Here are what I consider to be some of the biggest releases coming this year, featuring legendary franchises and much more.
Today I want to dedicate this list to some of the so-called “major” RPGs and Strategy games we can expect before the end of the year, games for which we have fairly reliable release information, or at least a strong indication of when they’re expected to launch.
You won’t find many indie projects scheduled to arrive before 2027 in this article; for those, you’ll need to wait a few more days for an updated roundup. With that said, let’s take a look at everything coming our way in the weeks ahead, including the return of some famous franchises and much more.
BRIGANDINE ABYSS
Release date August 26, 2026, on PC and August 27 on consoles
Platforms PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2
BRIGANDINE ABYSS is closer to a turn-based grand strategy game than a traditional party-based JRPG. Players choose one of six factions and attempt to take control of Meltitea, managing territory, troops, resources, and military operations across a continent divided between rival nations.
Each campaign alternates between organization and attack phases. The organization phase is used to reinforce armies, develop bases, assign tasks, and prepare units for the next offensive. During the attack phase, armies invade neighboring territories and fight turn-based battles across hex-based maps. Taking land provides more resources and personnel, but expanding too quickly can leave important borders exposed.
Story Mode follows six different nations as the Abyssloa Empire begins to return. Mission Mode opens the strategic layer further by offering 24 playable nations, each with its own victory condition. It is a large-scale approach to the strategy RPG formula and one of the most anticipated titles of 2026.
Star Wars Zero Company
Release date August 27, 2026
Platforms PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S
For an XCOM fan like me, the wait for Star Wars Zero Company is both inevitable and almost unbearable. The squad-based turn-based strategy RPG is being developed by Bit Reactor in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games, with players taking control of Hawks, a former Republic officer leading an independent group of mercenaries and specialists.
The campaign revolves around stopping Kundri Fathom, the leader of a Separatist-aligned cult known as the Infinite Coil. That mission sends Zero Company across the galaxy, where the squad will conduct tactical operations, gather intelligence, and cross paths with characters tied to the wider Clone Wars conflict.
Hawks can be customized in appearance and combat specialization. The rest of the squad combines authored companions with custom Operators drawn from eight playable species. Each operative can be adjusted through equipment, talents, abilities, and visual options. Squad members also develop bonds during missions, unlocking support abilities and other combat synergies as their relationships improve.
There is a strategic layer between battles as well. The Den serves as Zero Company’s base of operations, where players recruit Operators, upgrade facilities, purchase equipment, and dispatch informants across an evolving galaxy map. Decisions made during the campaign can produce different outcomes and consequences.
If it’s done right, we may finally get a true successor to XCOM 2, even if it comes from a different franchise.
Fire Emblem Fortune’s Weave
Release date September 17, 2026
Platform Nintendo Switch 2
I’m not a Nintendo player, but the one exclusive series I’ve always been jealous of is Fire Emblem, and even more so now with the upcoming release of Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave from Intelligent Systems.
Its story takes place in the Dagdan Empire, a civilization that has prospered under the rule of gods for 1,500 years. The capital city of Dagsion hosts the Heroic Games, a competition where the winner is promised one wish.
Four protagonists enter the tournament for different reasons. Cai hopes to free his imprisoned father. Dietrich is a swordsman searching for stronger opponents. Theodora is a queen trying to fulfill a long-held ambition for her homeland. Leda is a musician driven by revenge.
Players choose one of these heroes and follow their route through the competition. The separate perspectives suggest that the larger story will be revealed gradually, with each character seeing a different side of the Heroic Games and the political structure surrounding them.
Players have limited time between matches and must decide how to spend it. Options include training, recruiting allies, strengthening bonds, exploring Dagsion, fighting bandits and monsters outside the city, and entering dungeons to gain additional experience and resources.
Battles retain the series’ tactical turn-based foundation. Units have distinct strengths, weaknesses, and special abilities. What stands out is how closely army development seems tied to the tournament calendar. Training one character or exploring one area could mean giving up another opportunity, adding a resource-management layer to the usual tactical progression.
Fortune’s Weave is also one of the first major RPGs developed specifically for the Nintendo Switch 2. It is currently exclusive to the system, with no original Switch version announced.
Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter
Release date September 17, 2026
Platforms PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2
A series I never explored but really appreciated by RPG fans is, for sure, the Legend of Heroes series. This year, Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter is expected to continue the modern remake project that began with Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter.
It revisits the second half of Estelle Bright’s original journey, following her search for Joshua after his disappearance and her growing conflict with Ouroboros.
The story begins after the unrest that shook the Liberl Kingdom in the previous game. Estelle’s search soon expands into a wider conspiracy involving the Enforcers of Ouroboros, ancient technology, political tensions, and unresolved details from Joshua’s past. The remake retains the importance of the original narrative while rebuilding its presentation through new visuals, reorchestrated music, quality-of-life features, and English and Japanese voice acting.
Combat once again combines the faster Quick Battle system with more traditional command-driven encounters. Quick Battle allows players to move, dodge, use normal attacks, perform jump attacks, and activate character-specific Crafts without immediately entering the full tactical interface.
A new Brave Rush mechanic expands that side of combat. Spending two Brave Gauge points allows the active character to team up with another party member and perform a wide-range combination attack. Enemy Enforcers have their own enhanced states, which can change the battlefield and increase the pressure during major encounters.
Weaker enemies can be handled quickly, while more dangerous battles still reward careful use of Crafts, turn order, positioning, orbment setups, and party roles. It is a more active interpretation of the Trails formula, though the character building and tactical decision-making remain intact.
Playing Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter first is strongly recommended, as the second game begins immediately after its ending and resolves several of its central storylines.
Final Fantasy Resonance
Release date October 22, 2026
Platforms PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2
At long last, the Final Fantasy series is returning, at least in some respects, to its roots when it comes to the combat system.
I’m talking about Final Fantasy Resonance, the first Final Fantasy title developed in Square Enix‘s HD-2D style. It rebuilds the first story arc of Final Fantasy Brave Exvius as a standalone console-quality RPG.
The story follows Rain and Lasswell, two knights of the Kingdom of Grandshelt who become involved in a conflict surrounding crystals, darkness, and mysterious warriors known as Visions. Familiar Final Fantasy elements remain central to the setting, including airships, espers, moogles, magicite, and recurring monsters.
Combat is finally fully turn-based. Enemies have weaknesses that can be exploited to stagger them, breaking their defenses and providing additional turns.
Resonance attacks serve as the game’s larger offensive moves. The Vision system adds another layer by allowing echoes of characters from across the Final Fantasy series to fight alongside the main party. Each Vision brings its own skills and abilities, opening more options for specialized builds and party combinations. Cloud, Terra, and Clive are among the characters already shown.
Square Enix has also outlined several optional activities. Players can search for Gilgamesh, compete in a Colosseum, challenge enemies sealed within legendary weapons in the Chamber of Arms, and eventually confront Ultima Weapon. Finally, a Final Fantasy game I’m genuinely excited about.
Dragon Quest Monsters The Withered World
Release date December 3, 2026
Platforms PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2
Another astonishing series is Dragon Quest. The spinoff Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World, which arrives this year, brings Bianca and Nera into the monster-wrangling side of the Dragon Quest series. Both characters begin as inexperienced handlers and gradually build teams from hundreds of recruitable creatures.
The core loop remains familiar. Monsters can be scouted, raised, trained, and placed into battle parties. Every creature has its own attributes and traits, but learned talents provide additional control over its final role. The same species could therefore be developed in different directions depending on the player’s talents and party composition.
Synthesis is one of the most important systems. Two monsters can be combined to produce a stronger creature, sometimes resulting in a species that has not previously been encountered. The game also places more emphasis on having monsters physically accompany the protagonists. Any creature can follow the party while exploring, regardless of its type or size.
Online battles will include both serious tournaments and friendlier match types. The PC version lists online PvP, online cooperative features, and cross-platform multiplayer, though Square Enix has not yet explained every mode in detail.
The series has always relied on the relationship between breeding, scouting, and team optimization. The Withered World appears to preserve that foundation while giving players a larger world, more visible companions, and a broad selection of competitive options.
Major 2026 Releases That Still Need Exact Dates
The remaining games are officially targeting 2026 but do not yet have specific release dates. They belong on the list, though their positions on the calendar are less secure than the games above.
DECAPOLICE
Release window 2026
Platforms PC, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch 2
DECAPOLICE is Level-5’s crime suspense RPG, built around investigations that move between the real world and DECASIM. The latter is a virtual reconstruction of the city containing records and memories connected to past crimes.
Players investigate incidents inside DECASIM, collect evidence, and attach clues to a Case Board. Solving a case requires finding connections between people, locations, events, and physical evidence.
Confrontations can end through negotiation, but some criminals transform into Crime Beasts that must be fought and arrested. Level-5 has shown command-based battles using a mixture of character abilities and futuristic police equipment, giving the game a structure that alternates between detective work and RPG encounters.
The premise gives DECAPOLICE a different rhythm from most games on this list. Combat is only one part of the process. Observation, deduction, interviews, evidence management, and the ability to reconstruct events all contribute to solving a case.
Level-5 still lists the game for 2026, with a simultaneous anime adaptation also planned. However, no release month has been announced, so this remains one of the less certain entries on the current schedule.
Shadow of the Road
Release window 2026
Platform PC
Another game I’m following is Shadow of the Road, a party-based tactical RPG set in an alternate version of Japan in 1868. The country is caught between the traditionalist forces of the Tokugawa shogunate and Emperor Mutsuhito’s technologically superior army, supported by the British East Nippon Company.
That political conflict is complicated by magic, yōkai, steam-powered machines, and other supernatural elements. The story follows the rōnin Satoru and Akira, who are recruited to protect a mysterious boy with dangerous and poorly controlled powers.
Choices influence relationships within the group. Friendships can be formed or broken, family ties can be repaired, and individual characters can follow different paths based on the player’s decisions.
Battles use a tactical turn-based system in which each companion has a distinct background, skill set, and role.
Owlcat Games is publishing the project, while Another Angle Games is handling development. A 2026 release trailer has been published, but the Steam page still lists the date as coming soon.
Warhammer 40,000 Chaos Gate Deathwatch
Release window Winter 2026
Platforms PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S
How could you not be excited for the sequel to one of the best strategy RPGs of recent years? Chaos Gate: Deathwatch is the direct sequel to Warhammer 40,000 Chaos Gate Daemonhunters.
Complex Games is returning as developer, but the focus has shifted from the Grey Knights to the Deathwatch, an elite force composed of Space Marines recruited from different Chapters to hunt alien threats.
Players take the role of a Deathwatch Inquisitor managing a sector under attack from Genestealer Hivecults, Orks, T’au, Chaos forces, and several other factions. The campaign will feature seven enemy groups, each bringing different behaviors and battlefield pressures.
Squad building is being expanded through as many as nine playable classes. Marines can be customized through their Chapter, weapons, skills, and equipment, allowing squads to be assembled around a specific mission.
Deathwatch will also increase the size of deployed squads, with the developers discussing formations of up to eight units. The larger roster supports more specialized characters, including troops dedicated to ranged fire, melee pressure, battlefield control, or support duties.
Vehicles are another major addition. Redemptor Dreadnoughts, Scout Sentinels, and Leman Russ tanks can appear alongside regular infantry, changing the scale of certain encounters. Environmental attacks will return as well, letting squads topple structures, push enemies from ledges, expose targets, and create openings for ranged units.
A separate Skirmish Mode will allow players to configure squads and fight standalone battles outside the campaign. Xbox currently lists a winter 2026 launch, while the official Steam page still uses the “coming soon” label.
SacriFire
Release window 2026
Platforms PC, with console versions announced for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch
SacriFire never seems to arrive. It was originally slated for 2025, then pushed to Q1 2026, and now simply to sometime in 2026. Still, after playing the demo, I honestly think it has all the makings of an epic JRPG.
Developer is the studio behind Regalia: Of Men and Monarchs and Warsaw Pixelated Milk, and this new title tells the story of Ezekiel Ridan, a young priest whose faith begins to crumble as the world is pulled into a conflict between gods and demons.
His journey moves between Antioch, a sprawling underground city, and Erebus, a spiritual paradise that introduces a brighter and more surreal side of the setting. Fantasy and science fiction are deliberately mixed throughout both locations.
Its combat blends real-time actions with turn-based decision-making, allowing players to fight alongside companions, use different weapons, and connect attacks into longer combos. This hybrid structure should give encounters a faster rhythm while retaining an element of tactical control. The exact balance between its two halves will likely be one of the most important parts of the final game.
Character development appears to revolve around different combat disciplines and weapon choices. Players will be able to craft equipment, adjust Ezekiel’s fighting style, and explore dungeons containing puzzles alongside regular enemy encounters.
SacriFire also uses hand-drawn pixel characters placed inside 3D environments. The visual style recalls the 32-bit RPG era without reproducing it exactly, using modern lighting, effects, and camera movement around its sprites. The soundtrack includes music from Motoi Sakuraba, whose previous credits include the Tales, Star Ocean, and Valkyrie Profile series.
Lost Hellden
Release window 2026
Platforms PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch
The last one on the list is Lost Hellden, a classically inspired JRPG from Artisan Studios, the developer behind Astria Ascending and Super Neptunia RPG.
The story takes place on Era, a world where every person is bound to one of the Seven Deadly Sins through a religious ceremony. Twins Cyphel and Leht disrupt that order when the ritual leaves Cyphel without a sin and binds Leht to all seven. After Leht escapes from the temple where they were raised, Cyphel sets out to find him and becomes involved with monsters, rebels, and a larger celestial conspiracy.
Its combat uses a phased structure that combines turn-based commands with real-time actions. Positioning, attack timing, elemental properties, and party-wide orders all influence each encounter.
Players can call upon summons, trigger timing bonuses, and activate powerful Transcendence abilities when the party needs to shift the momentum of a battle. Lost Hellden is therefore not a traditional command-based RPG, but its party management and tactical systems keep it closely connected to the wider turn-based genre.
The playable cast includes eight characters, each equipped with personal abilities and an individual skill tree. Character builds can be refined through 21 jobs, multiple equipment categories, and a layered progression system.
Exploration takes place across a hand-painted world created with what the developers call Deep 2D technology. Dynamic weather can affect combat, NPC behavior, and access to certain locations. Regions contain hidden items, optional enemies, collectibles, and side activities, including Hexaken, a tactical card game played throughout Era.
The project includes illustrations from Takeshi Oga, known for his work on Gravity Rush and the Siren series. Hitoshi Sakimoto, whose credits include Final Fantasy XII, Final Fantasy Tactics, and Valkyria Chronicles, is composing the soundtrack. The story will feature full English and Japanese voice acting.
Lost Hellden remains scheduled for 2026, though Artisan Studios and publisher Kwalee have not announced a specific release date.
