Mark's most anticipated PC games for 2026

Bond, blood, broom, and backwoods blasting

2025 had video games. 2026 volition person video games. GTA 6 mightiness beryllium 1 of those video games. However, it’s presently lone pencilled successful for console adjacent year. Not that I considered penning astir it successful this benignant of nonfiction 2 years running, conscionable for a laugh. That’d beryllium hackish and beneath the level I clasp myself to. Well, by astir 3 millimeters.

Anyway, I’ve done this properly. Here are 4 games slated for 2026 that I’m genuinely excited about. Only fractional of them are racing games, truthful I’ve truly exercised immoderate self-discipline. Hope you’re arrogant of me. Without further ado.

007 First Light

Image credit: IO Interactive

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 expecting you, IO Interactive. Your game’s called First Light, 007 First Light, and it’s similar Hitman, but with a spot much of a enactment movie flavour to the sneaking astir and rendering goons unconscious. I’m hardly the biggest Bond buff, much a casual enjoyer of an casual mode to capable a Sunday day with immoderate Daniel Craig spyjinks oregon 1 of the Moore/Connery classics if the grandparents person travel round.

That said, I’m good up for First Light. Especially if it tin connection arsenic satisfying a loop arsenic Hitman’s missions. There’ll beryllium little execution chess and much chatty car chasey shootering arsenic portion of the Bond formula, arsenic IO person shown disconnected astatine assorted points this year. Lenny Kravitz being 1 of the baddies would besides person been a alteration of pace, if Agent 47 hadn’t started regularly rubbing shoulders with the likes of Eminem and Jean-Claude Van Damme implicit the past fewer years.

Diverting from the years-tested ‘find a mode to unalive this person’ quality of Hitman’s execution container levels - each a perfectly-formed maze of slayer domino runs you tin acceptable disconnected astatine will, premix together, oregon wholly wantonness successful favour of improvisation - comes with risk. Bond could beryllium much of a one-time fling than a creation spouse you tango with endlessly until you’ve go acquainted with each astonishment they person to offer. Even if that’s the case, I reckon it’ll inactive beryllium a bully time. If it hits Hitmanny heights, the crippled of the twelvemonth speech could already person a locked-in contender sipping martinis successful the lobby by the extremity of March.

The Blood of Dawnwalker

Image credit: Rebel Wolves

With The Witcher 4 inactive a small mode off, I’m keen to springiness The Blood of Dawnwalker a accidental to get its teeth into maine adjacent year. Much has been made of devs Rebel Wolves’ witchery credentials, and you tin surely spot the resemblance betwixt CD Projekt’s acheronian medieval phantasy and Dawnwalker’s. That said, I’m funny to spot if there’s a Witcher-level wealthiness of substance down the vampire RPG’s time-sensitive ngo to bust into a almighty bloodsucker’s lair and get backmost your family.

Rebel Wolves person been keen to emphasise dynamic changes successful some however quests person to beryllium approached and which powers protagonist Coen has to thin connected depending connected whether it’s time oregon night. They’ve besides heavy pushed the thought that the prime and effect volition beryllium abundant and reasonably brutal, particularly if you’re crap astatine deciding what to prioritise quickly. All of that looks great, adjacent if I’m thoroughly convinced the combat mightiness instrumentality maine a small portion to get into the plaything of. The Witcher 3’s did too, to beryllium fair, and I’m chiefly acrophobic astir lackluster parrying reactions letting maine down successful the directional thrust-heavy sword battles.

Dawnwalker seems acceptable to connection an acquisition that dwells adjacent much profoundly connected acheronian than the Witcher games bash and arsenic specified mightiness boast little of the levity that comes from the likes of Gerry utilizing his mutant powers to retrieve an aged lady’s frying pan. So, assuming determination aren’t galore gags hiding amid the moonlit streets, it’ll beryllium absorbing to spot whether sticking broadly to seriousness tone-wise tin transportation Rebel Wolves towards ruling the night.

Forza Horizon 6

Image credit: Xbox Game Studios

I’ve not played astir arsenic overmuch Forza Horizon 5 arsenic I did Forza Horizon 4. Steam tells maine the hr number stands astatine 245 to 81 successful favour of the latter, and portion I had plentifulness of amusive successful that clip zipping astir Mexico, I’ve not turned FH5’s keys since 2023. A batch of that’s apt down to maine lone coming to Horizon 4 erstwhile it plopped onto Valve’s storefront successful 2021 and playing an atrocious batch of it successful the tally up to the accomplishment of its follow-up.

Horizon 6, though, feels well-positioned to acceptable maine disconnected connected different Forza binge present I’ve had immoderate clip distant from the series’ open-world car collecting festival formula. Setting’s ever cardinal for these games, and racing astir Japan seems similar it’ll connection a akin benignant of diverseness successful biomes and upwind to Horizon 4’s superb rendition of Britain. Sure, I won’t beryllium capable to thrust past Bamburgh castle similar I person galore times successful existent life, but starring a bid of kei cars done an municipality sprawl oregon drifting on constrictive upland passes bordered by cherry blossoms should beryllium killer. Bonus points if I tin rally done immoderate snowfall successful the underhills astir Mount Fuji.

Star Wars: Galactic Racer

Image credit: Fuse Games

I liked Star Wars Outlaws, adjacent if its rendition of the galaxy’s blastery atrocious broadside was a spot by the numbers astatine times. I similar racing games, particularly ones which impact hovering futuristic trade and the accidental to blast done off-road trails dotted with the benignant of ocular vista furnishings that makes you spell ‘cor, that’s pretty’ midway done sliding circular a bend. Star Wars: Galactic Racer looks similar it could wed these 2 into 1 satisfying Sebulba-toting package. Very astir apt my bag, then.