RPG Site's Most Anticipated RPGs of 2026
We never know what to expect entering into a new year of games. Every year, there are disappointments, surprises, and high-quality games that emerge from unexpected places. That doesn't stop us from looking ahead to see some of the RPGs we'll be getting our hands on in the coming months. In this article, we wanted to highlight some of the RPGs coming up this year, so here are RPG Site's Most Anticipated RPGs of 2026.
In our internal tally, the RPG Site staff picked upcoming RPGs that either interested us due to sheer potential, a good pedigree, or titles that find themselves with intriguing release situations regarding their development. This year, we have selected a total of 10 RPGs that we are looking forward to.
Note that the list is unranked, with the exception of our overall winner.
Need a refresher on what RPGs are set to release in 2026? We have a list you can check out right here.
RPG Site Staff Picks - Most Anticipated 2026 RPGs
The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales
With the advent of the "HD-2D" artstyle back in 2018's Octopath Traveler, we RPG fans immediately started to rattle off games we'd like to see in that style, such as classic Dragon Quest or Final Fantasy VI. Since then, we've indeed seen Dragon Quest, Live a Live, and even an original tactical RPG in Triangle Strategy. However, we've never gotten an HD-2D game that isn't turn-based, evoking feelings of something more akin to Zelda or Ys instead of classic Final Fantasy. Next year, we see the start of a new action RPG series from Square Enix occupying the same sort of space with The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales -- even the title convention seems quite Zelda-coded.
Being developed by Claytechworks is interesting to note, known primarily for the fundamentally sound but safe Bravely Default II. While The Adventures of Elliot has some clear inspirations, it's a debut entry for a new IP that Square presumably has high hopes for. A playable demo from last summer showed promise with some classic adventure game fundamentals but also some fun weapon options and gameplay intricacies between the protagonist Elliot and the fairy Faie. We're excited to see The Millennium Tales be both something nostalgic and familiar with inspirations from some of our favorite series, as well as being a completely new thing on its own merits.
Phantom Blade Zero
Usually, in Most Anticipated lists like this one, the games represented are something we are familiar with, in some form. Most are from well-known fan-favorite franchises, whether they are new entries or new iterations. Some are new ideas, but from established developers with a tangible pedigree. Sometimes, though, there's something truly new; something that makes us say 'what is that?', piquing our curiosity. This is the case of Phantom Blade Zero, an action RPG from the Beijing-based S-Game.
Originally making its broad public appearance in a PlayStation Showcase event in 2023, Phantom Blade Zero seeks to merge the well-worn conventions of Soulslike games alongside the pace and combat stylings of action games like Devil May Cry. Influenced by Wuxia films and kung-fu, what we've seen (and played) so far has impressed us with its fast-paced combat and interesting set design. We'll be able to see how much of a splash the game can make when it releases in September.
Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection
When Monster Hunter Stories debuted on 3DS, it was one of the best-looking games on the system and was an amazing way to blend in elements of the main games with more traditional turn-based and monster-collecting mechanics. After a promising start to what would become a sub-series, most of Monster Hunter Stories' shortcomings were address in the larger and better sequel, which felt like Capcom allowing it to go to the next level.
With Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection, Capcom looks to be taking things a step further, though, going for a different vibe. There's more depth here so far, and a larger scope than the Monster Hunter Stories series has seen, but what excites us the most is the transition to a more methodical RPG and one that aims for higher highs with more powerful hardware.
Clockwork Revolution
The team at InXile Entertainment may not be the most well-known Western RPG developer, but following the likes of the surprisingly solid Wasteland 3, helmed by long-time genre veterans like Brian Fargo, Clockwork Revolution is shaping up to be the biggest and most interesting game from the studio yet. InXile has historically relied on crowdfunding efforts for RPG development, but this will be the studio's first title as a first-party Microsoft entity. Based on last year's 5-minute trailer, the world and possibilities certainly appear impressive. At the very least, this presents a significant opportunity to see what InXile can achieve with full publisher support.
Promising unprecedented narrative & visual reactivity, time-bending combat, and deep RPG systems, Clockwork Revolution hasn't explicitly locked in a 2026 release, so consider its placement in this list to be wishful thinking on our part. Having been originally announced in 2023, we hope we see this sooner rather than later.
Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter
When Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter unceremoniously first showed up in a Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase back in 2024, we had little idea what to expect from the long-awaited remake. A retelling of the story from the original The Legend of Heroes: Trails In The Sky FC had been the subject of both rumor and wishful thinking for a while by that point, but the many unknowns left long-time fans with small potential seeds of doubt. Would the addition of new English voice acting hold up? How faithful would the remake be? Would the transition to full 3D convey the same feelings as the original game? After releasing worldwide (a series first) this last September, almost all these concerns would be put aside as the remade 1st entry was an excellent addition for both new and old fans alike.
With the Trails series' first entry famously ending in a doozy of a cliffhanger, the reasons to look ahead for Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter are rather clear. Now that most concerns around the remake project overhaul are put aside, we find ourselves free to go into 2026 expecting a faithful remake of one of the most well-regarded entries in the entire series.
Fate/Extra Record
Fate/Extra Record was originally announced five-and-a-half years ago, back in July 2020. While this is, on paper, simply a remake of a PSP RPG, the potential of this project has only grown in that period of time. Since the announcement, Type-Moon fans in the west have seen official English releases of Witch on the Holy Night, Tsukihime -a piece of blue glass moon-, Fate/stay night, and even an Omega Force spinoff in Fate/Samurai Remnant. This year, the Type-Moon train has continued, as fans have seen the once-seemingly-impossible English release of Fate/hollow ataraxia and even a Fate/stay night Unlimited Blade Works collaboration event for Honkai: Star Rail.
For the better part of a decade now, Fate/Extra Record's development has been helmed by Kazuya Niinou, who has the eclectic pedigree of being the director of the original Etrian Odyssey, Dragon Quest Builders 2, and the Japanese-only 7th Dragon 2020, among others. With the franchise only expanding its worldwide reach since the game's initial announcement, the potential impact RPG could leave onlys grows stonger as we eagerly continue to wait.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword
It's been quite the ride for veteran Capcom fans, but the years-percolating expectations of new developments in the long-dormant Onimusha series will finally see some relief. Onimusha: Way of the Sword is an entirely new title, the first one since Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams launched nearly 20 years ago on the PS2.
As in other entries, this new Onimusha once again features samurai demon-slaying, blended with a love of cinematic reference. The new protagonist is legendary swordsman Miyamoto Musashi, and like previous Onimusha heroes, he's modeled after a real-life actor (this time the equally legendary Japanese actor Toshiro Mifune).
Reassuringly, Onimusha: Way of the Sword appears to be hewing closer to the older entries rather than trying to change things up for the sake of latching onto newer trends, keeping to the tried-and-true marriage of swordplay and soul-absorbing, as Musashi chops up demons and uses his enchanted gauntlet to absorb their floating souls. We'll see how the game manages to revive an old classic from an earlier era of action RPG design when it launches next year.
Nioh 3
Back in 2020, Nioh 2 surprised all of us as a significant improvement over the 2017 original, making our site's top five for the year and topping the personal lists for many RPG Site contributors at the time. The Soulslike genre has only gotten more crowded since then, with stellar experiences from around the globe ranging from Lies of P to, of course, Elden Ring. With only muted success with genre follow-ups such as Rise of the Ronin and Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, we're hoping that Nioh 3 can return Team Ninja to where they've had their greatest accomplishment in this suddenly crowded field of video games.
That's not to say that Nioh 3 is playing it safe. While the transition from Nioh to Nioh 2 could be described as iterative refinement, Nioh 3 is looking to be much more experimental. By changing up the core gameplay between the different Samurai and Ninja combat styles and embracing a more "open-field" approach, Team Ninja is still looking to position Nioh 3 as something much more than a retread of past successes. We won't have to wait long to see if this bold approach pays off for the series' third entry.
Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave
Believe it or not, it's already been three years since Fire Emblem Engage and six years since Fire Emblem: Three Houses. We've been due for another full-fledged Fire Emblem, but we don't have to wait much longer, as Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave looks to be the first Switch 2 exclusive RPG, set to release next year.
We've only seen a small glimpse of the world and characters in Fortune's Weave, centering on a young combatant named Cai participating in The Heroic Games. We also see key characters of Theodora, Dietrich, and Leda, who may even act as potential story routes. Much speculation has been made on the three minutes of footage we have, and of course, the teased connection to Three Houses brings about a whole other host of questions about the state of the world and what else might be in store. Fortune's Weave has the potential to be one of the stronger RPGs of the year.
Dragon Quest VII Reimagined (Winner)
Dragon Quest is a beloved series for Japanese RPG fans around the world, and we at RPG Site are no exception. Dragon Quest VII, in particular, is one of the most unique entries in the series, with a long, time-jumping adventure comprised of numerous vignette-style scenarios. Coming soon off the heels of the excellent Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake, we have yet another series remake to look forward to in just a few months with Dragon Quest VII Reimagined. It looks to be making a few significant changes to the original game's structure, with both streamlined narrative pacing and new character episodes. Sporting a doll-and-diorama visual style, this remade version looks exceptionally charming.
Whenever a beloved game is remade, it's easy to be apprehensive about how this will be done. Will adjusting the pacing adversely affect the feel of the game? What happens if certain scenarios are required and others are made optional, or even removed outright? Will the new character episodes feel congruent with the original narrative? How will combat evolve from the original? Regardless, Reimagined is a very intriguing project, and we can't help but want to get our hands on it. Dragon Quest VII Reimagined is RPG Site's Most Anticipated RPG of 2026.