Grand Theft Auto 6 is going to be the biggest game of the year, the decade, maybe even the century. Since it’s such a massive title, and will suck up all the oxygen when it comes out on Nov. 19, other publishers moved their games to August, September and October, making these three months the most stacked stretch for gaming ever.
As it’s going to be a busy few months of game releases, we thought we’d highlight a few titles that stand out. These games offer something new or build on an already amazing series, and considering they release within weeks, if not days, of each other, it’s worth planning where you’re going to spend your money after you save up the $80 to buy GTA 6.
Star Wars: Zero Company
Bit Reactor
The tidal wave of game releases starts in August, but the title that stands out the most is Star Wars: Zero Company. This is one of two major Star Wars games coming out before GTA 6, with the other being Star Wars: Galactic Racer on Oct. 6. Zero Company, however, offers something never before seen in a Star Wars game: a tactical, turn-based experience.
Developed by new studio Bit Reactor, the game has you assume the role of Hawks, the leader of a mercenary unit called Zero Company during the Clone Wars era. A turn-based tactical game may sound strange for Star Wars, but it comes from former developers of the XCOM franchise. Just like in XCOM and other similar games such as Fire Emblem, players begin with characters from basic classes such as Medic, Sharpshooter, Soldier and Scout. During battles, you issue orders to pew-pew enemies, complete objectives and achieve victory.
There are a variety of classes, including a few more “exotic” ones inspired by some of Star Wars’ most iconic characters. And yes, there will be a Jedi thrown into the mix, letting you use Force powers and lightsabers to turn the tide of battle. You can also customize the look and loadout of your characters from a huge range of species, costumes (including tons of Clone armors) and weapons. One interesting element is permadeath, meaning that if a character is taken down in battle and isn’t revived under certain conditions, they’re gone for good. That adds another layer of tension to every encounter.
Star Wars: Zero Company will be released on Aug. 27 for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series consoles.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword
Capcom
When the first Onimusha game came out for the PlayStation 2 in 2001, it could easily be summed up as “Resident Evil but with a samurai.” It was a popular franchise for Capcom throughout the 2000s, but in the following decade, the company largely abandoned it. Now, a new entry in the series is revamping the formula for modern audiences.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword follows Miyamoto Musashi, a samurai in a darker version of Kyoto during Japan’s Edo period. Miyamoto wants to prove he’s the greatest swordsman in the land, but after being defeated, he awakens wearing the Oni Gauntlet. He must now discover why he was chosen to wield this powerful yet evil artifact and who’s behind the plot to take his life.
While the earlier Onimusha games blended action with survival horror, the combat was on the slower side. That’s not the case with Way of the Sword, as players can unleash fast strikes and execute powerful parries, making it feel more in line with modern samurai games such as Sekiro and Ghost of Tsushima.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword comes out on Sept. 4 for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series consoles.
Marvel’s Wolverine
Sony
Developer Insomniac Games established itself as one of the industry’s elite studios with Marvel’s Spider-Man in 2018. It stayed in the Spideyverse for two more games, but now it’s expanding into the X-Men universe with Marvel’s Wolverine.
Wolverine’s story is unlikely to wow many gamers, as it follows a familiar comic book formula – mutants are being targeted, and it’s up to Ol’ Canucklehead to stop those responsible. Where Wolverine is likely to excel, however, is its gameplay, and based on the trailers, it hits all the right notes. Logan does what he does best: slashing enemies with his adamantium claws. Unlike the Spider-Man games, Insomniac isn’t shying away from the violence, letting the blood flow and making sure Logan’s attacks are as gruesome as they are in the comics.
Marvel’s Wolverine comes out on Sept. 15 and only on the PS5.
Control Resonant
Remedy Entertainment
Remedy Entertainment’s Control was a sleeper hit when it came out in 2019, but once people actually played it, it quickly became a fan favorite. It took what could have been a standard action game and injected it with the bizarre, pairing it with a story that firmly established what’s become known as the Remedy-verse, which includes the Max Payne and Alan Wake games. It did all of this with style, and now the sequel looks poised to outdo its predecessor.
Control Resonant focuses on Dylan Faden, the brother of the first game’s protagonist, who played only a small role in the original. This time, Dylan is using his special powers to save Manhattan from an extradimensional entity, and Remedy says the game will have a faster pace with a greater emphasis on action. What sounds especially interesting to fans is how the developer expands the Remedy-verse, as Alan Wake 2 was the first game to put the connections between the series front and center rather than keeping them subtle.
Control Resonant comes out on Sept. 24 for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series consoles.
Silent Hill: Townfall
Konami
Silent Hill, like Resident Evil, is going through its own revival following the release of the Silent Hill 2 Remake in 2024. Last year, Konami released Silent Hill f, a new entry in the franchise, and this September, another game arrives, Silent Hill: Townfall.
Townfall, like Silent Hill f, makes use of an in-universe occurrence called the Silent Hill Phenomenon, which was first introduced in the 2024 game Silent Hill: The Short Message. It’s where a town becomes filled with people experiencing mental trauma that creates a widespread psychosis, causing some to hallucinate and lose touch with reality. Developers have used the Silent Hill Phenomenon as an explanation for moving the series beyond the original town setting that defined earlier games.
Set in 1996 in the fictional Scottish coastal town of St. Amelia, the game follows Simon Ordell, who receives a letter asking him to return to the town. Unlike previous Silent Hill games, Townfall is played from a first-person perspective, which should ramp up the scariness of the experience. The game will also focus on stealth, allowing players to hide from enemies, although combat remains an option.
Silent Hill: Townfall comes out on Sept. 24 for PC and PS5.
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve
Bandai Namco Entertainment/Screenshot by CNET
The Ace Combat series remains a quirky anomaly. The games use real-world fighter jets in a realistic way, while also delivering a surprisingly sophisticated political drama set in a fictional world shaped by the lessons of real conflicts. Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve looks to continue that tradition.
In Ace Combat 8, players take the role of an unknown fighter pilot who has been selected to be the replacement for another pilot who has been made a hero in wartime propaganda, but was killed in action. Expect a story full of political tension spread out over dozens of missions where the combat ramps up while having to fly an aircraft through the most narrow of spaces at Mach 1.
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve comes out on Oct. 2 for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series consoles.
The Duskbloods
Nintendo
Developer FromSoftware surprised everyone when it announced a new game exclusively for the Nintendo Switch 2 last year. There was very little information about it, but that has changed, and it’s expected to come out later this year.
The Duskbloods is a multiplayer game that puts eight players into a match, with each selecting their own Bloodsworn, a vampire-like character with superhuman abilities. No gameplay has been shown yet, but the game will have its first network test in August. It’s likely that after the network test, FromSoftware will announce the game’s release date.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake
Nintendo/Screenshot by CNET
Nintendo revealed the existence of a remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time back in June. Little information has come out about it since then, but Nintendo did say it was coming in 2026.
The teaser for the Ocarina of Time remake also didn’t reveal much about the game beyond a major graphics upgrade. It appears to be a departure from the visual style established in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. A remake could also incorporate some of the content cut from the original game, as well as further establish the series’ lore, which branched off into three different timelines following the events of Ocarina of Time.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake is coming later this year for the Switch 2.
