Our 14 most anticipated games of 2026 prove that there's more to look forward to than just Grand Theft Auto 6

Date: Thu, 01 Jan 2026 18:00:00 +0000

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With 2025 in the rear view mirror, its safe to say that its been an utterly fantastic year for gamers.

With the roaring success of unexpected hits like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Dispatch absolute masterpieces such as Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 and Donkey Kong Bananza the last twelve months of gaming are likely going to go down in the history books as some of the best ever.

Obviously, Grand Theft Auto 6 is going to be at the top of almost every
gamers wishlist as we enter the year - with the Rockstar Games project set to become one of the biggest releases of all time - but there are loads of other things to get excited about too. We devour all kinds of games here at
TechRadar Gaming (it is literally our job to cover them, after all) and there are plenty of games on the horizon that were really feeling the hype for.

This is our definitive list of our anticipated games of 2026, including some games that weve already managed to experience in a hands-on capacity and
others that were just desperate to try. Although all these titles are
currently meant to come out in the next weeks and months, do still bear in
mind that development can be a tricky beast and the odd few might wind up subject to a delay so make sure to follow our news coverage for the latest announcements to stay in the know.

With that said, lets dive into our picks!

Dashiell Wood, Gaming Editor -- Grand Theft Auto 6

It wouldnt be a most-anticipated list for 2026 without Grand Theft Auto 6
would it? And thats for good reason: the next GTA game has all the makings of an all-time great video game - maybe even the all-time great.
Release date: November 19, 2026
Play it on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Developer: Rockstar Games
Publisher: Rockstar Games

We just know that there's going to be excellence in every conceivable way:
the writing, story, and missions are surely on track to be some of the most memorable yet. The action is going to be peak Rockstar, the world and exploration are sure to be second-to-none, featuring a massive world that yearns to have all its nooks and crannies explored with an unparalleled level of realism.

However, Im very eager to see GTA 6 in the context of current console
hardware, too. The partnership between the developer and PlayStation surely points toward a game thats going to be unreal on PlayStation 5 Pro, particularly, but how else will Rockstar make use of and indeed, push the current consoles to their limits?

Im hoping for plenty of graphical options to be given to us as players, but also for one of the best-looking games to come our way when it lands late
next year - unless there's another delay, of course!

Rob Dwiar, Managing Editor -- Fire Emblem: Fortunes Weave

Few Nintendo properties get me more excited than Fire Emblem does; its character-driven turn-based battles are usually a highlight in the libraries
of any consoles they happen to grace. The upcoming Fire Emblem: Fortunes
Weave is a strange one, seemingly being connected to Fire Emblem: Three
Houses with its reuse of Crests and the return of fan-favorite character Sothis.
Release date: TBC 2026
Play it on: Nintendo Switch 2
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo

The last mainline entry, Fire Emblem Engage , was pretty disappointing for
me. It ditched the themes of sociopolitical struggles for something much more straightforward. Plus, its arguably nostalgia-baiting use of pre-existing
Fire Emblem heroes made it feel more like a shoehorned spin-off rather than
an earnest attempt at an entirely new game. It was an interesting take on the formula, partnering up with said heroes via the titular Engage system was definitely unique, but it ultimately left me wanting something more grounded.

So my hopes are high for Fortunes Weave. We still dont know much about the game, but its debut trailer at the last Nintendo Direct showed a return to a continent-spanning conflict with several key players involved - not unlike
the Fire Emblem games of old. And having a game like this on the improved Switch 2 hardware can only make for a satisfyingly smooth experience, too.

Rhys Wood, Hardware Editor -- John Carpenters Toxic Commando

Whats not to love about a new horde shooter from the genre masters over at Saber Interactive, not least one bearing the name of legendary horror
director John Carpenter?
Release date: 2026
Play it on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Developer: Saber Interactive
Publisher: Focus Entertainment

Set in a not too distant future, you play as a band of second rate
mercenaries hired by a dodgy company to exterminate a malevolent entity
known as the Sludge God. Dead set on terraforming Earth, it has overrun
forests and transformed unlucky humans into rabid, muddy zombies.

The only thing standing between it and total domination is you and your friends, armed with an arsenal of full auto weaponry, explosives, souped up vehicles, and, of course, katanas. We havent seen too much of the game so
far, but all of the early trailers suggest that it absolutely nails that 80s action-horror movie tone and Im absolutely desperate to dive in the second it arrives.

Dashiell Wood, Gaming Editor -- The Duskbloods

A FromSoftware game developed exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2 ? That's an easy sell. The Duskbloods is going to be multiplayer-focused, which did admittedly have me a bit skeptical at first.
Release date: TBC 2026
Play it on: Nintendo Switch 2
Developer: FromSoftware
Publisher: FromSoftware

After Elden Ring: Nightreign , however, I believe that FromSoftware has more than proved itself in the way of multiplayer design.

Ive been quite blown away by how good the Souls formula has translated into a game with live service elements. You even glide into each map on a hawk, in a move thats reminiscent of Fortnite . Hopefully, The Duskbloods takes some of the design choices from Elden Ring: Nightreign , while making use of all the bells and whistles of Nintendos new hardware.

Mostly, I just love the prospect of a Nintendo exclusive FromSoftware game. Will it make use of the Switch 2s handheld features? Will it have a robust enough server design? Only time will tell.

Still, from what Ive seen so far, The Duskbloods could be a very interesting endeavor for a studio at the top of its game.

Jake Green, Evergreen Editor -- Control Resonant

Weve only just seen the full reveal of Control Resonant , but even when we
knew nothing about it, Control 2, as we had to refer to it previously, was already one of my most anticipated games. Now weve seen what its about, and a little sliver of what it looks like, where it's set, and what itll play like, my hype cannot be contained.
Release date: TBC 2026
Play it on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Developer: Remedy Entertainment
Publisher: Remedy Entertainment

Shifting focus to Dylan is a cool move; and expanding the game into an expansive Manhattan world is a bold one. Embracing all the weirdness of Controls story and its space-time-defying, inter-dimensional setting is a recipe that feels perfect for the next step in the Control saga. If it offers some brilliantly executed combat that evolves the Service Weapon, and
combines it with a raft of new supernatural powers, then itll be a killer experience.

A sequel that takes all of what made Control brilliant, and pushes the boundaries of what a game can be, is shaping up to be a brilliant move for Remedy, and its odds on that it's going to be one of the games of the generation for me if it sticks the landing.

Rob Dwiar, Managing Editor -- Neverway

I dont play nearly as many indie games as I should, but next year Id like to start changing that with Neverway, a psychological horror take on farming
life sims like Stardew Valley and Sun Haven.

Im already loving the pixel art and muted color palette , lending a general sense of unease to even the most innocent of tasks like planting crops or talking to your neighbors.

Im just so intrigued by it all, even if the titles its taking most of its inspiration from arent always my cup of tea.

Rhys Wood, Hardware Editor -- Subnautica 2

Subnautica 2 has been long in development, and after a recent delay, its now launching in early access some time in 2026.
Release date: TBC 2026
Play it on: Xbox Series X|S, PC
Developer: Unknown Worlds
Publisher: Krafton

What excites me most about the prospect of a new Subnautica game is the fact that its planned to be fully co-op, with support for up to four players. I absolutely love exploring survival games with my pals, and a deep alien ocean tops the list of my personal favorite videogame locales.

Weve not been shown much gameplay yet, and Subnautica 2 s development has
been a little rocky so far, but Im still excited for it. I rarely engage with early access releases, but for Subnautica 2 , I'm willing to make an
exception. If its even half as good as the first game, Ill be happy, and I
plan on spending a lot of time exploring different biomes, building up an underwater base, and hunting Leviathans.

Hopefully, well see more on Subnautica 2 sooner rather than later, as theres still a lot of questions left to be answered. Id like to know what sets the game apart from its predecessors, how transformative the jump to Unreal
Engine 5 is, and exactly how the co-op works in practice.

Jake Green, Evergreen Editor -- Styx: Blades of Greed

Im feeling the need for greed. Specifically, Styx: Blades of Greed - the next instalment in the criminally underappreciated criminal goblin simulator
series.
Release date: February 19, 2026
Play it on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Developer: Cyanide Studio
Publisher: Nacon

The games all follow a similar template in that theyre basically stealth
action metroidvanias in which you explore large environments as the titular green menace stabbing your way through legions of human guards and trying to get your hands on as much shiny loot as possible.

Every entry so far truly captured the feeling of being a weird little gremlin and this next one looks like its going to take the potential for deviousness
to new heights with a wealth of cool powers. Thanks to a magical quartz, Styx can now do everything from turning invisible to sneak even more effectively
to mind controlling guards and simply walking them into the nearest pit.

All the trailers that have been released to date suggest that the games sense of humor hasnt changed either. You might think that constant wisecracks and self referential, fourth wall breaking jokes would seem more than a little dated in 2026 - and youd be right, but the odd eye-roll worthy remark only
adds to the overall charm.

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* Origin: Capitol City Online (42:17/1)