The Most Anticipated Games of 2026: GTA VI, Crimson Desert, Phantom Blade Zero, and More

2026 is shaping up to be one of the most stacked years in gaming in over a decade. After a 2024-2025 cycle that delivered great sequels (Black Myth: Wukong, Elden Ring Nightreign, Death Stranding 2, Monster Hunter Wilds), 2026 brings forward a slate of titles that have been in development for years — some for nearly a decade.

This is a curated list, not a comprehensive one. There are dozens of smaller games worth watching (Death Ground, Mouse: P.I. For Hire, The Midnight Walk, MIO: Memories in Orbit, Directive 8020, Morsels, Replaced, Cairn, Nioh 3, Saros, Eriksholm: The First Stolen Dream — go look these up). But the ones below are the ones that will define the year.

GTA VI — Rockstar Games

Release window: Fall 2026 (Q3-Q4) | Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S | PC: Likely 2027

The biggest entertainment launch of the decade. After the leaked 2022 development footage, Rockstar officially confirmed GTA VI in late 2023 with a first trailer that hit 90 million views in 24 hours. The second trailer (2024) revealed the dual protagonists — Lucia and Jason, a Bonnie-and-Clyde-style couple in a Vice City-inspired version of Leonida (the in-game version of Florida).

What to expect: A return to the modern-day open-world crime-satire formula that defined GTA V, with the same level of cultural satire and emergent chaos Rockstar is known for. The new "Leonida" map is reportedly larger than the entire GTA V + GTA Online world combined, with a fully explorable Vice City, the Everglades, the Keys, and multiple surrounding cities.

Worth the hype? Almost certainly. Rockstar's last two open-world games (GTA V, RDR2) both reset the standard for the genre. The only real question is whether it lives up to 13 years of anticipation.

Watch for: The PC release timing. If you only game on PC, expect to wait 6-12 months after the console launch.

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Crimson Desert — Pearl Abyss

Release window: Q4 2026 (likely December, after several delays) | Platforms: PC (Steam), PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Mac

Crimson Desert has been in development since 2018 and announced publicly in 2019. Pearl Abyss (the studio behind Black Desert Online) originally positioned it as a single-player successor to Black Desert Online, then retooled it as a standalone single-player action-adventure with online features.

What to expect: A massive open-world action game focused on the Greymane mercenaries in the continent of Pywel. The combat looks closer to Devil May Cry or Elden Ring than to a typical MMO — fast, weighty, with a heavy emphasis on cinematic boss fights. The graphics have been demoed at multiple game shows and look stunning.

The game's path has been bumpy: multiple delays, leadership changes, and a closed beta in 2024 that got mixed feedback on technical stability. Pearl Abyss has been quiet through 2025, with the official stance being "still on the way."

Worth the hype? The ambition is clear; the question is execution. The 2024 beta had frame-rate issues and an unfriendly UI, but the underlying combat and art are excellent.

Watch for: The Q4 2026 window slipping into 2027. Don't pre-order on day one unless you're comfortable with the risk.

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Phantom Blade Zero — S-Game

Release window: 2026 (exact date TBA) | Platforms: PC (Steam, Epic), PS5, Xbox Series X|S

Phantom Blade Zero exploded onto the scene at Gamescom 2023 with a cinematic trailer that showed off Unreal Engine 5 visuals and a katana-wielding protagonist in a dark, ink-painted world inspired by wuxia fiction and noir. The combat looks like a mix of Sekiro's parry system, Devil May Cry's style switching, and Bloodborne's oppressive atmosphere.

What to expect: A linear, story-driven action game with deep combat customization, branching paths, and a "Soulslike" difficulty curve. The studio, S-Game, is a smaller Chinese developer with veteran leadership (the head worked on previous console action games), and they've positioned the game as a "AAAA" single-player focused title.

Worth the hype? The aesthetic is genuinely distinctive — the ink-painted art direction sets it apart from every other Soulslike on the market. The combat, based on demo footage, is fast and weighty in a way that should appeal to both Sekiro fans and Devil May Cry fans.

Watch for: A potential demo at Summer Game Fest 2026 (June) ahead of a likely Q4 release. If you have any interest in wuxia or action games, this should be on your radar.

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Onimusha: Way of the Sword — Capcom

Release window: 2026 (Q1 2027 more likely given Capcom's track record) | Platforms: PC (Steam), PS5, Xbox Series X|S

The Onimusha series has been dormant since 2006. Capcom announced Way of the Sword in 2024 with a brief teaser, then a more substantial trailer in 2025. It's a soft reboot: a new protagonist, a new historical period (early Edo period Japan), and a fresh combat system — but the same soul of the original trilogy (Samanosuke Akechi's iconic series).

What to expect: Third-person sword combat with a focus on precise parrying and the series' signature "Absorb" mechanic (defeating demons to gain their power). The setting in Edo-period Japan is new for the series and gives it a different visual identity than Onimusha 1-3's Sengoku-period European-flavored setting.

Worth the hype? Capcom is on a historic run — Monster Hunter World, RE Village, RE4 Remake, Dragon's Dogma 2, Monster Hunter Wilds have all been excellent. Their Souls/Sekiro-adjacent games tend to be among the best in the genre. Expect a return to form for a series many people have fond memories of from the PS2 era.

Watch for: Whether it comes out in 2026 or slips to 2027. Capcom has been delivering ahead of schedule recently (RE4 Remake, MH Wilds), but Onimusha is a higher-effort production.

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Mafia: The Old Country — 2K Games / Hangar 13

Release window: Summer 2026 | Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S

Mafia: The Old Country is the fourth game in the Mafia series and a prequel set in 1900s Sicily. After the mixed reception of Mafia: Definitive Edition (2020) and the troubled launch of Mafia III (2016), Hangar 13 has been quiet, taking time to develop what they describe as a "linear, narrative-driven" return to the series' roots.

What to expect: A shorter, more focused experience than Mafia III — closer in scope to the original Mafia (2002) than to the open-world sprawl of the third game. The Sicily setting, early-1900s period, and focus on organized crime origins make this a natural fit for fans of shows like Peaky Blinders and the Godfather films.

Worth the hype? Probably yes if you liked the earlier games. The shorter scope is a feature, not a bug — the original Mafia was one of the tightest narrative games of its era. Avoid if you expected another huge open world; this is intentional and welcome scaling back.

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Saros — Housemarque

Release window: 2026 (Q1 2027 more likely) | Platforms: PS5 (console exclusive at launch), PC later

Housemarque's follow-up to Returnal (2021) — a game that redefined how roguelikes could feel on console. Saros was announced at The Game Awards 2024 with a brief, mysterious trailer showing what looked like a sun-scorched alien world and a heavily armored protagonist.

What to expect: Housemarque's signature tight, kinetic combat with roguelike structure, in a darker, more cosmic-horror setting. Returnal was critically acclaimed but commercially modest; Saros is the studio's chance to break through to a wider audience.

Worth the hype? Housemarque has earned trust by now. Even if Saros is "just" another Returnal, that would still be a top-tier game. The risk is that the PS5 exclusivity delays it for PC players.

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Resident Evil Requiem — Capcom

Release window: 2027 (originally speculated for 2026, but Capcom's pace suggests 2027) | Platforms: TBA

The "Resident Evil 9" rumors have been circulating for years. Capcom finally confirmed Requiem at The Game Awards 2025 with a cryptic trailer showing a single character walking through a snow-covered village. The subtitle "Requiem" is unusual for the series and suggests a darker, more somber tone than the action-oriented RE Village or RE4 Remake.

What to expect: Almost certainly a return to first-person survival horror (Capcom alternates between first-person and third-person across the series). The snow setting is a departure from RE Village's Eastern European villages and Resident Evil 4's Spanish castle.

Worth the hype? Capcom's RE remakes (RE2, RE3, RE4) have all been outstanding. The question is whether the original-plot entries can match that quality. RE7 was excellent, RE Village was good. We'll see.

Note: This is listed for completeness but is most likely a 2027 title. Don't be surprised if it slips.

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Smaller But Worth Watching

A few more I'd flag without dedicating a full section:

• Pragmata (Capcom) — sci-fi action game, has been in development since 2017, finally coming 2026
• Control Resonant (Remedy) — sequel to Control, building on the same mind-bending world
• Fable (Playground Games) — the reboot, after a long development, should finally land
• Borderlands 4 (Gearbox) — 2025 release, expect 2026 DLC and port
• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach — PC version — Kojima's 2025 sequel hits PC in 2026
• The Witcher IV (CD Projekt Red) — officially in development, may slip to 2027
• Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra (Skydance New Media) — Amy Hennig's Marvel game, likely 2026

What to Watch For and When

Month	Likely release	Genre
Q1 2026	Pragmata (Capcom)	Sci-fi action
Q1-Q2 2026	Onimusha: Way of the Sword (Capcom)	Action
Summer 2026	Mafia: The Old Country	Crime narrative
Q3-Q4 2026	GTA VI	Open-world action
Q4 2026	Crimson Desert	Open-world action-RPG
Q4 2026	Phantom Blade Zero	Action
2026 (any)	Death Stranding 2 PC port	Action

The Bottom Line

2026 is a year where the games industry is no longer catching up from the 2022-2023 slowdown. Multiple major projects that were started during or after the COVID development boom are finally coming to market, and the lineup is unusually strong.

If you're on console, GTA VI in the fall is the only must-buy. Crimson Desert, Phantom Blade Zero, and Onimusha round out a strong Q4 for action game fans.

If you're on PC, expect to wait until 2027 for GTA VI (as always), but the rest of 2026 is rich enough to keep you busy.

The pattern to watch: every game listed above has slipped at least once during development. Don't pre-order unless you're comfortable with the risk of further delays. The games will arrive; the question is when.

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Sources & further reading:

• Rockstar Games official GTA VI trailer 1 and 2 (2023, 2024)
• Pearl Abyss Crimson Desert closed beta coverage (2024)
• S-Game Phantom Blade Zero gameplay demo (Gamescom 2023, 2024)
• Capcom Onimusha: Way of the Sword official announcement (TGA 2024)
• The Game Awards 2025 reveals (Saros, Resident Evil Requiem)
• 2K Games Mafia: The Old Country announcement (Summer Game Fest 2024)
• Housemarque Saros reveal trailer (TGA 2024)

Release dates are based on official announcements and publisher guidance as of June 2026 and may change. Always verify current release windows before making purchase decisions.