5 Worst Video Games Of 2026 (So Far)

After covering the best games of 2026 so far, it's only fair that we also take a look at the year's most poorly received. While we understand that game development is a lot of hard work, there are some titles that feel simply inexcusable in their lackluster delivery. Whether feeling rushed to release or beset by bugs and uneven technical performances, there are games that just fall far short of expectations. 2026 has been no different in that regard, with mediocre gaming experiences that haven't connected with players the ways the developers had hoped.

In short, there have already been some games this year that definitely should've spent more time in development before being released to the public. In some cases, these games have been patched and updated considerably after launch, but the damage to their reputations remains intact. We're highlighting the games that couldn't make it work upon their debut, with players best spending their time elsewhere. These are the five worst video games of 2026 so far, setting the low bar for this year's additional releases.

One of the first major gaming missteps of 2026 was the action horror title "Code Violet," developed and published for the PlayStation 5 by TeamKill Media. A third-person shooter, the game primarily takes place in the 25th century, with humanity using time travel to pluck women from the past and use them as surrogates. The game's protagonist, Violet, is one of these time-displaced women, fighting back once she regains her bearings. Arming herself, Violet fights to survive, battling dinosaurs that are roaming free around the futuristic facility.

As much as we'd love for "Dino Crisis" to fully return, "Code Violet" does not satisfy the same dinosaur-fueled survival horror itch. The game's combat is uninspired, the scares fail to frighten, and players can breeze through the game in about six hours. The game carries a 17% recommendation score on OpenCritic, with IGN remarking that it's "derivative, awkwardly animated and acted, and forgettable". With "Resident Evil Requiem" out and easily available regardless of platform, gamers would be better suited to find their survival horror thrills from Capcom's title instead.

"Highguard" has the dubious distinction of being the only game on this list that is so bad that it's already no longer playable anymore. A live-service game launched at the beginning of the year, the game blended sci-fi and fantasy aesthetics into a first-person hero shooter experience. The game itself consisted of raids on enemy bases while players defended their own bases from attacking opponents. However, the writing was on the wall when "Highguard" lost 90% of its players within 20 hours.

"Highguard" was one of the first video games that died in 2026, lasting less than two months before its servers shut down. Players were less than impressed upon the game's initial launch in January and it never overcame this weak first impression. "Highguard" has a 39% recommendation score on OpenCritic, with GamesRadar+ noting that it "lacks a strong identity and aesthetic". Gone before it had the chance to improve, "Highguard" was one of the more high-profile letdowns of the year so far.

While the Nintendo Switch 2 has some genuinely great titles in its library, it also launched with some of the most disappointing games of 2025. 2026 wasn't off to a great start for the console either, with the exclusive title "Tokyo Scramble," developed by Adglobe. A stealth-oriented survival horror game, the game's protagonist is a teenager named Anne who is caught in a massive earthquake that leaves her trapped underground. Finding this subterranean environment filled with ravenous dinosaurs, Anne must evade these predators to make her way back to safety.

Yes, another mediocre 2026 game is, curiously, a third-person survival horror experience revolving around dinosaurs, though the issues in "Tokyo Scramble" are distinct from "Code Violet." The stealth mechanics are frustratingly implemented, relying more on trial-and-error rather than refined strategy and handling. The game carries a 19% recommendation score on OpenCritic, with NintendoWorldReport summing up the game as "a remarkably mediocre stealth experience". Another lackluster Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, "Tokyo Scramble" isn't the third-party support the console was hoping for.

To be clear up front, "1348 Ex Voto" received incredibly toxic and targeted backlash, including death threats, for a purported same-sex relationship in the game that ultimately didn't exist. That's certainly not the reason why the game made this list. It's instead being included because of how unpolished it was upon launch. Made by the indie Italian studio Sedleo, the game takes place in 14th century Italy, with the protagonist a knight errant named Aeta. The gameplay is a third-person hack-and-slash experience as Aeta navigates a bloody medieval Italy to protect her friend Bianca.

While "1348 Ex Voto" looks impressive for an indie title at first glance, the flaws under the surface quickly become apparent as one actually starts playing it. The combat system is uneven and frustrating while the game, at least at launch, was riddled with bugs and glitches that distracted from the overall experience. The game currently has an 8% recommendation score on OpenCritic while PlayStation Universe lambasted it for containing "rage inducing combat and technical issues". Perhaps if the game is overhauled significantly with post-launch patches, "1348 Ex Voto" can overcome the unfortunate bad buzz that's followed it for months.

The debut title of Swedish development studio Liquid Swords, "Samson" debuted on PCs in April 2026, with console releases expected later in the year. A third-person sandbox brawler in the tradition of "Shenmue" or any number of "Yakuza" games, the game is named after protagonist Samson McCray. Heavily indebted to a local crime syndicate, Samson must regularly carry out tasks each day in order to gradually settle his ongoing debt. Every day that Samson doesn't complete a set amount of tasks, he is pursued by mob enforcers and, if he fails to reach his targets three days in a row, it's game over.

At first glance, "Samson" looks alright, but its flaws become painfully apparent whenever the fighting starts. The combat and driving segments expose how buggy and game-breaking they can be, making the task-oriented nature of the game all the more infuriating. The initial PC version of "Samson" carries a 30% recommendation score on OpenCritic, with IGN flatly observing "'Samson' doesn't work because it's literally broken," unable to complete its review copy. Hopefully, "Samson" can get in working order for its eventual console ports. It did not leave a good first impression on PC, to put it gently.