5 Most Anticipated Video Games Of 2026

While 2025 certainly had some stellar games and some overlooked favorites that nobody played, 2026 is shaping up to top it completely. The biggest gaming publishers in the world are lining up marquee titles throughout the year, including several huge franchises. This includes a number of long-awaited sequels and reboots to beloved properties, which are poised to entertain new generations of fans. If 2025 largely belonged to indie developers and titles, 2026 is going to see heavy hitters in the industry resurface in a big way.

Big titles will begin launching as soon as February and are slated to drop throughout the remainder of the year. Simply put, once the momentum gets going, this year is set to keep the hits coming all the way through the holiday season. With that in mind, there are a handful of upcoming games that rise above the rest in terms of widespread buzz and vaunted expectations. Here are the five most anticipated video games of 2026 that have already got us hyped.

Acclaimed remakes aside, it's been four years since fans got a brand-new "Resident Evil" game, with the most recent being 2021's "Resident Evil Village." The wait is finally over with "Resident Evil Requiem," which returns to the franchise's Raccoon City roots. New character Grace Ashcroft investigates a case related to her mother's murder, while the returning Leon S. Kennedy is called back into action. This mystery has both characters return to the bombed out Raccoon City, where the horror story all began decades ago.

"Resident Evil Requiem" is directed by Koshi Nakanishi, who previously helmed the absolutely terrifying "Resident Evil 7: Biohazard." If Nakanishi's reputation is any indicator, this promises that "Requiem" is set to be one of the most frightening entries in years in what fans continue to call the scariest horror game franchise. The dual protagonist approach hints at Grace handling the more terrifying gameplay, while Leon has not slowed down in his middle age when combating enemies. As much as we love the "Resident Evil" remakes, "Resident Evil Requiem" brings new blood to the familiar franchise and we couldn't be more excited.

James Bond hasn't starred in a major video game since the huge flop that was 2012's "007 Legends." As a new era is set to begin for the cinematic franchise, the gaming iteration of the British super-spy is gearing up for its big reinvention first. The aptly titled "007 First Light" has 20-something Bond as a rookie in MI6, on a mission to earn his 00 agent status. Several familiar faces assist Bond on his mission, including M, Q, and the young agent's newly introduced mentor, John Greenway.

"First Light" is developed and published by IO Interactive, the studio behind the acclaimed "Hitman" series. Bond's video game reboot looks to retain that franchise's penchant for stealth and decision-making on the fly, rather than mindless first-person shooter action. IOI also brings a more story-driven take on the character as it rebuilds a fresh world around the iconic secret agent. With a globe-trotting scope and plenty of explosive set pieces, "007 First Light" welcomes back pop culture's most famous spy in reimagined glory.

We're reasonably sure that we'll get to play "Grand Theft Auto VI" in 2026, despite Rockstar Games confirming our biggest fears by delaying its release date multiple times. Currently set for a November launch on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, the game returns players to the coastal locale of Vice City. The game centers on criminal couple Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos, whose lives spiral out of control after a botched bank heist. This leads them both to be drawn deeper into the criminal underworld of Vice City and its surrounding areas.

It's been 12 years since "Grand Theft Auto V," so the bar of expectation is set astronomically high for its sequel. By having the game's primary setting evoke 2002's "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City," the franchise is reveling in its own history while expanding it into something new. The game is also expected to completely skewer influencer culture and, with so much ripe material to satirize, the series' twisted humor will likely be back in full force. Here's hoping that "Grand Theft Auto VI" does finally arrive this year, because we've been ready for it for a while.

It's been a long time since Marvel gave Wolverine a new game, but the mutant superhero is poised for a big comeback this year. "Marvel's Wolverine" is expected to launch towards the end of 2026 and the game isn't pulling its brutal punches. Developed by Insomniac Games, the title is expected to be set in the same universe as the studio's enormously successful "Marvel's Spider-Man" series. With Liam McIntyre playing the titular superhero, the game is set to pit Wolverine against waves of enemies, including Omega Red and Mystique.

Given how well Insomniac has brought the Spider-Man mythos to life in the webslinger's own trilogy of video games, Wolverine is in safe hands. That said, this isn't the family-friendly superhero story that players came to enjoy with Spidey, but something that fits more in Logan's lethal wheelhouse. Expect plenty of berserker rage action and ripping and tearing with Wolverine's signature adamantium claws. And given the iconic superhero's fan-favorite reputation, we wouldn't have him any other way when "Marvel's Wolverine" ships this year.

While we'll always have a soft spot for "Marvel vs. Capcom," we're hyped for the upcoming Marvel fighting game "Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls." Slated for release on the PlayStation 5 and PC, the game is developed by Arc System Works, the studio behind "Guilty Gear" and "Dragon Ball FighterZ." The game features a 4v4 combat system, with players unlocking access to additional fighters as individual matches progress. "Fighting Souls" is set to feature a whole host of Marvel heroes and villains battling across classic environments from the comic books.

We got to play an early build of "Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls" at Evo 2025 and the game is just as fast and fun as it looks. Fans of "Dragon Ball FighterZ" or "Guilty Gear Strive" will feel right at home as they brawl across lushly rendered stages. But the game has also been tailored to welcome those who might not be hardcore fighting game veterans with its balanced mechanics. Another eagerly anticipated fighting game from Arc System Works, "Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls" is poised to continue the developer's winning streak in the genre.