Switch Online GameCube controller support also confirmed.
GRID: Legends: Deluxe Edition was announced for the Switch 2 at the end of last year and will be “coming soon” to the new hybrid system.
It’s already been confirmed this version of the game will feature graphics and performance modes, and more details about these modes have now been revealed by the developer Feral Interactive during a chat with fans on Reddit.
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Dragon questing since 1986.
2026 is a big year for video game anniversaries, and one of the many celebrations already getting underway is for the Dragon Quest series.
This year, the long-running role-playing series will turn 40 years old. To kick things off, Square Enix and its official Dragon Quest social accounts have now shared a look at the official anniversary logo.
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We’ve rounded up the best deals for Saturday, January 3, below. Don’t miss your chance to save on these deals!
Fantasian Neo Dimension is the latest game from a legendary creator who needs no introduction: Hironobu Sakaguchi. This incredible turn-based RPG is a joy to play through, featuring a great story with music from the all-time great Nobuo Uematsu. Pick up a Nintendo Switch copy today and add it to your collection for only $26.70.
If you’re a Nintendo Switch 2 owner, a microSD Express Card is an absolutely essential purchase. The internal 256GB of storage is nowhere near enough for most players, especially with huge games like Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade set to take up over a third of that space later this month. You can save $20 off this 256GB microSD Express Card at Amazon and instantly double your Switch 2 storage.
Tales of Graces f was one of Bandai Namco’s earliest 2025 releases, marking one of the first initiatives in the Tales of Remastered Project. At $19.79, you’re getting a classic RPG that has been remastered for modern times, featuring a dash button, autosave, accessibility features, and much more. It’s perfect for anyone who wasn’t able to experience the original in 2012.
Resident Evil 2 is one of the greatest remakes ever made, and you can take home a physical copy of its best version today on PS5 for only $14.99. This legendary game released in 2019, and it’s going to be essential to experience it before the arrival of Resident Evil Requiem next month.
Gears of War shockingly hit PlayStation for the first time in its history as part of Xbox’s multiplatform approach earlier this year. This enhanced and remastered edition of the first game is the perfect entry point for PlayStation players, and you can save $15 off a physical copy today at Target.
If you’re on the hunt for an excellent gaming mouse, look no further than the Logitech G309 Lightspeed for $59.99 today at Amazon. This wireless mouse features a 300 plus hour battery life with AA battery, with unlimited battery using the Powerplay mousepad. The included HERO 25K sensor is perfect for tracking at maximum precision, and the lightweight nature is great for competitive gaming.
Avatar has taken over the world once again with the release of Avatar: Fire and Ash, the third film in the Avatar saga thus far. If you’re itching to experience more of Pandora, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora from Ubisoft was a sleeper hit that’s on sale this weekend. This edition of the game features both the base game and its expansion, which is perfect for new players.
Well, I can confidently say one thing about being “the Xbox guy” at IGN: it’s never boring. Granted, it is often frustrating, depressing, weird, and occasionally shocking. But there’s almost never a dull moment. So went Xbox’s 2025. As I looked back on last year’s version of this column, I found that I got plenty of my forecasting right, a few things wrong, and there was some stuff I could’ve never predicted. And so as I look ahead to Xbox’s 2026, I will once again expect the unexpected – but I’ll also dig into everything we can reasonably surmise about what could maybe, possibly be the last full calendar year of the Xbox Series generation before Microsoft seemingly gears up to release a console/PC hybrid.
The thing is, a month ago, this piece would’ve been a heck of a lot easier to write. It would’ve been all about Microsoft’s Big Four – Halo, Gears of War, Fable, and Forza – all returning in the same year for the first time in over a decade(!) to deliver Xbox’s biggest and possibly best lineup since the Xbox 360 days. But then Galactus, aka Grand Theft Auto 6, showed up to consume everything in its path, as it’s been delayed from May to November of 2026 and will now effectively have November onwards – a key holiday-shopping window of Q4 every year – all to itself. Any game company executive that willingly ships a game anywhere near GTA 6 should be fired and institutionalized. It’s not just a bad idea, it’s business suicide.
And yes, nearly every major publisher will be affected by this to some degree; Sony has the long-anticipated Marvel’s Wolverine slated for the Fall, and Nintendo…well, maybe Nintendo is the exception to the Grand Theft Auto rule. But Microsoft is potentially the most screwed by Rockstar’s shifted timeline. Halo: Campaign Evolved is surely intended to ship right near Halo’s 25th anniversary on November 15. Uh-oh. Meanwhile, Gears of War: E-Day was almost certainly scheduled for the Fall (to wit: none of the five mainline Gears games has ever shipped outside of the Fall season), Fable’s hugely anticipated revival was probably penciled in for the holiday season after Playground Games delayed it, and Forza Horizon 6? OK, I’d bet on that one dropping sooner rather than later, because a Forza Horizon game doesn’t need a big public relations or marketing campaign. It’s such a powerhouse franchise with a sterling reputation that all fans need to know is where it’s set (Japan), what new cars are in it (TBD), and how soon they can play it. Once Forza Horizon 6 was announced at the Tokyo Game Show in late September, I figured it would probably be out within six months. And I still think that.
And what about Call of Duty for 2026, which the franchise’s alternating development timeline suggests is probably Modern Warfare 4 from Infinity Ward? Historically, Activision’s annual juggernaut always arrives within a two-week window between the last week of October and the first week of November. Considering how much overlap I’d guess there is between Call of Duty and GTA in the Venn Diagram of Casual-Leaning Gamers Who Only Buy a Couple Games a Year, which one do you think those people are going to choose if they can only afford to buy one of them (particularly given that they’re each likely to cost at least $80)? I know which one I’d pick…
In fact, what happens to all of Microsoft’s big presumed Fall plans now that Rockstar has planted its flag in the ground for November 19? The short answer is that I’m not sure all five of Xbox’s biggest first-party games can ship in 2026 anymore. Not if Microsoft wants to make any money on them, anyway. The good news is that all of these games have a great chance to be fantastic titles that score big with critics and fans alike. Microsoft just has to make sure they don’t get squashed like bugs under Grand Theft Auto 6’s Godzilla-sized feet. It’s reasonable to expect one or both of Fable and Gears of War: E-Day to push into the first half of 2027, while I’d bet on Call of Duty being moved up as much as possible – mid-October might be as far forward as they can pull it without crunching all of its developers to death. And if Forza Horizon 6 isn’t already planned for the first half of 2026 (and again, I’m confident that it is), I’d guess that somewhere around August is the new plan.
And that’s not even everything. State of Decay 3, Clockwork Revolution, and Hideo Kojima’s OD feel like they’re a little further out than next year, but there’s one lesser-known game that might stand toe-to-toe with anything else Xbox has coming up: promising pixel-art potential masterpiece Replaced. The debut game from Sad Cat Studios will finally land as an Xbox exclusive in 2026. I’ve played it, and it sets off my Spidey Sense as something that could be truly special – a possible generation-defining indie game, like how Limbo and Braid were for the Xbox 360 and Inside was for the Xbox One.
Regardless of exactly when each of Xbox’s blockbusters finally drop, though, the Xbox’s Big Four couldn’t be lining up to land at a better time, because the Xbox brand image is in tatters. Repeated mass layoffs. Game cancellations. Studio closures. Halo heading to PS5, which was the biggest, clearest white flag Microsoft waved to tell gamers, “It’s fine, you don’t need an Xbox; you can play any and all of our games on other platforms if you want to.” It was a Covenant energy sword through the heart for long-loyal Xbox fans.
All Xbox gamers have ever wanted is a Sony-like pipeline of awesome games on a consistent basis. It would seem we’ve finally got what we’ve wanted – over the past 12 or so months, Xbox has shipped Black Ops 6 and 7, STALKER 2, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Avowed, South of Midnight, Flight Simulator 2024, Doom: The Dark Ages, Ninja Gaiden 2 Black and Ninja Gaiden 4, Gears of War Reloaded, The Outer Worlds 2, and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered — but not without the monkey’s paw curling in the process.
And so as we look ahead to what to expect from Xbox in 2026, software shines brighter than ever. Hardware…well, rumors of the next-gen Xbox/PC hybrid are flying fast and furious, so could that mean an official announcement at the 2026 Xbox Showcase in June followed by a release in Fall 2027? And as for the platform? I’m not sure what, if anything, can be done to revive excitement in that.
So where does that leave Xbox heading into Year 6 of the Series X|S generation? Paradoxically, it is both better and worse off than it’s ever been, for all of the reasons I’ve already gone over. Exclusives are dead, but great games are plentiful. Hardware is more expensive than it was at launch, but there’s a pretty sweet handheld now. Life as an Xbox fan is both awesome and terrible, and I’m not sure I can sum it up any better than that.
Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s executive editor of previews and host of both IGN’s weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He’s a North Jersey guy, so it’s “Taylor ham,” not “pork roll.” Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.
New year, new plans?
You made it. You’re here reading these words in 2026! Well done, old bean.
As is traditional, it’s been a quiet week in the world of video games as most industry people take some time off over the holidays. Although not Eric Barone, it seems, as Stardew Valley: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition slipped onto North American eShops on Christmas Day. There were a few snags, unfortunately, and it isn’t on European eShops at the time of writing, but Barone promises that fixes are coming.
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Get a Sceptilite Stone.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A has announced Season 5 Ranked Battles are “coming soon”. This time round, when you reach Rank S, you’ll be able to claim a Sceptilite stone.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Is it finally happening?
The Final Fantasy XIV Online director Naoki ‘Yoshi-P’ Yoshida has spoken about bringing the popular MMORPG to Nintendo platforms on multiple occasions.
During a New Year chat, he has now been asked once again about the possibility of this title coming to Switch systems and has reportedly told fans to “please look forward to it” (thanks, Livedoor).
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Update: “Chapter 5 is on track to release later this year”.
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Before the year is out, Undertale creator Toby Fox has shared a “status update” about Deltarune Chapter 5.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
With all the great titles 2025 has graced us with, there’s barely been time to put down the DualSense wireless controller these past 12 months. No matter what genre you favor chances are you’ve been eating well, whether it’s been big budget blockbusters like Death Stranding 2: On the Beach and Ghost of Yōtei, or instant classics like Hollow Knight: Silksong and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
Sure, 2026 has a lot to live up to, but even its first few months have plenty coming to PS5 and PS4. Better get your wishlists ready, things are about to get busy in the best way…
If the tower defense role-playing game original didn’t quite scratch an itch, never fear. This space opera spinoff from the original Arknights keeps its strategic RPG stylings but ramps up the action and exploration in its lavish, yet hostile high-tech world. Gather resources to build and expand factories and bases and unleash flashy combos with a party of up to four in tactical real-time combat. And did I mention that one of the characters is a sunglasses wearing panda called Da Pan? Well, now you know.
Despite its ever-ominous title, the Seven Deadly Sins series has always been a colorful RPG romp, with this latest entry reimagining its bold beginnings to tell an original story. Remaining within the fanatical world of Britannia from its manga/anime source material, you and up to five players via drop-in/out co-op can explore a massive open-world of monsters, dungeons, and a multiversal quest. Yes, that means rifts in space-time, different dimensions, and alternate timelines, to keep you on your toes.
Speaking of traversing timelines, fans of dystopian fantasy will feel right at home with this action RPG which tasks you to save a collapsing world across eras. With your actions as a Revenant Hunter 100 years in the past rewriting the landscape of the present, Code Vein II is a rich adventure with a customizable build system to reflect how you engage in its flashy battles and uniquely equipped partners to fight alongside you. Oh, and Code Vein veterans will be happy to know you can still drain blood from enemies to help activate special abilities.
If you’re anything like me, the mere mention of Dragon Quest immediately triggers its signature theme tune in your head – but that’s the perfect preface to a remake which aims to do its early 2000s PlayStation original proud. The classic tale of a fisherman’s son turned time-traveling hero has been updated, along with the addition of a well-crafted diorama visual style which makes Akira Toriyama’s iconic character designs pop off the screen. And the combat system has been improved to give you access to even more abilities and pre-emptive strikes.
Team Ninja’s dark fantasy action-RPG series lets you blend samurai and ninja skills to take the fight to the powerful calamity only known as the Crucible. As samurai Tokugawa Takechiyo, the fate of Japan rests on your blade, as his jealous brother’s yokai hordes look to bring hell to humanity. You won’t just remain in the Edo period, either, as you’ll have a chance to discover the secrets of the Sengoku, Heian, and Bakumatsu eras, along with their relevant historical figures.
Fancy adding a bit more fight to your 2026? 91Act’s flashy roguelite platform adventure packs all the chunky, combo driven combat you expect from a BlazBlue game and slides it into the slick side-scrolling affair. Full of colorful pyrotechnics, potent power-ups, and a detailed progression system, there’s lots here to get stuck into.
The developers of narratively powerful procedurally-generated adventure Road 96 switches streets for seas. As part of a community of nomads called Tidewalkers, your actions shape the story in the quest to find a cure for the deadly plastification of ocean planet Elynd. But choose your actions carefully – the asynchronous multiplayer gameplay means yours and other players’ choices can affect how the world reacts to you as a Tidewalker.
Wake up, detective, it’s time to take on a new case. Internet idol Iris Sagan has apparently been abducted by aliens, and as sleuth Kaname Date only you can help her. Set between the two previous titles in the AI: The Somnium Files series, this spin-off blends a visual novel narrative with escape room puzzles and third-person exploration sequences where you enter the dreams of potential suspects for clues.
We’ve all been eagerly waiting to return to Racoon City. So when Resident Evil Requiem was announced you could almost taste the collective mixture of excitement and dread. The iconic survival horror series is back for another bite, this time putting curious but wholly unprepared intelligence agent Grace Ashcroft in the middle of its blood-soaked investigation. You’ll also be slipping back into the shoes of returning RE icon Leon S. Kennedy. With the freedom to choose between first and third-person viewpoints as you play, Capcom is promising classic chills that will get right up in your face, and more than likely inside some zombie guts, too.
Marathon runs will get brutal fast. Bungie’s new PvPvE extraction shooter takes place in the dark sci-fi world of Tau Ceti, where rival Runners and hostile UESC security will get between you and your high-stakes heist attempts. Tense survival FPS gameplay awaits as you scavenge abandoned colony outposts stuffed with loot, stalking solo or forging fragile, on-the-fly alliances with rival crews through proximity chat in the race to extract alive.
Let’s get straight into it – the ‘Curse’ part of the title is actually a cursed hat that you control which has the power to possess enemies and use their abilities in this colorful 2D Metroidvania roguelike. And after you’ve used their skills for combat, puzzles, and traversal, you can wind down by rebuilding your ruined village to prepare for your next run. Why not bring three other friends along for the journey via the multiplayer mode, as well?
If you’ve never experienced the cozy visual novel joys of Coffee Talk, then this is the ideal opportunity to grab a cup of joe and take a seat at the strangest café on the block. Spinning off from the main series, Coffee Talk Tokyo lets you hear the stories of not only people seeking meaning, but also supernatural creatures including vampires, mermaids, and ghosts looking for a little (and mostly not literal) heart-to-heart. You can also craft beautiful latte art that will really make you feel you’re in the middle of summertime Tokyo.
Overhauling this creepy PlayStation 2 cult classic with enhancements across its visuals and audio was just the start for Koei Tecmo. This memorable survival horror’s use of the Camera Obscura to photograph objects and battle evil spirits has also been given new features, including filter switching to perform feats such as increasing your ‘shooting’ distance in combat.
This open-world adventure has been on the lips of many since its reveal back in 2019, so those craving to test their skill and strength in the fantasy continent of Pywel haven’t long left to wait. Combat, crafting and cooking, join a variety of other activities such as fishing and mining, which means there’s plenty to give you a break from the fight against savage rival tribes, brutish monsters, and even a mechanical dragon.
The Musoi majesty of Koei Tecmo’s tactical action series gets a glow-up in 2026, as the PlayStation 2 original returns with a modernized look, refined gameplay and UI, and content from its Dynasty Warriors 3: Xtreme Legends expansion. So you’re not just getting the finely honed and ever entertaining 1 vs 1,000 gameplay, there’s also new weapons, storylines and challenge modes to clash swords with.
Hitman developer IO Interactive making a James Bond game? It’s a match made in 00-heaven. Set before the MI6 super spy gained his 007 status, this reimagined origin story aims to deliver fast cars, smooth (and at the perfect times, slow-motion) gunplay, innovative gadgets, and the ability to complete Bond’s missions in a variety of ways. Steal and sneak your way into compounds, bluff and bluster past guards, eavesdrop for intelligence, take down enemies with stealth, or maybe just let your fists fly.
If you’ve had that image of an astronaut and a mysterious young girl lodged in your brain since Pragmata’s first reveal trailer, 2026 is finally your payoff. Capcom’s new sci-fi IP strands spacefarer Hugh and his android companion Diana on a cold lunar research station ruled by rogue AI, pairing Hugh’s weighty third-person shooting with Diana’s reality-bending hacks to hijack enemies and crack environmental puzzles.
Housemarque’s been hard at work after delivering the excellent Returnal, and Saros is bringing all the qualities that have made the developer one to watch. Mysterious, otherworldly setting? Check. Fast-paced sci-fi shooting? No doubt. Although unlike Returnal, each death in Saros lets you choose and permanently upgrade your weapon and suit loadout. And there’s even more secrets about the game to be revealed…
This is just a small selection of what’s coming down the line – which early 2026 titles are you looking forward to playing?
Update: Some fresh titles have been added for 2026.
Update: As of 31st December 2025, a bunch of games previously included in this guide have now returned to their usual price. To compensate for this, newly-discounted games have been added and will remain on sale until 11th January. The full list has decreased from 100 to 65, but there’s still plenty to check out here.
Nintendo has launched its latest eShop sale in the UK, discounting a bunch of titles for the Christmas season. (The US has a similar sale going, too, though that one finishes on 4th January.)
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