Brand New Games That Are Really Exciting

2026 is looking like a great year for gaming. If all things align, we should be getting Grand Theft Auto 6 later this year, which will definitely be the major highlight. Even before that, we have Resident Evil Requiem, the franchise making a return with what looks to be another banger of a survival horror entry. Nioh 3 is also just around the corner, along with Code Vein 2. On the indie side, the much-anticipated Paralives might be dropping into Early Access, too. And with remasters, who could forget about Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly making an iconic comeback?

I could go on about what's exciting, but the point of this list is to focus more on games that are coming out within the first four months or so of 2026. We won't take into account remasters or new entries in a known franchise, hence why I celebrated GTA 6 and Resident Evil 9 above. Only brand-new, standalone (for now, at least) games releasing fully or to Early Access will be mentioned, making this an ideal little catalog for anyone who's looking to try something completely new in the first quarter and half of 2026.

Games releasing on Early Access will be included.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire

An Artistic Throwback To The 1930s

Starting off with one of the quirkiest-looking games for 2026 is Mouse: P.I. for Hire. This is a major callback to old-school, black-and-white cartoons of the 1930s, married with some wild, action-packed first-person shooter gameplay. It's definitely a combination no one could have imagined in gaming for 2026, but strangely, it does look very appealing and fun.

You'll take control of a private investigator called Jack Pepper as you begin untangling the mystery of a missing person. As with all detective stories, the truth is always more complicated than you initially think, and this story looks to take you through multiple levels and environments full of retro noir personality.

Reanimal

Experience True Terror In Co-Op Mode

If the style of Reanimal looks vaguely familiar to you, it's because this is the new title coming out from the same folks who made the Little Nightmares games. It all starts with a missing person, a friend you set out to look for on an island that doesn't exactly welcome you. Jump in with your go-to co-op buddy, or go at it alone; both are possible here, so even if you can't find anyone to try it with, you can still experience the full spectrum of horror.

It has a lovely, fantastical art style of a dark children's story, paired with nightmarish horrors straight out of a child's worst imagination that chase after you and search for you while you sneak around and hide. Honestly, this might be the next best thing for co-op shenanigans between friends.

Menace

Lead A Strike Force Against Any Threat

If you enjoyed the vibe and the concept in a game like XCOM 2, you might enjoy what Menace has to offer, as you take charge of a strike team against various threats popping up around the system. It's all about strategy and tactics here, as you decide where to step in and where you might need to hold back. With a big arsenal of tools at your disposal, on top of your selected crew, you can also engage walkers and tanks on the battlefield as you work your way through the myriad of missions and operations.

One fight takes you to another, down a specific path. It's looking to be a game where your decisions will give way to a pretty unique playthrough, with choices and approach mattering quite a bit as factions are involved in gameplay as well. Who will you befriend, and who's going to be ready to help you?

SAND: Raiders of Sophie

Build Your Own Desert Walker, Ready For Battle

If you ever thought to yourself that the walkers from Star Wars would make nice homes in a world that sort of makes you think of Arrakis, Sand: Raiders of Sophie might be the exact niche for you. It's an FPS game with a pretty unique concept: build up your own walker, which is essentially your home base, and head out to the dunes to raid and look for more resources and gear.

Oh, but beware, there are other players in the mix, looking to conquer the exact same desert as you. With PVP included and the desert a procedurally generated map where you have to fight tooth and nail for your survival against others, it definitely sounds like an experience that's guaranteed to get your blood pumping.

YAPYAP

A Magical, New Friendslop Game

Friendslop games like Lethal Company and REPO have become super popular in the last couple of years, and YAPYAP might be the next big one to hit the shelves. This time, you're a group of aspiring little wizards sent to trash a rival's tower by causing as much mayhem and destruction as possible. Of course, you'll have to stay undetected when you do this, as the towers are guarded by strange creatures and monsters. Chaos is bound to happen.

What really makes this one stand out, though, is the magic system. You basically cast spells with your voice, which is perfect, as there's an in-game reason to actually talk now and possibly alert the monsters. The spells come in a pretty fun and nice variety, too. Some are pretty silly, like the fishify one, and others can be genuinely helpful, like teleportation.

Replaced

A Taste Of Cyberpunk Aesthetics In 2.5D

Easily one of the best-looking games on this list, the graphics of Replaced alone will have you gasping and wowing. The lightning, the gorgeous retrofuturistic art style, mixed in with pixel characters, turns this platformer into a whole new experience.

It's definitely going to be a game you'll stop and admire as you progress through its sinister cyberpunk story that takes place in an alternate history America, around the 1980s. You play as an AI called R.E.A.C.H., inside a human body. Your job is to investigate the suspicious activities of Phoenix Corporation, a classic evil megacorp. Even if you're not huge on platformers, this one's really pushing the limits of what the 2.5D format can offer.

Pragmata

Capcom's New IP Is A Fresh Sci-Fi Story

Pragmata is probably going to be one of the biggest brand-new action-adventure games to keep an eye out for in the first half of 2026. It's something entirely new from Capcom, a deep-dive into a sci-fi world through the lens of Hugh and his AI companion, Diana. From what we know about the trailers, it looks like things have gone haywire for humanity following the technological advances of Delphi Corporation.

The highlight, though, is the combat. Diana plays a pretty cool role as your companion, traveling on Hugh's back and helping him defeat the machine enemies through her hacking capabilities. This could potentially be something fresh in the realm of combat, and the graphics are definitely next-level detailed.

The Gold River Project

The Survival Genre Gets A Welcome Expansion

The final release date of The Gold River Project is still a question mark, as the game's only coming out for Early Access. That said, if you're a survival game buff and love open-world environments, and happen to have a friend group that enjoys co-op survival titles, this could be your next major stop. The game takes place in the Pacific Northwest and features all the classic bells and whistles of a survival game, from crafting to managing your needs like hunger and thirst.

But this isn't just a regular game about camping. It goes much, much deeper. You're not out there in the forest for nothing, but instead, people are watching you and possibly manipulating you. There's more than meets the eye in this title, and it's a perfect upcoming game to keep an eye out for if you like titles like The Forest.

Crimson Desert

Welcome The Next Big Open-World Action-Adventure Newcomer

On the open-world gaming front, Pearl Abyss is looking to deliver something rather ambitious in the form of Crimson Desert. Considering they're the masterminds behind Black Desert Online, it's understandable why hype for this game is currently on the rise. The visuals look stunning, but will the gameplay deliver a deep enough experience? With it set to come out in March 2026, we won't have to keep guessing for long, thankfully.

From what we know, players take control of Kliff in a fantasy world known as Pywel. You're free to explore its nooks and crannies for side quests, ruins, and towns, as you set out on a journey to gather the survivors of the Greymanes. In true RPG fashion, you'll have companions to meet and greet, weapons and builds to choose from, and epic bosses that stand in your way.