Best video games 2026 lists are already packed with surprises, and the year is far from over. According to IGN’s latest roundup, 67 games have scored 8/10 or higher so far, and six of them earned a perfect 10. From cinematic spy thrillers to punishing open-world action RPGs, 2026 has delivered hits for every type of player. Here are the standouts so far.
Masterpiece Picks: The Best Video Games 2026 Has Delivered
IGN’s six 10/10 scores show how strong the year has been. Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave impressed with its tactical depth and its four-story paths. Valheim reached its full 1.0 release as a survival-crafting classic. Onimusha: Way of the Sword won praise for its timing-based combat and its Musashi, while Mina the Hollower proved that a small retro-styled adventure can feel huge.
Racing fans got Forza Horizon 6, called the new standard in open-world driving. Then there’s Mixtape, a music-driven coming-of-age story praised for pairing every song with a memorable scene.
Amazing 9/10 Games Worth Your Time
The 9/10 tier is where the competition gets fierce. Gears of War: E-Day combines a strong campaign with sharp multiplayer. Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve offers the series’ best aerial combat and an emotional story. The Blood of Dawnwalker turns a day/night vampire cycle into stressful, rewarding RPG decision-making.
Horror fans have Resident Evil: Requiem, Reanimation, and Nioh 3 for soul-like fans. Marathon became a favorite extraction shooter, and 007 First Light was hailed as the best Bond game yet. Cozy picks like Pokémon Pokopia and the climbing adventure Cairn round out a list that belongs on any best video games 2026 shortlist.
Friends looking for multiplayer fun should see our guide to the best co-op games to play with friends in 2026. Big Walk and Splatoon Raiders both qualify.
Great 8/10 Games You Shouldn’t Skip
Plenty of 8/10 releases are worth your money. Silent Hill: Townfall returns the series to atmospheric horror. Control Resonant delivers stylish action and one of Remedy’s most inventive worlds. Palworld officially hit 1.0 and remains addictively bingeable. Mewgenics, Pragmata, Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred, and Planet Zoo 2 add variety across genres.
Nostalgia also played a big role. Star Fox revived Nintendo’s pilot with a polished remake, while Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse ended an 18-year wait for a new entry. If you love versus action, Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game and Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls are the picks, and our list of best games like Street Fighter has more options.
Game of the Year 2026: Who Is Leading the Race?
With so many strong contenders, the debate is wide open. Forza Horizon 6, Onimusha: Way of the Sword and Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave all earned perfect scores. Resident Evil Requiem, Gears of War: E-Day and 007 First Light have strong cases too. The best video games 2026 has offered are so varied that the winner may come down to genre preference, and plenty of major releases are still ahead.
FAQs
What are the best video games 2026 has released so far?
Top-rated titles include Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave, Valheim, Onimusha: Way of the Sword, Mina the Hollower, Forza Horizon 6, and Mixtape, all of which received IGN’s top 10/10 score.
How many games have scored 8 or higher in 2026?
IGN has scored 67 games 8/10 or higher this year, and the list will keep growing as new releases arrive. In 2025, the total reached 89.
Which new horror games are worth playing?
Resident Evil: Requiem, Silent Hill: Townfall, Reanimation, The Sinking City 2, and Directive 8020 are the standout horror releases so far.
Are there good co-op games this year?
Yes. Big Walk, Splatoon Raiders, Orbitals and Slay the Spire 2 in Early Access all offer strong co-op play.
Whether you prefer racing, tactics, horror or cozy adventures, the best video games 2026 has produced offer something for everyone. Bookmark this page, because new releases will keep reshaping the rankings. While you wait for the next big drop, check out our best movies of 2026 so far, ranked.