2026 is looking to be a great year of gaming, even with all the debacles of AI, rising game prices, and hardware price inflation for PC gamers. With big players like GTA 6, Fable, and Resident Evil: Requiem on the way, it's hard not to get all hyped up, and that's just the triple-A side of things. AA and indie side is looking equally delicious, with games like Paralives, Subnautica 2, and Slay the Spire 2 creating a buzz. A few good remasters, too: Gothic 1 and Deus Ex are likely getting some new players this year thanks to their respective refreshes.
On the open-world survival RPG side, there are also some juicy things brewing, and I've collected a few promising games with estimated releases sometime this year. Finding games that match all three categories is pretty hard, so I'm going to be a bit flexible with the definition of RPG here, as that's the toughest condition to fulfill. That aside, you can expect to find some great open-world settings to explore, paired with classic survival gameplay elements that range from crafting to base-building. On the RPG side, we're talking stuff like specializations, skill progression or leveling, and potentially even quests, stories, and NPCs to interact with.
As One We Survive
A Quest To Save Your Ailing Daughter In A World Ravaged By A Pandemic
As One We Survive could be considered more of an honorable mention here, mainly due to the fact that it doesn't have an RPG tag on its Steam store page. It's too early to tell whether it will have tangible RPG gameplay elements, but the information we have so far looks promising: a story mode, NPCs to interact with, skill progression... I'd say that's plenty to call it at least a light RPG, and its open-world survival elements are robust enough to earn it a spot on this list.
It drops you directly into a post-apocalyptic world where your goal is to stay alive, find help for your sick daughter, and manage a small community of survivors. Build up your defenses, gather and scavenge resources and supplies, and make sure you're ready to thrive in the long-term. The fact that there's actually a story premise makes it very interesting, and the game is, in fact, divided into two different modes depending on whether you just want to test your mettle in surviving the apocalyptic world or experience a narrative. There are also companions you can take along if you're too scared to venture out alone. It sounds a lot like Project Zomboid with some colony management features, but time will tell what we'll get into our hands, exactly. Luckily, we might be getting our hands on an Early Access version of it around Q2 of 2026.
Delverium
A Mix Of Terraria And Stardew Valley In One Charming Package
If you ever thought Stardew Valley needed a bit more fantasy RPG to it, and Terraria would be better if it were 2D, Delverium just might be what you're looking for. It has absolutely adorable pixel art graphics that will appeal to all cozy gamers and retro game enthusiasts, and it promises an open-world setting you can freely explore. It's procedurally generated, too, so no game is going to ever look the same, and you've got a bunch of colorful biomes to explore for any resources, funky enemies, and more.
While you have the relaxing farming gameplay, base-building, and NPC management you might recognize from other, similar games, for players who enjoy some adventure, there are dungeons and caves to explore, too. It doesn't appear to have terribly deep RPG mechanics, but rather similar to the extent of Terraria, where you'll upgrade your gear and hunt for rare loot while dungeon crawling. The early info we have also teases some sort of world mystery that you can uncover during your adventures. You can likely expect to see it released around Q2 of 2026.
Highreach
A Procedurally Generated Fantasy Survival RPG
One of the more unique newcomers this year is definitely going to be Highreach. It appears to combine a lot of different elements, with magical RPG-style combat and progression as you build your character and survival-style gameplay that has you building an entire settlement of working people. It features a world of floating islands following a major magical event that left Highearch in its current, fractured state. This is where you come in as the adventurer, to set out into the horizon on an airship of your own to discover what lies beyond.
It seems very similar to games like Enshrouded and Outward, with the former also featuring base-building mechanics, and the latter introducing hefty survival gameplay. The most exciting part, though, is that the characters you recruit into your settlement actually have their own stories, which you can progress in the form of quests. It's truly rare to see a game so packed with different gameplay features from various genres, but Highreach appears to do it all. We likely won't have to wait too long to see what the game's all about, since it's estimated to release for Early Access in Q1 of 2026.
Endalor
Dark Fantasy With Brutal Survival Gameplay
Speaking of Enshrouded, we have Endalor, which already looks like it could deliver something enticing to fans of the former game. Only, the setting appears to be far darker and more brutal, with terrifying enemies and an unforgiving world. If you're a fan of Soulslike or Souls games, this might also tickle your fancy a bit, since the combat looks very similar to classic Souls game experiences and uses stamina. There are terrifying bosses, progression through XP, and a myriad of builds to play around with.
The world looks pretty interesting and vibrant, too, with different biomes, dungeons, and caves to get lost in (and tragically die in). That said, the world is also said to be extremely dangerous, which makes me think we might be looking at something very much like Outward here, where planning and prepping are everything. The quirk is that you'll also have to build yourself a little home or a safe haven. Keep your resources and your loot safe, and rest between combat encounters. If all this sounds more than exciting for you, keep your eyes peeled for an opportunity to jump into Early Access for Endalor around Q1 of 2026. Oh, and the good news? You can bring along four challenge-loving friends with you.
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This article originally appeared on GameRant and is republished here with permission.
