2026 will be a huge year for superhero fans on all fronts. On the one hand, Marvel will release its biggest crossover to date in the form of Avengers: Doomsday, while the wall-crawler will swing back to the big screen courtesy of Spider-Man: Brand New Day. On the other hand, the DCU will finally give us a glimpse of what its iteration of Gotham will be like during Clayface, while Kara Zor-El will soar higher than ever in Supergirl. Better yet, both companies will release exciting video games throughout the year.
Titles like Marvel's Spider-Man and Batman: Arkham Asylum elevated the superhero genre as a whole, and now players expect nothing but memorable adventures with an intricate narrative and unforgettable gameplay mechanics. Fortunately, it appears next year will give us exactly that, courtesy of these five highly anticipated games:
Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra
For years, we've witnessed Spider-Man and Batman get special attention when it comes to video game adaptations, while many other heroes are sidelined. However, that's about to change. Amy Hennig, the creator of the Uncharted series (as well as the director and writer of the first three titles of the PlayStation saga), now leads Skydance New Media, the developers behind Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra. Captain America, Black Panther, Gabriel Jones, and Nanali will join forces in an adventure that's surrounded by a lot of excitement and secrecy all the same.
The trailers released so far for Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra highlight jaw-dropping graphics with next-gen facial animations that are sure to impress fans. However, we have yet to get an official look at its gameplay mechanics (you know, the most important aspect of any title). Fortunately, a leaked video revealed that the game will have destructible environments and a combat system that allows Black Panther to seamlessly jump from one target to another, keeping the streak of hits going.
Given that Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra is scheduled to release in early 2026, The Game Awards is the most likely place where we'll see more of this highly anticipated title.
LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight
A spiritual successor of the Batman: Arkham saga that pays homage to many adaptations of Batman throughout the big screen and comic book pages? Is there anything else that needs to be said?
LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight features two-player local co-op, but the entire game can be completed in single-player mode with an AI taking over Batman's partner. Furthermore, it will feature a campaign that takes inspiration from multiple adventures of the Dark Knight across different media. In one moment, you can be witnessing the Joker's origins, much like it happened in Batman (1989), and at the very next, an interrogation scene between Bats and Joker inside a police station will make you reminisce about that iconic scene in The Dark Knight.
Players will explore the entirety of Gotham City in a map that's split into four explorable islands. Furthermore, there will be seven playable characters, including Jim Gordon, Robin, Nightwing, and Catwoman, among others. The Riddler trophies will make a glorious comeback, and players will be able to drive the Batmobile, which has no shortage of unlockable skins. All things considered, this seems like the ultimate Batman experience, and we can't wait to play it.
Marvel's Wolverine
From the same studio that created the Marvel's Spider-Man franchise comes a new title filled with tons of blood. Marvel's Wolverine is looking to honor its titular hero by featuring a very violent combat system that will, quite literally, pull no punches. Players will explore multiple different settings—from the skylines of Madripoor to the streets of Canada. All in an attempt to remember more from Logan's past.
Marvel's Wolverine will feature many iconic characters, such as Omega Red and Mystique, with more waiting to be announced. Besides, it's been highly theorized that the game will have sections where you get to ride Logan's bike, though nothing has been confirmed as of yet. Many unlockable costumes are expected, and the trailer also hinted that there will be a boss fight against a Sentinel.
Marvel's Wolverine will be released for PS5 and PS5 Pro in Fall 2026.
Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls
So far, we've talked about action-adventure games alone, so let's switch things up a bit. Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls is a 4v4 tag team fighter game that will feature no shortage of iconic characters from every corner of the Marvel Universe. The fighting arenas are filled with Easter Eggs and nods to other iconic characters (such as Matt Murdock briefly appearing in the window of a building), and every character will have a detailed lore and backstory.
Developer Arc System Works has stated that it plans to support the game "for the next ten years". That means there are plans for even more heroes, arenas, and perhaps even game modes in the future. With a bit of luck, Marvel can replicate some of the success that DC found with the Injustice Saga, and Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls manages to be a memorable fighting game.
Invincible VS
From one fighting game to another, it's time to turn our attention to Invincible VS. We all know how violent, bloody, and relentless the Invincible comics and animated series are, so it was about time a video game captured some of that magic, too.
Invincible VS is a 3v3 tag fighting game that will feature a single-player story, multiple game modes such as competitive and casual multiplayer, arcade, and training, and environments that react to every single hit and combo from the fight. People who had the opportunity to go hands-on with the game have only positive things to say, as it seems it will honor the level of violence we've come to expect from a franchise as popular as Invincible.
The launch roster will consist of between 15 and 20 characters, but more information will be revealed in the following months. On the bright side, we won't have to wait long to try this title for ourselves, as it will come out on all major platforms in 2026.