’s one of the more interesting titles to keep an eye on in the first half of the year. Can the Destiny and Halo studio come back from a lot of negative press and bad vibes to deliver on a game in the genre that’s been invigorated by ARC Raiders?

SAROS (April 30)

SAROS looks to evolve the formula of Returnal with some twisted visuals and exciting roguelike gameplay on PS5.

Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight (May 29)

The new LEGO title looks to take Batman’s adventures into an open world LEGO Gotham City, inspired by recent movies like The Dark Knight and more.

Phantom Blade Zero (Sept. 9)

This incredibly promising action title is described as “a fusion of classic Wuxia storytelling and exhilarating action powered by Unreal Engine 5,” coming to PS5 and PC in the latter half of the year.

Marvel’s Wolverine (Fall 2026)

One of the world’s best dev studios in Insomniac Games is back with the man who’s the best he is at what he does, but what he does isn’t very nice. Expect gameplay and more to be revealed throughout the year.

Grand Theft Auto 6 (Nov. 19)

The big one. THEE big one. The biggest one? Yeah, GTA 6 has the entire industry (and world, really) watching. After multiple delays, Rockstar Games says Nov. 19 is when the long-anticipated sequel is finally due to arrive. Let’s hope it actually happens, because the industry (and world, again) needs it.

2026 TBA

As of now, there are a couple of dozen other games due to launch some time in 2026 that we don’t know more about yet. For the full list of 2026 games, check out our 2026 games calendar, but here’s just a few more that we’re looking forward to:

• Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis (PC, PS5, XSX)
• The Duskbloods (Switch 2)
• Lords of the Fallen 2 (PC, PS5, XSX)
• Fable (PC, XSX)
• Gears of War: E-Day (PC, XSX)
• Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra (TBA)
• Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls (PC, PS5)
• Control: Resonant (PC, PS5, XSX)
• Star Wars: Zero Company (PC, PS5, XSX)
• Star Wars: Galactic Racer (PC, PS5, XSX)
• Phantom Blade Zero (PC, PS5)
• MUDANG: Two Hearts (PC, PS5, XSX)
• Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy (PC, PS5, XSX)
• Atomic Heart 2 (TBA)
• Halo: Campaign Evolved (PC, PS, XSX)
• Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 (PC, PS5, XSX)
• Chrono Odyssey (PC, PS5, XSX)
• Forza Horizon 6 (PC, XSX)
• Total War: Warhammer 40,000 (TBA)
• Ace Combat: Wings of Theve (TBA)
• Deltarune: Chapter 5 (PC, Mac, Switch, Switch 2, PS4, PS5)
• Scott Pilgrim EX (PC, Linux, Switch, PS4, PS5, XSX)
• Valor Mortis (PC, PS5, XSX)
• Crisol: Theater of Idols (PC, PS5, XSX)
• Warhammer Survivors (PC)