GamesRadar+ Fall Preview 2026: Your next favorite games make up our hefty Most Wanted list

The GamesRadar+ Fall Preview is here to be your companion as sunny days fade away and the colder and darker months tempt us back inside to revel in some cozy gaming while staying warm. While one game is set to dominate – GTA 6 when it releases on November 19 – we're eschewing the titan for now to focus on some alternative new releases that equally deserve a spot on your radar.

In fact, because of GTA 6's release date, we've noticed that many games seem to be landing either side of it to avoid the blast radius, meaning that September and October are specially packed with contenders for the best RPGs, best shooters, and more. It's this period we're focusing on below, but at least one December pick has made it in. We have to follow our hearts. Below, we're breaking down our Fall Preview most wanted list genre by genre. There's plenty for everyone to enjoy.

While you're reading, consider joining the GamesRadar+ Community for more curated picks going forward. Our Fall Preview is for everybody, but we have plenty of long-reads and member clubs that dive deeper into potential new favorites releasing every week. Joining the GR+ Community is free, it's fast, and it lets you leave comments on all of our articles. What better way to spend Fall? Let us know what you're looking forwards to playing next!



Insomniac Games is the most prolific of the PlayStation Studios group during the PS5 era. But for as much as we loved our time with Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and two titles set within the Marvel's Spider-Man universe, there's something about its spin on Wolverine that we can't turn away from. Between the berserker action and unrelenting ultra-violence, tight linear focus and large suite of supporting characters, Marvel's Wolverine looks every bit the Logan-focused adventure we've always wanted to play. If you're after an action-adventure game this fall, you needn't look any further than this PS5 exclusive come September 15.



Capcom's winning streak will continue with Onimusha: Way of the Sword. This fast-paced action game is all about the art of the duel; refining your swordsmanship as you battle your way up to punishing monstrosities ripped from the underworld. PC, PS5, and XSX owners who are sick of Soulslikes won't want to miss the return of Onimusha come September 4.



There's nothing quite like the rush of adrenaline that you get from an Ace Combat game. Wings of Theve is built around high-speed action and adventure; intense aerial combat across truly gorgeous living skies. Ace Combat 8 is guaranteed to set a new benchmark for the long-running series when it takes flight, jetting onto PC, PS5, and XSX on October 1.



The lockdown protecting New York City from the high-strangeness within The Oldest House has been breached. The Hiss have spilled onto the streets, and an AWE has brought Manhattan to the brink of paranatural annihilation. Containment isn't a task for Jesse Faden but her brother, Dylan. Control Resonant is a daring sequel, pushing developer Remedy Entertainment into slick action-RPG territory. You'll wield a shapeshifting melee weapon called the Aberrant, hone your playstyle through vast skill development, and master speedy power combinations to survive. Control Resonant is brilliant, and available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X come September 24.



Phantom Blade Zero is one of the more expressive action-RPGs of 2026. With over 30 primary weapons to wield, and 25 Phantom Edges to pair them with, you'll have free reign to run wild across this delightfully dark wuxia world. Developer S-GAME has something special together here that we can't wait to master, so PC and PS5 owners won't want to miss out come October 28.



If you've always enjoyed the loot-cycle offered by Diablo but are after something more all-ages appropriate, then don't look any further than Minecraft Dungeons 2. It's a delight to play, has refined four-player co-op, and is equipped with more depth and expression than its predecessor. Minecraft Dungeons 2 lands on PC, PS5, Switch 2, and XSX on September 29.



Konami has done an exceptional job of raising Silent Hill from the dead. The renaissance should continue with Silent Hill: Townfall, an upcoming survival horror game that's born of a somewhat unconventional partnership. Screen Burn and Annapurna Interactive have shifted the action to the fictional Scottish town of St. Amelia, offering a fresh descent into madness with little more than a CRTV handheld device for protection. Townfall, with its first-person perspective and focus on stealth, has echoes of Alien Isolation – making this one of the more fascinating Silent Hill experiments. It's coming to PC and PS5 on September 24.



This eerie Italian-style horror series feels like a spiritual successor to Clock Tower, and Remothered: Red Nun's Legacy is looking like it'll be the scariest yet. Maggie Robertson (Resident Evil Village's Lady Demistrescu) even voices the titular nun. Appropriately, it releases on October 27 on PC, PS5, XSX, and Switch 2.



Hellraiser: Revival is guaranteed to be the most disgusting video game of 2026. I wouldn't expect anything less of a Clive Barker adaptation, but it's clear that this first-person survival horror is going to push boundaries. We'll learn whether the same is true of its brutal combat and twisted puzzles when it's summoned to PC, PS5, and XSX on October 8.



There's a lot of video games competing for your time and attention this Fall, so who could possibly have time to dedicate to one of the numerous games exiting early access? Here's the thing, I have a feeling that you'll regret skipping over RuneScape: Dragonwilds if you're looking for something new to play with your friends. The open-world survival game from Jagex is a big swing for the studio, an open-world survival game that offers visual fidelity, gameplay, and flexibility that simply isn't available in the iconic browser-based MMO. Leaving Early Access on September 15, there's not long to wait.



OK, this might not be fully live service, but with Valheim enjoying a successful run through early access since its launch in 2023, the 1.0 release is worthy of celebration. The survival game has come on leaps and bounds, with the final build set to bring a new biome, new platforms, and a bunch of great content. Play it on PC, PS5, Switch 2, and XSX from September 9.



Dune Awakening has undergone a fairly radical transformation since its PC release, with developer Funcom preparing to release a single-player mode alongside its arrival on console. Regardless of whether you're playing solo or forming alliances with others, Awakening is a nice way to satiate your urge to visit Arrakis ahead of Dune 3 when it lands on PS5 and XSX on September 22.



It's been well over a decade since the release of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 and we never expected the return of this legendary franchise to look quite like this. Castlevania: Belmont's Curse takes you back to the side-scrolling, exploration-based focus that once defined the series – with development led by the brilliant team behind Dead Cells and The Rogue Prince of Persia. With its beautifully layered visual style, exceptionally slick whip-based locomotion, and deep combat and customization options, Castlevania is finally back to its best. Belmont's Curse lands on PC, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X on October 15.



End of Abyss isn't just one of the most atmospheric games of the year, it's also a haunting Metroidvania that looks like the sort of (little) nightmare you won't want to wake up from. Striking visuals and deadly enemies already make us sweat. This tough-as-nails, twin-stick action game from Section 9 is will be unmissable when it hits PC, PS5, and XSX on October 1.



Silver Pines is one of those games you just can't turn away from. It combines Metroidvania navigation through a deeply-layered world with visceral combat and careful resource management influenced by classic survival horror games trying to slow you down at every turn. Silver Pines from developer Wych Elm arrives on PC, PS5, and XSX on October 8.



Gears of War: E-Day is a bold and necessary experiment. For developer The Coalition, it's an opportunity to reconnect with the series' origins. Weighty third-person shooting across a single city under siege; a linear story that guides Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago through 24 hours of cover-based, blood-soaked hell on Sera. And for Xbox Game Studios, it's a chance to put a new strategy in action, with E-Day positioned as a pivotal first-party console exclusive. From what we've played so far, Gears of War: E-Day will be the must-play shooter of the fall when it lands on October 8.



Infinity Ward is ready to redefine Call of Duty. Modern Warfare 4 packages cinematic frontline combat with a weighty multiplayer offering that builds smartly on the foundations of MW2. A renewed DMZ offering that takes the extraction-shooter battle to Arc Raiders is the icing on the cake. MW4 lands on PC, PS5, Switch 2, and XSX on October 23.



Developer The Astronauts has spent two years refining Witchfire, with the gothic first-person shooter finally set to leave early access this year. Defined by its punchy gunplay, morish roguelike punishments, intricate skill systems, and distinct audio-visual style, Witchfire is guaranteed to be one of the more unique genre games of 2026, where it's expected to land on PC this Fall.



If Burnout and Star Wars collided, Star Wars: Galactic Racer would emerge from the twisted metal. It's a high-octane, runs-based arcade racer built by veterans of Criterion, pushing you into the carnage of an underground circuit in the lawless Outer Rim territories. Slam, shunt, and takedown rivals as you speed around in a customizable craft; battle through a story-driven campaign or challenge friends in online multiplayer; or live out the ultimate Phantom Menace fantasy by clambering into a Podracer. Galactic Racer is a dream come true, and it's coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X on October 6.



Hot Wheels Infinite Rush looks every bit an irreverent alternative to Forza Horizon 6. With four islands to explore, good vibes, and over 150 vehicles to collect, this is arcade racing that's fit for the whole family. It's coming to PC, PS5, Switch 2, and XSX on September 10.



If you're after a racing game that's a little more low-key, then you need to check out Over the Hill. It's a celebration of the golden age of offroading, letting you cruise around a truly gorgeous open world in iconic 4x4 vehicles. Settle in to the good vibes on PC, PS5, Switch 2, and XSX come October 14.



The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered isn't just top dog because we loved the original. Everything we've seen about this hefty overhaul has us falling in love with the fantasy RPG epic all over again. To top it off, it's completely free to those who own the original, and even includes the game's celebrated DLCs even if you didn't buy them. There's too many enhancements to list, but with improved visuals, a reworked skill tree, new looting system, adjustments to combat, and loads more this is shaping up to be the de facto way to play come its September 29 launch. It's the perfect way to dive into a replay, or to experience this genuine RPG must-play for the first time.



The first HD-2D Final Fantasy game demands attention, even if it's a reimagining of Brave Exvius. Resonance is the closest we'll get to a new old-school Final Fantasy experience from Square Enix – pixel-art style, turn-based combat, and all. Whether it's the reset the series needs remains to be seen, but we'll find out together when Final Fantasy Resonance comes to PC, PS5, Switch, and XSX on October 22.



This remake trilogy continues, transforming the chibi-style originals into a deep and immersive full-on anime RPG epic filled with luscious green fields and bright blue skies. Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter feels like a throwback in vibes, but extremely modern to play, with a hybrid real-time and turn-based battle system that rewards mastery of its customizable skills, which you can try come its September 17 launch.



The RTS legend returns with Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War 4, bringing the grimdark series' iconic strategy action into the modern era – including the debut of the Adeptus Mechanicus faction. Beautiful zoomed-out, and just as gorgeous close to the action, this really captures the spirit of all-out war the tabletop war game demands, feeling like the closest we've come to spiritually capturing the source material in video game form. There's not long to wait until you can take command yourself, as Dawn of War 4 arrives planet-side on December 3.



Embracing the modern RPG series' multi-route structure like never before, Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave doesn't just have multiple heroes to follow, but puts you in charge of following those threads of destiny by playing all of them at once. Absolutely massive, and packed with real tactical depth, this might be the most ambitious Fire Emblem to date, and it launches September 17.



Planet Zoo 2 isn't technically a strategy game, but we've spent enough time chin-stroking our way through Frontier Development's catalogue that it deserves its flowers here. After all, we can't wait to get cracking, building the ultimate haven for our animal pals across land, sea, and air. Launching on October 13, there's not long until the hours vanish building the perfect park. Just look at those turtles!



When vampires and RPGs collide we'll always show up, but Nighthawks has shot up our list thanks to coming from veteran indie talent that brought us Sunless Seas, Hob's Barrow, and more. Playing as a fledgling vampire, you're thrown into a world where the supernatural has been exposed, taking over a nightclub where you must work to rebuild a safe haven for your kind while craftily forging alliances and secretly using your vampire skills. Fully-voiced, with 10 companions, and over 800,000 words of text, we can see ourselves becoming obsessed with the dark later in September 2026.



We adored the original game that had us exploring a black-and-white world as we hunted down the perfect photo-ops. Toem 2 looks to build on this lightweight adventure premise that rewards exploration, picking up on the tale years later when our hero has become older, wiser, but no less curious. We're ready to snap come September 29.



What if you started a new Stardew Valley save only to find that a serial killer was running wild in Pelican Town? That's kinda sorta the vibe of Grave Seasons, a dark and cozy horror sim that layers an exceptional degree of depth through its systems. Don't miss Grave Seasons when it lands for PC, PS5, and XSX this Fall.

Want more? Keep an eye on the upcoming PS5 games and upcoming Series X and Games Pass games we think are worth your attention!

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