GTA 6 Pushed to 2026: 2025’s Top Game Alternatives

The inevitable has finally come to pass: GTA 6 has been officially delayed. While originally slated for a 2025 release, the most anticipated game in history is now set to launch on May 26, 2026.

However, this doesn't mean 2025 will be remembered as a disappointment for gaming. Quite the opposite! This year has already delivered phenomenal titles like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Blue Prince, and Split Fiction, with a packed lineup still to come. Ghost of Yotei offers another samurai epic, Borderlands 4 promises co-op chaos, and a new console from Nintendo is on the horizon.

Here's a complete look at what's coming for the rest of 2025, all without a mention of Grand Theft Auto 6.

What's next?

The GTA 6 delay has suddenly freed up your gaming calendar, just in time for some major releases. Doom: The Dark Ages arrives on May 15 for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, offering a gothic reimagining of the classic shooter. Souls fans won't have to wait long either, as Elden Ring Nightreign launches on May 30. This co-op roguelike ventures into new territory for FromSoftware, providing a faster-paced take on their signature combat that could dominate your multiplayer sessions.

Jump ahead to June for Hideo Kojima's next wild vision with Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, releasing exclusively on PS5 on June 26. Its bizarre and brilliant trailers suggest it will push boundaries far beyond the first game. Also in June, watch for sandworms in Dune: Awakening, which arrives on PC on June 10.

Switch 2

With GTA 6 postponed, the Nintendo Switch 2 is undoubtedly the year's biggest event. The console launches on June 5 alongside Mario Kart World. Enhanced editions of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom also release that day, offering improved resolution and performance. The Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour provides a mini-game tutorial, and a strong third-party lineup includes Hogwarts Legacy, Spit Fiction, Street Fighter 6, Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut, Cyberpunk 2077, and Fortnite.

June is just the beginning. Donkey Kong Bananza arrives on July 17 as the system's essential 3D platformer, and it looks spectacular. Later in the year, expect Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, Pokemon Legends: Z-A, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, and the long-awaited Hollow Knight: Silksong, which is finally slated for release this year.

Big Hitters

The final quarter of the year is always packed with major releases. While not officially announced, a new Call of Duty and EA Sports FC 26 are almost certain to arrive in time for the holidays.

September brings two huge shooters: Borderlands 4 on the 12th, promising even wilder loot, and Bungie's extraction shooter Marathon on the 23rd, a fascinating new project from the Destiny creators.

PlayStation's highly anticipated sequel, Ghost of Yotei, launches on October 2, continuing the tale of vengeance against masked warriors. If Assassin's Creed Shadows left you hungry for more samurai action, this should deliver.

Other likely late-year highlights include the long-awaited The Outer Worlds 2 and Crimson Desert, though their dates remain unconfirmed.

2025 Release Timeline

There's even more on the way. Below is a timeline of the biggest confirmed releases for the remainder of the year.

Doom the Dark Ages - May 15Blades of Fire - May 22Elden Ring Nightreign - May 30F1 25 - May 30Mario Kart World - June 5The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition - June 5The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition - June 5Deltarune: Chapter 3 + 4 - June 5Dune Awakening - June 10FBC: Firebreak - June 17Death Stranding 2: On the Beach - June 26Tamagotchi Plaza - June 27EA Sports College Football 26 - July 10Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 - July 11Donkey Kong Bananza - July 17Shadow Labyrinth - July 18Wuchang: Fallen Feathers - July 24Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game - July 29Mafia: The Old Country - August 8Madden NFL 26 - August 14Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater - August 28Lost Soul Aside - August 29Hell Is Us - September 4Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion - September 5Terminator 2D: No Fate - September 5Borderlands 4 - September 12Marathon - September 23Ghost of Yotei - October 2Directive 8020 - October 2Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 - October 2025Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment - Winter 2025Crimson Desert - Q4 2025Pokémon Legends: Z-A - Late 2025Little Nightmares 3 - 2025Metroid Prime 4: Beyond - 2025Kirby Air Ride - 2025Dying Light: The Beast - 2025Hollow Knight Silksong - 2025Ninja Gaiden 4 - 2025The Outer Worlds 2 - 2025Cronos: The New Dawn - 2025Professor Layton and the New World of Steam - 2025Witchbrook - 2025