While heavy hitters like Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, and Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves will continue to be updated with new characters and balance changes, which should be even more interesting for the Bandai Namco game following series creator Katsuhiro Harada's departure, 2026 will also see the release of some major fighting games. This is set to make it a landmark year for the fighting game community, particularly for those interested in tag fighting games.
Luckily, 2026 will also offer plenty to those who prefer traditional 1-versus-1 fighting games with the launch of a new game based on a successful franchise and a massive overhaul of one of the best fighting games of the current console generation.
Here are our five most anticipated fighting games launching in 2026.
Other Wccftech's Most Anticipated 2026 Games per genre: Role-Playing Games, Indie Games, Platformers, DLC/Expansion, Action, Shooter Games
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!
MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls (2026 - PC, PlayStation 5)
In a massive industry shakeup, Sony Interactive Entertainment and Marvel Games have partnered with the legendary Arc System Works to create the the spiritual sequel to the beloved Marvel Vs Capcom series, and the ultimate tag-fighter.
MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls brings the signature anime fighter intensity to the Marvel Universe, featuring a roster that includes icons like Captain America, Spider-Man, Star Lord, Doctor Doom, Ghost Rider (Robbie Reyes), and Storm. Featuring a 4-versus-4 tag system and the faithful rendition of each character's unique powers, the game promises to be the most explosive fighting game in years.
With an expert developer such as Arc System Works, its breathtaking 2.5D visuals, and a 10-year support plan, MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls is sure to become a mainstay for the FGC for a very long time.
Invincible VS (April 30, 2026 - PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S)
Capitalizing on the success of the Amazon Animated Series, Invincible VS will bring a unique fighting game flair that will make it stand head to head with the most celebrated series still active today.
Developed by Quarter Up, a studio comprised of veterans from the 2013 Killer Instinct development team, Invincible VS is a 3v3 tag-fighter that is not afraid to fully embrace the source material’s extreme violence. Featuring a unique battle-fatigue system and fully destructible stages, you can expect the intense battles between Omni-Man, Atom Eve, Battle Beast and every other character to feel like an episode of the animated series, also thanks to all original actors reprising their role.
Combining the technicality of Japanese fighting games with the visceral impact of Western fighting games, Invincible VS is sure to leave a mark on the scene when it launches later this year.
Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game (Summer 2026 - PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2)
After cutting their teeth with Them's Fighting Herds, Gameplay Group is ready to leave a more lasting impact on the fighting game genre with Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game.
A 1v1 fighter featuring a support characters system, the game focuses on a unique "Flow System" that rewards movement-based element bending to deliver a unique fighting game experience Launching with 12 playable characters, including popular characters like Aang, Korra, and Zuko, rendered with hand-drawn 2D visuals, playing the game will feel like watching an episode of the successful show.
With rollback netcode and cross-play confirmed for its Summer 2026 launch, Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game is a serious contender for both casual fans and the competitive FGC.
2XKO (January 20, 2026 - PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S)
If you checked out our best fighting games of 2025 list, you may find the inclusion of 2XKO in this list weird. However, there's a good reason why the tag fighter set in the world of League of Legends is also one of the most anticipated fighting games launching in 2026.
After years in development as Project L and its PC early access release, 2XKO officially launches its console versions and full Season 1 this January. This free-to-play 2v2 tag-team fighter is built from the ground up to be accessible yet competitive, featuring some deep tag mechanics that provide players with a lot of options and a "Duo Play" mode that allows four players to compete at once.
Launching alongside a 2026 Competitive Series featuring 20 sanctioned tournaments, Riot is positioning 2XKO to be the next big pillar of the fighting game community. And with the developer knowing more than a few things about supporting a competitive game for years, 2XKO is likely here to stay for a very long time.
Guilty Gear -Strive- Version 2.0 (2026 - PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S. Nintendo Switch Update TBC)
While not a "new" game in the traditional sense, Arc System Works has confirmed that 2026 will see the launch of Guilty Gear -Strive- Version 2.0, a massive overhaul that will reportedly be rather big.
This substantial shift in gameplay philosophy, as described by producer Ken Miyauchi, will coincide with the start of Season 5, which is expected to introduce additional characters following the addition of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners' Lucy to the roster in late 2025.
With new universal mechanics, reworked move sets for the base roster, and a significant graphical improvement to enhance what are some of the best visuals seen in fighting games, Guilty Gear -Strive- Version 2.0 has every right to be among the most anticipated fighting games of the year.
Honorable Mentions
The five games above are only some of the games worthy keeping an eye on for fighting game fans. Other games are launching next year, including:
- My Hero Academia: All's Justice (February 6, 2026 - PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S)
- Acts of Blood (Summer 2026 - PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S)
- Combo Devils (TBA - PC)
- Umbral Core (TBA - PC, PlayStation 5)
- Scramble Heart City (TBA - PC)
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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