Play These Titles as You Await GTA 6 in 2026

The news we all expected has finally arrived: GTA 6 has been delayed. Originally slated for a 2025 launch, what is arguably the most eagerly awaited game in history is now scheduled to hit shelves on May 26, 2026.

However, that doesn't mean 2025 will be remembered as a weak year for gaming. Quite the opposite! We've already seen standout releases like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Blue Prince, and Split Fiction, with many more on the horizon. In fact, dozens are still coming. If you're craving more samurai action after this year's offerings, Ghost of Yotei is on the way. For co-op mayhem, there's Borderlands 4, and even an entirely new console and its lineup from a little company you might know—Nintendo.

Here's a look at everything to get excited about for the remainder of 2025, all without the words "Grand Theft Auto 6" in the title.

What's Next?

Since GTA 6 was originally set for later this year, you probably haven't cleared space in your gaming schedule for the next few months. But just in case you did, some huge releases are right around the corner. Doom: The Dark Ages arrives on Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC on May 15, and it appears to be a spectacular gothic reinterpretation of the beloved shooter franchise. Following closely is something for Souls fans: Elden Ring Nightreign launches on May 30 for Xbox, PlayStation, and PC. This entry is a cooperative roguelike, marking new ground for FromSoft, but if you've wanted a faster-paced take on the studio’s core gameplay, this could dominate your multiplayer sessions for the foreseeable future.

Jump ahead to June, and you can dive into Hideo Kojima's next wildly ambitious project, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. Releasing June 26 exclusively on PS5, its trailers are already bursting with bizarre and inventive concepts, so expect this sequel to push boundaries far beyond its delivery-simulator predecessor. Speaking of games where traversing vast landscapes can quickly go awry, Dune: Awakening lands on PC June 10. Watch for sandworms and remember to stay hydrated.

Switch 2

With GTA 6 now off the table, the year's biggest event is undeniably the Nintendo Switch 2. The new console launches June 5, alongside its flagship title: Mario Kart World. Also releasing the same day are Switch 2 editions of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, allowing you to experience these classics with significantly improved resolution and frame rates. Then there’s the Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, a mini-game-based tutorial for the console, plus a variety of third-party titles coming to the platform including Hogwarts Legacy, Spit Fiction, Street Fighter 6, Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut, Cyberpunk 2077, and—of course—Fortnite.

But June is only the beginning. Just a few weeks later, Donkey Kong Bananza arrives July 17, ensuring the Switch 2 has its essential 3D platformer. Based on what we've seen so far, it looks like a blast. Later in the year, also anticipate Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, Pokemon Legends: Z-A, and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment. And let’s not forget a little game called Hollow Knight: Silksong, which is apparently actually set to release on Switch 2 and other platforms this year.

Big Hitters

The year wouldn't be complete without several months of major releases leading into the holiday season. Though not officially confirmed, we're almost certain to get a new Call of Duty as well as EA Sports FC 26 around that time.

September brings two major shooters: Borderlands 4 on the 12th and Marathon on the 23rd. You already know the kind of zany, violent fun Borderlands delivers, but this time the loot system is promised to be even more rewarding. Marathon remains more of a mystery, but an extraction shooter from the creators of Destiny is definitely one to watch.

PlayStation's long-awaited follow-up to Ghost of Tsushima, Ghost of Yotei, launches October 2, presenting a story of revenge against a clan of shadowy, masked samurai. If this year's Assassin’s Creed Shadows left you hungry for more of that narrative, this should satisfy.

A few other titles are also likely to generate buzz. Although we lack confirmed dates, we expect other highly anticipated games originally planned for 2025, like The Outer Worlds 2 and Crimson Desert, to also arrive in the final stretch of the year.

2025 Release Timeline

And that's just a glimpse of what's ahead. For a more comprehensive overview, check out our timeline of the biggest games confirmed for the remainder of the year.

Doom the Dark Ages - May 15
Blades of Fire - May 22
Elden Ring Nightreign - May 30
F1 25 - May 30
Mario Kart World - June 5
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition - June 5
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition - June 5
Deltarune: Chapter 3 + 4 - June 5
Dune Awakening - June 10
FBC: Firebreak - June 17
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach - June 26
Tamagotchi Plaza - June 27
EA Sports College Football 26 - July 10
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 - July 11
Donkey Kong Bananza - July 17
Shadow Labyrinth - July 18
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers - July 24
Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game - July 29
Mafia: The Old Country - August 8
Madden NFL 26 - August 14
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater - August 28
Lost Soul Aside - August 29
Hell Is Us - September 4
Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion - September 5
Terminator 2D: No Fate - September 5
Borderlands 4 - September 12
Marathon - September 23
Ghost of Yotei - October 2
Directive 8020 - October 2
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 - October 2025
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment - Winter 2025
Crimson Desert - Q4 2025
Pokémon Legends: Z-A - Late 2025
Little Nightmares 3 - 2025
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond - 2025
Kirby Air Ride - 2025
Dying Light: The Beast - 2025
Hollow Knight Silksong - 2025
Ninja Gaiden 4 - 2025
The Outer Worlds 2 - 2025
Cronos: The New Dawn - 2025
Professor Layton and the New World of Steam - 2025
Witchbrook - 2025