With our wishlists longer than a Leonard Cohen song, despite being dominated by one massive larceny of cars scheme (unless it is delayed again), 2026 is still packed with interesting games, both big and small. We’ve all compiled our own little individual lists of between one and three most wanted games coming our way this year (hopefully)… and maybe some that are pushed a little beyond the end of the year. So without faffing about any longer, let’s get into the Phenixx Gaming staff 2026 Most Wanted games.

Alexx – Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement

As a Castlevania fan, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night was close to the greatness of Symphony of the Night. Now, The Scarlet Engagement looks as though it is going to match its predecessor, and possibly surpass it. With the ability to play multiple characters – or play in multiplayer – The Scarlet Engagement changes the way the Metroidvania approaches bosses, puzzles, and more. Additionally, with two new protagonists, Iga seems to be expanding the world and mythos of Bloodstained even more. I’m beyond excited for the (hopefully) 2026 release of The Scarlet Engagement.

Keiran – There are No Ghosts at the Grand

I keep wanting to say There are No MORE Ghosts at the Grand every time I say this next one, but that’s just me being weird. Speaking of weird, Friday Sundea’s There Are No Ghosts at the Grand is a PowerWash Sim-esque or renovation title with a heavy focus on story that is sometimes told through 2-tone ska crossed with jazz musical segments. I didn’t know developers were shrinking themselves like The Borrowers and climbing into my brain, but here we are. A game that is almost exclusively aimed at me, even after being a bit let down by the demo’s ghost train of story elements.

A lot of what we’ve seen thus far about There are No Ghosts at the Grand are the musical and story elements, with the demo once again reiterating that to a degree. What I want to see more of is a bit more of the gameplay and being able to enjoy that without Johnny Peebles butting in, the cat talking to me, or the woman having a sing-song. Thus far, the demo did a little bit of renovation with a whole lot of story pushing us forward, and the trailers are just story; nonetheless, I’m excited to see more and get hands-on this year.

Taylor – Fable

Okay, so this was in my list last year, too. Xbox Game Studios had a solid 2025, but this was a tough delay to hear about when news broke. Still, I’m hoping more time in the oven means we’re not getting a half-baked return to Fable and the unique, humorous fantasy world I’ve loved for a considerable portion of my life. There’s a good chance this and Gears: E-Day headline Xbox’s lineup for next year, and given their track record of not always nailing it, I’m cautiously optimistic about what Playground Games is putting together for its return.

Mike – Building Relationships

Imagine a dating sim where the characters are houses, and you now have Building Relationships in a nutshell. Outside of that nutshell is absurd dialogue, a quirky presentation, and… movement mechanics, for some reason. The result makes for an engrossing demo that hooked me not just on its weird gameplay, but its unique overall vibe that manages to separate itself from the other 800+ games sitting in my Steam wishlist. Slated for a Q1 2026 release, here’s hoping Tan Ant Games has a gem on its hands.

Taylor – Star Wars: Zero Company

I love tactics games, and Star Wars is one of those franchises I keep getting my hopes up for every time a game gets announced. After the success of the Star Wars Jedi games, as well as the underrated Star Wars Outlaws, I’m eager to see how an XCOM-style Star Wars game with a good story concept can turn out. With oversight from Respawn and Lucasfilm Games pros, I’m feeling positive, even if we have some preliminary information.

Edward – Star Wars: Zero Company

My reasoning behind this pick is pretty simple. I love Star Wars, and I love tactical strategy. Star Wars: Zero Company seeks to merge both these while delivering what looks to be an original story with new characters. Sign me up!

Keiran – COPA CITY

There is a Dutch game from back in 2002 called Hooligans: Storm Over Europe, an RTS game that built off of that Postal–GTA controversial outlook, by being about violence and gang culture. Entirely based on violent football hooliganism, a feature of 20th-century football culture, you guide fat, bald, methy, angry men who would otherwise be beating their partner half to death and shouting about immigrants stealing the job they’ve never had. Why am I mentioning Darxabre’s obscure little game? Triple Espresso’s COPA CITY is the much more polished tycoon version of that idea, kind of.

More of an economy simulator, you control the match-day activities for licensed top clubs in Europe: Arsenal, Bayern München, Beşiktaş JK, Borussia Dortmund, and Flamengo. Prepping fan zones, ticket sales, media and press zones, managing the club’s supporters correctly, and all while keeping staff safe when moods turn and increasing the club’s bank balance with every £120 Arsenal shirt sold. Will it be as rough and tumble, or as oddly fun as the 2000s title? No, with licenses and such, as well as a clean look, COPA CITY’s March release could simply be an interesting management title.

Matthew – Gallipoli

For almost ten years, I have been a major fan of the WW1 Game Series created by Blackmill Games. So far we have had Verdun, Tannenberg, and Isonzo; each providing a different front of the First World War and creating a more advanced experience with every entry. At long last, the developers are nearly done with their next game, titled Gallipoli. Taking place on the Ottoman front, my anticipation is through the roof. At the time of my writing, the developers have invited me to try the game out early, so I can’t wait to give it a spin!

Alexx – Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave

While I loved Fire Emblem: Engage, I have been ready for a Fire Emblem game that dives back into things such as politics, fantasy, and deeply engrossing narratives. Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave seems to be doing just that. While we aren’t certain if the game is going to be set in a new world or if it is set in the same world as Fire Emblem: Three Houses, what we have seen is beautiful. While Nintendo has only shown a small piece of what Fortune’s Weave is about, the multi-layered story looks very interesting. Here’s hoping 2026 is a good year for Fire Emblem fans.

Edward – The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales

I’m a big fan of Square Enix’s new group of retro-inspired HD 2.5D RPGs. The Adventures of Elliot is developed in partnership with Clayworks Studio, which previously worked on Bravely Default, a series that I quite enjoyed. This new game is taking a more action-oriented approach to gameplay, and I’m interested to see how the studio utilizes real-time combat.

The game’s story also sounds quite engaging. The setting of The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales is a continent ruled by beast tribes where humanity is struggling to survive. Elliot and his fairy companion venture out on a journey spanning centuries through many ancient dungeons. Overall, it sounds very Zelda-like, and that’s just my kind of game.

Keiran – LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight

Much like last year, my third choice was a little tricky to nail down. We haven’t seen enough of Road Kings for me to be confident in picking that one, Cairn is literally weeks away, and my only other option was Mariachi Legends. Which I’m only really excited for because it looks stunning. What also looks stunning, and is coming out about the same time, is TT Games’ latest evolution of the licensed LEGO game, Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight. Something that keeps the spirit of that fantastic LEGO Batman film alive.

As Clem Fandango’s victim voices the bat back breaker (spoiler, I guess) and Lies of P’s Venigni takes on the role of the man in black, there is a sense of visual comedy back in the LEGO games. At least from what we’ve seen so far. A bit of a mid-year (May 29th) outing that could quite easily be a delight for weirdo loners like me, or parents with kids playing literal Batman and Robin. A bit like that one Only Fools and Horses bit at the funeral.

Taylor – Pokémon Pokopia

I love a crafting simulator, and as a lifelong Pokémon fan, placing my favorite characters in a world where I can create my own poke-paradise is a dream come true. I’m loving the art style, and after feeling how well crafting and catching-them-all felt in Palworld, I’m excited to see this world-building experience come to a real Pokémon title. The Ditto Child is… unsettling, but hopefully I’ll have so much fun with this one that I’m not even paying attention to how unsettled she made me in the reveal trailer.

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