8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
GTA 6 and Resident Evil 9 are the only AAA games with set 2026 dates for now
Source: Rockstar Games
With the 2026 gaming schedule starting to take form, just two AAA games,
Grand Theft Auto VI
and
Resident Evil 9
, have established solid day-and-month release dates. Revealed by Rockstar Games and Capcom respectively, these games are setting the pace with definite timelines that the fans and the industry can date on their calendars.
While other titles are pinning their release hopes on 2026, none have pledged to specific launch dates yet, putting GTA 6 and Resident Evil 9 in a class of their own as far as scheduling confidence is concerned.
Rockstar and Capcom promise specific dates before others
Rockstar Games formally announced last month that GTA 6 would release on May 26, 2026, after a long-awaited development process and an initial delay from its originally projected late 2025 period. While Capcom has confirmed that Resident Evil 9, known formally as Resident Evil 9: Requiem, is to drop on February 27, 2026.
These exact release dates are an unmistakable milestone in the run-up to what promises to be a turning year for gaming.
What distinguishes these two titles isn't merely the heritage and size of their franchises, it's the certainty and confidence expressed in their scheduling. Amidst an era when most other publishers are going for more tentative release windows, Rockstar and Capcom have boldly gone public with locking in their launch days.
Not only does that energize fans but also indicate robust production developments and preparedness on their ends.
Others target 2026, but remain imprecise regarding dates
While many other developers have made public their intentions to publish games in 2026, few have gone as far as to set detailed release dates. Most of the upcoming titles from both large and mid-sized publishers are still planned for a loose 2026 time frame, without setting a specific month or day. This conservative strategy is an extension of a broader industry move toward flexible planning, frequently driven by considerations such as continuing development hurdles, marketing plans, and ongoing uncertainties in the post-pandemic universe.
Rockstar and Capcom's hard-and-fast commitments to exact dates, on the other hand, indicate their faith in getting products out the door and controlling the competitive landscape in 2026. Their announcements give fans, retailers, and partners needed certainty in what might otherwise be an uncertain environment.
Currently, however, GTA 6 and Resident Evil 9 stand alone as being the sole AAA titles with clear 2026 release windows, setting them apart for now in what will be a potentially busy and thrilling year for gaming. Though more announcements will follow in the months ahead, for now Rockstar and Capcom have firmly established themselves at the head of the pack, providing a degree of surety many in the industry and fan base are hungry to adopt.
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