The 10 Best PC Games to Play in 2026
talha1200The 10 Best PC Games to Play in 2026
Original illustration by Meta Protago
2026 has been a stacked year for PC gaming, and honestly, it's a lot to keep up with. So we did the digging for you — here are the 10 PC games actually worth your time right now, picked for variety, quality, and staying power, not hype alone.
We update this list as the year moves along. Right now it's a mix of brand-new releases, a couple of long-running favorites that just hit their full 1.0 versions, and one game that quietly became the biggest critical surprise of the year. Scroll down for the full rundown, a quick comparison table, and what's still coming before 2026 wraps up.
How We Picked These 10 Games
We're not just listing whatever got the most trailers this year. Every game below is actually out and playable on PC right now, and we picked for a mix of critic reception (Metacritic/OpenCritic scores where available), genuine player buzz, and genre variety — so there's something here whether you want a huge single-player RPG or a quick co-op session with friends. Games still without a confirmed PC release, like Grand Theft Auto VI, are covered separately further down instead of padding out this list.
We'll keep updating this page as 2026 goes on. If a game drops out of favor after a rocky launch or a better alternative shows up, it gets swapped out — the goal is a list you can trust in December just as much as in January.
The 10 Best PC Games Right Now
The Blood of Dawnwalker
Action RPGYou play Coen, a peasant turned vampire after his village is attacked, racing a 30-day countdown to save his family before a vampire lord's coronation. It's made by Rebel Wolves, a studio stacked with ex-Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 developers — and it shows in the branching story and huge open world.
✓ Why We Love It
- Branching story where choices genuinely change the world
- Vampire powers give combat a different rhythm than typical RPGs
- Built by a studio full of Witcher 3 veterans, and it shows
✕ Keep In Mind
- Demanding on hardware — a mid-range GPU is the minimum, not the ideal
- This is a real time investment, not a weekend game
What sets it apart from other 2026 RPGs is the day/night vampire mechanic — Coen is human by day and vampire by night, and each state opens different paths through the world. It's the kind of systems-driven design that made The Witcher 3 special, just pointed at a new, bloodier story.
Big Walk
Co-op AdventureFrom the studio behind Untitled Goose Game, Big Walk drops two to twelve friends into a wide-open world and just tells you to talk to each other. There's no fighting — you solve puzzles and explore together, and it turned into one of the best-reviewed games of the entire year.
✓ Why We Love It
- One of the highest Metacritic scores of any 2026 release
- Genuinely funny and warm, unlike most co-op games
- Scales from a cozy duo to full 12-player chaos
✕ Keep In Mind
- No solo mode — you need at least one other player
- It's about exploring and talking, not combat or high stakes
The proximity voice chat is the real trick here — your voice fades, echoes, and muffles depending on where you are, which turns simple conversations into their own kind of puzzle.
Valheim (1.0)
Survival CraftingValheim spent more than five years in Early Access, quietly becoming one of the best-selling survival games ever made. Its full 1.0 release adds the Deep North, a frozen final biome, plus full crossplay between PC and consoles. If you were waiting for the finished version, now's the time.
✓ Why We Love It
- A genuinely complete loop: build, fight, sail, repeat
- The Deep North gives long-time players a real reason to return
- Full crossplay means console friends can finally join in
✕ Keep In Mind
- Early biomes haven't changed much for returning players
- The building system has a learning curve for total newcomers
What makes Valheim's 1.0 different from most "finished" Early Access games is that it doesn't feel padded. Iron Gate used the extra years to balance what was already there instead of just piling on more content.
Forza Horizon 6
Racing / Open WorldForza Horizon 6 takes the series to Japan for the first time, running from neon Tokyo streets to the quiet roads near Mount Fuji. It launched as the best-reviewed game of the year so far, with 550-plus cars, and it's on Xbox Game Pass from day one if you already subscribe.
✓ Why We Love It
- Japan is a genuinely fresh setting for the series
- One of the highest review scores of any 2026 release
- Day-one Game Pass makes it a low-risk way to try it
✕ Keep In Mind
- If you've played every Horizon game, the core formula is familiar
- Best with a controller or wheel — keyboard-only isn't ideal
The drift and touge-style mountain roads are where this game shines — Playground Games clearly leaned into Japan's tuning and drift culture rather than just reskinning the usual Horizon festival.
Resident Evil Requiem
Survival HorrorResident Evil Requiem is the ninth mainline entry, and it's the best-reviewed one since Resident Evil 4 back in 2005. It splits the campaign between two protagonists and mixes tighter, scarier horror sections with the series' more familiar action, built on Capcom's RE Engine.
✓ Why We Love It
- The best critical reception the mainline series has had in 20 years
- Dual-protagonist structure keeps the pacing fresh
- Runs and looks excellent on PC, even on mid-range hardware
✕ Keep In Mind
- Leans back toward horror, but isn't a full return to old fixed cameras
- Full price is steep if you're not already a series fan
For horror fans specifically, this is the one 2026 release worth prioritizing — see our best horror games of 2026 roundup for more picks in the same vein.
Silent Hill: Townfall
Psychological HorrorTownfall moves the Silent Hill formula to a foggy Scottish fishing town called St. Amelia, following a man named Simon Ordell who keeps waking up by the docks with no memory of how he got there. It's made by Screen Burn alongside Annapurna Interactive, so expect the dread to come from atmosphere as much as jump scares.
✓ Why We Love It
- A genuinely new setting for the series, not another American town
- The CRTV handheld device doubles as map, radar, and story piece
- A full-length, self-contained story — no prior Silent Hill knowledge needed
✕ Keep In Mind
- A newer studio's first big-budget horror game, so expect some rough edges
- Slower-paced than Resident Evil — dread over action
If foggy, atmosphere-heavy horror is more your speed than run-and-gun survival horror, this is the pick over Resident Evil Requiem on this list. Either way, both belong on our best horror games of 2026 list.
Mortal Shell II
Souls-like Action RPGThe original Mortal Shell was a scrappy, underrated Souls-like from a small team. The sequel keeps you as the Harbinger, possessing warrior "Shells" to fight through a small but densely packed open world — with faster combat, more build variety, and noticeably better PC performance.
✓ Why We Love It
- Faster, more responsive combat than the original
- A tightly designed world instead of padded, empty spaces
- Runs smoothly on mid-range PCs — around 70GB and an RTX 2060-class GPU is enough
✕ Keep In Mind
- Still a punishing Souls-like — no easy difficulty option
- The world is intentionally small, not Elden Ring-scale
New to the series and want a smoother start? Our Mortal Shell II beginner's guide covers release details, full PC requirements, and early tips.
Nioh 3
Souls-like Action RPGNioh 3 sends you into Japan's Sengoku period as Tokugawa Takechiyo, fighting to reclaim the shogunate from a brother consumed by hatred and yokai. The trademark punishing combat is back, now with two switchable styles — Samurai for heavy strikes and Ninja for speed — inside a more open "open field" structure.
✓ Why We Love It
- PC and PS5 launched the same day — no waiting around this time
- Switching styles mid-fight adds real tactical depth
- The open-field design gives more room to explore than past games
✕ Keep In Mind
- Still brutally difficult — not a gentle Souls-like entry point
- Yokai lore carries over from past games, so newcomers have catching up to do
Nioh 3 vs. Mortal Shell II: Nioh leans harder into deep, technical combat systems, while Mortal Shell is shorter and more atmosphere-driven. Both are worth owning if you like the genre.
Mina the Hollower
Top-Down Action-AdventureFrom the Shovel Knight team, Mina the Hollower is an 8-bit-style action-adventure that borrows from classic top-down Zelda and Castlevania. You play a mouse named Mina who burrows underground to dodge hazards and ambush enemies, on top of whip-based combat and a big roster of sidearms.
✓ Why We Love It
- One of the best-reviewed games of 2026, around 91 on Metacritic
- Only $19.99 — a lot of game for the price
- The burrowing mechanic makes exploration feel fresh, not just nostalgic
✕ Keep In Mind
- Retro Game Boy Color-style visuals won't be for everyone
- Leans into old-school difficulty spikes in later dungeons
This was a make-or-break release for Yacht Club Games financially, and it paid off — a reminder that a small, focused indie can still out-review most AAA releases in a given year.
Phantom Blade Zero
Action RPG (Wuxia)Phantom Blade Zero blends Hong Kong wuxia film choreography with dark fantasy horror. You play Soul, an assassin framed for his master's murder with just 66 days to live, hunting conspirators with fast, flashy combat across more than 30 weapons. S-Game calls the style "Kungfupunk," and after years of hype, it's finally out.
✓ Why We Love It
- Combat choreography that genuinely earns Sekiro comparisons
- A striking wuxia aesthetic PC gaming doesn't see much of
- Built on Unreal Engine 5 with strong day-one PC optimization
✕ Keep In Mind
- One-year PS5 console exclusivity means Xbox players are locked out for now
- Story leans heavily on mystery and conspiracy — patience helps
If you enjoyed Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice or Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, Phantom Blade Zero is the closest thing PC gaming got to a spiritual successor in 2026.
Quick Comparison
| Game | Genre | Platform | Best For | Our Pick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Blood of Dawnwalker | Action RPG | PC, PS5, Xbox | Story-driven single-player | #1 Best |
| Big Walk | Co-op Adventure | PC, PS5, Switch 2 | Playing with friends | #2 Co-op |
| Valheim (1.0) | Survival Crafting | PC, PS5, Xbox, Switch 2 | Long-term building & survival | #3 New 1.0 |
| Forza Horizon 6 | Racing | PC, Xbox | Open-world racing | #4 |
| Resident Evil Requiem | Survival Horror | PC, PS5, Xbox, Switch 2 | Classic horror fans | #5 |
| Silent Hill: Townfall | Psychological Horror | PC, PS5 | Slow-burn dread | #6 |
| Mortal Shell II | Souls-like | PC, PS5, Xbox | Shorter Souls-like runs | #7 |
| Nioh 3 | Souls-like | PC, PS5 | Deep combat systems | #8 |
| Mina the Hollower | Retro Action-Adventure | PC & all consoles | Budget-friendly indie | #9 |
| Phantom Blade Zero | Wuxia Action RPG | PC, PS5 | Stylish, technical combat | #10 |
The Biggest PC Game Still Coming in 2026
Every list like this has to mention it: Grand Theft Auto VI. It's the most anticipated release of the year by a wide margin, and Rockstar has confirmed a launch date of November 19, 2026 — but only for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S so far. There's still no confirmed PC release date, which is why it isn't ranked in the list above. Based on how Rockstar handled GTA 5's PC launch (over a year after consoles), PC players should plan for a wait into 2027 rather than expect it alongside the console release.
If you want the full picture — trailers, the Leonida map, dual protagonists Jason and Lucia, and everything else confirmed so far — we cover it in detail in our GTA 6 release date, trailer, and map leaks guide, our breakdown of how Leonida compares to GTA 5's map, and our early look at Xbox Series X performance expectations.
Beyond GTA 6, the rest of 2026 still has a handful of console-first titles that PC players are watching closely, including Marvel's Wolverine and a new Fable from Playground Games. Neither has a confirmed 2026 PC date at the time of writing — we'll fold them into this list the moment that changes.
- OpenCritic — aggregated critic scores for Big Walk, Mina the Hollower, and other 2026 releases
- GameSpot's 2026 upcoming games release schedule
- PC Gamer's 2026 new games release calendar
- Take-Two's Fiscal 2026 earnings statement on the GTA 6 release date
- Shacknews — The Blood of Dawnwalker release date coverage
