Upcoming Open-World RPGs Releasing in 2026

As 2025 ends, open-world RPG fans have had a fantastic year with games covering many different styles and approaches. Borderlands 4 offered a lively first-person shooting experience, perfect for playing solo or with friends. Assassin’s Creed Shadows delivered a long-awaited setting in Japan, focusing on the world of ninjas and samurai. And though it blends genres, Ghost of Yotei also provided a samurai-focused adventure.

Open-world RPG fans have several exciting games to anticipate in 2026. While specific release dates are still uncertain, these titles are expected to launch throughout the year. They’re likely to generate a lot of buzz – either because they’re fantastic games, or because their launches are riddled with problems. Regardless, they promise to be some of the most talked-about RPG experiences of 2026.

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection

Turn-Based Monster Hunting

Planned Release Date: 3/13/26
Planned Systems: PC, PS5, Switch 2, and Xbox Series X/S

The core Monster Hunter games are action role-playing games where players team up to defeat giant monsters and use their parts to craft new equipment. The Monster Hunter Stories series, which began on the 3DS in Japan in 2016, offers a different experience as a turn-based RPG. The newest installment, Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection, appears to continue this style, now available on several gaming consoles at the same time.

Players team up with a hunter to discover a large, expansive world that’s divided into different areas. They can raise monsters to fight alongside them, and also recruit other hunters and their monsters to join the team. This game is shaping up to be the largest installment in the series, boosted by its availability on many platforms and the rising popularity of turn-based RPGs, particularly thanks to the success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Crimson Desert

2026’s First Big Open-World RPG

Planned Release Date: 3/19/26
Planned Systems: PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S

Crimson Desert is shaping up to be a massive open-world action RPG, potentially one of the biggest releases of 2026, especially in the first few months. It’s a sequel to Black Desert Online, a popular MMO that first launched in South Korea in 2015 and then in North America in 2016. This new game promises incredible freedom and options for players, which should generate a lot of excitement and interest.

This game offers a truly unique experience, letting you ride dragons and battle with robots in a fantastical world. You can even destroy parts of the environment to use as weapons and climb almost anything! It also includes surprisingly grounded activities like arm wrestling, fishing, playing the flute, and interacting with a wide variety of animals. With all the gameplay footage released, excitement is incredibly high for its potential March launch, following closely after Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection.

The Blood Of Dawnwalker

A Vampiric Witcher

Planned Release Date: 2026
Planned Systems: PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S

Rebel Wolves, a new game studio founded by veterans of CD Projekt Red (the creators of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt), is currently developing The Blood of Dawnwalker. With a potential wait of years – or even a decade – for The Witcher 4, many fans are excited about this new title. Plus, there hasn’t been a truly outstanding open-world vampire RPG released yet, making The Blood of Dawnwalker a promising prospect.

While Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 didn’t quite hit the mark with critics, early looks suggest an interesting gameplay experience. Players can expect different abilities depending on the time of day, like enhanced claws or wall-climbing, as they explore a detailed fantasy setting. Fans are eager for a strong new installment in the Vampire series to bring fresh ideas to open-world games.

Sea Of Remnants

2026’s Clair Obscur?

Planned Release Date: 2026
Planned Systems: PC and PS5

Joker Studio, a new game developer backed by NetEase Games (known for titles like Marvel Rivals and Destiny: Rising), is currently working on Sea of Remnants. This game will be free-to-play, and players will take on the role of pirates exploring islands in search of treasure.

If it delivers on the promise shown in its trailers, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 could be one of the standout turn-based strategy games of 2026. While details on gameplay are still limited, the game’s vibrant world, unique character designs, and impressive soundtrack suggest it has the potential to be a successful free-to-play title, assuming it launches as planned next year.

Neverness To Everness

Anime GTA

Planned Release Date: 2026
Planned Systems: PC and PS5

The game Neverness to Everness has a rather unusual title, similar to Infinite Undiscovery or Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, but it appears visually appealing. It would be smart for the developer, Hotta Studio, to release it before Grand Theft Auto 6 comes out in November, as the two games have several similarities despite Neverness‘s anime-inspired style. Players will be able to roam a vibrant, neon-lit futuristic city, engage in fast-paced combat, and drive vehicles.

This free-to-play game has a similar look and feel to Genshin Impact, but it might limit some characters to those who pay. If the developers strike a good balance between free and paid content, Neverness to Everness has the potential to become hugely popular, perhaps even rivaling the anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6. Of course, there’s no guarantee Grand Theft Auto 6 will live up to expectations either.

Fable

A Long Time Coming

Planned Release Date: 2026
Planned Systems: PC and Xbox Series X

Whether it’s a success or not, the next Fable game is expected to be a major topic of conversation in 2026, assuming it actually comes out. The series began in 2004 as a game only available on the original Xbox. While the original Fable trilogy is highly regarded, later games haven’t always lived up to expectations. The most recent release, Fable Fortune, was a card game that launched fully in 2018 for PC and Xbox One, but it didn’t quite capture the magic of the classic Fable experience.

A new Fable game is coming in 2026, but it has a complicated history. An earlier online dungeon crawler, Fable Legends, briefly launched to a limited group of players before being canceled in 2016. This also led to the closure of Lionhead Studios, the original developer of the Fable series. Because of this past, the reboot faces high expectations and needs to prove itself. The question is whether it can recapture the magic of the original Fable, which was groundbreaking in 2004, or if it will disappoint. Regardless, those with Xbox Game Pass will likely want to give it a try.

Decapolice

Anime Judgment

Planned Release Date: 2026
Planned Systems: PC, PS4, PS5, and Switch

Decapolice, first announced in 2023, has faced several delays – a common occurrence with games developed by Level-5, who often take their time perfecting projects. Their previous hit, Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time, also had a lengthy development period but ultimately launched to widespread acclaim. Decapolice is a turn-based RPG where players take on the role of a police officer fighting crime and making arrests in a city, the scale of which is still to be revealed.

We haven’t seen much gameplay yet, so there’s a lot we don’t know about this game. If it’s even remotely as enjoyable as Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time, it should generate some buzz throughout 2026. Given Level-5’s experience with RPGs, they’re definitely a developer to watch.

2025-12-26 20:06