Not sure what to play in the new year? Open your calendar and mark the dates of the most anticipated games of January 2026.
StarRupture
- Release Date: January 6
- Platforms: PC
Like most games in this genre, StarRupture challenges you to survive and thrive in a hostile world. You will explore the unknown, gather resources, build industrial complexes, and face threats in the wild. Best of all, you can do it all with a few friends, making StarRupture the first major cooperative game of 2026!
Pathologic 3
- Release Date: January 9
- Platforms: PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S
Pathologic 2 continues the legacy of the original Mor.Utopia in the survival quest genre. The main character is a bachelor and a young metropolitan doctor named Daniil Dankovsky who appeared in the previous installment. This time, he must single-handedly stop a deadly ulcer epidemic in a godforsaken, gloomy backwater town. To accomplish this, he must explore the surrounding area, examine and treat the inhabitants, gather information from them, distinguish truth from superstition, conduct medical experiments, and avoid contracting the disease himself.
You have 12 days to complete everything. You need to monitor your physical health indicators and your psycho-emotional state. Maintain a balance between “mania” and “apathy.” Players can rewind time and return to the recent past to change their actions, which will affect the course of events.
Code Violet
- Release Date: January 10
- Platforms: PS5
Code Violet, a frequent topic in recent articles, may be making its final appearance. Code Violet is a long-awaited sci-fi action horror game set in the distant future. After a global catastrophe, the remaining population of Earth organizes an alien colony. In order to solve the sudden problem of infertility and, consequently, extinction, scientists invent time travel technology to kidnap surrogate mothers from the past. One of the kidnapped women is the main character, Violet Sinclair. In order to survive in a bioengineering complex filled with prehistoric dinosaurs and other hostile creatures, and to uncover the colonists’ plots, she must use her smart suit’s invisibility camouflage to obtain weapons and supplies, as well as solve numerous puzzles.
Quarantine Zone: The Last Check
- Release Date: January 12
- Platforms: PC
A hyped simulator of a checkpoint worker during a zombie apocalypse from the Russian studio Brigada Games. The demo version, released in May 2025, became a hit on Twitch. This resulted in a contract with the publisher Devolver Digital and garnered the attention of gamers worldwide.
The game’s main mechanic is thoroughly checking survivors. You must read documents, use diagnostic tools, and rely on your instincts to determine who is infected, who poses a threat, and who should be allowed into the safe zone. Your actions determine not only the fate of individuals but also the overall condition of the base. Decisions that seem simple at first quickly become difficult moral dilemmas, such as whether to let in an infected mother, whether to risk the base’s safety for one person, or whether to sacrifice them for the sake of overall survival.
Unlike classic “bureaucracy simulators,” Quarantine Zone not only focuses on checking documents but also on managing the base itself. Players must allocate resources, monitor the shelter’s condition, strengthen defenses, and prepare for attacks by hordes of infected individuals. The game gradually shifts from local decisions to large-scale control of the situation while maintaining a constant sense of anxiety and lack of time.
BrokenLore: UNFOLLOW
- Release Date: January 16
- Platforms: PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S
This first-person psychological horror game will be part of the Broken Lore anthology. The main character, Ann, is a victim of bullying who carries enormous emotional pain. She finds herself trapped in the terrifying world of her subconscious, which is populated by monsters and beasts that symbolize her fears and traumas. The game is distinguished by its subtle portrayal of the psychological effects of technology and social media on a fragile psyche. Ann’s smartphone is the main gameplay tool, and each notification is a trigger for the pain she has experienced. Whether Ann can defeat her inner demons and escape the nightmare depends on your decisions, as there are multiple endings. Not all of them are optimistic.
MIO: Memories in Orbit
- Release Date: January 20
- Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2
This space Metroidvania features an unusual animation style that combines elements of comics, watercolor painting, and anime. The android MIO explores the once majestic but now abandoned and decaying Space Ark. The Ark consists of various biomes and ecosystems that are inhabited by hostile robots and mechanisms. MIO must figure out what happened on the ship and restore order. His main weapon is his long “antennae,” and he can modify himself over time using parts from defeated enemies.
Arknights: Endfield
- Release Date: January 22
- Platforms: PC and PS5
Arknights: Endfield became incredibly popular even before its release. The project has already amassed over 30 million pre-registrations and a devoted fanbase. It’s no surprise, as it’s an action RPG set in the Arknights universe. Yes, it’s a whole universe. So far, it includes one game, Arknights, which is a tower defense game with gacha elements. There is also an anime adaptation consisting of three seasons. In Arknights: Endfield, you play the “End Administrator,” the leader of Endfield Industries on the planet Talos II.
Gameplay involves exploring the planet, which consists of separate biomes, and managing its resources. You will have to build various communication facilities and factories, connecting them with conveyor belts to create an automated system for producing and processing resources. The most interesting aspect is the combination of Tower Defense mechanics and an action RPG. You are part of a squad of four characters, each with unique abilities that come into play during tactical group battles. Put simply, this is another competitor to Genshin Impact, but with unique mechanics and an already popular universe.
The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin
- Release Date: January 29
- Platforms: PC and PS5
There are tons of anime-based games out there, with several new ones appearing every month. However, The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin stands out for a few reasons. First, the franchise hasn’t had a major new game since 2020, and none of the previous projects have been as ambitious as Origin. Second, while anime games are commonplace, open-world anime games are rare, especially ones that look as impressive as this one. Finally, Britannia from The Seven Deadly Sins is the perfect setting for an RPG. Its traditional fairy-tale fantasy setting can appeal to those unfamiliar with the source material. The game will feature an original story in which the Prince must team up with the legendary heroes that gave the franchise its name. In addition to the main story, The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin will also feature a co-op mode.
Cairn
- Release Date: January 29
- Platforms: PC and PS5
Cairn is a mountaineering simulator with a storyline. After selecting a character (Aava or Marco) and a climbing style, the player must conquer the impregnable summit of Mount Kami. Players must carefully assess the terrain and characteristics of the climbing route, choosing the best path while considering weather conditions and time of day. You must climb intuitively, controlling the hero’s hands and feet while constantly searching for footholds and maintaining balance to avoid falling. Unexpected companions and memories of those left behind make it clear that this is not only a physical journey and test of endurance, but also a spiritual ascent for the hero, which sometimes comes at a high price.
CODE VEIN II
- Release Date: January 30
- Platforms: PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S
This Japanese Souls-like game is set in the distant future, where humans and immortal vampires coexist on the brink of destruction. Magical forces have turned the immortals into bloodthirsty monsters, and the main character, a hunter of immortals, must stop them and save the world from extinction. His assistant, Lu, has the ability to control time. Thanks to her, the protagonist can travel into the past and alter events that have shaped the present. The characters he saves will become his allies and fight alongside him.
