5 games releasing in 2026 I can't wait to play
Here it is! My very first post.
I have been thinking about something like this for a while. I can usually only stream a couple of times a week and I rarely post on TikTok or YouTube. And maybe, there is still an audience for blogs.
Without further ado, here are some games that I am excited to play in 2026!
Cairn
The rock climbing simulator you didn't know you needed.
Developers website BlueSky Steam page
Genre: Adventure, Survival, Sim
Release date: January 29th 2025
Price: 29.99 €/$
Platforms: PC, PS5
Developer: The Game Bakers
What else have they made?
Furi, Haven, Sqiuids Odyssey
Why am I excited for it?
I love rock climbing and I have only played one game that was focused on it (Insurmountable - it was as fun as it is pleasant to pronounce). Seeing your hobby being represented in games is always quite exciting. And as a bonus, it seems like that while Cairn is a survival game, but I would put it in the same category as Flame in the Flood or The Long Dark - i.e., non-spooky, non-zombie survival games. Some might even say it is a COZY survival game, even though that is quite the oxymoron.
I had a chance to check out the Cairn demo during Gamescom 2024. The thing that stands out the most is that they truly focused on simulating climbing. You had to move your hands and legs separately, carefully finding the best piece of rock to hold onto. But it didn't feel clumsy or "funny" (so don't expect Baby Steps gameplay).
Nivalis
The life of a cyberpunk NPC simulator
Developer website BlueSky Steam page
Genre: Adventure, RPG, simulator
Release date: Who knows? But should have been 2024 and now it is hopefully 2026
Price: unknown
Platforms: PC
Developer: ION Lands
What else have they made?
Phoning home and Cloudpunk
Why am I excited for it?
"You’ve got to start small: a food stall, a noodle stand, a stim store. Build your way up to a bar, a restaurant, or even a nightclub. Eventually, you’ll own all the nightlife in Nivalis. You’ll own the night!" (from the game website)
Cloudpunk (their previous game) introduced an interesting graphics style and a cyberpunk city that we hadn't seen before, from the point of view of a taxi driver.
Nivalis takes place in the same city, but this time it is a business simulator. Oh, and you know how much I love pretending to go to work in games. Nothing better than a little bit of corporate climbing and capitalism on my evening off.
Nivalis promises realistic weather, a day-to-night cycle, and lots of NPCs, but also danger because you never know which gang is going to cause trouble that day. This could be brilliant. Maybe we will serve ramen to the main character? Maybe become the big bad and own everyone and everything? I need to stop being so excited, so I don't jinx it. Nivalis, it is time to deliver.
Outbound
Camper life simulator, but not boring.
Developer website Steam
Genre: Open world crafting-exploration game
Release date: Q2 2026
Price: unknown
Platforms: PC, Xbox, PS5. Switch 1 + 2
Developer: Sqaure Blade Games
What else have they made?
Above Snakes
Why am I excited for it?
Last year was the year of camper van cozy games. They were cute, but they didn't really offer anything else but that. Vibes and chill music can be enough unless, like me, you realise you need something more to do.
That's where Outbound comes in:
cute camper van? ✅
cozy vibes? ✅
petting a dog? ✅✅✅
building, crafting and exploring? ✅
I don't think it will be quite as survival-heavy as Cairn. The exciting factors come in customisation, harvesting resources and managing natural resources like sun, wind and water.
I am a bit worried about its sandbox aspect and the fact that it can be played with friends (which I don't want, thank you very much). Hopefully, there is a basic storyline or the gameplay loop of exploring and crafting is satisfying enough.
*I have backed this game up on Kickstarter in August 2024 and paid 35 euros for the digital deluxe edition.
Witchbrook
I can finally go to magical school! (And it is not Little Witch in the Woods)
Developer Website BlueSky Steam Page
Genre: life-sim (yaaassss)
Release date: Soon??
Price: unknown
Platforms: PC, Switch 1 + 2
Developer: Chucklefish, Robotality
What else have they made?
Pathway, INMOST, Starbound, Wargrove, Estward, Wildfrost, Wargrove 2, Loco Motive, Halfway
Why am I excited for it?
It is a life sim. MAGICAL LIFE SIM. WITH ROMANCE. And tattoos.
Honestly, everything about this game speaks to me. It is Stardew, but magic. The pixel art is a bit overdone in this genre, yes. So let's hope it is unique in all the other ways. They claim you will be able to progress through academic year and study for exams, etc! This is what I wanted from Hogwarts Legacy, and instead, I became a serial killer.
Starsand Island
My time at Portia - just cuter.
Steam Page
Genre: life-sim, farming sim, casual
Release date: NOW PLEASE (Q1 2026)
Price: unknown
Platforms: PC, Switch 2, Xbox, PS5
Developer: Seed Sparkle Lab
What else have they made?
n/a
Why am I excited for it?
"Leave the mundane behind and rediscover life's simple joys in this coastal utopia."
Yes, this is another life sim. Maybe you're done with them by now, but I am not. My Time at Portia was absolutely amazing and different enough from Stardew and I now have similarly high hopes for Starsand.
(Equally, let's not forget we have a lot "something something island" games that are cozy farming sims, so this really needs to do something new and enjoyable.)
The anime-like look of the game is charming, the romance and relationship system looks developed and the overall vibe of the game is wholesome and heartwarming. I couldn't quite get into Coral island for example, mostly because it felt like it was missing some QOL features (like a minimap).
There have been alpha tests and demos and the overall perception was good. So may the writing be okay and the vibes cute and I can see myself losing a week or two in this game.
*I have backed this game up on Kickstarter in May 2025 and paid 20 dollars for the Early bird reward-
Which of these are you most excited for?
Cairn
Nivalis
Outbound
Witchbrook
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