Best new game previews of GDC 2026: At Fate's End, Mina the Hollower, and more

This year’s Game Developers Conference felt tense, with international travel anxiety, panels full of AI tech talks, and an emphasis on consumers over creators. Even so, countless demos at GDC and its surrounding events in San Francisco cut through the noise and showcased how much creativity real humans still have in the tank.

Thunder Lotus’s At Fate’s End leans into narrative-driven 2D action-adventure, centering on the inner politics of a fantasy succession story where mental battles and environmental observation matter as much as duels. Cybrlich and the Death Cult of Labor is a hand-drawn first-person shooter of anticapitalist angst that has players blasting through Lichcorp to reach its evil CEO, with irreverent flourishes like healing mental health between shots.

Dead as Disco builds a stylish, rhythm-forward brawler — think Hi-Fi Rush meets Arkham — and promises player-imported music. Even Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition made an impression, with the Switch 2 port running better than expected.

United States, San Francisco

gdc, san francisco, thunder lotus, fate's end, cybrlich, death cult, hi-fi rush, arkham, elden ring, switch 2