Action games have always been extremely diverse, offering intense experiences to suit the tastes of all sorts of gamers, and after a packed 2025, 2026 is setting out to be an even more diverse year.
No matter if you prefer linear intense experiences, super-hero games, stealth games, or immersive open-worlds to lose yourself in, you are sure to find some great games to play in the next 12 months.
Here are our five most anticipated action games releasing in 2026.
Other Wccftech's Most Anticipated 2026 Games per genre: Role-Playing Games, Indie Games, Platformers, DLC/Expansion
In our Best Games of 2025 and Most Anticipated of 2026 Awards story, you can learn which games our staff and the community won in the polls!
Phantom Blade Zero (September 9, 2026 - PC, PlayStation 5)
Phantom Blade Zero made more than a few heads turn when it was revealed in May 2023, with its distinctive style blending traditional kung fu with steampunk and cyberpunk. However, many dismissed it as yet another soulslike. Fortunately, this won't be the case.
Edging closer to a more traditional action game than a soulslike, the game in development by S-Game is setting out to be one of the best games of the current console generation, featuring intense action, linear yet articulate level design, exceptional enemy encounter design that forces players to employ every game mechanic effectively, epic boss battles and some of the smoothest animation in video games.
Though in the works by what is essentially an unproven team, Phantom Blade Zero truly has everything to succeed when it launches this September.
Marvel's Wolverine (Q3/Q4 2026 - PlayStation 5)
Following the success of the Marvel's Spider-Man series, Insomniac Games is preparing to branch out with a new game starring one of the most beloved Marvel Comics characters that shares very little with Peter Parker's and Miles Morales' adventures.
Seemingly ditching the open-world of Marvel's Spider-Man, Marvel's Wolverine will take a third-person action adventure route where players control the legendary Logan, explore a variety of locations, meet an ensemble cast of Marvel Comics characters, and gruesomely take down enemies using his superior strength and Adamantium Claws. With the vehicle traversal and varied locations teased in last year's gameplay trailer, there are plenty of reasons to be excited about the game.
With Sony's first-party premier action-adventure game series not receiving new entries this year, Marvel's Wolverine is undoubtedly the game to look out for for fans of the genre, even those who aren't too keen on the Marvel Comics universe.
Crimson Desert (March 19, 2026 - PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S)
Crimson Desert by Pearl Abyss, the developers of the popular MMO Black Desert Online, has been in the works for a very long time, but this year we will finally be able to experience Kliff's journey through the continent of Pywel ourselves.
With the political turmoil following the death of the Unifier of Lands in the background, players will get to explore a really varied world with regions ranging from the pleasing plains of Akapen to the cold lands of Kweiden, raid castles, explore dungeons featuring puzzles, treasure and powerful enemies, create alliances with other central characters and master weapons and martial arts techniques to take down some rather impressive massive enemies.
For too long, Crimson Desert has been a huge unknown, but from what we have seen so far, the game has a high chance of being one of the best open-world action games in this packed 2026.
007: First Light (May 27, 2026 - PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2)
After a long hiatus for the franchise following 2012's 007 Legends, IO Interactive - the masters of the stealth-sandbox genre - are finally bringing James Bond back to gaming with an action stealth title that promises to be among the best in the genre.
007: First Light isn't just Hitman with a tuxedo. It’s a full-fledged third-person action-adventure that explores a 26-year-old Bond as he earns his license to kill. Blending IO's signature freedom of approach with cinematic set pieces, 007: First Light will allow players to seamlessly jump from eavesdropping on NPCs while concealed to fighting enemies head-on, engaging in intense car chases driving a vintage Aston Martin, taking part in shoot-outs on cargo planes mid-flight, and more.
With a cast featuring Gemma Chan and Lenny Kravitz as the primary antagonist, Bawma, 007: First Light is setting out to be the definitive spy fantasy and one of the best action games launching in 2026.
Grand Theft Auto VI (November 19, 2026 - PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S)
Grand Theft Auto VI dominated every most anticipated game launching in 2025, but as is now tradition for Rockstar Games, the game was delayed to late 2026, thus allowing it to dominate every list this year as well.
With the massive success of Grand Theft Auto V (now available across three console generations) and Grand Theft Auto Online, it's no surprise that the gaming community is eagerly anticipating the game, despite the limited information available today.
However, judging from the many patents filed in the past few years, Grand Theft Auto VI isn't just going to reiterate its predecessor with better graphics. It is set to improve every aspect of its open-world experience, introducing elements that could evolve the entire experience into an MMO, and even change how music is distributed online, turning it into an even more epochal release not only for video games, but for entertainment.
Honorable Mentions
The five above are only some of the noteworthy action games releasing in the next 12 months. Here are some more games to keep an eye on in this action-packed 2026.
- Onimusha: Way of the Sword (TBA - PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S)
- PRAGMATA (April 24, 2026 - PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2)
- ROMEO IS A DEAD MAN (February 11, 2026 - PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S)
- SAROS (April 30, 2026 - PlayStation 5)
- Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties (February 12, 2026 - PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2)
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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