I’ve been following the reveals, trailers and release announcements all year, and it’s hard not to come away thinking that 2026 has been an absolutely stacked year for games. There’s been a constant stream of big releases, long-awaited sequels and completely new games fighting for attention.
And then there’s Grand Theft Auto VI. Rockstar’s November 19 release date has become such a huge presence on the calendar that it has affected what gets released around it. Several publishers have moved major games out of the crowded holiday window, with some now releasing in early 2027 instead.
That has made the next few months particularly interesting. I’ve been keeping track of the ones that have caught my attention the most, whether it’s because of the developers behind them, an interesting new idea, a particularly impressive trailer, or simply because I can’t stop thinking about playing them.
So, these are the games I’m most looking forward to starting with the ones arriving before the end of 2026.
COMING BEFORE 2027
Phantom Blade Zero
Platform: PC, PS5 | Release date: 29 October
Chinese studio S-Game calls this “kung-fu punk,” and the label fits: wuxia storytelling with steampunk machinery bolted onto traditional architecture. In Phantom Blade Zero, you play Soul, a warrior framed for his master’s death with sixty-six days left to live. The big question was whether it’s just another Souls-like, and previewers keep saying it isn’t.
The combat is faster and more combo-heavy, and a few found it more forgiving, though it still hits hard. One preview singled out the Lion Dance boss, which the team built by motion-capturing real performers. There are no reviews yet, but Push Square’s preview already called it essential for PS5 owners. Reports claim PS5 has a 12-month timed exclusivity, so Xbox players may wait until late 2027.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4
Platform: PC, PS5, Xbox, Switch 2 | Release date: 23 October
I’ve drifted away from Call of Duty over the last few years, but having grown up playing Modern Warfare, this is one of the games I’m most curious about this year. The biggest reason is that the series finally looks like it’s moving back toward grounded movement. This time, the campaign moves to Korea, where a new soldier, Park, gets caught in the middle of a North Korean invasion while Captain Price pursues a separate, revenge-driven mission.
Early beta reactions suggest the gunplay is intuitive, although the very fast time-to-kill on smaller maps has been more divisive. What I’m hoping for is simply a Call of Duty that feels focused again. The series doesn’t necessarily need to reinvent itself every year. For me, a strong campaign, satisfying weapons and a multiplayer experience built around good map design could be enough to make Modern Warfare 4 feel like a return to form.
Grand Theft Auto VI
Platform: PS5, Xbox | Release date: 19 November
This probably is one game on this list that doesn’t need an introduction. Grand Theft Auto VI has been one of the biggest stories in gaming for years; despite the delays and leaks, Rockstar has kept the hype train running.
The game takes us back to Vice City, following Jason and Lucia as they become caught up in the world of crime, money and whatever elaborate mess Rockstar has planned for them. From everything we’ve seen so far, the setting itself could be the real star: crowded streets, changing weather, huge environments and a world that appears to be constantly moving around you.
Rockstar has spent years building some of the most detailed open worlds in the industry, and GTA VI looks like the culmination of that approach. The trailers and footage have already shown a ridiculous level of detail, but the real test will be whether Jason and Lucia can carry a story that feels as memorable as the world around them.
2027
Stranger Than Heaven
Platform: PC, PS5, Xbox | Release date: 15 January
Stranger Than Heaven feels like RGG Studio doing something ambitious enough to surprise even people who already know what to expect from the studio. After years of Like a Dragon, it’s exciting to see the team take that formula somewhere completely different. The game spans fifty years and five Japanese cities, following Makoto Daito, an outsider trying to find somewhere he belongs. Crime, dramatic character stories and brutal combat mix with quieter, stranger moments, but the scale and time period give it a very different identity.
The cast is a big part of why people are talking about it. Snoop Dogg is involved as the character Orpheus, while RGG has also incorporated Tupac’s likeness with the blessing of his estate. What I expect most from Stranger Than Heaven is that familiar RGG mix of absurdity and sincerity. These games can go from ridiculous side stories to authentic emotional character moments, and I’m hoping this new setting gives the studio room to push that contrast even further.
Fable
Platform: PC, PS5, Xbox | Release date: 23 February
I’ve been waiting for a new Fable for so long, I was almost convinced it wasn’t going to happen. That’s why the recent hands-on coverage has been such a pleasant surprise. The new game returns to Albion, bringing back the series’ compilation of fantasy, humour, exploration and morality. One of the things that has caught my attention is how much detail appears to have gone into the world itself, including a huge number of individually voiced NPCs (1000+) and systems that are supposed to make your choices visibly affect the world around you.
Fable has always been about more than combat. The original games stood out because they had a particular personality: quirky characters, British humour and a world that reacted to the kind of hero you chose to become. There’s been some scepticism around early footage, particularly around the combat, but the more recent hands-on impressions have been encouraging.
Clutch
Platform: PC, PS5, Xbox | Release date: Spring 2027
Clutch seems to be built around a question I’ve had for years: what would a modern racing game look like if it took the spectacle of Forza Horizon and pushed it fully into an actual action-adventure story? The game takes place across the French Riviera, follows siblings Theo and Cass Martial (voiced by Tosin Cole and Little Simz), and mixes traditional circuit racing with underground street racing and police chases.
The game is being developed by the former head of Forza Horizon, it appears to be aiming for a much more cinematic experience than a conventional racing game. Early footage and previews suggest an absurd amount of visual detail, right down to tiny environmental touches, and I like that the developers seem to treat the world as more than just a backdrop for races.