STACK #255 January 2026

GAMING FEATURE

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It’s time to get excited, for there are some seriously huge games heading our way this year! We’ve plucked 15 from the release schedule that we reckon are shaping up as winners – check them out… Words Amy Flower BIG GAMES HEADING OUR WAY IN 2026

007 First Light March 27, 2026 When it comes to movie spies, he tops the list. Now, we’ll be privy to a new James Bond origin story set before he became 007, in this spy adventure from the Hitman people. We’ll join the one-of-a-kind MI6 recruit as he tackles spectacular missions, uncovers a dangerous conspiracy, and teams up with a reluctant mentor to stop a coup, sneaking, fighting, bluffing, and blasting our way through iconic locations.

Fable 2026 It’s been many years since we last journeyed through the worlds of a Fable game, and this time out we’re heading into a reboot of the series, a change of pace from the clever folk at Forza Horizon heroes Playground Games. This means some serious updating of gameplay mechanics and graphics, in a single-player action RPG experience set in the original game’s world of Albion, which finds itself under threat.

Forza Horizon 6 2026

Ask any fan of the car worshipping series where they’d most likely want to fling all sorts of automotive marvels around next, and we reckon most will reply, “Japan”. With its rich motoring history, it’s the perfect candidate, and dreams come true, as Forza Horizon 6 is set to feature Tokyo as its key city, with other locations including the island of Hokkaido, and the iconic Mount Fuji. Roll on touge challenges!

Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave 2026 The 18th core entry in the storied Fire Emblem tactical RPG series, continuing the much loved Three Houses story, this new adventure will drop us in the middle of a gladiatorial event known as the Heroic Games. They’re hosted by the Divine Sovereign, who promises wish fulfilment to the victors, with entrants coming from all walks of life, all with desires and motivations that are just as varied.

Grand Theft Auto VI November 19, 2026 With GTA V still a top-seller 13 years after first hitting, this follow-up is shaping as the biggest game release of all time. We’re off to the state of Leonida – loosely based on Florida – which includes our old series haunt, Vice City. We’ll be following the criminal duo Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos in what Rockstar bill as “the biggest, most immersive evolution of the Grand Theft Auto series yet.” Strap yourselves in!

Crimson Desert March 20, 2026

Grab your trusty sword and head into a medieval action-adventure open world fantasy as Kliff, a mercenary leader who’s burdened by painful memories of his past as he struggles for survival in the harsh lands of Pywel. There’s an impending catastrophe, and it’s up to you and your Greymane comrades to engage in fierce battles to save the land, slashing, parrying, and blocking to victory.

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34 JANUARY 2026

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