It is a great time to be a video game player. From the long-anticipated titles like Hollow Knight: Silksong to the indie gems like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 to the high-budget, sweeping epics like Ghost of Yotei, the past year's releases spanned genres and catered to a wide range of players. Believe it or not, 2026 might be an even bigger year than 2025.
The Nintendo Switch 2 is reaching critical mass. The PS5 and the Xbox X/S are entering their twilight years. And that's usually when developers hit their stride, pushing the hardware to its maximum capability. With any luck, 2026 will also be the year that we finally get our hands on GTA VI. But what else is coming down the pipe?
Here are the 10 most anticipated video game releases of 2026.
Resident Evil Requiem Release Date: February 27, 2026
There have been two successful types of Resident Evil games over the past two decades. The first is action horror, exemplified by Resident Evil 4 (2005). The second is the survivor horror, exemplified by Resident Evil Village (2021).
So it comes as welcome news that Requiem contains both types of play and two protagonists: franchise veteran Leon Kennedy and newcomer Grace Ashcroft. Best of all, Requiem lets you toggle between 1st- and 3rd-person views, making it accessible to different playstyles and preferences.
Control Resonant Release Date: TBD 2026
Control was one of 2019's most creative, mind-bending games, in which FBI agent Jesse Fayden investigates the paranormal while using acquired, other-dimensional powers.
The sequel, Control Resonant, continues the storyline (this time as Jesse's sibling Dylan) but not the game genre; Resonant is an action RPG that prioritizes melee attacks rather than 3rd person shooting. We don't know too much about it, which is probably the way it ought to be. These sorts of games work best when you play them blind.
007 First Light Release Date: May 27, 2026
IO Interactive — the folks behind the critically acclaimed Hitman: World of Assassination games — is pivoting to James Bond. Like Agent 47, James Bond spies on the elite in exclusive, incredible locations, using clever subterfuge to gain access. But unlike Agent 47, James Bond is militarily trained. The trailers show him running, gunning, and driving cars on high-speed chases.
If we get Hitman-esque open level design, combined with sophisticated cover-and-shoot mechanics, we could be looking at a future Game of the Year nominee.
Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra Release Date: TBD 2026
Now this project sounds really cool. Set in 1943 during World War II, Steve Rodgers teams up with Azzurri the Black Panther (grandfather of T'Challa) in an effort to stop Hydra. One of the most exciting details about this project is that Amy Hennig wrote it. If you don't recognize that name, you should; she used to work for Naughty Dog, where she penned the scripts for Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, and Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception. It's exciting to see Hennig return to the fold and in such a new, high-profile manner.
Star Wars Zero Company Release Date: 2026
The new, buzzworthy Star Wars game is not another Jedi power fantasy. Instead, it covers the exploits of a special forces unit for the Galactic Republic. It's set during the Clone Wars between Episode II and Episode III, and it's a turn-based RPG game — think games like XCOM, Fire Emblem, or even Mario & Rabbids.
Marvel's Wolverine Release Date: TDB2026
From the same developers that brought us the two modern Spider-Man games and its Miles Morales midquel, we'll be getting a Wolverine game — perhaps the first in a possible X-Men series. Unlike Spidey's combat, Wolverine's is brutal, visceral, and personal; there's blood and flesh flying all about. It's not open world either; there's cinematic set pieces and levels that will take you all over the world, from the Canadian wilderness to Japan.
Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly Release Date: March 12, 2026
Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly (2003) is widely considered one of the scariest games ever made, about a young girl trying to rescue her twin sister from ghosts, armed with nothing but a flash camera.
From its trailer, the 2026 remake looks great, and in keeping with the spirit (pun intended) of the original.
Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis Release Date: TBD 2026
Lara Croft is back. After completing its 'survivor trilogy,' starring Lara as a younger, less experienced adventurer, developer Crystal Dynamics is covering her adult years. Legacy of Atlantis is a full-on remake of the 1996 original game. This is not the first time it's been done; Tomb Raider: Anniversary, also based on the first game, released in 2007. But there's been a lot of technological advances in the past two decades, and it'll be interesting to see how the developers reinvent this classic (and that T-rex boss fight) for a new generation.
Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave Release Date: TBD 2026
The traditional gimmick of the Fire Emblem franchise is brutal; if a character in your party dies, he or she dies for good. But Fire Emblem: Three Houses (2019) loosened up the formula a bit by allowing a limited number of rewinds before perma-death reared its ugly head. This, along with its Hogwarts-esque central hub, is why the game was so successful. And now, the team that developed Three Houses is also developing Fortune's Weave. It takes place in the same Fodlan universe as its predecessor — you can see the crest relics in the first trailer. Is it a sequel? Is it a prequel? Either way, we're here for it.
Grand Theft Auto VI Release Date: November 19, 2026
The leaks, numerous delays, and rumor mill have made Grand Theft Auto VI the most frustrating game to never be released. And yet, despite this aggravation, it's lost none of its appeal and hype – if anything, it's added to it. This is what Rockstar Games' reputation has earned it – the ability to take as much time as it needs, because it's accumulated the requisite goodwill and benefit of the doubt. This is the same studio, after all, that made Red Dead Redemption 2, a monumental marriage of technology and cinematic storytelling
We hope to see Jason and Lucia tear through Vice City in 2026. But if we have to wait until 2027, then we'll wait. We still want it, after all. And we know it'll be worth it.