Looking To The Future
A new year brings all sorts of new excitement to the video game world. As we recover financially from the holidays, we should have just enough money scraped together for these upcoming release dates. Many major franchises are dropping games this year, from Resident Evil to Grand Theft Auto to Diablo. Read on to learn more.
1. Resident Evil Requiem
Capcom is releasing its ninth installment of this popular series on February 27th. It follows the story of Grace Ashcroft and Leon Kennedy, a main protagonist of previous Resident Evil games. You’ll follow the two as they try to uncover a string of deaths across the United States.
2. Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred
The newest game in the Diablo series follows the character Neyrelle as he attempts to stop Mephisto, a prime evil looking to ruin the lives of everyone in Sanctuary. Alongside this new story, Blizzard Entertainment is also introducing new character types, regions, skills, and items to the game. Diablo IV comes out on April 28th.
3. Crimson Desert
Crimson Desert is an open-world adventure that follows a Greymane named Kliff as he tries to find his missing comrades. The story takes place on the continent of Pywel, a harsh and magical world full of secrets. The best part? You can totally ride a dragon. Crimson Desert is set to come out on March 19th.
Wolfgang Hasselmann on Unsplash
4. BrokenLore: UNFOLLOW
This first-person psychological horror game explores themes of bullying, social media, and mental health. You follow the story of Anne as she traverses a nightmare realm in an attempt to solve a mystery. This is the second game in the series, and is set to come out on January 16th.
5. 007 First Light
James Bond is back! Featuring a new origin story, funky gadgets, and new areas to explore, IO Interactive hopes to redefine this super spy’s history for the 21st century. First Light is set to come out on May 26th.
6. Phantom Blade Zero
This martial art-focused game was announced back in 2023 and is said to focus on a Dark Souls-style of fighting. We don’t know much about what the story entails, but we do know you’ll be fighting an antagonist known as the Seven Judgments. Phantom Blade Zero has a release date of September 9th.
7. Tomodachi Life: Living The Dream
After 10 years of waiting, Nintendo is finally releasing a sequel to the popular 3DS game Tomodachi Life. Help make the lives of your Miis better by solving their problems, customizing their homes, and creating lifelong friendships. The game comes to the Nintendo Switch sometime in Spring 2026.
8. Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties
Sega’s popular series is coming back this year with two games. Yakuza Kiwami 3 is a remake of the 2009 title, which promises reimagined combat, new cut scenes, and side quests. Alongside the remake, Dark Ties is a separate game that follows a brand-new story of one of Yakuza 3’s other characters. The two games come out on February 12th.
9. Cairn
Cairn is a survival climber that releases on January 29th. It follows pro climber Aava as she attempts to reach the summit of Mount Kami, likely named after the highest peak of Japan’s Mount Hakone. This game requires a careful organization of resources and a top-tier footing to get Aava to her goal.
10. Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight
This updated version of the popular tale features an open-world map that you can explore. Here, you will follow a young Bruce Wayne as he solidifies himself as the hero of Gotham, with all the familiar faces you know and love. This game is set to release on May 29th.
Cassidy James Blaede on Unsplash
11. Craftlings
Craftlings is an adorable pixel game that pulls on your 90s nostalgia. Here, you will grow your town, harvest local resources, assign your craftlings roles and responsibilities, and fight monsters as you expand your town. Craftlings comes out on January 15th.
12. SAROS
Created by Housemarque, SAROS is an action-adventure game that follows the story of Arjun Devraj. Devraj was a part of a lost colony that lost contact with home base after an eclipse. Here, you must follow Devraj as he attempts to fight his way across the barren wasteland of Carcosa. SAROS releases April 30th.
13. Quarantine Zone: The Last Check
This game is a fresh take on the zombie genre. Here, you play as an officer who is in charge of deciding who's in and out of the safe zone. Armed with an array of screening tools, you must look for signs of illness, bites, and other evidence of potential infection. This game comes out on January 12th.
14. Pokémon Pokopia
This game transforms the world you know into an adorable life simulator. Here, you play as a Ditto (who looks like a human) that must cultivate habitats for all the Pokémon you come into contact with. This game is set to come out on March 5th.
15. Big Hops
This 3D platformer will have you traversing the world as a frog. You must unlock secrets, collect bugs, and ultimately find your way home - and you’re a long way from home. The game has an adorable art style that looks right out of a children’s cartoon. Big Hops comes out January 12th.
16. Replaced
Replaced is a cyberpunk thriller game that follows an AI who is trapped in a human body. It’s set in an 1980s America that's been deeply affected by nuclear disaster. This game blends a 2D scroller with modern animation, bringing the past and present together in more ways than one. Replaced comes out March 12th.
17. Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection
This spinoff RPG allows you to ride and form bonds with the various monsters within this expansive universe. You must stop the world, and everything in it, from becoming extinct. This new game comes out on March 13th.
18. Mouse P.I. For Hire
This first-person shooter has a noir-esque feel and features the well-loved rubber hose animation style of the 1930s. Every visual of the game is even drawn by hand to really nail down that vintage aesthetic. This game is set to come out on March 19th.
Walter Lantz Productions on Wikimedia
19. Pragmata
This science fiction story follows Hugh and Diana as they attempt to battle their way across a lunar research station. The game has some pretty gorgeous visuals, even featuring a visual of a very desolate New York City. Pragmata comes out April 24th.
20. Grand Theft Auto 6 (?)
The long-awaited Rockstar Games is, finally, set to come out this year. What we do know is that we’re getting a revamped look of Vice City, which was predominantly featured in the 2002 game of the same name. Grand Theft Auto 6 is said to come out on November 19th, if it doesn’t get delayed again.
