It’s the halfway point of the year and so far, gamers have been spoiled with great releases. From the intense-yet-satisfying Resident Evil Requiem to the chill-but-addictive Pokémon Pokopia, suffice it to say that if you’re a gamer, 2026 is chock-full of game-of-the-year (GOTY) contenders.
But with five more months left to 2026, there are still many more heavy-hitters that are set to come out, dominate your upcoming gaming sessions, and shake up your final GOTY list.
Without further ado, let’s dive into the biggest titles you need to save up for in the months ahead.
Orbitals
If you’re a fan of old-school sci-fi anime (think Macross, Space Battleship Yamato, or the original Mobile Suit Gundam), then Orbitals is an upcoming title that you should keep an eye out for.
The gameplay mechanics of Orbitals is similar to co-op gameplay puzzlers such as It Takes Two or Split Fiction but what makes it truly stand out is its art style and animations.
Developed by Shapefarm, the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive takes heavy inspiration from the retro-anime art style to create a game that looks and plays like a playable anime show.
Don’t be surprised if you forget to move your character because you ended up getting distracted by how good the animations are in the game.
Orbitals is set to release on Sept 3 for the Nintendo Switch 2.
The Blood Of Dawnwalker
If you’re a fan of vampire games and were not able to get your fill with the release of the underwhelming Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, then The Blood Of Dawnwalker might scratch that itch for a bloodsucking good time.
Dawnwalker is an open-world action role-playing game that’s set in the 14th century, where you play as the titular character Coen, who is a human during the day and turns into a vampire at night.
In terms of gameplay, the game’s approach towards combat is rather unconventional, with a direction system that’s similar to Kingdom Come: Deliverance and For Honor. However, the major attraction of Dawnwalker is its “open-world” activities with tons of quests that players can stumble upon.
Rebel Wolves, the studio behind Dawnwalker, is led by former CD Projekt Red developers, and the influence is present in the studio’s take on choice-driven storylines and open-ended quests.
The Blood of Dawnwalker is set to release on Sept 3 for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Onimusha: Way Of The Sword
After Resident Evil Requiem and Pragmata, Capcom continues its streak of releasing another GOTY contender in 2026 with the return of its supernatural samurai series, Onimusha: Way Of The Sword.
In this latest mainline entry since Onimusha: Dawn Of Dreams (which released all the way back in 2006), players take control of Miyamoto Musashi as he fights deadly demonic creatures known as Genmas.
The demo, which is available for download, gives players a taste of the combat mechanics. Rather than fast-paced action like Devil May Cry or Ninja Gaiden, Way Of The Sword focuses on deliberate swordplay, similar to games such as Lies Of P or Sekiro.
Despite the slower style of gameplay, gamers can still expect exceptionally choreographed cinematic action that the series is known for.
Onimusha: Way Of The Sword is set to release on Sept 4 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC.
Marvel’s Wolverine
Marvel’s Wolverine is Insomniac’s latest foray into the Marvel games universe and lets you take control of Logan, the titular yellow-spandexed character with a bad temper.
Unlike the Marvel’s Spider-Man game series, Wolverine will forego the open-world mechanics that Insomniac has perfected and will instead be a linear action-adventure game with explorable “biomes”, along the lines of Uncharted or 007 First Light.
During Sony’s State of Play in June, Insomniac showcased the game’s combat mechanics with Logan having the ability to attack, parry, and kill enemies to build up “Logan’s Rage”, allowing him to unleash stronger attacks or to activate his “Healing Factor” ability.
Gamers can expect a ton of carnage as they slice and dice their way through a variety of locations and experience an all-new original story created just for the game.
Marvel’s Wolverine is set to release on Sept 15 for the PlayStation 5.
Control Resonant
Take control of Dylan Faden, the younger sibling of Control’s main protagonist Jesse Faden, in Control Resonant, the latest entry in Remedy Entertainment’s critically acclaimed third-person action series.
While the first game was lauded for its gunplay mechanics, Resonant gives players a more visceral combat experience by getting up close and personal with enemies using the “Aberrant”, a melee-focused weapon that can change forms, similar to Jesse’s Service Weapon in the first game.
And just like Jesse, Dylan will also be able to utilise special abilities such as the ability to launch objects towards enemies or create a rock shield to protect himself from enemy attacks through telekinesis.
Gamers can expect the MC Escher-esque level designs, satisfying combat mechanics and the trippy supernatural storytelling that Remedy Entertainment is known for.
Control Resonant is set to release on Sept 24 for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Silent Hill: Townfall
In need of a good survival horror fix? Then Silent Hill: Townfall might be up your alley. A spin-off of the Silent Hill franchise, Townfall puts you in the shoes of Simon Ordell, who finds himself in the fictional town of St Amelia in Scotland.
Taking inspiration from survival horror classics such as Resident Evil 7: Biohazard and the legendary PT demo, Townfall is played entirely from a first-person perspective. This gives the long-running horror franchise a fresh approach to how it’ll showcase the horrors that Silent Hill has to offer.
As with all Silent Hill games, you can expect to be running around with little-to-no weapons while solving creepy puzzles and trying to avoid all the terrifying creatures that will (most likely) kill you.
Silent Hill: Townfall is set to release on Sept 24 for the PlayStation 5 and PC.
Gears Of War: E-Day
Experience the beginnings of the devastation that kick-started the 20-year franchise. Gears of War: E-Day takes gamers back to the beginning, when the Locust Horde first emerged, as they lay siege upon the inhabitants of Kalona, the city where the game will take place.
Gamers will once again play as Dominic “Dom” Santiago and his partner-in-war, Marcus Fenix. The game will also introduce two new characters, Mags Carter, a former COG soldier, and Lucas Reyes, an inexperienced communications officer.
Fans of the series will feel right at home with the gameplay. The “cover-based shooter” that the series is known for returns in all its glory, plus some new features such as the ability to slide around corners and jump over gaps or obstacles.
Just like previous Gears games, multiplayer will be a major focus, with the campaign allowing for two-player local split-screen co-op and up to four players online.
Gears Of War: E-Day is set to release on Oct 6 for the Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 4
Infinity Ward’s latest outing in the modern timeline of the Call Of Duty series, Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, is set to arrive in October with an all-new campaign and an interesting take on multiplayer with the “DMZ” mode.
The “DMZ” is Infinity Ward’s take on the “extraction shooter” genre, where players are dropped into the Hanjin exclusion zone, either solo or in a group, and have to complete objectives while surviving against other players and enemies.
As with the previous Modern Warfare series, Modern Warfare 4 will continue to deliver the fast and fluid gameplay that has set the standard for modern first-person shooter (FPS) games.
Other improvements that Infinity Ward has made to Modern Warfare 4 are to make the multiplayer mechanics more accessible, which should encourage more newcomers (or those not-too-skilled at FPS) to jump into the fray.
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is set to release on Oct 23 for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC.
Grand Theft Auto VI
Possibly the biggest game to come out this year, Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA VI) is the long-awaited newest chapter in the open-world action-adventure game by Rockstar Games.
Arriving 13 years after Grand Theft Auto V, GTA VI takes place in the fictional state of Leonida, where gamers play as the criminal duo Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos as they get entangled in a state-wide conspiracy after a botched heist.
While no official gameplay has been shown yet, the trailers that Rockstar has shown so far hint at an expansive digital world with tons of activities that players can sink hours into. And despite the controversial decision to be a digital-only launch, it hasn’t dampened the excitement for its upcoming release.
Grand Theft Auto VI is set to release on Nov 19 for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.
