It might not be the best time to upgrade your PC, but there are still plenty of great games on the way. The even better news? Many of them won't require a monster PC to play or enjoy. The rest of the year will bring releases we've been waiting ages to get our hands on, with sequels, remakes, indie standouts, and big-budget blockbusters from major studios.

From kicking chickens in Albion and exploring James Bond's origins to driving supercars across Japan and commanding Orks and Space Marines in a grimdark future, here are our most anticipated PC games of 2026.

007: First Light

• Release Date: May 27
• Genre: Action-adventure
• Buy if you like: Uncharted, Hitman, Metal Gear Solid

First Light has been building hype for years, and now that IO Interactive is finally ready to unveil its take on James Bond, it feels like we could be looking at the most exciting 007 game since GoldenEye. Rather than leaning on an existing movie, First Light tells an original origin story, charting Bond's early days before he becomes the martini-sipping super-spy we know.

IO's pedigree with the Hitman series is immediately apparent in the game's social stealth, globe-trotting locations, and the freedom to approach objectives in multiple ways. Think less linear shooter, more sandbox spy thriller. The tone appears to blend the grit of Casino Royale with classic Bond spectacle – luxury casinos, shadowy organizations, explosive set pieces – while still giving players the option to ghost through missions or go in guns blazing. Gadgets, disguises, and improvisation should all be key tools in your arsenal.

Replaced

• Release Date: April 14
• Genre: Action platformer
• Buy if you like: Inside, Prince of Persia, Batman Arkham, retro-pixel art, cyberpunk

Replaced has been in the works for a very long time – development started in 2018 – but now that the launch date is almost upon us, the wait appears to have been worth it. It's hard to think of a game that blends retro-style pixel art with modern graphics as well as Replaced does. It looks spectacular in both the gritty cyberpunk cities and the wastelands beyond, drawing comparisons to Flashback and Another World for today's generation.

Set in a dystopian, alternate version of America in the 1980s, Replaced imagines a world where the US dropped nukes on its own soil instead of Japan at the end of WWII. You play an artificial intelligence unwillingly trapped in a human body, in a story that mixes Blade Runner, The Running Man, and a big helping of Upgrade. The 2.5D gameplay mostly involves platforming and Batman: Arkham-style fighting, but there are also puzzles, mini-games, and an excellent synthwave soundtrack. Replaced could be a sleeper hit appealing to both fans of classic games and newcomers.

Fable

• Release Date: Fall 2026
• Genre: Action RPG
• Buy if you like: Fable, Fable 2, The Witcher 3, GreedFall

It's been more than fifteen years since the launch of Fable III, and series developer Lionhead Studios closed in 2016. Now, UK-based Playground Games – best known for Forza Horizon – is reviving the franchise with a fresh start. Rather than continuing the original trilogy, this entry preserves the series' dry British humor while modernizing its systems and world design.

Players create a custom hero whose journey begins in a quiet village before a catastrophic event sets them on a path that could reshape Albion's future. The open world is described as fully explorable and reactive, with hundreds of enterable buildings and NPCs who remember and respond to your actions. A nuanced reputation system replaces the old good-versus-evil meter, and property ownership, relationships, marriage, and home building return. Combat blends melee, ranged weapons, and magic, with the trademark fairy-tale absurdity intact. Built using the ForzaTech engine, the new Fable aims to deliver a richly detailed, modern Albion.

Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War 4

• Release Date: Sometime in 2026
• Genre: RTS
• Buy if you like: Dawn of War I & II, Company of Heroes, Iron Harvest

Almost ten years after the disappointing Dawn of War 3, the RTS set in Games Workshop's grimdark future returns. Developer King Art Games appears to be steering the series back toward what fans loved most: large-scale warfare, base building, and brutal battlefield spectacle. Early footage shows sprawling maps filled with fortified positions, armored columns, and waves of infantry.

Classic factions return, including Space Marines, Adeptus Mechanicus, Necrons, and Ork forces, each with distinct playstyles and signature units such as towering Dreadnoughts and ramshackle war machines. There are unique campaigns and plenty of familiar faces. The game promises a full cover system, objectives, powerful stratagem abilities like orbital bombardments, and much more to quicken any Warhammer 40K fan's pulse. Early hands-on impressions have been positive, but King Art Games carries heavy expectations.

Phantom Blade Zero

• Release Date: September 9
• Genre: Action role-playing game
• Buy if you like: Sekiro, Stellar Blade, Black Myth: Wukong

Phantom Blade Zero has rocketed up wishlists since its reveal. With its September 2026 launch approaching, S-Game's kinetic action RPG is shaping up to be a potential breakout hit. Set in a dark kungfupunk world that fuses wuxia martial-arts mythology, steampunk tech, and supernatural horror, the game follows Soul, an elite assassin framed for murder and given just 66 days to live.

The rain-soaked rooftops, grotesque enemies, and stylized choreography evoke classic Hong Kong cinema filtered through Unreal Engine 5. Combat is blisteringly fast and technical, emphasizing parries, dodges, and fluid weapon switching rather than slow stamina-driven duels. Players carry multiple weapons, chain combos, and deploy special abilities. The semi-open world features interconnected regions, branching paths, and multiple endings influenced by side quests and player choices. If it delivers on its promise, Phantom Blade Zero could do for wuxia-inspired action what Black Myth: Wukong did for mythic fantasy.

Control Resonant

• Release Date: Sometime in 2026
• Genre: Action role-playing
• Buy if you like: Control, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, God of War: Ragnarök

It's been almost seven years since the original Control was released. Remedy's long-awaited sequel shifts focus from Jesse Faden to her brother Dylan as reality itself begins to fracture beyond the Bureau's containment. Set in a paranaturally warped Manhattan, the story follows Dylan as he searches for Jesse while battling a cosmic force threatening to reshape the world.

Unlike the original's third-person shooter emphasis, Resonant leans into action-RPG territory, prioritizing melee combat and player-driven progression. Dylan wields the shapeshifting Aberrant weapon and uses supernatural abilities to manipulate gravity, space, and the environment. The Oldest House gives way to larger, interconnected zones across a distorted cityscape filled with side activities, hidden encounters, and optional discoveries. The Northlight engine enables more expansive outdoor settings, reality-bending architecture, and physics-driven spectacle on a far grander scale.

Subnautica 2

• Release Date: Sometime in 2026
• Genre: Survival
• Buy if you like: Subnautica, No Man's Sky, The Forest

Subnautica 2 is set on an entirely new ocean world, continuing the series' blend of exploration, base building, and environmental storytelling. Developed by Unknown Worlds, the biggest change is scale and company: for the first time in the series, players can explore solo or in co-op with up to four people, transforming lonely survival into shared discovery.

New biomes, creatures, vehicles, and tools are planned for Early Access, alongside expanded story elements and upgrades that deepen long-term progression. Gameplay evolves with new traversal mechanics and even DNA modification, allowing players to acquire abilities that enhance survival in the depths. Built in Unreal Engine 5, the sequel aims to deliver more detailed environments and dynamic underwater ecosystems. The Early Access launch was delayed from 2025 to 2026 to expand content and polish, but community feedback remains a core pillar.

Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred

• Release Date: April 28
• Genre: ARPG
• Buy if you like: Diablo series, Path of Exile, Last Epoch

Have you drifted away from Diablo 4? April 28 might be a good time to return when Lord of Hatred arrives. The second major expansion and finale of the Age of Hatred storyline centers on Mephisto's growing influence and a looming final confrontation that could determine Sanctuary's fate. The campaign unfolds in the long-requested region of Skovos, a lore-rich land tied to the origins of Lilith and Inarius.

Two new classes headline the expansion: the return of the Paladin, with holy auras and frontline resilience, and the Warlock, a darker counterpart that channels forbidden magic, curses, and demonic power. Beyond new heroes, Lord of Hatred promises endgame revisions, fresh progression systems, and new activities designed to deepen customization and keep seasonal characters engaging. If Blizzard delivers more than just extra content, this could mark the moment Diablo 4 fully realizes its long-term potential.

Forza Horizon 6

• Release Date: May 19
• Genre: Racing
• Buy if you like: Forza Horizon series, The Crew Motorfest, Need for Speed Unbound

The Forza Horizon series has long been called the racing game that even people who hate racing games can enjoy. With the action moving to Japan, Forza Horizon 6 looks set to steal a lot of time in 2026. Expect an enormous car roster of more than 550 vehicles spanning tuners, hypercars, classics, and off-road beasts, alongside robust customization and tuning systems.

From neon-soaked city streets and dense expressways to winding mountain passes and cherry blossom countryside, Japan offers a strikingly diverse playground for high-speed sprints and technical drifting. Dynamic seasons and weather return, potentially transforming familiar routes into new challenges. The festival structure remains central, blending special events with open-world freedom, social challenges, and online co-op. Whether chasing leaderboard times or cruising scenic routes with friends, Horizon's sandbox design encourages players to create their own fun.

Crimson Desert

• Release Date: March 19
• Genre: Action-adventure
• Buy if you like: Dragon's Dogma 2, The Witcher 3

The biggest concern about Crimson Desert is that it looks too good to be true. After years of trailers and repeated delays, players will finally find out if it really is as incredible as it looks on March 19. Originally conceived as a follow-up to Black Desert Online, it evolved into a standalone single-player open-world RPG set on the war-torn continent of Pywel.

The story follows mercenary captain Kliff and his Greymane comrades as shifting alliances, political intrigue, and all-out warfare tear the land apart. Pearl Abyss's proprietary BlackSpace engine powers a world dense with detail, from windswept mountain ranges and bustling medieval cities to chaotic large-scale battles. Combat blends grounded melee clashes with wrestling-style grapples, environmental interactions, and physics-driven chaos. Trailers show duels, battlefield skirmishes, horseback combat, siege weapons, towering bosses, and mechanical-dragon riding. With a seamless open world packed with side activities, Crimson Desert could be one of the most technically impressive RPGs in years.

Slay the Spire 2

• Release Date: March 2026
• Genre: Roguelike deck-building
• Buy if you like: Slay the Spire, Monster Train 2, Balatro

The greatest roguelike deckbuilder of all time is getting a long-awaited sequel. Slay the Spire 2 arrives in March 2026 via Early Access, tasking players to once again climb the spire. Expect the same addictive loop of building a deck on the fly, battling strange enemies, and making high-stakes choices at branching map nodes, but with new characters, mechanics, and a completely rebuilt engine designed for deeper systems and long-term updates. A new four-player co-op option is also included.

Combat remains turn-based and deceptively simple: play cards using limited energy, chain synergies, buy new items, and exploit enemy patterns. New card types, relic interactions, and status effects promise fresh strategic wrinkles, while redesigned enemies push players to their limits. Visually, the sequel retains the hand-drawn aesthetic of the original while introducing smoother animation and more expressive effects. With the original still the gold standard of deckbuilding roguelikes, Slay the Spire 2 has enormous expectations, but it could be one of the year's biggest hits.

Gears of War: E-Day

• Release Date: Sometime in 2026
• Genre: Third-person shooter
• Buy if you like: Gears of War series, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Few moments in gaming lore are as well-known as Emergence Day. Gears of War: E-Day takes players back to the horrific beginning of humanity's war against the Locust. This prequel, set 14 years before the original Gears of War, follows a younger Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago as Sera's cities collapse in real time beneath a sudden subterranean invasion.

Built in Unreal Engine 5, E-Day looks to push Gears of War's signature visuals to a new level. Crumbling skyscrapers, collapsing streets, and swarming Locust forces create a sense of overwhelming scale. Combat retains the cover-based action the series defined, with weighty weapons, close-quarters executions, and squad-based tactics remaining central. For longtime fans, this is more than pure nostalgia: it's a chance to experience the defining moment of the Gears universe with modern technology.

Star Wars: Zero Company

• Release Date: Sometime in 2026
• Genre: Turn-based tactics
• Buy if you like: XCOM, Phoenix Point, Gears Tactics, Wasteland 3

If the thought of XCOM set in the Star Wars universe makes you excited, then Star Wars: Zero Company should be at the top of your 2026 watch list. This turn-based tactics game puts players in command of an elite squad operating in the twilight of the Clone Wars. Precision planning and battlefield positioning matter far more than raw firepower, and rather than following Jedi heroes, Zero Company focuses on boots-on-the-ground operations.

Missions emphasize squad composition, cover mechanics, and calculated risk, with overwatch traps, flanking maneuvers, and environmental destruction shaping combat. Like XCOM, players manage their team, develop a base of operations, upgrade gear, and create specialized roles between assignments. Soldiers can be lost permanently if a mission goes wrong, adding real stakes. The Star Wars setting introduces droids, heavy troopers, and alien environments, while blasters, lightsabers, and thermal detonators add familiar tools with strategic twists.

Gothic 1 Remake

• Release Date: June 5
• Genre: Action RPG
• Buy if you like: Gothic games, Risen, Kingdom Come Deliverance

Few RPGs inspire the kind of cult devotion that Gothic does. After more than two decades, players are finally returning to The Colony in a full modern remake. Developed by Alkimia Interactive and published by THQ Nordic, Gothic 1 Remake rebuilds the 2001 classic from the ground up while preserving the gritty atmosphere and unforgiving design that made it legendary.

Set in the Valley of the Mines, the story casts you as the nameless prisoner thrown into a brutal penal colony where power is dictated by rival camps and survival depends on choosing allegiances carefully. The world is an organic open environment that reacts to player actions, with NPCs following daily routines and factions responding to your decisions. While faithful to the original's structure, the remake introduces modern combat, expanded crafting and armor systems, and deeper quest design. Built in Unreal Engine 5, it delivers a sweeping visual overhaul while retaining the harsh, grounded tone that defined the series.

Honorable Mentions

GTA VI

The most anticipated game of the decade, the next Grand Theft Auto, would be the first name on this 2026 list... if only Take-Two had confirmed its PC release this fall. But we don't know when the game will hit our favorite platform, and based on Rockstar's previous titles, it's unlikely to be this year. It's anyone's guess when a PC version will arrive. Still, here's hoping for a surprise.

Resident Evil Requiem

Resident Evil Requiem appears in this section because it's only days away from launch, which means all the reviews and leaks will likely be out by now. The latest entry looks as terrifying and brilliant as earlier installments, so get that extra pair of pants ready.

Source: TechSpot News