Game Crystal Ball 2026: "GTA" Twilight of the Gods
The video game year 2026 promises, in addition to the sure-fire billion-dollar hit "GTA 6", a lot of surprise potential.
(Image: Rockstar Games)
The past video game year 2025 was an unexpected "reality check" for some established publishers like Ubisoft and Activision, while a small development studio from France thrilled critics and players with "Clair Obscur: Expedition 33". Among the big players, EA with "Fifa 26" and "Battlefield 6" or Nintendo with their tried-and-tested methods came through. How will an industry that generated almost 200 billion dollars in revenue, despite all the ups and downs, continue?
Turning Point? Yes? No?
First, let's take a breath: The use of Artificial Intelligence is becoming increasingly important in video game development. Whether in process optimization, design, or programming – a highly competitive market and high development costs are almost forcing development studios to use affordable generative AI. Is this worthy of criticism? Certainly. Embark's "Arc Raiders" and most recently Sandfall Interactive's "Clair Obscur" have experienced this painfully – the latter even had its "Indie Game Award" revoked.
No new consoles are expected in 2026. Sony and Microsoft are lying in wait, while Nintendo is doing what they always do: more Mario, more Pokémon, and a bit of Zelda. Things get exciting on the PC front. While Nvidia is rumored to be scaling back graphics card production, Valve's new Steam Machine is ready to go. There is only speculation so far about the final technology and price of the "Gabe Cubes". The exciting question: Will Valve repeat the flop of the first wave of Steam Machines about 10 years ago, or will it finally achieve a breakthrough as a console alternative?
The Games of 2026
In the coming year, fans should not expect any innovations anyway. Instead, the industry is focusing on the usual mix of big open-world titles, a few reboots, and sequels to well-known brands. Only a few publishers and development studios are betting on new things. When they do, there is usually a big name behind it, such as Marvel or James Bond.
The "Hitman" makers from Io Interactive have grabbed the James Bond license and want to thrill fans with stealth and action in their prequel "First Light". "Marvel's Wolverine" by Insomniac, on the other hand, bares its claws and goes all out with a story that is not based on a template. A superhero action-adventure from the "Spider-Man" makers – what could possibly go wrong? Of course, "Wolverine" will be released exclusively for the PS5, at least for now.
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PS5 players can look forward to "Saros" from Housemarque as an exclusive for now. Will the Finns succeed again after "Returnal" in creating a sweat-inducing sci-fi adventure where the gameplay challenge in the Soulslike style and an exciting story are balanced? After years, Capcom wants to finally establish a new brand with "Pragmata". The plot of the small mysterious girl and the elite fighter, who puzzle and shoot their way through the adventure, sounds exciting.
What will happen with long-announced reboots like "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" or "Fable" is pure speculation. It's different with "Lara Croft: Legacy of Atlantis". Development studios Crystal Dynamics and Flying Hog are planning a reinterpretation of the first "Tomb Raider" game, which is already over 30 years old. Let's see how much the ravages of time have gnawed at the gameplay. In any case, I still get goosebumps when I think of that shark. So far, only one thing is certain: "Legacy of Atlantis" is scheduled to be released sometime next year.
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Among the sequels, "Resident Evil: Requiem" is already set to launch in February. After a series of outstanding remakes like "Resident Evil 2", it's up to Capcom to defend their good reputation. Initial trailers suggest a less action-heavy approach than in the brutal "Resident Evil: Village". Nevertheless, it is likely to be scary, brutal, and shocking for players on console and PC.
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The open-world racer "Forza Horizon 6" is also announced for the coming year. This time, players can let loose in Japan. Hardly any racing game offered as much variety and fun as "Forza Horizon 5". The predecessor is therefore considered the benchmark for the genre. Expectations for development studio Playground Games and publisher Microsoft are therefore even higher. What is likely to be certain: an impressive visual implementation and a large scope of play. Realism? Probably not. For Xbox, PC, and probably at some point for the PS5.
"Nioh 3" from Team Ninja will primarily thrill hardcore fans in February for whom frustration is a foreign word. The third installment of this Soulslike series once again shines with merciless enemies and fast-paced combat. A reaction test for players who find "Elden Ring" and co. too easy. All of this exclusively for the PS5.
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In "Gears of War: E-Day", we experience the prequel story of elite soldiers Marcus and Dom. Development studios The Coalition and People Can Fly promise a slightly more straightforward gameplay experience than in "Gears of War 5". This will please fans of the brutal third-person action orgy. Whether they will win new fans with the old formula remains to be seen. The new "Gears of War" will be released exclusively for Xbox and PC.
"Lords of the Fallen 2" is intended to appeal to Soulslike fans with its medieval vibes. HeXWorks already proved to have a good hand with the reboot of its predecessor. It will also be exciting from a German perspective. King Art Games, who surprised with the successful RTS "Iron Harvest", can now let loose in "Warhammer 40 K: Dawn of War 4".
Anything missing? Oh yes. After years of development and with an unofficial budget of over a billion dollars, Rockstar is releasing „Grand Theft Auto 6“, the most expensive game of all time. This time, the gangster chase takes place in a fictional US state called Leonida, based on Florida. Players will step into the roles of the gangster couple Lucia and Jason as protagonists. This will be big and spectacular. However, it is not to be expected that Rockstar will deviate from the proven open-world success formula of racing and shooting. Otherwise, it will be quite quiet around the release date of "GTA 6", currently November 19th: no other major studio will voluntarily release its game at the same time.
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