2025 was considerably of a quiet yr for PlayStation. Sure, we received the Recreation of the Yr-nominated Loss of life Stranding 2: On the Seashore, and Sucker Punch’s thrilling sequel to Ghost of Tsushima, Ghost of Yotei. However other than that, there wasn’t actually lots of exercise from Sony’s first-party studios. As a substitute, you needed to look to builders exterior of Sony’s stables, who fortunately stored the PS5 ticking over with an array of attention-grabbing video games. Proper on the again finish of 2024, Infold launched the console-exclusive Infinity Nikki and has been delighting stylists across the globe over the previous 12 months, and smaller initiatives comparable to Sword of the Sea, Dispatch, and Child Steps have all been loved on PlayStation 5.
In fact, the very fact that there have been not many console exclusives did not imply there weren’t a complete host of nice video games to play on our PS5s final yr. Fairly the alternative, in actual fact. Awards-sweeper Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the long-awaited Hole Knight: Silksong, and acclaimed RPG Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 led the third-party choices. Plus, 2025 actually was the yr of Xbox going absolutely multiplatform with its library, as Forza Horizon 5, Gears of Conflict Reloaded, and The Outer Worlds 2, to call just some, all made their solution to PlayStation. And that’s displaying no indicators of slowing down within the coming yr, both, with a sure Grasp Chief set to grace a Sony console for the primary time.
The reality is, Sony has simply been fairly quiet in the case of exclusives of its personal, with little new to shout about from a {hardware} perspective, both. And that’s earlier than we even get into the issues Bungie (now a PlayStation Studio, bear in mind) has confronted with Marathon. So, are issues wanting extra thrilling in 2026? Effectively, Marathon will definitely be hoping in order it goals to fight PlayStation’s current live-service travails. Let’s dig into it, in addition to the whole lot else to anticipate from Sony this yr.
First-Occasion and Exclusives
Heading into 2026, all eyes are on Logan, as Insomniac goals to bolster its lengthy successful streak of Ratchet and Clank and Spider-Man video games by taking over one other comedian e book hero. Marvel’s Wolverine is at the moment pencilled in for a “late 2026” launch, though we’ll see if these plans change in any respect resulting from a sure Rockstar sport shifting to an analogous timeframe. Each time it does launch, although, we glance to be in for a deal with if our first take a look at gameplay throughout September’s State of Play is any indication.
Whereas a lot continues to be but to be revealed about its story, we’re desirous to be taught extra and see simply who else from the X-Males and the broader Marvel Universe might be popping into Logan’s world. Mystique and Omega Pink have already been confirmed, however absolutely Sabretooth is a should, in addition to a cameo on the very least from both of Insomniac’s Spideys, Peter Parker or Miles Morales. Which of the X-Males do you need to see most?
As for PS5 exclusives that truly have launch dates confirmed, there’s solely Saros, Nioh 3, and Phantom Blade Zero. The previous is Housemarque’s follow-up to the acclaimed Returnal, and appears to be sitting in an analogous mould of vibrant, particle-filled, difficult shooter inside an alien planet shell. Now arriving on April 30 after a slight delay, it’s going to take gamers on an expedition to a misplaced colony as we step into the footwear of Rahul Kohli’s Arjun Devraj and kill and die our solution to uncovering its mysteries by way of its repeating, roguelike construction.
Nioh 3 is a console unique for PlayStation, as it is also arriving on PC when it launches on February 6. A chronological sequel to the occasions of the collection’ first sport, Staff Ninja is again with a contemporary dose of its personal model of punishing soulslike motion in feudal Japan. Issues are being shaken up this time, although, because of the introduction of a “ninja playstyle” which guarantees to regulate utterly otherwise from the normal samurai possibility. Belief a studio known as Staff Ninja, which can be answerable for the Ninja Gaiden collection, to need to add ninjas to Nioh. That is sufficient ninjas for one sentence, I believe.
Phantom Blade Zero is a hotly anticipated wuxia motion RPG coming from Chinese language developer S-Recreation. The lead character is known as Soul, so you’ll be able to in all probability guess what style this challenge additionally borrows closely from, too. I can affirm this myself – after briefly going hands-on with it at gamescom 2025, I discovered that there’s certainly a punishing fight system with a fancy skillset to grasp. However there are different motion sport influences, too, so the fight tempo is way larger than in your typical Soulslike. Up for some punishment? Effectively, you’ll have to carry on a bit longer but, as Phantom Blade Zero might be launched on September 9.
Now onto the stuff we’re led to consider might be coming in 2026, we simply don’t know when but. First up is Marvel Tokon: Combating Souls, the brand new superhero combating sport from Responsible Gear developer Arc System Works. A uniquely stylised interpretation of the Marvel universe, it seems to be set to be an actual contender within the combating sport group if its current closed betas are something to go by.
Freshly revealed at The Recreation Awards, 4:Loop is a brand new co-op shooter from Left 4 Useless creator Mike Sales space and Dangerous Robotic Video games, the online game wing of movie director J.J. Abrams’ manufacturing firm. A PS5 and PC unique, it appears to infuse some roguelike components with a sprinkling of Helldivers and Left 4 Useless. No launch date has been given but, however playtesting will begin quickly.
Then now we have Marathon, the brand new extraction shooter from Future developer Bungie, which was initially meant to reach in 2025, however had a tough yr to say the least. Delayed into this yr and now popping out in March, the studio might be hoping for a giant comeback story this yr and buck the pattern of lately failed Sony live-service shooter choices comparable to Harmony. As a substitute, it’ll be trying to the likes of the wildly profitable Arc Raiders and PlayStation’s very personal Helldivers 2 for a template to observe. Shooter pedigree doesn’t come a lot stronger than Bungie, so fingers crossed that it may flip round these preliminary impressions.
Talking of live-service shooters, Fairgames is reportedly nonetheless in growth at Haven Studios regardless of the departure of its founder, Jade Raymond, in Might of 2025, and much more lately, the sport’s inventive director, Daniel Drapeau, leaving in September. With nonetheless no gameplay to be seen and no signal of a launch date for this “aggressive heist shooter”, critical questions now should be raised about whether or not it’s going to ever see the sunshine of day.
Laser swords extra your cup of tea? Effectively, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet is likely to be the one for you. We’re very a lot dreaming if we expect that is coming any sooner than 2027, however hopefully, we get an excellent take a look at gameplay for Naughty Canine’s new sci-fi sport over the subsequent 12 months. Expectations are excessive from one in every of Sony’s most beloved builders, although, with creator Neil Druckmann calling it the “most formidable sport” they’ve ever made.
However what about all of these different PlayStation studios cooking up exclusives? Effectively, Guerrilla might not be growing the lately revealed cellular MMORPG Horizon: Metal Frontiers itself, however has been recruiting for its personal multiplayer entry into Aloy’s universe. Might we see that in 2026? What about Santa Monica’s subsequent challenge? Is it lastly time to see what Cory Barlog’s thriller sport is, if a brand new God of Conflict isn’t imminent? All good questions. None of which I’ve the solutions for.
I may run by way of every of the remaining Sony studios right here, however, honestly, I did that again in August, and little or no has modified since. So, you’ll be able to learn that right here.
Third-Occasion and Multiplatform
One other look ahead to the yr forward in video games, and one other alternative for me to say how excited I’m for GTA 6. Absolutely, after its most up-to-date delay to November, 2026 is the yr we lastly get our palms on the newest Grand Theft Auto. Please, Rockstar, don’t do it to us once more.
Our loss is a bunch of video games’ achieve, although, with Spring opening up broad for a good few to fill that GTA-shaped void. These embody Capcom’s newest entry into its legendary horror collection, Resident Evil Requiem and IO Interactive’s first non-Hitman challenge in a very long time, James Bond journey, 007 First Gentle. Plus, Pearl Abyss’ expansive open-world motion of Crimson Desert might be hovering onto consoles and PC in March as effectively. Lego Batman: Legacy of the Darkish Knight is trying to decide up the place Rocksteady’s Arkham trilogy left off and infuse its satisfying melee fight with that indelible minifig appeal when it launches on Might 29.
However a lot of 2026 stays unsure — probably largely resulting from GTA shifting round greater than James Brown did on stage within the ‘70s. Let’s begin with some multiplatform video games we’re fairly assured are coming this yr, earlier than shifting on to ones that may probably stay rooted in our goals.
Sure, Grasp Chief will quickly be managed by a DualSense. Halo: Marketing campaign Advanced is heading to the PS5 in 2026 as Microsoft continues to unleash its library onto different platforms. This Unreal Engine 5 remake of the 2001 Xbox traditional may show the spectre on the feast for Bungie, the unique builders of Halo: Fight Advanced, if its personal Marathon launch doesn’t go as deliberate. No less than it gained’t be competing within the multiplayer market, as this re-creation of Halo solely consists of the story marketing campaign.
Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra lately shifted out of its authentic window of early 2026 to “past early 2026”, so your guess is pretty much as good as mine as to once we’ll be taking part in Amy Hennig’s Captain America and Black Panther in World Conflict 2 story. Legendary PlayStation hero Lara Croft might be returning in a “reimagining” of her authentic sport, titled Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, and Finnish developer Treatment is again with one other entry in its linked universe, Management: Resonant. Additionally introduced at The Recreation Awards was the pleasantly stunning Star Wars: Galactic Racer from the makers of Burnout and Want For Velocity that’s scheduled to drop in 2026.
Capcom can be set for a giant yr exterior of Resident Evil, with Onimusha: Approach of the Sword and Pragmata each set to hit. As was the best way in 2025, 2026 additionally seems to be set to maintain you content for those who’re a fan of katanas and unnerving robots. As it’s going to for vampire followers too, with The Blood of Dawnwalker wanting actually promising because of a non-linear narrative and sandbox-like construction, crafted by a crew led by former Witcher 3 devs. Then there’s Mixtape, a sport I’ve added to this record as one in every of my personally most anticipated of 2026. The sophomore challenge from The Suave Escape studio Beethoven & Dinosaur, this 80s-inspired coming-of-age journey is certainly one to maintain in your radar.
Is 2026 lastly the yr we get to play a brand new Ken Levine sport? The Bioshock creator hasn’t given us one since 2013’s Infinite, and Judas has been in growth for a lengthy time now. Let’s hope that is the yr, as a result of it’s one thing I want in my life. As is The Witcher 4, however even I’m not silly sufficient to consider that CD Projekt Pink’s Ciri-led RPG is coming anytime quickly. However be at liberty to shock me. I’d love that.
{Hardware} and Tech
We’re not essentially anticipating any large {hardware} splashes this yr, with the subsequent console generations theoretically not due till late 2027 on the earliest. Sony tech wizard — and most significantly, creator of Knack — Mark Cerny did lately talk about new graphics capabilities in a dialog with AMD, which sparked PlayStation 6 hypothesis into overdrive, however it’s nonetheless probably a few years away at the least.
Rumours are additionally abound of a brand new PlayStation handheld, after options had been remodeled the previous summer season that Sony may even be following Nintendo’s blueprint for the Swap, and turning the PS6 right into a hybrid house and moveable console. In fact, that is all simply wild hypothesis, however with highly effective {hardware} solely lowering in measurement and cloud capabilities ever-growing, it doesn’t really feel like an excessive amount of of a stretch to think about. As I stated, although, we’re nonetheless fairly a manner off listening to something concrete with reference to the way forward for PlayStation {hardware}.
And that’s the whole lot we all know, together with a number of guesses thrown in, about what to anticipate from PlayStation in 2026. What video games are you most excited for this yr? Tell us within the feedback beneath.
Simon Cardy is a Senior Editor at IGN who can primarily be discovered skulking round open world video games, indulging in Korean cinema, or despairing on the state of Tottenham Hotspur and the New York Jets. Comply with him on Bluesky at @cardy.bsky.social.