Mark’s most anticipated PC video games for 2026

2025 had video video games. 2026 may have video video games. GTA 6 may be a kind of video video games. However, it’s at the moment solely pencilled in for console subsequent 12 months. Not that I thought-about writing about it on this kind of article two years running, only for fun. That’d be hackish and beneath the extent I maintain myself to. Well, by about three millimeters.

Anyway, I’ve executed this correctly. Here are 4 video games slated for 2026 that I’m genuinely enthusiastic about. Only half of them are racing video games, so I’ve actually exercised some self-discipline. Hope you’re pleased with me. Without additional ado.

007 First Light

Duh-duh duhh, duh-duh duhh, duh-duh de duh-duh. Duh, duh duh duh. Duh, duh duh duh. Dingdiddleingdingding, duhduluhdiddleingdingding, duhduhduhduh, duh, duh, duh. I’ve been anticipating you, IO Interactive. Your sport’s known as First Light, 007 First Light, and it’s like Hitman, however with a bit extra of a motion film flavour to the sneaking about and rendering goons unconscious. I’m hardly the largest Bond buff, extra an informal enjoyer of a simple solution to fill a Sunday afternoon with some Daniel Craig spyjinks or one of many Moore/Connery classics if the grandparents have come spherical.

That stated, I’m nicely up for First Light. Especially if it could possibly provide as satisfying a loop as Hitman’s missions. There’ll be much less homicide chess and extra chatty automobile chasey shootering as a part of the Bond method, as IO have proven off at numerous factors this 12 months. Lenny Kravitz being one of many baddies would even have been a change of tempo, if Agent 47 hadn’t began commonly rubbing shoulders with the likes of Eminem and Jean-Claude Van Damme over the previous few years.

Diverting from the years-tested ‘find a way to unalive this person’ nature of Hitman’s homicide field ranges – every a perfectly-formed maze of killer domino runs you possibly can set off at will, combine collectively, or completely abandon in favour of improvisation – comes with danger. Bond might be extra of a one-time fling than a dance associate you tango with endlessly till you’ve grow to be accustomed to each shock they’ve to supply. Even if that’s the case, I reckon it’ll nonetheless be a superb time. If it hits Hitmanny heights, the sport of the 12 months dialog might have already got a locked-in contender sipping martinis within the foyer by the tip of March.

The Blood of Dawnwalker

With The Witcher 4 nonetheless a bit of means off, I’m eager to offer The Blood of Dawnwalker an opportunity to get its tooth into me subsequent 12 months. Much has been product of devs Rebel Wolves’ witchery credentials, and you’ll definitely see the resemblance between CD Projekt’s darkish medieval fantasy and Dawnwalker’s. That stated, I’m to see if there’s a Witcher-level wealth of substance behind the vampire RPG’s time-sensitive mission to bust into a strong bloodsucker’s lair and get again your loved ones.

Rebel Wolves have been eager to emphasize dynamic adjustments in each how quests need to be approached and which powers protagonist Coen has to lean on relying on whether or not it’s day or evening. They’ve additionally closely pushed the concept that the selection and consequence will likely be considerable and pretty brutal, particularly when you’re crap at deciding what to prioritise rapidly. All of that appears nice, even when I’m totally satisfied the fight may take me a short while to get into the swing of. The Witcher 3’s did too, to be honest, and I’m primarily involved about lackluster parrying reactions letting me down within the directional thrust-heavy sword battles.

Dawnwalker appears set to supply an expertise that dwells much more deeply on darkness than the Witcher video games do and as such may boast much less of the levity that comes from the likes of Gerry utilizing his mutant powers to retrieve an outdated woman’s frying pan. So, assuming there aren’t many gags hiding amid the moonlit streets, it’ll be attention-grabbing to see whether or not sticking broadly to seriousness tone-wise can carry Rebel Wolves in direction of ruling the evening.

Forza Horizon 6

I’ve not performed almost as a lot Forza Horizon 5 as I did Forza Horizon 4. Steam tells me the hour depend stands at 245 to 81 in favour of the latter, and whereas I had loads of enjoyable in that point zipping round Mexico, I’ve not turned FH5’s keys since 2023. Quite a lot of that’s doubtless right down to me solely coming to Horizon 4 when it plopped onto Valve’s storefront in 2021 and enjoying an terrible lot of it within the run as much as the arrival of its follow-up.

Horizon 6, although, feels well-positioned to set me off on one other Forza binge now I’ve had a while away from the collection’ open-world automobile gathering pageant method. Setting’s at all times key for these video games, and racing round Japan looks as if it’ll provide the same kind of range in biomes and climate to Horizon 4’s good rendition of Britain. Sure, I received’t have the ability to drive previous Bamburgh citadel like I’ve quite a few instances in actual life, however main a prepare of kei vehicles by an city sprawl or drifting alongside slender mountain passes bordered by cherry blossoms needs to be killer. Bonus factors if I can rally by some snow within the underhills round Mount Fuji.

Star Wars: Galactic Racer

I favored Star Wars Outlaws, even when its rendition of the galaxy’s blastery dangerous aspect was a bit by the numbers at instances. I like racing video games, particularly ones which contain hovering futuristic craft and the prospect to blast by off-road trails dotted with the kind of visible vista furnishings that makes you go ‘cor, that’s fairly’ halfway by sliding spherical a bend. Star Wars: Galactic Racer appears to be like prefer it might marry these two into one satisfying Sebulba-toting bundle. Very most likely my bag, then.