Looking for something to play? This is our list of the best PlayStation 5 games and the best Xbox Series X games in 2026, organized by what you are in the mood for: new releases, upcoming games, 2-player and split-screen games, co-op and multiplayer, horror, racing and survival. Every pick is available now unless marked as upcoming, and we note which console each game is on.
Top Xbox and PlayStation 5 games of 2026 so far
- Forza Horizon 6 (Xbox, PC; PS5 in 2027): the open-world racer moves to Japan with the biggest map in the series. Included with Game Pass.
- Ghost of Yotei (PS5): Sucker Punch’s gorgeous samurai revenge story in 1600s Hokkaido.
- Crimson Desert (PS5, Xbox, PC): Pearl Abyss’s huge fantasy action-adventure.
- Resident Evil Requiem (PS5, Xbox, PC): Capcom’s latest survival horror, released February 27, 2026.
- Saros (PS5): Housemarque’s intense roguelike shooter.
- Pragmata (PS5, Xbox, PC): Capcom’s sci-fi action game, released April 24, 2026.
- Marvel’s Wolverine (PS5): Insomniac’s brutal superhero game.
- Fable (Xbox, PC): Playground’s fairytale RPG reboot.
- Dispatch (PS5, Xbox, PC): a funny, choice-driven superhero dispatcher story.
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 (PS5, Xbox, PC): the latest Call of Duty, on Game Pass Ultimate.
New PlayStation 5 games
Recent and new PlayStation 5 games worth your time include Ghost of Yotei, Saros, Marvel’s Wolverine, Death Stranding 2, Crimson Desert, Resident Evil Requiem, Pragmata, Onimusha: Way of the Sword, Silent Hill: Townfall, Ace Combat 8 and Phantom Blade Zero. Many of them were shown at State of Play 2026. To shop deals on PlayStation 5 games, check the PlayStation Store sales calendar in our deals guide.
Best Xbox Series X games
- Forza Horizon 6 and Forza Horizon 5
- Halo Infinite
- Starfield
- Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Baldur’s Gate 3
- Elden Ring and Nightreign
- Gears 5 and Gears of War: Reloaded
- Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
- Sea of Thieves
Upcoming Xbox Series X and PS5 games
- Fable (Xbox, PC, 2026)
- Gears of War: E-Day (Xbox, PC)
- Grand Theft Auto VI (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, November 19, 2026); see GTA 6 platforms
- Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis (February 12, 2027)
- Forza Horizon 6 on PS5 (January 26, 2027)
- Clockwork Revolution and State of Decay 3 (Xbox)
- Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet (PS5)
Upcoming Xbox games and new Xbox games are added to Game Pass on day one when published by Microsoft.
Best 2-player Xbox games (couch co-op and split screen)
Two-player games on Xbox are perfect for couples, siblings and friends on the same sofa. Our favorite 2 player games on Xbox:
- It Takes Two and Split Fiction: co-op only adventures designed for two; one copy covers both players with the Friend’s Pass.
- Overcooked! All You Can Eat: chaotic kitchen co-op for up to four.
- Halo: The Master Chief Collection: split-screen campaign co-op.
- Minecraft: split-screen survival and creative.
- Rocket League: split-screen car football.
- Cuphead: classic run-and-gun boss fights.
- Gang Beasts and Human: Fall Flat: physics party games.
- Diablo IV: couch co-op action RPG.
- EA Sports FC 26, Madden 26 and NBA 2K26: head-to-head sports.
- Stardew Valley: online co-op farming.
Split screen Xbox games are rarer than they used to be, so check the store page for “Shared/split screen” in the capabilities list before buying.
Best co-op games on Xbox and PS5
- Helldivers 2: four-player sci-fi chaos with crossplay.
- PEAK: climbing co-op that took over 2025 and reached consoles in October 2026.
- RV There Yet?: drive an RV home with friends; on Game Pass.
- Phasmophobia and Content Warning: ghost-hunting and horror filming with friends.
- Sea of Thieves: pirate adventures on Xbox and PS5.
- Deep Rock Galactic: dwarves mining in space.
- Supermarket Simulator: co-op store management on Game Pass.
- Elden Ring Nightreign: three-player co-op roguelike.
Best multiplayer Xbox games
For competitive and online multiplayer Xbox games, the big names are Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Warzone, Fortnite, Halo Infinite, Battlefield 6, Apex Legends, Rocket League, Marvel Rivals, EA Sports FC 26 and Overwatch 2. Most are free-to-play or on Game Pass, and nearly all support crossplay with PS5 and PC.
Best horror games on Xbox and PS5
- Resident Evil Requiem and Resident Evil 4 remake.
- Silent Hill 2 Remake (PS5, Xbox since November 2025) and Silent Hill: Townfall.
- Reanimal: co-op horror from the creators of Little Nightmares.
- Alan Wake 2: Remedy’s psychological horror.
- The Outlast Trials: co-op survival horror.
- Dead Space remake.
- Phasmophobia for group scares.
These are the most-searched horror games on Xbox; most are on PS5 too.
Best Xbox racing games
- Forza Horizon 6: the best open-world racer, on Game Pass.
- Forza Motorsport: track racing sim.
- F1 25 and EA Sports WRC.
- NASCAR 25.
- The Crew Motorfest.
On PS5, add Gran Turismo 7, the best racing sim on console. Pair any of them with a wheel from our racing wheel guide.
Best Xbox survival games
- Palworld: creature-catching survival on Game Pass.
- Grounded 2 and Grounded: backyard survival.
- 7 Days to Die: zombie survival crafting.
- Once Human: free-to-play survival shooter (August 2026 on consoles).
- RuneScape: Dragonwilds: co-op survival in Gielinor.
- Satisfactory: factory-building survival.
- Valheim and Raft.
New Xbox One games
Few new games still support Xbox One, but sports games (Madden, NBA 2K26, FC 26, WWE 2K26), Minecraft, Fortnite, Roblox and smaller indie games such as Burglin’ Gnomes and Content Warning still launch on it. Through Xbox Cloud Gaming, Xbox One owners can also stream many Series X|S games. See the Xbox One hub.
Mature content and age ratings
Some players search for Xbox games with nudity or other adult content. Games with sexual content or nudity are rated M (Mature 17+) or, in rare cases, AO by the ESRB in the US, and PEGI 18 in Europe, and the content descriptors appear on every store page. Examples of M-rated games with sexual themes include Baldur’s Gate 3, The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077. Parents can block mature games and filter content with Xbox Family Settings or PlayStation Family Management, both of which use these ratings automatically.
Top Xbox games of all time
If you are new to Xbox, these top Xbox games define the platform: Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 3, Gears of War, Forza Horizon 5, Fable II, Mass Effect 2, Red Dead Redemption 2, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Minecraft and Sea of Thieves.
Best games by type of player
If you want a big story
Pick Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 for a turn-based RPG with real-time dodges and parries, Death Stranding 2 on PS5 for Kojima’s strange, beautiful road trip, or Halo: Campaign Evolved on Xbox for a modern take on the campaign that started it all. Ghost of Yotei on PS5 is the pick for open-world action in a samurai setting.
If you play with friends
Split Fiction and It Takes Two remain the best couch and online co-op adventures on both consoles. Helldivers 2 is now on Xbox as well as PS5, with full crossplay, so mixed groups can squad up. For something lighter, PEAK, RV There Yet? and Overcooked are easy to learn and great for groups.
If you love racing or sports
Forza Horizon 6 on Xbox and PC is the open-world racer of the year, with a PS5 version due in January 2027. Gran Turismo 7 is the PS5 sim racing pick. For sports, EA Sports FC 26, Madden NFL 26, NBA 2K26 and MLB The Show 26 cover the big leagues.
If you want something scary
Resident Evil Requiem, Silent Hill 2 and Silent Hill f lead the horror list, while Phasmophobia and Content Warning are the best ghost-hunting co-op games for a group.
How we pick games
We include games that are available on Xbox Series X|S or PS5 in 2026, that review well with critics and players, and that are still worth buying today. We check availability on both consoles, Game Pass and PlayStation Plus, and update the list when big releases arrive. If you want to know whether a specific game is on your console, use our game availability list.