The bank robberies, car chases and Florida antics expected in Grand Theft Auto VI are almost here: After about a decade of anticipation and a year of delays, the game is scheduled to be released in November. It is a huge moment for the video game industry after the series’ previous entry sold 230 million copies across three console generations.
During the final months that gamers must wait to return to Vice City, they can check out new games from other notable franchises such as Silent Hill, Gears of War, Final Fantasy and Call of Duty.
September
MARVEL’S WOLVERINE: The adamantium claws will slice and the blood will flow in a visceral follow-up to several Spider-Man games. Jean Grey will use her telekinetic powers to help Logan, who can build up explosive rage with every successful parry, attack and kill. (Sept 15; PS5)
CONTROL RESONANT: This action-adventure sequel leaves a Brutalist headquarters for a distorted New York replete with gravitational challenges and abnormal creatures. The protagonist’s shape-shifting weapon can become a two-handed hammer or dual-wielded blades. (Sept 24; PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S)
SILENT HILL: TOWNFALL: A spinoff of the psychological horror franchise takes players into the famous fog, this time fully in a first-person mode. A portable television device provides story insights and clues about the puzzles and enemies you will encounter. (Sept 24; PC, PS5)
October
GEARS OF WAR: E-DAY: A prequel exploring E-Day, the moment the insectlike Locust emerged from holes in the ground, will reconnect players with familiar characters from the third-person cover shooter. Chain saw assault rifles are included. (Oct 6; PC, Xbox Series X|S)
SILVER PINES: Pick your inspiration for this survival horror Metroidvania: Alan Wake, Resident Evil, Silent Hill, Twin Peaks, The X-Files. There are eerie environments, locked doors and limited resources. (Oct 8; PC, PS5, Switch, Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S)
FOREVER AGO: Take an emotional road trip with Alfred, an older man who must solve environmental puzzles with the help of a camera and decades of memories. (Oct 8; PC, PS5, Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S)
VALOR MORTIS: To perfectly time dodges, parries and counters in the challenging Soulslike genre, the third-person perspective is crucial. This is an audacious first-person spin with a supernatural connection to the Napoleonic Wars. (Oct 13; PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S)
FINAL FANTASY RESONANCE: A pixel-art version of the role-playing game features the airships, chocobos and turn-based combat that have drawn fans since the late 1980s. (Oct 22; PC, PS5, Switch, Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S)
CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFARE 4: North Korea has invaded South Korea in a novel setting for the popular first-person shooter. An extraction mode called DMZ is in the vein of Escape From Tarkov and Arc Raiders. (Oct 23; PC, PS5, Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S)
PHANTOM BLADE ZERO: Chinese martial arts meets a steampunk aesthetic in this action role-playing game where the assassin Soul has only 66 days to live. The filmmaker and martial artist Donnie Yen was a creative consultant for a game the studio describes as “kungfupunk.” (Oct 29; PC, PS5)
November
THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: OCARINA OF TIME: A remake of the beloved 1998 game, in which Link must travel through time to stop Ganondorf, adds some contemporary features, including voice-acted characters, full camera control and a dash button for faster movement. (Nov 5; Switch 2)
GRAND THEFT AUTO VI: The gaming calendar gets emptier in November because it’s a fool’s errand to battle the cultural behemoth that is the first Grand Theft Auto game in 13 years. The return to Vice City, a sweeping version of Miami, follows a Bonnie and Clyde-like couple. (Nov 19; PS5, Xbox Series X|S) – ©2026 The New York Times Company
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
