GTA 6 Pushed to 2026: Best Games to Play Next Year

The gaming community's worst fears have been confirmed: GTA 6's release has been pushed to May 26, 2026. While this delays what would undoubtedly be the biggest gaming event, 2025 promises spectacular alternatives.

A Bumper Year Ahead

Far from being disappointing, 2025 has already delivered stellar titles like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. The upcoming roster brings Ghost of Yotei for samurai fans, Borderlands 4 for chaotic co-op, and Nintendo's next-generation console.

Imminent Releases

May kicks off with Doom: The Dark Ages (May 15), offering a gothic reimagining of the classic shooter. Soulsborne enthusiasts get Elden Ring Nightreign (May 30) - FromSoftware's first co-op roguelike experiment.

June brings Hideo Kojima's Death Stranding 2: On the Beach (June 26) exclusively to PS5, while Dune: Awakening (June 10) challenges PC gamers to survive Arrakis' harsh desert.

The Nintendo Revolution

June 5 marks Nintendo Switch 2's debut alongside Mario Kart World. Enhanced Zelda editions (Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom) launch simultaneously, alongside strong third-party support including Cyberpunk 2077 and Fortnite.

Donkey Kong Bananza follows on July 17, with Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Hollow Knight: Silksong expected later this year.

Holiday Season Highlights

The fall lineup includes Borderlands 4 (September 12), Marathon (September 23), and Ghost of Yotei (October 2). The Outer Worlds 2 and Crimson Desert may also arrive in late 2025.

Complete Release Timeline

• Doom the Dark Ages - May 15
• Blades of Fire - May 22
• Elden Ring Nightreign - May 30
• F1 25 - May 30
• Mario Kart World - June 5
• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Switch Edition - June 5
• Dune Awakening - June 10
• Death Stranding 2: On the Beach - June 26
• Donkey Kong Bananza - July 17
• Borderlands 4 - September 12
• Ghost of Yotei - October 2
• Pokémon Legends: Z-A - Late 2025
• Metroid Prime 4: Beyond - 2025
• Hollow Knight Silksong - 2025

The delayed GTA 6 leaves space for exciting alternatives across all platforms throughout 2025's gaming calendar.