Episode 260: 2026 Gaming Predictions + Fantasy Critics Draft

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26 (or so) 24 predictions about 2026, based on nothing whatsoever. Plus: our 2025 predictions revisited, and our 5 picks for this year’s fantasy draft.

This week’s music is from the Trauma Center: Second Opinion soundtrack by Kenichi Tsuchiya and Shingo Yasumoto.

2026 Predictions

Matthew

• Nintendo will celebrate the 40th anniversary of Metroid by announcing a Super Metroid remake by Mercury Steam.
• There will be a Witcher 3 DLC focused on Ciri.
• Hitman will mark the release of James Bond First Light with an elusive target based on Alec Trevelyan from Goldeneye cleverly reusing the character model from Sean Bean’s first elusive target.
• To help fill the gap before the next proper God of War, there will be a spin-off game. Either a 2D Metroidvania or a VR game for PS VR2.
• Wii games will be added to Switch 2 Virtual Console. Some using mouse control to replace the pointer functionality.
• Half-Life 3 will release alongside the Steam Machine to show that it is capable of playing the latest and greatest games.
• Trauma Center will return using Switch 2 mouse controls (also mouse controls on PC).
• The Game Awards Game of the Year Award nominations will be as follows: GTA 6, The Duskbloods on Switch 2, Fable, Resident Evil Requiem and an indie game that we currently don’t know about.
• Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream will be a social media phenomenon and will lead to it being a massive breakout hit on Switch 1 and 2.
• Forza Horizon 6 will eventually have a Fable expansion pack, letting you bound around Albion’s fields and enjoy some magic-infused impossible racetracks. (On the flip side, I also think Fable have a Forza parody in it where you collect loads of horses).
• Nintendo will mark the 15th anniversary of Xenoblade Chronicles by bringing out Switch 2 editions of the entire trilogy and X.
• Nintendo marks Zelda’s 40th anniversary by finally releasing that rumoured double pack of Wind Waker and Twilight Princess HD. (Same deal as Galaxy 1 and 2 on the Switch, with a Switch 2 edition that’s slightly shinier).

Samuel

• ARC Raiders, the game that blew Marathon off the map in 2025, will become its unlikely saviour in 2026.
• 007 First Light will land in the low 80s on Metacritic.
• Nintendo launches the Switch 2’s version of Splatoon or Arms, an original and expensive looking exclusive that maybe showcases what some of its younger designers can do. (Some of these designers may already be in their forties). (But one that’s better than Drag x Drive).
• Star Wars Jedi 3 is unveiled this year, probably at the Game Awards, then launches in Spring 2027.
• This year’s most tedious gaming discourse will be the price of RAM.
• We will finally see a wave of Hazelight-like couch co-op games this year as projects which started development after It Takes Two begin to see the light of day.
• This will be a huge year for turn-based tactics games
• The first episode of Hideo Kojima’s Xbox game OD drops out of nowhere, probably in June, at the usual Xbox showcase.
• Konami unveils its first original Metal Gear project since Survive during 2026.
• At least one major, formerly esteemed game creator will embrace generative AI this year and unveil some kind of horror show project that everyone hates.
• GTA 4 Remastered happens this year in a similar fashion to the recent Red Dead redo and Red Dead Redemption 2 and launches on PS5 to fill the void until GTA 6.
• The release of Pragmata by Capcom will drive a lot of 7/10 discourse, and Matthew Castle will get annoyed at people misunderstanding the concept of One of Those Sevens.

Fantasy Critic Draft

Draft Order

Picks