Beyond GTA VI: Five games to watch out for in 2026
While GTA VI dominates attention, 2026 has much more to offer gamers. From epic RPGs to stylish action adventures and racing spectacles, this column highlights five major games worth watching — and possibly playing — before Rockstar’s blockbuster arrives.
2026, the year that GTA VI launched; need I say more? I could begin this week’s column with that sentence and, given the game’s popularity, end it right there. However, it would be far too limiting a perspective if we gamers choose to consign an entire year of gaming to a single title. This week’s column highlights five games we should be considering in 2026, apart from Rockstar’s much-awaited magnum opus.
Crimson Desert (Launches March 19 on PS 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows and MacOS):
First announced in 2019, with a dynamic world experience that could rival both the fantasy and the scale of Dragon Age: Inquisition, Crimson Desert has been long in development.
Delayed for one final time in 2025, it is now set to launch in March 2026 and looking at the gameplay trailers and early sneak peeks, the combat and the promised “living, breathing world” of Pywel looks amazing. This could be an early contender for our favorite game of the year if the final experience is anywhere close to what the trailers showcase.
007 First Light (Launches May 27 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, and Windows):
From the makers of Hitman comes a brand-new James Bond adventure with a gorgeous world and, going by the game’s trailers, a gameplay experience infused with all the franchise’s trademark cinematic flourishes. By trademark, I mean high-speed car chases, navigating open waters in speedboats, a new Aston Martin, and some high-octane gunplay and suspense: all the ingredients needed to offer players a blockbuster ride.
Expectations are high for this one, especially considering how long it has been since a proper 007 game, and if everything comes together, this could be a worthy competitor to the popular Indiana Jones game from 2024.
Forza Horizon 6 (Undated 2026, on Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X/S):
The successor to one of the most popular racing games arrives sometime in 2026, and if what we saw in Forza Horizon 5 is anything to go by, we need to be prepared for amazing spectacles and a wide variety of cars.
Set in Japan and featuring iconic locations like the city of Tokyo and Mt Fuji, there will be a lot to race around and admire once the game launches. Given the undated release window, it would be prudent to assume a launch in the second half of the year.
The Blood of Dawnwalker (Undated, 2026 on Microsoft Windows, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S):
Set in 14th-century Europe during the time of the Black Plague, Dawnwalker is being made by Rebel Wolves, a studio comprising former developers of The Witcher 3. Attempting to revisit the vampire narrative in their signature open-world RPG style, there is a lot here to like based on the content revealed so far.
The game uses a day-and-night format and offers two distinct gameplay loops where you, as Coen, must decide whether to use your powers to save humanity or protect those closest to you.
Control Resonant (Undated, 2026 on Microsoft Windows, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S):
The final game on this list is a successor to 2019’s Game of the Year, Control. In Resonant, you play as Dylan Faden in a “warped Manhattan on the brink of paranormal annihilation,” where you must continue the fight against the mysterious Hiss from the first game.
Now set in the same world as Alan Wake and FBC: Firebreak, I expect the gameplay to be more complex and the world more detailed in Resonant, as the conflict between humanity and a reality-bending threat reaches new heights.
As we begin counting the days until November 2026 and the launch of GTA VI, there is still a lot to play in the interim. However, keeping in mind how high the prices of most of these games are, I would urge you to continue considering our reviews through 2026 as you decide which games are worth your money, and most importantly, your limited time.
