2026 kicks off with genre variety: from dino horror and voxel sandboxes to Roman city planning – here are the best games of January.
January 2026 brings a wave of new releases that stand out thanks to fresh ideas, familiar brands, or unusual genre blends. While Hytale positions itself as an ambitious sandbox alternative to Minecraft, titles like Code Violet and Nova Roma inject new life into the horror and city-building genres. Fans of co-op survival, open-world RPGs, and cozy pixel aesthetics will also find plenty to enjoy.
Hytale
After years of development, the wait is over on January 13: Hypixel Studios, with support from Riot Games, launches Hytale into Early Access on PC. This blend of voxel sandbox, RPG, and modding platform debuts with four regions in Adventure Mode alongside a dedicated Creative Mode. Multiplayer servers will be live right from launch.
Unlike Minecraft, Hytale features a much more sophisticated combat system with dodge mechanics and magic. The trailer showcases massive boss encounters, dynamic animations, and a modular building system. That said, the developers urge patience: the Early Access version still has a long road ahead.
Nova Roma
Nova Roma enters Early Access on January 22, launching a new city-building franchise aimed squarely at fans of Anno 117: Pax Romana. Developed by Lion Shield—best known for Kingdoms & Castles—the game puts you in the role of a founder tasked with building a new Rome on untouched land. The title launches on PC via Steam, Epic, and GOG, and will be available on PC Game Pass from day one.
Water management plays a central role: aqueducts must be built, dams carefully planned, and floods prevented. The gods are also part of the equation — fail to appease them with temples and offerings, and natural disasters may strike. The focus is firmly on civilian planning rather than warfare.
I Hate This Place
The horror comic series by Kyle Starks and Artyom Topilin serves as the basis for the isometric survival horror game I Hate This Place, launching January 29, 2026, on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. The game features a dynamic day-night cycle: during the day, you gather resources, build barricades, and set traps. At night, you must survive attacks from paranormal threats such as ghosts and alien creatures.
Visually, the game closely mirrors its comic origins, complete with speech-bubble sound effects and exaggerated color palettes. According to the developers, the balance between base-building, resource management, and real-time danger is designed to keep tension high at all times. The focus is on a single-player experience; a co-op mode has not been announced.
Code Vein 2
Following the success of the original, Bandai Namco releases Code Vein 2 on January 30. The sequel retains its signature anime aesthetic while expanding into open-world elements and a revamped combat system. The story unfolds across two timelines: in the future, you face the creature Luna Rapacis, while the past explores the origins of the Revenants — vampire-like warriors with supernatural abilities.
New to the sequel is the “Motorcycle Forma,” which allows faster travel across larger areas of the open world, such as the Sunken City. The companion system has also been overhauled: partners can now fight independently or fuse with your character to unleash powerful combined attacks. A new weapon class, the Reaper Jail, introduces specialized scythes to the arsenal. Code Vein 2 launches on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
MIO: Memories in Orbit
Arriving on January 20, MIO: Memories in Orbit is a hand-drawn Metroidvania that deliberately embraces classic genre conventions—set within a sci-fi backdrop. You take control of the robot MIO, who awakens aboard an abandoned spaceship called The Vessel. Your goal is to recover the protagonist’s lost memories while exploring a labyrinthine ship filled with secrets.
A core gameplay mechanic is the so-called “Shift Mode,” which lets you briefly glide through walls or bypass obstacles — similar to teleportation. The art style evokes a blend of Hollow Knight and neon sci-fi aesthetics. In addition to PC, MIO will also be available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.
The most important releases in January 2026
| Title | Genre | Platform | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| DuneCrawl | Co-op Adventure | PC | 01/05/2026 |
| StarRupture | Sci-Fi Survival | PC (Early Access) | 01/06/2026 |
| Heartopia | Life Sim MMO | PC, iOS, Android | 01/07/2026 |
| Code Violet | Survival Horror | PS5 | 01/10/2026 |
| Hytale | Sandbox / RPG | PC (Early Access) | 01/13/2026 |
| BrokenLore: UNFOLLOW | Horror Adventure | PC, PS5, Xbox | 01/16/2026 |
| MIO: Memories in Orbit | Metroidvania | PC, PS5, Xbox, Switch | 01/20/2026 |
| Nova Roma | City Builder | PC (Early Access) | 01/22/2026 |
| Arknights: Endfield | RPG / Strategy | PC, PS5, Mobile | 01/22/2026 |
| Cult of the Lamb: Woolhaven (DLC) | Expansion | All platforms | 01/22/2026 |
| SEGA Football Club Champions 2026 | Soccer Manager | PC, PS5, PS4, Mobile | 01/22/2026 |
| Highguard | PvPvE Shooter | PC, PS5, Xbox | 01/26/2026 |
| Terra Invicta (1.0 Update) | Grand Strategy | Xbox, PS5, PC | 01/26/2026 |
| The Seven Deadly Sins: Origins | Open-World RPG | PC, PS5, Mobile | 01/28/2026 |
| I Hate This Place | Survival Horror | PC, PS5, Xbox, Switch | 01/29/2026 |
| City Tales: Medieval Era | City Builder | PC | 01/29/2026 |
| Code Vein 2 | Action RPG | PC, PS5, Xbox | 01/30/2026 |
| Vampires: Bloodlord Rising | RPG / Simulation | PC (Early Access) | 01/30/2026 |
| The 9th Charnel | Psycho Horror | PC, PS5, Xbox | 01/30/2026 |
| Folklore Hunter | Co-op Horror | PC | 01/30/2026 |
| World War Z x The Walking Dead (DLC) | Co-op Shooter | All platforms | January 2026 |
