As the first month of the year comes to an end, so does this series, chronicling indie offerings eager to make it to the big leagues, as well as games that carry the weight of everyone’s expectations.
The question is whether games in the big leagues, such as Grand Theft Auto VI, Crimson Desert, Forza Horizon 6, and Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, can all hold their own against the games discussed in parts 1, 2, and 3.
The indie titles that this year brings—such as Fable, Hela, Cairn, and Thick as Thieves—also refuse to back down, as if to say: “Watch out, I’m here for the throne!”
And while it is by no means a complete list, here is the fourth (and final) set of the 28 games that everyone's waiting for this year:
LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight - May 29, 2026
Gamers and LEGO Batman GIF users rejoice! The game delves more deeply into the caped crusader’s time with the League of Shadows, which eventually brought out the hero inside.
Featuring a revamped combat system and iconic Batsuit options, and making a reappearance at the 2025 Game Awards, this is easily shaping up to be one of the biggest releases in a packed 2026.
Star Wars: Zero Company - 2026
Developed by Bit Reactor, which houses the veterans behind the XCOM games collaboration with Lucasfilm Games and Respawn Entertainment, the announcement of this turn-based tactical title made waves in the Star Wars world.
Set during the Clone Wars, you play as Hawks, a disgraced Republic officer who now leads the eponymous Zero Company—a ragtag bunch of professionals for hire, hailing from across the galaxy.
Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss - Apr 16, 2026
H.P. Lovecraft’s most intriguing creature returns in this story-based investigative horror game from French indie studio Big Bad Wolf.
Set in 2053, you play as Noah, an agent of the Ancile (a secret division of the Interpol specialising in the occult), who investigates the ancient nightmare hidden in the sunken city of R’lyeh.
Control: Resonant - 2026
Remedy Entertainment’s David Lynchian version of the US expands in the sequel to the 2019 game that won IGN’s Game of the Year award, as well as a Game Award for art direction.
Set in a dystopian Manhattan, the game revolves around Dylan Faden and his release from the Federal Bureau of Control (FBC) in order to fight paranatural forces that have taken over the city.
Beast of Reincarnation - Summer 2026
If you think that Game Freak’s focus on plants, animals, and nature will make this exciting title anything like the Pokemon games they are famed for, prepare to be AMAZED!
They have added sci-fi to the mix through the setting of Japan in the year 4026, and have amped up the stakes, the gameplay, and the visuals, promising something wildly different.
The game sees Emma—an outcast cursed as a Blighted One—and Koo, her loyal wolf take on ominous creatures to save a rapidly changing world.
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve - 2026
Get your Kenny Loggins and Lynyrd Skynyrd songs ready, for Bandai Namco is going all out with the latest edition of the arcade combat flight action franchise, more than five years after the sky-high success of the seventh game.
This single-player title sees you return to the Strangereal universe in a bid to rise up the ranks and become the ‘Ace of Aces’.
Thekku Island - Feb 2026
Slowly (but steadily) gaining traction in India, this first-person psychological horror, set in 1980s Kerala, sees you explore an abandoned house on a remote island in search of your missing wife, and eventually face the terrifying secrets the land and its people hold.
Created by a team of just five developers at Ales Devs Interactive, in collaboration with Redwills Interactive, this indie offering promises gorgeous visuals, good sound design, and a rich, cultural flavour.