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| A mix of platform upgrades, sequels, and new releases define the biggest games coming in January 2026. |
Once the holidays are over, January slows things down. Games aren’t tripping over each other, and you can actually take your time instead of rushing to finish something before the next big game drops.
January 2026 fits that vibe. Instead of one giant launch dominating everything, you’re looking at familiar names hitting new platforms, long-running series moving forward, and a few picks that could end up being the month’s surprise time-sinks.
Here are the biggest games coming in January 2026, ordered by date.
January 2026 Release Calendar (Quick List)
- January 15: Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Nintendo Switch 2 Edition), The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon, Cassette Boy
- January 22: Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade (new platforms), Cult of the Lamb: Woolhaven
- January 29: Cairn
- January 30: Code Vein 2
- January (date TBA): 2XKO (console launch)
A Quick Note on Release Dates
Release dates can move around, especially early in the year. Some games get confirmed for a month without a specific day, and even “locked” dates can still shift. Think of this list as a snapshot of how January 2026 is shaping up right now, not a permanent schedule carved in stone.
January 15
Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Nintendo Switch 2 Edition)
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| Animal Crossing: New Horizons gets a fresh look on Nintendo Switch 2, with smoother performance and new hardware features built into island life. |
Platforms: Nintendo Switch 2
Animal Crossing: New Horizons gets a new moment in the spotlight with a Nintendo Switch 2 edition upgrade. Enhanced resolution, faster load times, and mouse controls make decorating feel quicker and more responsive, while new features like a built-in megaphone let you call villagers using the system microphone.
If you and your friends are all on the Switch 2 edition, online play expands to 12 players, with CameraPlay and GameChat letting you see and hear reactions in real time. For returning players, the upgrade feels less like starting over and more like finally getting the best version of island life yet.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon
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| The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon continues Falcom’s long-running RPG series with a new chapter focused on familiar characters and ongoing storylines. |
Platforms: PC, PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch
Another chapter in one of gaming’s longest-running RPG sagas drops mid-month. Trails Beyond the Horizon is built for fans who like slow-burn storytelling, long arcs, and parties that grow over time, not just in stats but in relationships.
This isn’t a starting point for newcomers. It’s built for players who are already invested in the series.
Cassette Boy
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| Cassette Boy uses a quiet, pixel-art style to set the tone for its puzzle-driven approach and reflective pace. |
Cassette Boy releases the same day with a totally different energy. It’s a puzzle-RPG with a strong pixel-art look and a hook with a heavy focus on observation and experimentation.
If you want something that feels new without demanding a huge commitment right away, this is one of the best fits on the January calendar.
January 22
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade (New Platforms)
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| Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade brings Square Enix’s reimagined classic to Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series X|S in January 2026. |
Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade finally expands to more hardware, bringing the upgraded version of the remake to Xbox Series consoles and Nintendo Switch 2. This includes the visual and technical improvements from the PS5 version, plus the Yuffie side story.
If you haven't played this before, January is a good chance to finally play it without feeling rushed.
Cult of the Lamb: Woolhaven
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| Cult of the Lamb: Woolhaven expands the cult-management roguelike with new content and systems in its largest paid update yet. |
Cult of the Lamb keeps its momentum going with Woolhaven, a major paid expansion that adds new content and new ways to build out your cult. It’s the kind of update that pulls you back in even if you thought you were done.
January is when a lot of you end up returning to favourites, and Woolhaven is basically built for that.
January 29
Cairn
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| Cairn focuses entirely on the act of climbing, turning each ascent into a careful, physical challenge rather than a traditional action sequence. |
Platforms: PC, PS5
From the creators of Furi and Haven, Cairn is all-in on climbing. Every wall is a problem to solve, and every ascent is about control, planning, and staying calm when things start to slip.
It’s one of the most unique games this month, and it’s exactly the kind of game that can catch fire when the calendar isn’t overcrowded.
January 30
Code Vein 2
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| Code Vein 2 builds on the original’s anime-styled soulslike combat with larger encounters and a more confident sense of scale. |
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S
Code Vein 2 closes out January with a sequel that knows what it is. If you liked the first game’s anime-flavoured soulslike vibe, this looks like a cleaner, sharper follow-up with more to dig into.
January is a solid month for a sequel like this because you can actually sink time into it instead of juggling ten other games.
January (Date TBA)
2XKO (Console Launch)
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| 2XKO brings Riot Games’ tag-team fighting game to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles in January 2026. |
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S
Riot has confirmed that 2XKO is coming to console in January 2026. There isn’t a specific day yet, but a month-level confirmation still makes this one of the most meaningful releases on the list.
If you’ve been watching from the sidelines, this is when you finally get your hands on it on PS5 and Xbox Series consoles, and it’s also when the competitive side of the game starts to feel real.
The Shape of January 2026
January 2026's game lineup isn’t overwhelming. It’s a month built around platform expansions, series that keep rolling, and a few games that might’ve been ignored if they launched later in the year.
If you pick carefully, this is the kind of month where you can actually finish something, not just start it.
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