A clear look at the first month of the year
January is usually a quiet month for game releases, but 2026 is starting with more movement than expected. Several long awaited titles are finally arriving, a few cult favourites are returning, and early access projects with real momentum are stepping into the spotlight. It is not a blockbuster month, but it is a meaningful one, and it sets the tone for a year that already looks crowded on every platform.
Below is a clear breakdown of the releases that matter:
StarRupture
Release date January 6th
A science fiction survival and extraction game entering early access. It blends open environments, resource scarcity and unpredictable enemy behaviour with a focus on long term progression. The early access launch is expected to draw in players who want something systemic and replay driven, and it already has a strong wishlist presence behind it.
Pathologic 3
Release date January 9th
The most significant early month release. The Pathologic series has built a genuine cult following over the years, driven by its commitment to psychological tension, slow burn storytelling and a willingness to make players uncomfortable in ways most studios avoid. It has always been a niche series, but the people who connect with it connect deeply, and a new entry arriving this early in the year gives January a level of weight it usually lacks.
Hytale
Release date January 13th
The headline release of the month. Hytale has been in development for years and has built a huge community long before launch. It combines sandbox building, adventure gameplay and server driven creativity in a way that positions it as one of the most flexible releases of the year. Server hosting companies are already preparing infrastructure ahead of release, which says everything about the scale of interest surrounding it.
BrokenLore UNFOLLOW
Release date January 16th
A narrative horror game built around modern digital culture. It uses social media themes, online identity and parasocial behaviour as the backbone of its story. It is a smaller release but one that fits the current appetite for experimental horror, especially among players who want something more grounded than supernatural scares.
MIO: Memories in Orbit
Release date January 20th
A science fiction platformer with a clean art direction and early positive impressions. MIO focuses on fluid movement, exploration and a world built around abandoned technology. It lands in the middle of the month and is one of the more distinctive indie titles releasing in January, especially for players who want something stylish but mechanically tight.
Blightstone
Release date January 20th
A dark fantasy action RPG with clear Soulslike influences. Blightstone leans into heavy combat, deliberate pacing and a world shaped by decay and ritual. It arrives on the same day as MIO but targets a very different audience, and it has enough mechanical ambition to stand out among the month’s action releases.
Nova Roma
Release date January 22nd
A city builder with a Roman theme. Nova Roma focuses on long term planning, resource management and the slow growth of a settlement into a functioning ancient city. It is one of the more notable strategy releases this month and should appeal to players looking for something slower and more methodical.
Dynasty Warriors Origins Visions of Four Heroes
Release date January 22nd
Visions of Four Heroes is an expansion for Dynasty Warriors Origins rather than a standalone release. It adds new scenarios, additional characters and a set of alternate timeline stories built around figures like Zhang Jiao, Dong Zhuo, Yuan Shao and Lu Bu. It is designed for players already invested in the base game and arrives as one of the more substantial updates landing in the second half of the month.
Highguard
Release date January 26th
Announced at the game aHighguard is a competitive PVP raid shooter built around tight encounters, high stakes extraction and fast movement. It comes from developers who previously worked on Apex Legends and Titanfall 2, and you can feel that lineage in the focus on mobility, gunplay and moment to moment decision making. It is one of the more aggressive releases in the final week of the month and stands out as the closest thing January has to a pure adrenaline title.
Code Vein II
Release date January 29th
A significant release and one of the biggest titles of the month. The original Code Vein built a strong cult following through its anime inspired take on the Soulslike formula. The sequel aims to expand the world, refine the combat and push the character driven approach even further. It lands as one of January’s most anticipated releases.
January doesn’t need scale to matter. The games landing this month are sharp, deliberate, and built for players who know what they’re looking for. There’s no noise, no filler, just titles with momentum, cult followings, or enough edge to cut through the usual early-year fog. If you’re paying attention, this is where the year starts.
There’s always more happening across the industry, and we track it all in real time over on Respawn Outpost.