Your video game backlog is about to get very crowded. Fall is always a busy season for new video games, but this year feels different (just check out our full fall preview). That’s largely thanks to Grand Theft Auto 6, which is set to take over the world come November. It’s so intimidating that virtually every video game has moved out of its way to make for an unusually loaded September and October. There are going to be a lot of promising games to play, and not much time to play them.
There are 15 games at the center of our radar, including new Castlevania, Final Fantasy, Silent Hill, and Gears of War games. Those franchise institutions will go up against some promising new IP like Phantom Blade Zero, which could make a huge impact in October. There are even more games coming, but consider this list a cheat sheet of all the major releases landing this fall.
Release date: Sept. 15
Where to play: PS5
Insomniac has been the MVP of the PlayStation 5 generation, delivering two great Spider-Man games and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. Now, the studio is going for another hit with Marvel’s Wolverine. The long-awaited superhero game finds Insomniac at its most brutal, as this version of Logan cuts through enemies like several knives through butter. If all goes well, we could be looking at the start of a new X-Men empire on PlayStation.
Release date: Sept. 17
Where to play: Switch 2
So far in the Switch 2 era, Nintendo has been happy with kicking out niche treats for its most bought-in fans. Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave is about to change that. The strategy game looks to be the Switch 2’s biggest statement since Donkey Kong Bananza, giving players a long, meaty RPG that could be a console-defining exclusive. There’s a real chance that Fortune’s Weave could wind up being Nintendo’s true Game of the Year contender come December, even over The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. That’s saying a lot.
Release date: Sept. 24
Where to play: MacOS, PS5, Windows PC, Xbox Series X
For its sequel to 2019’s hit Control, Remedy is taking a big left turn. Control Resonant isn’t another telekinetic third-person shooter, but a hack-and-slash action game that’s closer to Devil May Cry than anything Remedy has done before. That creative swing makes it one of the fall’s most exciting wildcards. All I know is that you can never count out Remedy’s ability to deliver, especially when its games look as atmospheric and haunting as this.
Release date: Sept. 24
Where to play: PS5, Windows PC
Following up on last year’s excellent Silent Hill f, Konami’s mission to revive its psychological horror series continues this fall with Silent Hill: Townfall. The game is much different from anything we’ve seen from the series before, focusing on more minimalistic horror as players explore a haunted Scottish island. It’s Observation developer Screen Burn Interactive’s chance to prove that its atmospheric approach to horror is a perfect fit for one of gaming’s most influential franchises.
Release date: Oct. 1
Where to play: PS5, Switch 2, Windows PC, Xbox Series X
Ubisoft’s remake streak will continue this fall with Rayman Legends Retold, a revamp of its 2013 platforming hit. Retold isn’t just a simple HD upgrade, though. It’s a total overhaul of the original game, changing its art style entirely, adding new dragon-riding levels, and working in more story elements to make it feel like a full animated film. If nothing else, it will be a great excuse to replay a great modern 2D platformer that deserves some love.
6
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve
Release date: Oct. 2
Where to play: PS5, Windows PC, Xbox Series X
Historically, flight simulators have been a bit of a niche genre associated with enthusiast dads. Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve might just break the genre out of that box. Bandai Namco’s latest dogfighting game looks to bring the series to cinematic heights, giving players the closest thing we’ve ever gotten to a great Top Gun game. Considering that the series started way back in 1995, a big breakout moment certainly feels overdue.
7
Gears of War: E-Day
Release date: Oct. 6
Where to play: Windows PC, Xbox Series X
After a rough year, Xbox is in desperate need of a hit to close out 2026. It might just get one in Gears of War: E-Day. The meathead shooter is a promising turn for one of Xbox’s tentpole franchises, giving players a prequel that explains how Emergence Day came about. Along with that, E-Day brings some multiplayer modes that have a lot of potential based on what we’ve played so far.
8
Star Wars: Galactic Racer
Release date: Oct. 6
Where to play: PS5, Windows PC, Xbox Series X
We already got one great Star Wars game this year thanks to Zero Company, but two back-to-back? That might just happen thanks to Star Wars: Galactic Racer. The new racing game from industry veterans basically gives podracing the Burnout treatment, which means that you’ll see sci-fi vehicles explode in fiery glory. Most interesting, though, is Galactic Racer’s roguelite campaign, which could very well revolutionize how racing games approach single-player content.
9
Valor Mortis
Release date: Oct. 13
Where to play: PS5, Windows PC, Xbox Series X
If the Soulslike genre has gotten a little stale for your tastes lately, Valor Mortis is the game to watch. The new action RPG from the team behind Ghostrunner is switching things up by taking the combat into first-person as you slash and shoot through enemies. You can still expect plenty of grotesque bosses, parry battles, and atmospheric eerieness, just from a new perspective that could stand to freshen the genre up a bit.
10
Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse
Release date: Oct. 15
Where to play: PS5, Switch, Windows PC, Xbox Series X
Castlevania turns 40 this fall, and there’s no better way to celebrate than with a brand-new game. Evil Empire, the studio behind Dead Cells’ fantastic Return to Castlevania DLC, is picking up the reins for a classic 2D Castlevania game that’s playing to the studio’s strengths. It’s always great to see a proven indie studio get the keys to a major IP, and there’s really no better fit for Castlevania than Motion Twin.
