2025 has been an incredible year for video games, and while the gaming industry takes the time to reflect and celebrate stellar releases like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, ARC Raiders, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and Death Stranding 2, it’s also time to look forward to what 2026 has in store for players. While the first quarter of the year is packed with great AAA and indie releases, the latter parts of the year are strangely empty.
This gaping hole is caused by the shadow that’s been hanging over the gaming industry ever since December of 2023. This shadow is, of course, Grand Theft Auto 6. Every developer in the world is trying desperately to avoid releasing near what is sure to be a dominant cultural juggernaut, which is why so many games that were previously confirmed for 2026 have hesitated to confirm a more solid release date. Though GTA 6 has crowded the spotlight with its (ever-changing) release date, there are plenty of other games to get hyped for in the next few months.
