2025 saw the return of one of the biggest strategy franchises in the genre, a spiritual successor to a series that fans are dying to see make a comeback, and a beloved game get its long-awaited remake. There was plenty to fill our pick of the Best Strategy and Simulation Games of 2025, and if everything on our list below makes it out before the end of 2026, putting together 2026's list of the best strategy games and best simulation games shouldn't be an issue either.
Other Wccftech's Most Anticipated 2026 Games per genre: Role-Playing Games, Indie Games, Platformers, DLC/Expansion, Action, Shooters, Horror, Sports/Racing, Fighting, Adventure Games, Multiplayer, Most Anticipated Games
Star Wars Zero Company (TBC 2026 - PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S)
If you wanted to give someone the elevator pitch for Star Wars: Zero Company, telling them 'It's XCOM but make it Star Wars,' would be enough to get any strategy game player with a mild love for Star Wars through the door.
We can't be sure if it'll be that exact of a match-up whenever Star Wars: Zero Company does arrive on PC and current-gen consoles sometime in 2026, but it has the precedent to be. Bit Reactor was founded by former XCOM developers, with the studio led by Greg Foerstch, former art director at Firaxis on XCOM and Marvel's Midnight Suns. With so much XCOM blood in the studio, it's exciting to think of the kind of gameplay and storytelling we'll get, all set within the Star Wars universe. Hopefully, it makes its proposed 2026 window, and we're playing it before the end of the year.
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve (TBC 2026 - PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S)
One of the bigger announcements of The Game Awards, Bandai Namco's Ace Combat series is returning with Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve. It's not necessarily a jet flying simulator, but its simulation-style approach is what has it in our picks for what we're looking forward to from simulation games this year.
It's the first mainline entry in the series in seven years, after 2019's Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown, which has gone on to sell over 3 million copies since then. It may not be the best-selling series in Bandai Namco's portfolio, but there's a clear hunger for more Ace Combat and millions of players who will happily buy this new entry when it arrives. Hopefully, we'll know more about the game and its release soon.
Total War: Warhammer 40,000 (TBC 2026 - PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S)
The Total War series is hitting a couple of 'firsts' with the coming release of Total War: Warhammer 40,000. It'll be the first time the Total War series makes the trip to the Warhammer 40,000 franchise, but perhaps more importantly for the series, Total War: Warhammer 40,000 will be the first time the Total War series makes its way to consoles, as it is also set to arrive on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.
Announced at The Game Awards 2025 with the help of David Harbour from Stranger Things, the coming game will feature the Space Marines, Orks, Aeldari, and Astra Militarum as its four factions, and while it doesn't have an official release window yet, the announcement did include gameplay footage which hopefully means its far enough along that we could see it arrive in 2026.
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV (TBC 2026 - PC)
A second appearance from the Warhammer 40,000 franchise, though this time it's coming from its own series of RTS games instead of a different franchise making its first foray into the Warhammer 40,000 universe. The long-awaited Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV was shown off multiple times in 2025, including with an incredible-looking in-engine gameplay trailer that made the game look like it was ready for release very soon.
It doesn't have an official release date or release window yet, but we'll hopefully be hearing more about it soon.
Nova Roma (March 26, 2026 - PC)
Last on our main picks is Nova Roma, a new upcoming title from developer Lion Shield and publisher Hooded Horse, the latter of whom has made a name for themselves as having a keen eye for upcoming strategy titles.
This city builder asks you to appease the Roman gods and create a successful and thriving Ancient Roman empire, and if you feel like Anno 117: Pax Romana didn't scratch the Ancient Roman itch you have, then Nova Roma could be the game to do it.
Honorable Mentions
Of course, we can't have every upcoming game in our main picks, but the following games are still worth paying attention to.
About the author: David has been writing about videogames, technology, and culture since 2020, with a focus on reporting daily news across multiple publications, including GameDaily.Biz, GameSkinny, and PlayStation Universe before joining Wccftech in 2025. David started contributing as Canada/US reporter for Wccftech's gaming section in 2025. Besides being up-to-date on the industry's movements, he loves interviewing developers, reviewing games, and writing intricate essays about the symbolism and layered meanings to be found in rich narratives as he's done for publications like GamesIndustry.Biz, LostInCult, and others. Outside of games he loves movies, music, theatre, his hometown, and his family, though not necessarily in that order.
Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.
