Biggest Upcoming Exploration Games

Everyone remembers that exciting feeling when starting a new game – entering an unknown world full of potential. The freedom to explore, uncover hidden dangers, and discover secrets is a unique thrill, and it’s rare to find games that capture it perfectly. Looking ahead to 2026, there are a lot of promising new releases, especially for players who love to explore and discover new things.

Looking for exciting new games to explore in 2026? We’ve rounded up some promising releases! You’ll find everything from relaxing life simulators and creative crafting games you can enjoy with friends, to challenging survival experiences and even a few spooky horror titles. While these games offer a lot, exploring new worlds is a key part of what makes them special. So grab your gear and let’s dive in!

The Ranchers

If You Get Tired Of Farming, There’s A Whole World To Explore

Okay, so I’m really excited about this new game, The Ranchers. If you’re like me and totally obsessed with Stardew Valley but are craving something a little more… expansive, you need to check this out. It’s a farming sim, but it looks like you can build a seriously huge, automated farm, and the best part? It’s a big open world to explore, which is a huge step up from the 2D style of games like Stardew Valley. I’m definitely keeping an eye on this one!

Feeling burnt out from farming and animal care? You can always try your hand at mining for a change of pace! Just be careful – the mines are full of hidden dangers, so make sure you’re prepared. Beyond farming and exploration, you can also build and decorate your home, and even develop relationships with the town’s residents. We’re eagerly awaiting the release in the second quarter of 2026!

Solarpunk

Explore The Sky And Its Many Islands

Solarpunk offers a fresh take on adventure games, perfect for players looking for something beyond typical ground-based exploration. Instead of walking, you’ll navigate a world of floating islands using your own airship. The core gameplay revolves around establishing a base on one of these islands, where you can farm, raise animals, and build complex, solar-powered systems to help you thrive.

To gather everything you need, you’ll explore diverse islands, each offering unique resources, and travel increasingly long distances. This promises a lot of discovery in a beautiful, lively world. I’m really excited about this game – its fresh approach to open-world survival crafting, both in terms of gameplay and visuals, is very appealing. While there isn’t a specific release date yet, it’s currently scheduled for 2026.

Outbound

Travel The World In A Van

Outbound has a similar optimistic and resourceful feel to Solarpunk, but focuses on practical, everyday life. You’ll drive a charming, vintage van around a vast world, collecting materials and searching for the ideal place to build a mobile home. Just like in Solarpunk, you’ll need to experiment with technology to power your base and improve your equipment as you play – it’s a classic open-world survival crafting game with a bright and colorful look.

While details are still emerging about Outbound, we know it features diverse environments, and rumors suggest hidden discoveries await players. The game is designed for cooperative play with up to four friends, and it’s currently scheduled for release in the second quarter of 2026.

Permafrost

A Cold, Harsh Apocalyptic Snow Wasteland

If you’ve been feeling like recent games are too bright and cheerful, I’ve got a great suggestion for you. Permafrost is a new open-world survival game where you’ll explore a frozen, post-apocalyptic world after the moon has broken apart. You’ll need to survive the extreme cold, hunt for food, and scavenge abandoned cities for resources to improve your gear and progress.

This game creates a fascinating world reminiscent of Metro or STALKER. If you enjoy challenging survival games with rewarding exploration, you’ll likely love it. Beyond survival and base-building, there’s a story centered around finding a lost friend. It’s currently planned for an Early Access release in 2026, so stay tuned for updates.

Subliminal

Explore These All Too Real Liminal Spaces To Remember

If you enjoyed the unsettling atmosphere of Permafrost, you might like Subliminal, a horror game set in incredibly realistic and eerie liminal spaces inspired by the Backrooms. Early looks at the game show it’s both strikingly realistic and deeply surreal, with genuinely frightening moments. Though not an open-world game, Subliminal lets you explore each level in a flexible way, solving puzzles and using light to navigate through a series of disturbing memories.

A growing feeling of fear and being watched will consume you as you navigate a vibrant, retro-style play place. Something is pursuing you, and you’ll need to find a way out. This game promises a disturbing, exploratory horror experience, especially for fans of the Backrooms and unsettling, empty spaces. It’s scheduled for release around March 2026 – but be warned, it might give you nightmares!

Subnautica 2

Return Of The Greatest Underwater Exploration Game

Fans of Subnautica are naturally a bit worried about what’s next for the series, but let’s remain optimistic and hope KRAFTON creates a sequel that lives up to the original. This time, the story seems different – you’ll play as someone arriving in a new underwater world with a specific goal. Like before, you’ll explore the vibrant ocean, collect materials, and build and improve your equipment to dive even further down.

The next Subnautica game will likely bring back the memorable, frightening creatures and the feeling of unease you got when venturing into the deep ocean. Subnautica is known for its incredible underwater exploration, and the sequel promises to let you experience that with friends. Given how popular and enjoyable the first games were, expectations are high, but we’ll probably have to wait until 2026 to play it in Early Access.

Outward 2

Return To Aurai’s Punishing Survival RPG World

Fans of challenging RPGs are eagerly awaiting Outward 2, which is set to release next year. Building on the first game, it’s a tough, open-world fantasy adventure where you begin as an ordinary person and must carefully manage your resources to survive. You’ll need to watch out for dangerous creatures, but also basic needs like hunger, thirst, and fatigue – simply wandering unprepared can be deadly.

The original Outward successfully combined fantasy role-playing with the challenges of open-world survival, earning a loyal following. Now, fans are eager to see if Outward 2 can build on that success and offer another memorable adventure. Be prepared for a truly immersive experience – the game won’t have fast travel or mounts, meaning you’ll need to explore on foot, brave difficult dungeons, and gradually develop your character from a beginner to a seasoned veteran. Outward 2 is currently slated for release in the third quarter of 2026.

2026-02-12 06:08