<\/p>\n
Believe the hype \u2014 2026 in video games is absolutely stacked. Even setting hit games from the first three months aside, like Crimson Desert<\/strong><\/em>, Resident Evil Requiem<\/strong><\/em>, and Pokemon Pokopia<\/em><\/strong>, the coming months are about to be full of highly-anticipated gaming releases of different genres, each trying to secure their audience before the monster GTA 6<\/strong><\/em> release wraps up the year. Even though many 2026 games don\u2019t have final release dates just yet, let\u2019s not forget that numerous gaming showcases are still ahead, providing a chance for developers to draw attention to their upcoming games closer to launch.<\/p>\n Related<\/span><\/p>\n \t\t\tThey’re Official: 5 Games Getting Big Expansions Very Soon<\/p>\n<\/h5>\n Fans of these games wouldn’t have to wait long for yet another reason to dive in again with these major upcoming DLC.<\/p>\n Players are the real winners here, as everyone can pick several major releases to pour free time into, especially given that some titles take literally over a hundred hours to complete. No matter one\u2019s personal preferences, though, some upcoming 2026 games are so promising already that they look like absolute must-plays, presuming things don\u2019t get really sideways at launch. Below are the hottest upcoming games for the rest of 2026 to keep an eye on… and who knows, there might even be several GOTY contenders.<\/p>\n For this list, I tried to go with highly anticipated games for a wide audience that either already have the 2026 release date set in stone or at least receive constant updates with the TBA 2026 release window, suggesting they are unlikely to be delayed into 2027. Still, take into account that neither of the listed games is guaranteed to launch in 2026.<\/p>\n The king of open-world racing returns in just over a month, now moving the scene to one of the most wanted settings that fans have craved for years: Horizon Festival is finally coming to Japan. Ever since Forza Horizon 5<\/em> launched almost five years ago, no other competitor has been able to come close, so there\u2019s little chance that Forza Horizon 6<\/strong><\/em> will disappoint, especially given how dense and big its map is.<\/p>\n Forza Horizon 6<\/em> shapes up to be the most visually impressive racing game to date, but it\u2019s not just that. Playground promised some serious changes to the game\u2019s structure and progression to set it apart from 4 and 5 and to give a better sense of purpose to the players. For anyone who is into driving, Forza Horizon 6<\/em> is a major release not worth missing out on.<\/p>\n With a distinct lack of cinematic and linear action-adventure titles in the vein of Uncharted<\/em> these days, 007 First Light<\/strong><\/em> is in a perfect spot to become a huge hit. The game could benefit greatly from two factors: the expertise of Hitman<\/em> devs at the helm, as well as no active 007 on the big screen after Craig\u2019s retirement, potentially drawing the eyes of a massive audience to Patrick Gibson\u2019s portrayal, who is yet to earn the number in First Light<\/em>.<\/p>\n Related<\/span><\/p>\n \t\t\t9 Hitman Mechanics That Need To Be In 007 First Light<\/p>\n<\/h5>\n Discover how IO Interactive’s Hitman mechanics could enhance the James Bond experience in 007 First Light, creating a unique and thrilling spy game.<\/p>\n From what we\u2019ve seen so far, 007 First Light<\/em> looks absolutely stunning. Like the best Bond movies out there, players are in for a rich diversity of locations, cinematic presentation full of action and intrigue, hot car chases, and a multitude of approaches a la Hitman<\/em>. The devs have already hinted that 007 First Light<\/em> is just the beginning, potentially indicating follow-ups in the franchise, so it\u2019s better not to miss this ambitious opening chapter.<\/p>\n Ever since the announcement, Phantom Blade Zero<\/strong><\/em> has drawn attention for its incredibly fluid and cinematic combat that seemed almost too good to be true. The further details only added to the anticipation, as the devs revealed that Phantom Blade Zero<\/em> is not a soulslike, but not a traditional action game either. Whatever this means remains to be seen, yet it\u2019s undeniable that for sword-based combat lovers, the game looks phenomenal, and many can\u2019t wait to play it.<\/p>\n While there has been no shortage of action-focused titles in the vein recently, both soulslike and action games, Phantom Blade Zero<\/em> appears special enough to give it a shot. Creative and fast-paced choreography, brutal takedowns, stylish visuals, and soundtrack, the title undoubtedly knows how to sell itself to the public. Let\u2019s hope the final result will live up to such high expectations.<\/p>\n On the other hand, Marvel\u2019s Wolverine<\/strong><\/em> leaves almost no place for concern, given Insomniac Games\u2019 expertise in superhero action titles of the highest quality, the scale of investments (according to reports, the project cost over $300 million, more than any X-Men<\/em> movie ever), and the mind-blowing glimpses of what\u2019s to come. A visually stunning cinematic adventure to outdo Hollywood takes on superheroes, coupled with unmatched brutality to live up to Wolverine\u2019s legendary name \u2014 yes, please.<\/p>\n Related<\/span><\/p>\n \t\t\t6 Marvel Games That Are Bonafide 10\/10 Masterpieces<\/p>\n<\/h5>\n The best of the best, these games are true must-plays for any Marvel fans and ordinary players alike.<\/p>\n We still know very little about Marvel\u2019s Wolverine<\/em>, so the easiest point of comparison here is, naturally, Marvel\u2019s Spider-Man 2<\/em>, but without an open world, which is a plus for many. At the very least, fans can expect the highest quality at launch and yet another high bar for visuals and overall presentation. After all, we\u2019re talking about the biggest PlayStation first-party title of the year, so it\u2019s safe to assume the audience will be massive.<\/p>\n Not as massive as for this one, though. While the rest of the upcoming games below don\u2019t have release dates just yet, it\u2019s safe to assume that most will be out before Grand Theft Auto 6<\/strong><\/em>. After all, it\u2019s impossible to expect anyone to be playing something else after November 19 (presuming there won\u2019t be any more delays, so fingers crossed).<\/p>\n GTA 6<\/em> is already a record-breaking entertainment product even before launch, and easily the most anticipated video game ever, with unfathomable levels of hype. Even with all that, few doubt that Rockstar Games will deliver, or possibly even surpass all expectations. After all, the studio\u2019s previous game, Red Dead Redemption 2<\/em>, has already cemented itself as a legendary name in gaming. But how much bigger and better will Grand Theft Auto 6<\/em> be? Soon we\u2019ll find out, but it\u2019s definitely a once-in-a-lifetime event that no player wants to miss.<\/p>\n Like the rest of the games below, Fable<\/strong><\/em> probably should be expected before GTA 6<\/em>, yet for now, we only have a vague \u2018Fall 2026\u2019 release window for this ambitious open-world RPG. Nevertheless, there are plenty of reasons to be excited about the game, aiming to revive the iconic Xbox RPG series with unmistakably British flair. Not as centered on combat as on adventure and social interactions, the world of Fable<\/em> promises to shine with its reactive NPCs that feel alive and fleshed out, with their distinct traits, behavior, and voice-over.<\/p>\n Related<\/span><\/p>\n \t\t\tThe 6 Most Anticipated RPGs Officially Coming In 2026, Ranked<\/p>\n<\/h5>\n Worlds with strong lore, characters that feel alive, and an emphasis on player choice \u2014 these upcoming RPGs are the most promising of 2026.<\/p>\n However, there\u2019s also some caution about Fable<\/em>, too, given it\u2019s the first RPG for Playground Games, mostly known for the Forza Horizon<\/em> racing series. From the looks of it, the studio is definitely passionate about Fable<\/em>, which has spent years in development, and could be in the right spot to bring something fresh to the genre that the players haven\u2019t experienced before. Not to mention how stunning the game looks, which isn\u2019t surprising given the team\u2019s expertise.<\/p>\n It\u2019s hard to believe, but following Gears 5<\/em>, the series has been quiet for almost six full years now. Instead of a direct sequel (Gears 5<\/em> ended on quite a cliffhanger), The Coalition decided to make a prequel to the entire action series, exploring the events before the 2006 Gears of War<\/em>. Stepping into the shoes of young Marcus Fenix fighting alongside Dominic Santiago in their first battle against the Locust is definitely appealing, and it guarantees the attention of the long-term series\u2019 fans for Gears of War: E-Day<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n As one of the most prestigious Xbox gaming series ever, there\u2019s little doubt about Gears of War: E-Day\u2019s<\/em> quality, possibly pushing the Unreal Engine 5 to its absolute limits and making it worth playing for its technical achievements alone. Despite the recent silence, the game is expected to be present during summer gaming showcases, so there\u2019s a very high chance we\u2019ll be playing it by the end of the year.<\/p>\n Despite its renowned legacy, Remedy’s games aren’t as massive hits as they deserve, yet every time the studio delivers something special and full of surprises for its fans. Just by looking at Control Resonant<\/em><\/strong>, its biggest and most ambitious game yet, it\u2019s apparent that Remedy is trying something new once again here, unlike anything we\u2019ve seen.<\/p>\n Related<\/span><\/p>\n \t\t\tMeet The Next 5 Massive Sci-Fi Games<\/p>\n<\/h5>\n These are the most promising sci-fi games releasing this Spring that fans of all things futuristic should keep a close eye on.<\/p>\n The first melee-focused game for the studio, and one that features the biggest and most open urban levels too, with mind-bending verticality and creative boss fights, Control Resonant<\/em> is shaping up to be very different from both the original and Alan Wake 2<\/em>. It remains to be seen whether the experiment will prove successful and won\u2019t lose the studio\u2019s signature artistic and narrative strengths on its way to becoming an action-first title. In any case, fans don\u2019t get too many superpower-based action games these days.<\/p>\n Capcom\u2019s action-adventure Onimusha<\/em> series was established 25 years ago, and despite several major releases, it still hasn\u2019t made it into the company\u2019s major league, bound to live in the shadows of its other brand. While it\u2019s unfair to expect Onimusha: Way of the Sword<\/strong><\/em> to single-handedly change that, coming 20 years after the latest mainline installment, the game shapes up to be a definitive sword-wielding action title this year that\u2019s worth keeping an eye on.<\/p>\n The devs make it clear that delivering sword combat that feels right is their top priority, so players will have access to countless moves and finishers, while the enemies get sliced up in the best traditions of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance<\/em>. Developed in RE Engine, Onimusha: Way of the Sword<\/em> also seems to be quite a looker, possibly taking its place alongside Resident Evil Requiem<\/em> as one of the most stunning releases of 2026.<\/p>\n There are never too many Star Wars<\/em> games (especially set in the Clone Wars!), and Star Wars Zero Company<\/em><\/strong> might just be the most original in quite some time. While right from the announcement the game has often been called simply \u201cStar Wars XCOM<\/em>,\u201d there\u2019s seemingly much more to this single-player turn-based tactics game. For once, the devs said that it is also inspired by Mass Effect<\/em>, featuring a strong narrative with long-lasting consequences and permadeath mechanics for key members of an elite squad under your command.<\/p>\n Outside of its tactical combat, Zero Company<\/em> also features a classic third-person perspective for exploration, which is somewhat unusual for the genre. Coupled with stunning visuals and an authentic portrayal of the Clone Wars era, Star Wars Zero Company<\/em> might be worth the attention not just for the power of the brand, and may well end up as one of the year\u2019s biggest surprises \u2014 especially for fans who aren\u2019t afraid of exploring new genres.<\/p>\n More<\/span><\/p>\n \t\t\tTop 10 Most Wishlisted Upcoming Steam Games of 2026 (That You Need to Watch)<\/p>\n<\/h5>\n Stay ahead of the hype! Discover the top 10 most-wishlisted upcoming Steam games of 2026 that you absolutely need on your radar right now.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Believe the hype \u2014 2026 in video games is absolutely stacked. Even setting hit games from the first three months aside, like Crimson Desert, Resident Evil Requiem, and Pokemon Pokopia, the coming months are about to be full of highly-anticipated gaming releases of different genres, each trying to secure their audience before the monster GTA<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6662,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[77,542,205],"class_list":{"0":"post-6661","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upcoming-games","8":"tag-games","9":"tag-upcoming","10":"tag-video"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/beteja.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6661","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/beteja.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/beteja.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beteja.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beteja.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6661"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/beteja.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6661\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beteja.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6662"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/beteja.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6661"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beteja.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6661"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beteja.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6661"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
\n Honorable mentions:
\n <\/h3>\n\n
\n Forza Horizon 6
\n <\/h2>\n\n Coming: May 19
\n <\/h3>\n\n 007 First Light
\n <\/h2>\n\n Coming: May 27
\n <\/h3>\n\n
\n Phantom Blade Zero
\n <\/h2>\n\n Coming: September 9
\n <\/h3>\n\n Marvel\u2019s Wolverine
\n <\/h2>\n\n Coming: September 15
\n <\/h3>\n\n
\n Grand Theft Auto 6
\n <\/h2>\n\n Coming: November 19
\n <\/h3>\n\n Fable
\n <\/h2>\n\n Coming: Fall 2026
\n <\/h3>\n\n
\n Gears of War: E-Day
\n <\/h2>\n\n Coming: TBA 2026
\n <\/h3>\n\n Control Resonant
\n <\/h2>\n\n Coming: TBA 2026
\n <\/h3>\n\n
\n Onimusha: Way of the Sword
\n <\/h2>\n\n Coming: TBA 2026
\n <\/h3>\n\n Star Wars Zero Company
\n <\/h2>\n\n Coming: TBA 2026
\n <\/h3>\n\n