The 11 most exciting video game releases of August 2026

August’s video game line-up includes a new Marvel fighting game, a dream Star Wars/XCOM crossover, and a rare non-Pokémon game from Game Freak.

While we are currently in the midst of the typical summer drought of big video game releases, July still saw a handful of significant titles, particularly from Nintendo and Microsoft.

The former launched Rhythm Paradise Groove as its final (for now) Switch 1 game and a new Splatoon spin-off, Splatoon Raiders, for Switch 2. Microsoft, meanwhile, launched its long-awaited Halo: Combat Evolved remake and an excellent Doom: The Dark Ages expansion, although both were severely undermined by the awful Xbox layoffs at the beginning of the month.

Things will remain quiet until September, which stands to have the opposite problem, but August is not without a handful of interesting new releases. Plus, you can look forward to some new announcements at the end of the month, at Gamescom Opening Night Live on August 25.

Beast Of Reincarnation

PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC

Before Pokémon Winds and Waves next year, Game Freak is releasing a very different kind of role-playing game and not even for Nintendo consoles. Although you do still get a cute animal companion for the adventure.

Beast Of Reincarnation’s post-apocalyptic setting and real-time sword combat bring to mind games like Monster Hunter and Wild Hearts, but you can also command a large dog to assist you with special moves.

Game Freak’s non-Pokémon projects have always been hit-or-miss but if nothing else, Beast Of Reincarnation shows the studio has the skills to make graphically beautiful games.

Release date: August 4

Big Walk

PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC

After the deservedly viral sensation that was Untitled Goose Game, Australian developer House House’s next project is lacking in obnoxious waterfowl but does have the potential to be the next big friendslop game.

Big Walk is primarily a co-op game where you and up to seven friends must explore a vast open world and solve puzzles… or just hang out and enjoy the vibes.

It features a proximity chat system, where the further away someone is the quieter they become, so the game offers alternative tools for communicating with your friends from a distance, like a megaphone or signal flares.

Release date: August 4

Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls

PlayStation 5 and PC

There’ll probably never be a new Marvel Vs. Capcom game, but Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls from Guilty Gear studio Arc System Works stands to be the next best thing.

A 4v4 tag fighter that infuses the Marvel universe with an anime aesthetic, it had an open beta recently; although the PC version suffered from widespread performance issues that Arc System Works had to apologise for.

The game is set to launch with 20 characters, but it already has four more planned as DLC, with the first confirmed to be Cyclops of the X-Men, specifically Phoenix Cyclops from when he was possessed by the Phoenix Force in the comics.

Release date: August 6

Grounded 2

PlayStation 5

Of all of Obsidian Entertainment’s 2025 releases, Grounded 2’s early access launch was the only one deemed a success by Microsoft and now it’s coming to PlayStation 5.

Much like the first Grounded, this is a Honey, I Shrunk The Kids inspired survival game, although instead of someone’s garden, you must fend for yourself in an entire park, scavenging for resources and fighting off insects – although some insects now serve as ridable mounts.

The PlayStation 5 early access launch also coincides with the Into The Abyss update, which will be available across all platforms and opens up a new pond area and underwater exploration.

Release date: August 11

The Sinking City 2

PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC

In 2019, Ukrainian studio Frogwares broke away from its frequent Sherlock Holmes games to take a stab at adapting the works of H. P. Lovecraft, with open world detective/survival horror game The Sinking City.

Frogwares has spent the years since working on more Sherlock Holmes games and dealing with the Russia-Ukraine war but, after a successful crowdfunding effort, it’s heading back to Lovecraft with The Sinking City 2.

The sequel promises a new setting of 1920s era Arkham (the real-life city in Maine, not the asylum in Batman), which has been impacted by a supernatural flood that will see rising water levels cut off areas as the game progresses.

Release date: August 18

Mortal Shell 2

PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC

In the endless sea of Dark Souls clones, 2020’s Mortal Shell stands out as one of our personal favourites thanks to its more approachable, beginner friendly design and novel shell mechanic, where you possess different dead bodies that offer their own perks.

So, we were pleasantly surprised to see a sequel, Mortal Shell 2, be announced at last year’s Summer Game Fest, which promises more of a horror focus and far more gun combat than you’d expect from a Soulslike.

Considering the first Mortal Shell was only the debut release of developer Cold Symmetry, we’re confident of the sequel’s chances, although hopefully it will offer more original ideas to help it truly break out from FromSoftware’s shadow.

Release date: August 20

Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2

PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC

While the first Aliens: Fireteam Elite was a noble effort, with a clear love for the source material and a few neat ideas, its attempt at an Alien themed Left 4 Dead was clearly hamstrung by a small budget and bland action.

It sold well though (it was the top selling game in the UK at launch) and now developer Cold Iron Studios is back with a sequel that was announced just a couple of months ago (after it had leaked in 2024).

Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 bumps the player count from three to four and promises ‘deeper team-based mechanics’ and improved character classes (including a new customisable specialist class), so hopefully it can make good on the original’s potential.

Release date: August 25

Star Wars Zero Company

PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC

From one classic sci-fi franchise to another, Star Wars Zero Company is an XCOM inspired strategy game set during the events of the Clone Wars.

As the leader of the titular Zero Company, you command your own band of mercenaries through various missions with turn-based combat. There’ll be a wide variety of customisable characters to recruit, from clone troopers to astromech droids and, much like XCOM, there is permadeath – although genre newbies can disable this option if they want.

You’ll also have to juggle managing your home base and deciding which missions to complete, some of which can impact the story. As for character cameos, Anakin Skywalker himself will show up, but it remains to be seen if he’ll be friend or foe.

Release date: August 27

Resonance: A Plague Legacy

PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC

This prequel to A Plague Tale: Requiem is quite the change of pace for the series, shifting from Middles Ages era France to the Greek island of Crete, but also ditching the stealth elements to be a more action-focused game.

Part of that is down to smuggler Sophia taking over as the protagonist, who is more than capable of getting up close and personal with enemies. She has no need for a slingshot, when she can deftly wield a sword and parry attacks.

The graphics are gorgeous looking , but there is so far a noticeable lack of rats, making Resonance feel even further removed from the other Plague Tale games.

Release date: August 27

Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2

PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, and PC

This second collection of Metal Gear Solid games might have far fewer titles than the first one, but it does have Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots, which has been locked to the PlayStation 3 since 2008.

Additionally, the collection includes the PlayStation Portable spin-off Peace Walker (specifically the PlayStation 3/Xbox 360 HD re-release) and Game Boy game Ghost Babel, which was notably absent from the last collection.

This still leaves a few games unaccounted for (perhaps for a Volume 3?) and though we welcome further behind the scenes content, Konami will no doubt continue to omit any mention of series creator Hideo Kojima.

Release date: August 27

Elden Ring Tarnished Edition

Nintendo Switch 2

Elden Ring was one of the first third party ports announced for the Switch 2 and yet it’s taken well over a year to come out. Possibly because there’s been difficulty getting it to run at an acceptable level, after an infamously poor first showing at Gamescom.

Considering the high calibre of third party Switch 2 ports like Cyberpunk 2077, FromSoftware hopefully won’t let the side down, as Nintendo fans deserve to experience the best game of 2022 in its full glory.

Aside from bundling in the equally excellent Shadow Of The Erdtree DLC, the Tarnished Edition adds two new character classes and cosmetics, although these will also be available for other platforms as paid DLC.

Release date: August 28

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