Last year, I used this article to run down mostly AAA games that I thought would be either critically or commercially successful, but I thought that with 2026, we should shake things up. This year, I wanted to look at our slate of known games and figure out which games are going to create the most discussion. In other words, when these games come out, you’re not going to be able to avoid the discord. It won’t matter if you like or dislike a game; the internet is going to be there to tell you you’re an idiot for thinking the opposite.

GTA VI

Let’s just get this one out of the way as fast as possible. If you thought the people who wouldn’t stop telling you how slow the opening to Red Dead Redemption 2 was were annoying, you haven’t seen anything yet. Every mission. Every character. Every city. It will all be criticized on a level that we’ve never seen before. Don’t worry, though, because I’m sure the kinds of people who watch Adin Ross will meet those criticisms with well-thought-out responses. They definitely won’t be insufferable human beings who will make regular folks feel bad for enjoying the game… CANT WAIT! Also, if the game comes out and is somehow universally agreed to be bad, it could cause the entire video game market to crash, so no pressure there.

Highguard

From the moment Highguard was first revealed at the Game Awards, the upcoming hero shooter started being compared to arguably the biggest disaster in gaming history: Concord. I’m not entirely sure why, though. Concord was a $40 that featured a unique attempt at introducing weekly story elements in the hero shooter genre; meanwhile, Highguard is a free-to-play game that we know almost nothing about other than its team is comprised of former developers who worked on Titanfall 2 and Apex Legends. With so little known about the game, the “outrage” feels forced. On top of that, with the game being free-to-play, it isn’t like anyone is forcing us to spend money on a product that might be bad. That said, complaining about games is a good way to make money these days, so whether it’s good or bad, I’m expecting the grifters to come out for Highguard.

Marathon

From the moment Bungie first revealed Marathon, the upcoming hero shooter started being compared to Concord… This comparison at least makes sense. From the start, Bungie has been honest about wanting to charge a premium price for their game. The problem was that every time they talked about Marathon, they said they couldn’t reveal what the price was or how much content would be included with the game at launch. With this poor management of the game, Marathon quickly became the butt of every joke, resulting in Bungie and, more than likely, PlayStation stepping in and indefinitely delaying the game. Well, after nearly a year, multiple closed betas, and a new 22-minute introductory trailer, Marathon has caught the attention of the people. Despite the game mostly looking the same as it did before, the internet has now decided they like what they see and can’t wait for the expected release sometime in March. Important to note, though, that Sony has moved Bungie’s secret new game, Project Gummy Bear, away from the studio. Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but it feels like PlayStation has decided let Bungie live and die by the sword that is Marathon. If it’s a big hit, congrats, but if those early concerns turn out to have been too big to fix, then we actually could end up with another Concord on our hands.

Arc Raiders

Wait a minute! Isn’t this game already out? Well, it’s my list, I get to do what I want. Arc Raiders was one of my favorites of 2025, and even a month into 2026, I still find myself constantly travelling to topside to help my fellow raiders take down the Arc. But the question is, what’s next? In 2025, developer Embark did a great job by providing a roadmap explaining what players could expect in the early months after release, but since that roadmap has come to an end, there hasn’t been any mention of another. While I have high hopes that Embark knows what they’re doing and have plenty of exciting content planned for the future, there have been times in the past when a game’s early success completely catches a developer by surprise, and they have to change everything they planned to meet the sudden high demand. In the case of Helldivers, that studio was able handle the sudden success, but the tragic example of Multiverses still lives on. Could this be the case with Ark? It’s tough to say, but if it turns out the team at Embark isn’t as prepared as so many of us hope, then the next few months of Arc Raiders discourse will be an interesting thing to keep an eye on.

Resident Evil Requiem

Described as the final chapter in the long-running story of Resident Evil, CAPCOM looks to tell one final epic story that brings everyone’s favorite, Leon Kennedy, and newcomer Grace Ashcroft back to Raccoon City. While there may not be much to talk about now, as we inch closer to the game’s February release, between possible delays of other heavy hitters (GTA) and CAPCOM’s ability to consistently deliver the goods on such a beloved franchise, I think the end of 2026 will see a lot of people talking about RE 9 being a real Game of the Year contender.

Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls

Fighting game discourse always makes me laugh. As much as I love fighting games and the fighting game community, both make up a very small portion of gaming as a whole, and it feels like the FGC still hasn’t realized that. I don’t say this to take shots, but rather to point out that despite their concerns and demand for specific changes after the first two closed betas for Marvel Tokon, the majority of people who plan to buy this game just want to watch Spider-Man team up with The Hulk to smash Doctor Doom. Who cares about character balance? Who cares about hit frames? Tokon is the ultimate, “just put cool shit on the screen,” game, and as long as that happens, people will be there at launch. Another thing to keep an eye on will be watching so many people’s surprise at just how popular this game is going to be. It may not be the Marvel vs Capcom game that so many of us wanted, but it’s close enough. Combine that with the millions of people who love Marvel, and I think we’ve got a massive hit on our hands.

Wolverine

As of right now, Sony has two big exclusives coming out this year: Saros and Wolverine. Between developers Housemarque and Insomniac, I personally have zero concern for these games being great. With that said, though, of the two, I think Wolverine is the one to keep a closer eye on. While I’m sure a future PlayStation showcase will answer all of these questions, as it stands, there are still a lot of questions about the game. Is it an open world like Spider-Man? Is it an open area like God of War? Is it more linear, like an Uncharted? What about the story? I know Wolverine is incredibly popular, but how many more times can we experience a story showcasing a sad Logan trying to learn how to handle his feelings? As I said, I’m confident Wolverine will be great, but it is a rare occasion when a first-party PlayStation game is on the verge of release, and I’m actually able to raise some concerns.

Fable

Funny enough, Xbox finds itself in a very similar position. There’s absolutely no reason to think this year’s Forza won’t be another critical darling, but Fable is another story. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen the Fable franchise, and it wasn’t like the last few installments were all that impressive. That said, Playground Games, the studio also working on Forza, is an insanely talented studio, and despite this being their first attempt at a game like Fable, it feels like the franchise is in good hands. Even still, it feels like Xbox has become accustomed to releasing games that live in that 7.5-8 range as opposed to releasing titles that immediately announce their coming for Game of the Year. Thankfully, with Fable, we won’t have to wait too long to find out if it’s safe to be excited, as it will be heavily featured in the upcoming Xbox Direct on January 22.

Crimson Desert

Crimson Desert has been highly anticipated ever since its first trailer. In this game, players can turn into a bird, ride a horse, a bear, a dinosaur, or a dragon, they can swing around like Spider-Man, and at some point, you’ll be able to control a mech. Too good to be true? Well, according to previews, the gameplay is real and a lot of fun. But what leaves me skeptical is the story. As of right now, they’ve barely mentioned the story or main character. I think Crimson Desert has one of two ways to go. Either it’s this year’s Dragon’s Dogma, a fun game to play with a nonsensical story and disastrous quest mechanics, or it’s Breath of the Wild, and we’re all left speechless by how much the game manages to push innovation. Either way, I feel like there’s going to be a lot to talk about when the game comes out this March.

Witchbrook

We’re here. We made it. This is the year that Witchbrook comes out. For those unaware, Witchbrook is the ultimate cozy game that’s been in development for as long as the ground has been covered with dirt. For as long as the air has been swirled into wind, Witchbrook has been in development. What’s been the holdup? Well, there’s no need to get into all of that. Instead, let’s focus on the positives. Witchbrook is essentially Stardew Valley mixed with Hogwarts Legacy, combined with the option to play with your friends. And what makes it even better is that this isn’t early access like so many other games in the genre. We’re talking full release, ready for prime time. If you’re unfamiliar with the game, I’m sure you’re wondering how I can put something like this next to games like Wolverine and GTA 6. Well, if Witchbrook can nail the landing, I think this is going to take the cozy game community by storm. It may not be the type of game that wins Game of the Year, but it is the type of game that becomes so popular that one day you look around and suddenly realize that everyone you know is aware of Witchbrook.