January 2026 promises a thrilling start to the new year for gamers, packed with sequels, ambitious RPGs, and long-awaited ports. From soulslike action to massive hack-and-slash battles and open-world adventures, these five titles stand out as the month's highlights. Here's our countdown of the top releases, ranked by launch date.
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1. Hytale (January 13)
Hypixel Studios' highly anticipated Hytale enters early access, launching on PC, macOS, and Linux. This voxel-based sandbox adventure game blends RPG elements, creative building, and multiplayer minigames in a vast, procedurally generated world.
Explore zones filled with quests, creatures, and lore, or dive into server-based communities for endless customization. With robust modding tools available from day one, it offers a fresh take on the sandbox genre, appealing to fans of Minecraft and beyond.
2. The Legend of Heroes: Trails beyond the Horizon (January 15)
Nihon Falcom's epic RPG, The Legend of Heroes: Trails beyond the Horizon, is finally arriving in the West after its Japanese launch in September 2024. Published by NIS America, this installment in the beloved Trails series heads to Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, PS4, PS5, and PC via Steam, Epic, and GOG. Fans can already dive into story and battle demos on multiple platforms.
Expect deep storytelling in the Zemuria universe, turn-based combat with strategic depth, and branching narratives that define the Trails legacy. Whether you're a series veteran or new to Falcom's interconnected world, this farewell to a key continent delivers emotional highs and tactical mastery.
3. Arknights: Endfield (January 22)
Hypergryph's Arknights: Endfield bursts onto the scene as a free-to-play real-time 3D action RPG with base-building twists, set for worldwide release on PC, PS5, iOS, and Android. As the "Endministrator" of Endfield Industries on the ravaged moon Talos-II, you'll explore a semi-open world plagued by Catastrophes and Corruption, harnessing Originium Arts in combo-heavy combat.
Team up in single-player or multiplayer, switch characters mid-fight for tactical skills and ultimates, and build factories with ziplines and conveyor belts. Bridging the gap between Arknights' tower defense roots and full RPG immersion, it's a bold evolution perfect for gacha fans craving substance.
4. The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin (January 28)
Netmarble's The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin storms in as a free-to-play open-world RPG on PS5 (exclusive console), PC, iOS, and Android, exploring a multiverse-spanning Britannia with the iconic Sins. Dive into anime-inspired action with expansive traversal, team-based battles, and a narrative prequel/origin story packed with familiar faces like Meliodas.
Built for seamless cross-play, it blends gacha progression with true open-world freedom, appealing to shonen enthusiasts hungry for next-gen spectacle on PS5.
5. Code Vein II (January 30)
Rounding out the month, Bandai Namco's Code Vein II unleashes soulslike intensity on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, with an open-world twist via motorcycle exploration. Play as the Revenant Hunter alongside time-manipulating Lou, battling Horrors corrupted by Luna Rapacis in a fresh anime world.
Refined companion AI, deep customization, and punishing bosses elevate the original's formula. If you crave stylish bloodsucking difficulty with co-op flair, this sequel delivers.
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