We picked 12 games: eight that came out before October 23, 2026, and four whose publishers have announced an exact release date. They are listed by date. This is not a ranking: we do not give scores, we only briefly pass on how Wikipedia sums up the critics’ reviews. Dates and platforms follow Wikipedia where they are backed by cited sources; for GTA VI and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, the date was also checked against the official Rockstar Games and Nintendo pages. No spoilers, only the setup. The facts were checked on October 23, 2026.
Resident Evil Requiem
Official trailer · “Resident Evil Requiem” (2026)Resident Evil Requiem is the ninth main installment in the Resident Evil survival horror series. FBI analyst Grace Ashcroft investigates a string of mysterious deaths connected to people who survived the events in Raccoon City, with help from agent Leon S. Kennedy. Grace’s chapters are quiet horror in the spirit of Resident Evil 7, while Leon’s are faster-paced action in the vein of Resident Evil 4. The director is Koshi Nakanishi. According to Wikipedia, critics received the game very warmly, and it sold more than eight million copies in six months. Why play: Leon is back in a lead role for the first time since 2012.
Pokémon Pokopia
Official trailer · “Pokémon Pokopia” (2026)Pokémon Pokopia is a social simulation and sandbox game, a spin-off of the main Pokémon series. The main character is Ditto, who transforms into a human and restores a post-apocalyptic world while helping the Pokémon it meets. According to Wikipedia, Pokopia became the highest-rated Pokémon game on Metacritic, and critics described it as a mix of Minecraft, Viva Piñata and Animal Crossing. Why play: relaxed world-building with Pokémon; for more games like it, see our list of games like Minecraft.
Crimson Desert
Official trailer · “Crimson Desert” (2026)Crimson Desert is an action-adventure game by Pearl Abyss set in an open fantasy world, the continent of Pywel. It was first conceived as a prequel to Black Desert Online. Kliff, a warrior of the Greymanes, searches for his surviving comrades after a devastating attack by the rival Black Bears faction, hoping to rebuild his band. According to Wikipedia, reviews were generally positive: the combat system and the beauty of the world drew the most praise, while the story was often criticized. Why play: a big world to explore, mounted combat and fights with dragons.
Forza Horizon 6
Official trailer · “Forza Horizon 6” (2026)Forza Horizon 6 is the sixth game in the Forza Horizon series: open-world racing in a fictional Japan whose main city is a stylized Tokyo. According to Wikipedia, the game received “universal acclaim” from critics, who praised its recreation of Japan, the open world and the handling, while calling the dialogue shallow. Why play: free-roaming races and exploring Japan behind the wheel.
007 First Light
Official trailer · “007 First Light” (2026)007 First Light is an action-adventure game from IO Interactive, the studio behind Hitman 3, with an original story about how a young James Bond earns his 00 status. After the failure of 007 Legends (2012), there were no games about the agent for a long time. According to Wikipedia, reviews were mostly positive, praising the gameplay, the combat, the writing and Patrick Gibson’s performance. Why play: a spy action game about how Bond becomes agent 007.
The Blood of Dawnwalker
Official trailer · “The Blood of Dawnwalker” (2026)The Blood of Dawnwalker is an action RPG from the Polish studio Rebel Wolves, founded in 2022 by former CD Projekt developers led by Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, director of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt; the publisher is Bandai Namco Entertainment. It is set in the mid-14th century in Vale Sangora, a fictional valley in the Carpathians ruled by vampires. The peasant Coen becomes a Dawnwalker, human by day and vampire by night, and has 30 in-game days to save his family from the vampire lord Brencis. Time only moves when you take on quests. It sold more than a million copies in three days. Why play: a dark RPG set in the Carpathians from the makers of The Witcher 3.
Marvel’s Wolverine
Official trailer · “Marvel’s Wolverine” (2026)Marvel’s Wolverine is a standalone story from Insomniac Games set in the same universe as the studio’s Marvel’s Spider-Man. Wolverine, a mutant who has lost his memory, returns to his former unit, Team X, to investigate the abduction of displaced mutants by the industrialist Bolivar Trask and the paramilitary Reavers. According to Wikipedia, reviews were mostly positive but more reserved than for the studio’s previous games. Why play: close-quarters combat as Wolverine, with no need to know the other games.
Gears of War: E-Day
Official trailer · “Gears of War: E-Day” (2026)Gears of War: E-Day is a third-person shooter published by Xbox Game Studios. It is set 14 years before the first game, on Emergence Day, when the Locust Horde first broke out of the depths of the planet Sera and launched a sudden attack on humanity. Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago try to survive in the city of Kalona. According to Wikipedia, critics praised the combat, the graphics, the atmosphere and the emotional story. Why play: the start of the war with the Horde through the eyes of familiar heroes.
Phantom Blade Zero
Official trailer · “Phantom Blade Zero” (2026)Phantom Blade Zero is an action RPG in the wuxia genre (stories about martial arts masters) from the Chinese studio S-Game. Soul, an elite assassin of the mysterious organization known as the Order, is framed for the murder of its patriarch; mortally wounded, he is brought back to life and now has a limited number of days to save his own heart and uncover the conspiracy. The combat is based on Chinese martial arts and was staged with the help of masters, including Donnie Yen. The release was moved from September 9 to October 29, 2026 (October 28 on Steam in the US). Why play: fast combat with choreography in the spirit of classic kung fu films.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Official trailer · “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” (2026)The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is a remake of the 1998 Nintendo 64 game and a Switch 2 exclusive. The story is the same: Link travels across the kingdom of Hyrule in two time periods to defeat Ganondorf. What’s new: the graphics, running, a free camera, voiced cutscenes and a hall for boss rematches. The remake was announced on June 9, 2026, and the date was revealed on September 8; November 5 is also listed on the official Nintendo page. Why play: a new version of a classic adventure for those who never played the original.
Grand Theft Auto VI
Official trailer · “Grand Theft Auto VI” (2026)Grand Theft Auto VI is the next main game in the series after Grand Theft Auto V (2013). It is set in the fictional state of Leonida, based on Florida, with Vice City, a city reminiscent of Miami; at the center of the story is the criminal duo of Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos. Rockstar revealed the game in December 2023 and delayed it twice; now both Wikipedia and the official Rockstar Games page give November 19, 2026. Why play: the first new GTA in 13 years; for similar games, see our list of games like GTA.
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV
Official trailer · “Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV” (2026)Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV is a real-time strategy game from the German studio King Art Games (Iron Harvest), published by Deep Silver. It is set on the planet Kronus 200 years after the first game and Dark Crusade; the four factions, the Space Marines, the Adeptus Mechanicus, the Necrons and the Orks, each have their own campaign that two players can play together. The December 3, 2026 date is listed by both Wikipedia and the game’s Steam page. Why play: bases, resources and big battles.
How we chose
We took games that have their own Wikipedia pages and either came out in 2026 or have an exact release date before the end of the year, and we tried to cover different genres and platforms. We left out games with only a rough release window (“2026”, “end of the year”). Dates follow Wikipedia.
Calendar: what’s out and what’s coming
| Game | Release date | Status as of 23.10.2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Resident Evil Requiem | February 27 | out |
| Pokémon Pokopia | March 5 | out |
| Crimson Desert | March 19 | out |
| Forza Horizon 6 | May 19 | out |
| 007 First Light | May 27 | out |
| The Blood of Dawnwalker | September 3 | out |
| Marvel’s Wolverine | September 15 | out |
| Gears of War: E-Day | October 6 | out |
| Phantom Blade Zero | October 29 | upcoming |
| The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | November 5 | upcoming |
| Grand Theft Auto VI | November 19 | upcoming |
| Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV | December 3 | upcoming |
Tip. Some games later come out on other platforms too: according to Wikipedia, Forza Horizon 6 is scheduled for PS5 on January 26, 2027, and 007 First Light for Switch 2 on March 18, 2027.
Frequently asked questions
Which 2026 games did critics rate highest?
According to a Wikipedia table based on Metacritic (90 points or more): The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered (92), Big Walk (91), Doom: The Dark Ages – Revelations (91), and Forza Horizon 6, Mina the Hollower and Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter (90 each). Apart from Forza Horizon 6, we did not cover them separately.
When does GTA VI come out?
On November 19, 2026, for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S: both Wikipedia and the official Rockstar Games page give this date. As of October 2026, no Windows version is scheduled.
Which of these games are on PC?
All of them except four console games: Pokémon Pokopia and Ocarina of Time (Switch 2), Marvel’s Wolverine (PS5) and GTA VI (PS5, Xbox Series X/S).
Which of these can I play with someone else?
The Gears of War: E-Day campaign can be played by four players online or by two on one screen, and the Dawn of War IV campaign by two. For more games to play together, see our list of co-op games for two.
Sources
- 2026 in video games (Wikipedia)
- List of video games released in 2026 (Wikipedia)
- Grand Theft Auto VI (Rockstar Games)
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Nintendo)
- Resident Evil Requiem (Wikipedia)
Data was checked against Wikipedia and official pages on October 23, 2026.
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