2025 ended up being a phenomenal year for video games. Hollow Knight: Silksong, Death Stranding 2, Donkey Kong Bananza, and, of course, The Game Awards darling Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 made it one of the best years in quite some time. 2026 may or may not be that good, but there are certainly games I am very much looking forward to.
The Video Games I Can’t Wait to Play in 2026
Grand Theft Auto VI
This one comes with a caveat. I have never played a GTA game in my life, and I probably won’t play this one. It’s just generally not my style, though my FOMO is liable to get the best of me. However, I am wildly interested to see the opinion of Grand Theft Auto VI. After all this time and all these delays, assuming it actually comes in 2026, can it possibly be worth even a fraction of the hype?
Resident Evil Requiem
Like GTA, I have never played an RE game. Resident Evil Requiem is making me think I should reconsider it. It looks fantastic and frightening. Horror games haven’t ever really been up my alley (too scared, even when playing something simple like Five Nights at Freddie’s), but I’m really willing to try on this one.
007 First Light
I love James Bond, and this looks like a refreshingly fun take on the franchise. Bond video games have been hit or miss, but I love that this one feels like a mix of Hitman and a Call of Duty campaign with some choice-based gameplay. It looks like a lot of fun, so I hope it’s not delayed further.
Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight
Batman has an incredible screen history, so the fact that his most iconic moments are going to be in a video game is incredible. Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight looks like it will be the most fun game of the year, and I cannot wait for May 29 to arrive so I can get my hands on this one.
Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra
There are so few actual superhero games, far fewer than we deserve. Several have been cancelled recently. Marvel 1943 doesn’t have a release date, but it is expected to drop in 2026. If it does, it will be one of the better games of the year and provide one of the most interesting Marvel experiences in a long time.
Marvel’s Wolverine
Along with the Lego Batman game, Marvel’s Wolverine is one of the games I will absolutely, unequivocally be playing this year. We’ve waited a long time for this, and it looks outstanding. Insomniac has yet to even remotely miss in the Marvel universe, so this will be another hit, one of the best video games we’ll get.
Yoshi and the Mysterious Book
Yoshi and the Mysterious Book has my full attention. I love Yoshi, but I’ve been waiting for a really good game starring him since Yoshi’s Island in the 1990s. If Nintendo can finally nail a Yoshi game, that will be great, so I am excited to see what this one turns out to be like. Maybe a new 3D Yoshi franchise will be born.
Conclusion
There will undoubtedly be plenty of surprise drops next year. A Fallout remake is likely, as is a new Mario game. It’ll be Zelda’s 40th anniversary. There are so many things not on the slate that will add to the excitement level for 2026 video games. But among those announced, the above are the most exciting, so be sure to check them out when they drop.
