Best New Games of 2026 (So Far)

Another year begins, and it’s time to start a Game of the Year watch. We round up titles that have resonated as we look for the year’s best. 2026 has already produced notable releases in its first three months, and this list will be updated periodically through December.

Pokémon Pokopia is a cozy, melancholy life sim with a central mystery and a dense town‑building focus; collecting all 300 monsters gives players a clear goal. Marathon, Bungie’s sci‑fi extraction shooter, is a difficult, gorgeous thrill that can keep you up late—exhilarating when runs click, maddening when they don’t.

Nioh 3 expands Team Ninja’s formula with sprawling maps and refined RPG systems while keeping brutal, excellent combat at its core. Perfect Tides: Station to Station plays like a point‑and‑click year in the life of college student Mara Whitefish in post‑9/11 New York, moving from hilarious to devastating and earning a place among the all‑time greats.

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