Best PS5 Games Of 2026: Released And Upcoming Games

Published Aug 28, 2026, 1:10 PM EDT Gabrielle is a staff writer for TheGamer who began working in gaming journalism in May 2022, immediately after graduating cum laude with her Bachelors in English. A lifelong lover of in-depth RPGs and cozy simulation games alike, she enjoys having married her passions for both writing and video games in her work. She's spent her life chasing Platinum trophies and completionist collections, even before a company started paying her to do it on the internet. We're only partway through 2026 so far at the time of publishing this list, but we've already seen the release of some real winners on the PlayStation 5 this year, and we're not even done with the release calendar yet! From the emotional tales told across adventure games or visual novels to the action-packed shooters and chill-inducing horror titles, the PS5 has seen a little something for everyone so far in 2026, and Sony isn't done yet. Here are the best releases of 2026 so far, and a handful more you can look forward to before the year's out. Cairn Launch Date January 29 Genre Adventure/Simulation Developer The Game Bakers One of the more unique PS5 titles so far in 2026 has been Cairn, one we began the year with that had us all climbing to reach new heights, no matter how challenging that might be when you have to move one limb at a time to get there. The devs, The Game Bakers, describe the game as a "survival climber" in the sense that you'll also need to worry about keeping your character's health in mind. Her hunger, thirst, and bodily temperature can and will fluctuate as you go, with a changing weather and day/night cycle to add some extra layers of challenge to your trek. Nioh 3 Launch Date February 6 Genre ARPG Developer Team Ninja and Koei Tecmo If action role-playing games are more your speed, though, then you've had a pretty good year so far in 2026, startoing strong with Nioh 3 at the beginning of February from Koei Tecmo and Team Ninja. This demon-infested alternate history Japan is stunning and welcomes exploration, but you're not really focusing on that in a combat-heavy game. Play as Tokugawa Takechiyo and try to steal the Shogunate away from your disasterous younger brother who seems intent on plunging Japan into hell. Switch between combat styles as you fight your way through this entry in the Nioh series and wrest power away once and for all. Resident Evil Requiem Launch Date February 27 Genre Survival Horror/Action Developer Capcom Survival horror fans need no introduction to Leon Kenedy, the longtime face of the Resident Evil series, now that we're into the ninth game in it with Requiem. He's your action guy who fights his way through his story segments, while Grace Ashcroft, the FBI analyst you'll also play as, is more abut stealth and sneaking. You'll need to do a combination of running, fighting, and hiding as you navigate through this latest version of Raccoon City. Plenty of terrors await the pair, which you can switch between depending on which section of the story you're experiencing at any given moment. ​​​​​​​ Marathon Launch Date March 5 Genre Extraction Shooter Developer Bungie, Inc. We've seen a handful of games explore the concept of the possibility of life on a planet far-off called Tau Ceti, and in Marathon, you'll explore what remains of a colony there as artificial machines known as Runners. The environment is just as beautiful as it is deadly in this one! You'll need to survive for 30 minutes at a time as you explore the area you drop into, scavenging for all kinds of loot and supplies as you explore and fight to stay alive. There are other players in the game trying to kill you just as much as the NPC enemies are, so be mindful as you play! ​​​​​​​ Pragmata Launch Date April 17 Genre Action-Adventure Developer Capcom If you're looking for a tale like that of an android girl and her human father-figure defying the odds out in space together as they face off against all kinds of sci-fi horrors in this action-adventure title, then Pragmata is something of a must-play. It's Capcom's first new IP in years (since Dragon's Dogma launched back in 2012), and we think they knocked it out of the park. You'll follow Hugh and Diana as they fight their way through all kinds of space monsters, leveling up their abilities and weaponry as you go explore Ther Cradle up in space where Lunafilament is being mined, which is home to a hostile AI that'll stop at nothing to keep you from leaving. ​​​​​​​ Saros Housemarque Launch Date April 30 Genre Action, Shooter, Roguelite Developer Housemarque Keeping things in the hostile alien sci-fi vein for a moment, Saros came out not long after Pragmata and kept us on the edge of our seats as we joined Arjun Devraj on his mission as an enforcer who wakes up with no memory of what happened on his way out to the colony of Carcosa. The bullethell roguelite title features some unique weaponry and defense options that you'll want to consistently keep upgraded as you progress - you're going to need all the help you can get as you help Arjun try to find his estranged wife. ​​​​​​​ Mixtape Launch Date May 7 Genre Interactive Film Developer Beethoven & Dinosaur If you're more in the mood for an interactive movie that had plenty of people talking back in the spring when it released, then Mixtape is a charming coming-of-age title that's sure to leave you in your feelings at the end. You're a group of teenagers who are about to go their own ways for the first time in their lives, but before they do, it's time for one more night together. The time is spent in a stunningly animated environment, enjoying a wonderfully nostalgic soundtrack of licensed songs from bands like the Smashing Pumpkins and Devo, to name but a few. ​​​​​​​ 007 First Light IO Interactive Launch Date May 26 Genre Action-Adventure, Shooter Developer IO Interactive It's always cool to see how the games tied to classic franchises evolve over time, and the 007 movie tie-ins always prove to be intriguing. This time, though, we got a fully unique adventure from IO Interactive with 007 First Light, showing us a bit about James Bond's origin story. It's the first James Bond game we saw in a while, after a licensing debacle related to the gaming tie-ins, but First Light smashed expectations when it launched in May. You'll play as Bond while he trains to be a spy and works his way toward becoming the MI6 agent we all know and love. ​​​​​​​ Mina The Hollower Launch Date May 29 Genre Action-Adventure Developer Yacht Club Games Long awaited and much-desired Mina the Hollower launched earlier in the year and managed to completely smash the expectations fans had of it after its successful 2022 Kickstarter campaign. It was made to feel like an old-school Game Boy Advance title and fans of retro gaming and modern titles alike had their fun with the charming indie. The titular Mina advances through more than a dozen unique areas and finds all kinds of disasters within, beginning with her own ship being wrecked on an island after an attack from a monster kicks off the game. Dive underground as a Hollower and use the mechanic to your advantage to fight your way through. Halo: Campaign Evolved Halo Studios Launch Date July 28 Genre FPS Developer Microsoft Though Halo was one of Microsoft's biggest exclusives for the Xbox line of consoles for the longest time, Halo: Campaign Evolved, a complete remake of the first game in the now-iconic series to celebrate its 25-year anniversary, launched on PS5 at the same time to bring the nostalgic fun to even more sci-fi shooter fans. With the original Halo title an Xbox exclusive for the longest time, we're now able to enjoy the origin story of Master Chief. The mechanics you know and love have all been given an overhaul that fans new and old all seemed to generally enjoy. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​