- Published
The video games industry is unpredictable.
asserted
industry → publish → ?
If you'd told us this time last year that a previously unknown French studio would claim game of the year, Battlefield 6 would knock Call of Duty off the top of the annual charts and that Saudi Arabia would buy gaming giant Electronic Arts (EA) we'd have been... sceptical.
So you'd have to be very sure of yourself - or very foolish - to try and predict what's going to happen in the year ahead.
Luckily, we're not in the crystal ball business here at BBC Newsbeat, but there are a few things we can be confident video game fans should keep an eye on in 2026.
uncertain
fans → tell → 2026
Whether it’s big releases, big moves or big issues - here’s a rundown of some of the most important things to look out for.
asserted
rundown → ’ → things
GTA 6: Will it actually arrive in 2026?
asserted
it → arrive → 2026
"A cultural moment, a day millions of players have been awaiting for a very, very long time.
asserted
millions → await → time
It's what we wrote about Grand Theft Auto 6 this time last year.
asserted
we → write → Auto
Two delays and one new trailer later, and we're more or less where we were 12 months ago.
Assuming it comes out, as planned, on 19 November, it will almost certainly break records.
asserted
it → assume → records
And you can bet other publishers will want to release their own 2026 games as far away from it as possible.
asserted
publishers → bet → it
But the big question remains: "Will it get delayed again?"
asserted
it → remain → ?
Publisher Take Two says it's confident the new date will hold, but it remains to be seen whether developer Rockstar's recent sacking of 31 staff - which included experienced team members - will affect the game.
asserted
which → say → game
Like this year, when publishers manoeuvered around GTA 6's original "late 2025" release date, 2026 is front-loaded with significant releases.
asserted
2026 → manoeuver → releases
Japanese giant Capcom unleashes Resident Evil Requiem, the ninth main entry in its blockbuster horror series, in February, followed by sci-fi action adventure Pragmata in April.
asserted
Capcom → unleash → April
Sony is also planning to drop PlayStation exclusive Saros, a follow-up to 2021's widely-praised Returnal, in April.
asserted
Sony → plan → April
While Wolverine, the next superhero smash from Spider-Man studio Insomniac - another in-house Sony developer - is set to arrive in the autumn.
asserted
smash → set → autumn
May will see the arrival of 007 First Light - the celeb-filled James Bond adventure from Hitman developer IO Interactive.
uncertain
May → see → Interactive
Nintendo will be looking to maintain the momentum of its record-breaking Switch 2 launch this year.
asserted
Nintendo → look → launch
Ones to watch include Pokopia - a cosy take on Pokémon - and online multiplayer The Duskbloods from Elden Ring maker FromSoftware.
asserted
Ones → watch → FromSoftware
Fans have complained about the lack of a brand new Mario or Zelda game and, as things stand, neither has been announced yet.
asserted
neither → complain → game
But the company's got form for announcing big new games mere months before they release.
asserted
they → get → games
Microsoft recently teased big reveals for its January 2026 Developer Direct showcase and, unless we're told otherwise, is due to release Fable - its reboot of the very British fantasy RPG series - and Gears of War: E-Day sometime during the year.
asserted
we → tease → year
Marking 25 years of its Xbox brand could also give the company a chance to win back fans after backlashes over studio closures, price rises to its Game Pass subscription service and its decision to release flagship series on rival consoles.
uncertain
Marking → mark → consoles
Expect more indie surprises to take centre stage next year.
asserted
surprises → expect → stage
Our one-to-watch is Raccoin - a score attack game inspired by arcade coin-pusher machines.
asserted
one → watch → machines
Bad memory: RAM prices are going up
Random-access memory, or RAM, is a vital component in millions of electronic devices including smartphones, Smart TVs, medical equipment and even cars.
asserted
memory → go → smartphones
It's also been getting really, really expensive.
asserted
It → get → ?
Demand from Artificial Intelligence (AI) data centre projects has been blamed, with some of the world's biggest RAM manufacturers pivoting towards supplying demand from big tech firms.
asserted
some → blame → firms
Micron, owner of the Crucial brand sold in many online and high street shops, recently announced it was ceasing its consumer business to focus on demand from AI companies.,
asserted
it → sell → companies
external
All of which has created a shortage that, according to some analysts, could eventually push up prices of electronics, with video game consoles high on the list of potential casualties.
uncertain
consoles → create → casualties
Business website Bloomberg reported that production costs for Nintendo's Switch 2 could rise, external and there are also concerns that Valve's upcoming PC-console hybrid Steam Machine could be delayed, or more expensive, as a result of the situation.
uncertain
costs → report → situation
So far, no video game companies have commented.
asserted
companies → comment → ?
The battle over AI in game development
In the games industry, which has faced thousands of layoffs in recent years, discussions about generative AI (GenAI) and its impact on jobs are especially fierce.
asserted
discussions → face → jobs
Just this month Swen Vincke, the boss of multi-award-winning Baldur's Gate 3 maker Larian Studios, faced a backlash when he told interviewers the company had explored using GenAI, external for coming up with ideas and early prototypes.
asserted
company → win → ideas
He said no AI content would appear in its finished games nor replace human workers but, in a follow-up response, said it would be "irresponsible" not to assess new technologies.
asserted
it → say → technologies
Despite early claims that GenAI could allow people to make games more quickly at a fraction of the current costs, it's unclear how much of an impact it's actually had.
uncertain
it → allow → impact
Developers who've spoken to BBC Newsbeat say it's not widely used in finished products due to a mix of ethical, legal and practical concerns, but plenty of companies have at least tried using it for pre-production work.
asserted
plenty → speak → work
Some smaller companies proudly state that they don't use the tools at any stage of development.
asserted
they → state → development
Against a backdrop of uncertainty over the long-term future of GenAI, it remains to be seen how far its use will spread.
But it's a topic that fosters strong emotions from players and workers within the industry, so expect more controversies as the year ploughs on.
asserted
year → remain → controversies
Saudi Arabia buys Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts (EA), the publisher of Battlefield 6, EA FC and The Sims, is one of the world's biggest video game companies, responsible for titles that regularly top bestseller charts.
asserted
that → buy → charts
The announcement it had accepted a record-breaking $55bn (£41bn) bid from a Saudi Arabia-led investment group came as a shock.
asserted
it → accept → shock
It's the country's latest big move into gaming, which it says is part of wider efforts to make its economy less reliant on oil.
asserted
economy → say → oil
…and 6 more, not listed.
The Aporia
