Major 2026 Games That Could Launch Sooner Than Anyone Thinks

It seems like every year, the ante is being raised by the videogame industry. 2023 was absolutely staggering with the amount of quality titles released and 2025 was just as good on many levels. However, 2026 has a lineup that is simply unreal on paper, and while these games will deliver on these high expectations remains to be seen, it's clear our wallets are going to be bleeding in the near future.

Regardless of the genre, video games are going all out in 2026, with incredible-looking action games, JRPGs, RPGs and horror titles on the horizon that look to be game changers in their respective genres. Now, not all of these games have concrete release dates yet, but plenty seem to be right around the corner.

We're going to check out some 2026 games that could be releasing sooner rather than later.

10 Atomic Heart 2

A Second Chance

Atomic Heart was kind of an afterthought in 2023 when it was released. The year that would go on to have a ton of standout titles started off with a whimper with Atomic Heart and now Atomic Heart 2 is trying to right the wrongs of the first game. It's a unique world for sure, with a seemingly utopic Russia that quickly goes off the rails being the star of the show, and there were some pretty cool ideas in combat and the world itself.

It fell short because of a terrible protagonist and repetitive enemy types, but the sequel is promising to be bigger and better in every aspect. It had enough of a following to warrant a follow-up to its wild story and there is even a multiplayer tie-in with the game coming as well.

I would bet they release Atomic Heart 2 before they go this multiplayer route and the 2nd quarter of the year is pretty open in terms of places to drop a game. It's got the potential of being this generation's Bioshock and while the first one failed in that attempt, this one could do more.

9 Chronicles: Medieval

The Tactics of War

In a year loaded with triple A series making their comebacks or debuts, possibly the most intriguing game of the bunch is Chronicles: Medieval. This game looks bred from the Mount and Blade formula, but with actually good combat. That would be monumental, and it posits itself as a massive RPG to boot, with huge medieval battles and the ability to direct your troops as a commander but also take place in the melee too.

It's got so much potential, but it's from a little-known studio and the start of a new series, so it likely won't be coming in the fall as that's a stacked lineup set to release there. Instead, the summer is wide open in terms of the gaming space. If this one actually does end up releasing in 2026, the summer is absolutely the time to unleash it. It could give us a unique RPG that we aren't seeing much this year, and by that I mean a highly realistic one. Wait and see for this one, but hope for the summer.

8 Acts of Blood

The Back Alley Brawl

Since Sifu came out, I thought we'd get way more brawler-type games. Sadly, I was mistaken. But it's okay because Ekil Team heard my call and Acts of Blood picks up right where Sifu left off. It's a brutal, martial arts-focused game that feels like a straight-up action game from the mid 2000s in the best way.

In terms of release date, 2026 is the target, but there is currently a solid demo out that would suggest the game is closer to being completed than being delayed. It's a crunchy feeling demo too, with some violent takedowns, cool-looking martial arts and a realistic feel to the fighting that many games miss. It's an important game in 2026 though, as there is nothing else like it to compete with. If this hits, it's going to hit big and satisfy a particularly starved type of gamer.

7 Lost Hellden

Heaven and Hell

Lost Hellden is a JRPG with some seriously experienced people behind it. We have veterans that worked on some absolute classics in the genre, such as Final Fantasy Tactics. The look of the game is genuinely one of a kind, with a unique, pastel, watercolor type of cel shading that I personally have never really seen in the genre, and the combat system is a unique mix of real-time with different phases.

It's got that secret sauce from the brief amount of gameplay we've seen that could point to it being this year's Clair Obscur. Now, we don't have a concrete release date yet. However, it's got to be on the way soon as it's been in development for 4 years.

It's got a bunch of vets in the industry to back it up and the concept of being bound by the seven deadly sins and the fate that awaits you if you succumb to them is a very cool and original one. Originality and JRPGs are not two words that go together a lot of the time these days, but Lost Hellden certainly gives me hope.

6 Gears of War: E-Day

All Around Me Are Familiar Faces

Gears of War: E-Day is the next installment in the long-running series that, instead of taking us further in the story, goes back in time. Here, we'll be playing as Marcus and Dom in their early days, back to when E-Day first happened. This is a fascinating idea and could give the series a bit of that horror that was badly lost in recent years of the series.

In terms of the release date, we've got the fall of 2026 to think about, but seeing as its Gears of War, October makes the most sense here. It's a series that classically releases around this time and I can't see Microsoft letting this one slip to December and they sure as hell won't be going up against GTA 6 in November. October has always felt like the Gears of War month to me, and this one should be no different.

5 Marvel's Wolverine

The X Factor

When Insomniac is given the right amount of time and sets their mind to it, they knock it out of the park. They revived Spider-Man in the gaming universe, and they're setting their sights on doing the same with Marvel's Wolverine. It's got a Fall 2026 release window, but the looming monster of GTA 6 is occupying November and is likely scaring away devs from that month, so that leaves only a few options.

I can see September being the spot for Wolverine here. It feels like the perfect month to get us going in the fall with a bloody good time as Wolverine is promising.

It looks violent as hell and seems like it will be starring Logan and only Logan, so that's a relief for most Insomniac fans, and we even saw Sentinels in the trailer, promising that no stone will be unturned with Wolverine. Hell, we might even see a few X-Men take the stage. We've yet to see substantial gameplay here, but regardless, it's got a great company behind it, and they really have yet to let us down.

4 Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra

Superhero Team Up

Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra is a wildly intriguing game that pairs Captain America and Black Panther together on a trip to the past that is surely going to be way different than any superhero game that's come before it. We get to play as the original Black Panther here as well as Steve Rodgers in an interesting team-up. At least that's what it appears to be despite many images showing the two clashing. We have so little information on this one, but Sky Dance insists this is a 2026 game, so we have to take their word for it.

I can't imagine Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra wants to compete with a fellow superhero game in Wolverine, so it looks like the only semi-realistic date to have it come out is the summer. The fall is just too full to fit yet another big-time title and while December is possible, with GTA 6 looming late in November, that leaves the game no momentum whatsoever. I feel like we haven't got a superhero game in the summer in a long time though, so getting a gritty dual protagonist-fueled ride through World War 2 would be a most welcome experience.

3 Blood of Dawnwalker

The New Blood is Near

Blood of Dawnwalker is kind of a sleeping giant this year. Many other high profile games are getting the press, but this one could be the dark horse for game of the year. It's made up of former CD Projekt Red employees and you can see the Witcher 3 inspirations from the get-go. That's not a bad thing at all though, as a vampire game with Witcher-style questing sounds damn fine to me. You've got vampiric powers and swordplay here, multiple paths through the game and a gameplay-centric day/night cycle.

In terms of the release date, I think we might be seeing this one in the summer months. The fall is a minefield of big-time releases, but the summer seems to be a bit sparse at the moment. It feels ripe for a big-time RPG release and, for a first time studio, it could be the moment to make its mark. It's got triple A quality in its production, so hopefully, it can deliver that with the fun as well.

2 Fable

The Legend Returns

Fable has recently gotten its release window, and it's confirmed for the fall. As vague as that can be, the likelihood of this one releasing in that late September to early October window feels pretty likely to me. It's the perfect fall type of series for sure, with a sort of grounded whimsical fantasy that only the Fable series is capable of doing.

There are some heavy hitters coming in the fall, so it's obvious that Xbox Game Studios wants to give this one some room to breathe and while its tough to nail down exactly when it's coming, it's clear it wants to be the game that everyone is looking forward to when it releases. It's possible we see this at the front end of the fall, maybe with a September release. I've got a gut feeling we're seeing this one in September, giving it a healthy space away from the looming release of GTA 6.

1 Control: Resonant

The Hiss Has Spread

Control: Resonant has a loose release window for Q2 in 2026, and it looks like it may be releasing on the earlier side of it. The reason is that summer is likely to get a healthy set of relatively high-profile releases as well, but when it comes to Remedy, they've never been particularly afraid of other games with their releases. Alan Wake 2 came out right around the time of the super highly anticipated Spider-Man 2 among other big releases in 2023, so it's highly possible we could see this one drop earlier than we think.

I think April is the sweet spot for Control: Resonant to come out. Crimson Desert has March in a stranglehold and then 007: First Light comes in May, so April is sitting there unoccupied, and I think we may be getting the next groundbreaking chapter in the Remedyverse around then.

When it does happen, we'll be in the shoes of Dylan Faden, the brother of Jesse from the first game, a character that is loaded with intrigue as he was infected with the Hiss, but we don't exactly know the effects that's had on him. It's melee focused this time around and looks like a mind-bending journey for the ages.