Your PC in instalments (up to 12x)
By the FlowUP team, gaming PC builder in Genappe (Belgium) · Updated 29 September 2026
In brief: the best PC games released in 2026 are Forza Horizon 6, Resident Evil Requiem, Onimusha: Way of the Sword, 007 First Light and Pragmata, all rated 86 or higher on OpenCritic, plus Death Stranding 2 at last on PC and just-released Control Resonant. By the end of 2026 on PC: Gears of War: E-Day (6 October), Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 (23 October) and Phantom Blade Zero (29 October). Fable has been pushed back to 23 February 2027 and GTA VI (19 November) is console-only.
2026, a big year for PC gaming
We wrote at the start of the year that 2026 would be a strong one. Nine months later, that’s confirmed: Capcom is back in fine form with three major releases, a Forza Horizon that heads to Japan, a successful James Bond, and several console exclusives coming to PC.
Here’s the rundown, updated at the end of September: the games already released that are worth it, the ones coming before December, and those that slipped into 2027. At the end of the article: the setup you’ll want to enjoy them.
Demanding 2026 releases: enough to put a recent graphics card to work.
The best PC games released in 2026
| Game | PC release (2026) | Genre | OpenCritic score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forza Horizon 6 | 19 May | Racing, open world | 91 |
| Resident Evil Requiem | 27 February | Survival horror | 89 |
| 007 First Light | 27 May | Action-adventure | 87 |
| Onimusha: Way of the Sword | 4 September | Action, sword | 87 |
| Pragmata | 17 April | Sci-fi action-adventure | 86 |
| Nioh 3 | 6 February | Action RPG | 85 |
| Control Resonant | 24 September | Action RPG | 84 |
| Marathon | 5 March | Extraction FPS | 81 |
| Crimson Desert | 19 March | Action-adventure, open world | 79 |
| Death Stranding 2 (PC version) | 19 March | Action-adventure | 91 (Metacritic PC) |
OpenCritic scores (Top Critic Average) checked on 29 September 2026, except Death Stranding 2 (Metacritic, PC version). Release dates: Wikipedia and publishers.
Forza Horizon 6: Japan in an open world
The best-rated game of the year on PC (91 on OpenCritic). Playground Games takes the series to Japan, with the same recipe as always: an enormous open world, hundreds of cars, and visuals that put any graphics card through its paces.
Forza Horizon 6, official trailer (XBOX FR channel)
Resident Evil Requiem and the other two Capcom games
Capcom is having a very strong year: Resident Evil Requiem in February (89, number 1 in GamesRadar+’s 2026 rankings), Pragmata in April (86), and then Onimusha: Way of the Sword, pushed forward to 4 September (87). Three very different styles, from survival horror to action with a sword.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword, trailer in French (Capcom France channel)
007 First Light, Death Stranding 2 and Control Resonant
007 First Light (27 May) pulls off its bet on a younger James Bond, with IO Interactive’s experience from Hitman. Death Stranding 2, released on PS5 in 2025, arrived on PC on 19 March with a port by Nixxes. And Control Resonant, Remedy’s sequel to Control, launched on 24 September: it’s the most recent PC release in this selection.
Nioh 3, Marathon and Crimson Desert
For fans of difficulty, Nioh 3 (Team Ninja) kicked off the year. Marathon, Bungie’s extraction FPS, is divisive but it holds up (81). Crimson Desert is especially worth it for its open world, one of the most beautiful of the year.
Seven big PC releases in nine months: 2026 keeps its promises.
Control Resonant, official trailer (Remedy Entertainment channel)
For games that bet everything on rendering (path tracing, ray tracing), read also our selection of the prettiest and most realistic PC games of 2026.
PC games coming before the end of 2026
| Game | PC release | Genre |
|---|---|---|
| Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve | 1 October | Air combat simulation |
| Gears of War: E-Day | 6 October | Third-person shooter |
| Castlevania: Belmont's Curse | 15 October | Action |
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 | 23 October | FPS |
| Phantom Blade Zero | 29 October | Action |
| Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV | 3 December | Real-time strategy |
Sources: Steam pages, xbox.com and Wikipedia, updated on 29 September 2026. Phantom Blade Zero has been pushed back from 9 September to 29 October.
Pushed back to 2027 or not coming to PC
- Fable: pushed back to 23 February 2027 (PC, PS5, Xbox), announced on 29 May 2026.
- Clockwork Revolution (inXile): 2027 window, no date.
- The Witcher 4: not before 2027, according to CD Projekt.
- The Elder Scrolls VI: still neither a date nor an official window.
- Grand Theft Auto VI: 19 November 2026 on PS5 and Xbox Series only, no PC version announced. See GTA 6 on PC: date and specs.
- Marvel’s Wolverine: released on 15 September 2026 as a PS5 exclusive, with no PC version announced.
Good to know: Subnautica 2 has been playable in early access on PC since 14 May 2026.
Fable and The Witcher 4 will be coming in 2027.
What PC setup for 2026 games?
Your gaming priority determines where to put the budget:
| Your use | Priority | Target resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Competitive games (Marathon, Call of Duty), maximum fps | Fast processor, ideally a Ryzen X3D | 1080p or 1440p, 144 Hz screen and above |
| Big single-player games in high quality (Forza, Resident Evil, 007) | Graphics card with 12 to 16 GB of VRAM | 1440p or 4K with DLSS or FSR |
| Game + streaming or multitasking | 32 GB of RAM and a processor with some headroom | Depending on the graphics card |
To go further: Intel or AMD for playing in 2026, how much VRAM do you need and 16 GB or 32 GB of RAM.
Our gaming PCs for 2026 games
Banger PC, GeForce RTX 5060
GeForce RTX 5060 and 16 GB DDR4: to play the 2026 releases in 1080p.
Rivals PC, GeForce RTX 5070
RTX 5070, Ryzen 7 9800X3D and 32 GB DDR5: high-refresh 1440p, also ideal for competitive FPS.
Abyssin PC, GeForce RTX 5070 Ti
RTX 5070 Ti 16 GB: plenty of headroom for big single-player games in 1440p and 4K with DLSS.
FAQ: PC games for 2026
What is the best PC game of 2026?
On OpenCritic, Forza Horizon 6 (91) and Resident Evil Requiem (89) are the highest-rated among the 2026 PC releases. GamesRadar+ places Resident Evil Requiem at the top of its ranking for the year.
Which games are coming to PC in late 2026?
Ace Combat 8 (1 October), Gears of War: E-Day (6 October), Castlevania: Belmont's Curse (15 October), Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 (23 October), Phantom Blade Zero (29 October) and Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV (3 December).
Will GTA 6 be released on PC in 2026?
No. GTA VI releases on 19 November 2026 on PS5 and Xbox Series, and Rockstar has not announced any PC version.
When does Fable release?
Fable has been pushed back to 23 February 2027 for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series.
Which PC to play 2026 games?
An RTX 5060 or an RX 9060 XT is enough for 1080p. For 1440p in high quality, aim for an RTX 5070 or better, with 32 GB of RAM if you stream or keep lots of applications open.
Sources
- GamesRadar+, The best games of 2026, so far (23 September 2026)
- GameSpot, The Best Games Of 2026 (So Far) (21 September 2026)
- OpenCritic, ratings of the games mentioned (checked on 29 September 2026)
- Gamer PC, PC release calendar for 2026
- Xbox, Gears of War: E-Day
- Wikipedia, Fable (rescheduled for 2027)
- Wikipedia, Grand Theft Auto VI
- Neowin, The Witcher 4 won’t be here until at least 2027
