2026 is an exciting year for gaming. There’s a lot of new, exciting things on the horizon, and whether you’re an indie fanatic or triple-A loyalist, you’ll be eating good this year and beyond. On the indie side, Paralives is going to have a chance to shake up the life simulation genre to its core in May 2026. Grand Theft Auto 6, if all things go according to plan, could be coming out later in November, and mysteriously send a lot of working gamers on sick leave.
Upcoming Role-Playing Games People Are Excited For
While plenty of RPGs have been announced for 2026 and beyond, these upcoming role-playing games are especially exciting.
If you’re looking for something new and fun to play right now, though, and you’re an open-world game fan, there are several games that are perfect for jumping into at this moment, mainly due to upcoming updates, content, remakes, or even sequels. There’s a chance you may have missed out on some of these, as there are a few older titles in the mix, too. Here’s what to add to your backlog while waiting for those big new releases and updates.
Find all 10 pairs
Find all 10 pairs
The Forest & Sons of the Forest
Buckle Up For Whatever Horrors The Forest 3 Is About To Serve Us
The Forest 3 was unexpectedly announced in the 2026 Game Awards ceremony, showing off a very, very different setting that mixes the franchise’s trademark survival horror vibes with futuristic sci-fi themes. We’ll get a laser gun, and tangle with even wilder enemies in a new, harsh wilderness. It’s a leap that no one could have expected from the franchise, but an exciting one, which is why you should jump into the two previous games: The Forest and Sons of the Forest. Both games start with a crash-landing situation, with the first game focused on finding your son, Timmy, who gets dragged away by a local, strange inhabitant covered in paint.
Sons of the Forest is a bit different, as you’re sent to look for a missing person on a remote island, which turns out to be full of rather strange, hostile locals. Survival is key as you gather resources and build up your base, and perhaps eventually follow the clues to finish the main storyline (it’s harder than you think, given how brilliant the base-building mechanics are). There are very few games that manage to perfectly capture the best of both worlds when it comes to survival horror with a decent story and immersive survival craft gameplay, making The Forest and Sons of the Forest absolute must-plays for everyone.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance
The Next-Gen Update And Sequel Make It A Worthy Visit
In 2025, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 wowed open-world RPG fans with its attention to detail, immersive gameplay, and gorgeous visuals. It pushed the limits of what could be expected out of an RPG, while also introducing its trademark tough-as-nails sword combat. Many consider it to be a borderline Medieval Bohemia simulator, with Henry having to bathe regularly, and how realistic and dynamic the world feels, and it has inspired many to revisit or jump into the first game for the first time.
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There’s good news on that front, too: Kingdom Come: Deliverance recently received a next-gen update, which lets you enjoy the goodness of the original game at 60 FPS on consoles. If you were ever even mildly curious about the game, or perhaps you’re still on the fence about getting the sequel, then now would be the ideal moment to grab the original to experience Henry’s story from the beginning.
Gothic 1 & 2
There’s Some Good News For Fans Of This Retro RPG Series
If you’ve been an RPG enthusiast for years, chances are you’ve run into the Gothic games at some point. The first and second both made their name by introducing harsher-than-usual worlds, where players weren’t handed over the role of the chosen one or treated like special heroes from the start. Instead, you’d have to prove your worth to faction leaders or face the ridicule of NPCs. In true retro game fashion, the games can feel janky and punishing today, with combat against simple enemies leading to near-instant death and no fast travel or quest markers to speak of.
If this sounds like an intriguing challenge and you’ve never tried these games, now is the perfect time to play the original and the sequel, because on June 5th, 2026, Alkimia Interactive is set to release a Gothic Remake. There’s already a free demo available on Steam for those who are curious, and while fans have shown some concern over how close to the original experience the remake will be, there’s plenty of hope and time still for it to deliver something truly special. Until then, give these challenging RPGs a try if you’re tired of handholding in modern games.
Outward
The Sequel Is Approaching, And It’s Looking Juicy
Still in the realm of challenging RPGs, we have Outward, the Definitive Edition. This game has been getting plenty of love in open-world RPG circles, particularly among players who are looking for slightly tougher experiences and would like to have some survival gameplay elements mixed in. That’s exactly what Outward delivers: a tough, harsh fantasy world where you start off with nothing, and you are nothing until you prove otherwise. There’s also no fast travel, so good luck getting around without getting murked by enemies if you don’t properly plan your route.
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Now’s the best time to start your journey in Aurai, though, because around Q3 of 2026, Outward 2 is estimated to release. Visually and gameplay-wise, the game is getting a big brush-up with brand-new challenges and a story to jump into alone or with friends (just like in the first game). The sequel promises a tough survival adventuring experience, so if you’d like to get some practice in with your besties before jumping into it come Q3, I highly recommend familiarizing yourself with Outward’s systems now.
Subnautica
With The Sequel Delayed, You Still Have Time To Explore The First Game
KRAFTON was in slightly hot waters late 2025 with Subnautica 2’s Early Access delayed to sometime in 2026. Given what the sequel has to live up to, it’s understandable. Subnautica became a huge phenomenon when it released, due to its underwater twist on the open-world survival craft genre. It places players on an ocean planet after they crashland on a vessel, and the goal then is to survive, thrive, and eventually make it off the planet.
The underwater world is beautiful and full of resources and wildlife to aid you in your journey of crafting increasingly better tech and tools, even your very own underwater base, but danger lurks beneath the waves, too. Don’t be fooled by the vibrant colors of the game; it’s still a survival horror experience at its core, and you’ll have to dive very, very deep in order to get to the bottom of the planet’s secrets. Given how easy it is to sink hours into this game, now is the ideal moment to start if you’re eager to try the sequel in Early Access, if and when it does end up releasing this year.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
A Mystery DLC Is On Its Way Before The Witcher 4
CD Projekt RED’s masterpiece open-world RPG The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a game that looks staggeringly beautiful even years after its release. With how much love The Witcher franchise has been getting in recent years (regardless of the fiasco the Netflix series was, you have to admit the attention was welcome), it’s a perfect moment to both get into Andrzej Sapkowski’s books that originally crafted the universe, and then the games. Most importantly, though, the third game.
A lot is happening for The Witcher game series: a mysterious DLC is rumored to be released sometime later this spring, possibly around May 2026. It’s very rare that a game this old gets a DLC so many years later, but speculation is high and hype is through the roof as people believe this might be something that will help bridge the gap between Wild Hunt and The Witcher 4. As for the latter, we’ve seen a bit of gameplay and a trailer showcasing Ciri as the main protagonist. This is an exciting turn for the games that have so far featured Geralt as the main character, so you’ll definitely want to catch up on his and Ciri’s story well before you dive into hers or even this rumored DLC. The sooner you start, the better, because Wild Hunt is a massive game, brimming with side quests and activities. And let’s be honest, you will get sidetracked with Gwent.
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