Retail tracking firm Circana shared the top five most-played PlayStation games in the U.S. in 2026. The list is the same as it was last year, with Fortnite at the top. And looking back at 2023 and 2022, you'll notice that the most popular titles haven't changed much at all, either. That's bad news for developers trying to release new multiplayer games and fans hoping for more innovation.
Double Fine has been on a tear with its smaller projects lately. The popular indie game developer is following up last year's atmospheric adventure game with a new title in a totally different direction. As its Double Fine founder Tim Schaefer attempted to say five times fast during today's Xbox Developer Direct, is an "online multiplayer pottery party brawler" that boasts exactly the sort of colorful, clever fun that fans have come to expect from the studio.
Hytale is the newest sandbox game on the market, and it's finally in early access after spending years in development. Made by a team of former Minecraft modders, Hytale blends elements of the classic Minecraft formula with an RPG twist and Hytale mods, if you're so inclined to use them once you know how to play Hytale. Even in early access, there's a ton of content to explore, but you don't have to explore it as a solo player.
When your Villager goes to sleep, they can now choose the option "slumber time" to go to a new dream world introduced in the 3.0 update. Luna's Dream World lets you fully customize a brand-new island with items you've previously obtained in game. You can build up to three Slumber Islands and choose from three different island sizes. With Slumber Islands, you'll be able to exercise more creative freedom than ever before.
Video games are now fully fledged hangout spaces: social hubs where you can shoot the breeze and slam a hadouken fireball into your friend's face without having to worry about a trip to the ER. By now, having some form of multiplayer or cooperative play is a standard--but expected--part of the gaming landscape, and in 2025, dozens of games were better with friends.
Elden Ring Nightreign is a game with a myriad problems, and one that I have my own list of personal frustrations. But it's also one of those games that I just can't put down - I get singularly obsessive about it in a way that I often don't with multiplayer games. I simply cannot rest without beating every boss in Nightreign, and it's a testament to how strong the game's core formula is,
The Story So Far As The Guild claws its way back from the ashes of defeat at the hands of David Mason, Alden Dorne, once the trusted right hand of CEO Emma Kagan, seizes his moment. His vision is merciless: capture David Mason at all costs and unlock the secrets buried within the C-Link, the cutting-edge neural tech possessed only by JSOC's elite.
Last year's Beyond Good & Evil 20th Anniversary Edition set the stage for the prequel story by adding a side quest that allowed the main character, Jade, to learn about the people and creatures who raised her when she lived among a pirate crew while she was a child. However, it doesn't appear that the sequel will address the post-credits cliffhanger from the original game.
On November 17, Ampere Analysis published the results of a large-scale video game survey focusing on single-player vs. multiplayer games. The research and marketing firm asked 34,428 people who have played a video game in the last year if they agreed with this statement: "I prefer single-player games over multiplayer games." And the newly released data shows that gamers in most countries do.
Carving pumpkins is one of those Halloween activities that never really gets old, no matter how many times you do it. You get to display your artistic talent (or lack thereof), play with sharp objects, and even roast the seeds for a crunchy treat at the end. You won't get any actual pumpkin seeds out of Ghost Town Pumpkin Festival, but it's still a great seasonal space to hang out, carve pumpkins, and partake in other timeless Halloween activities.
The free demo will be available from October 16-20 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S and until October 23 on PC via Steam. It'll include the intro and first mission of the story campaign as well as unlimited multiplayer for the Inferno, Decapitation and Vox Liberatis Operations (online co-op missions) as well as all Eternal War modes except for the recently added Helbrute Onslaught which is basically the game's horde mode.
The next title from French game developer Quantic Dream isn't what you'd expect. The studio, best known for single-player narrative adventures including Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls, is putting out a multiplayer game called Spellcasters Chronicles, which will debut in a closed beta on Steam before the year ends. Combining action and strategy with elements from MOBAs and deckbuilding games, the free-to-play Spellcasters Chronicles appears to be a unique blend of mechanics and concepts.
After all, Roblox is billed as a free-to-play, all-ages platform with goofy blocky characters. That said, some of the finest games the service has to offer also happen to be the best Roblox horror games. Some of the top Roblox horror games are just a little spooky and great to get your feet wet with the genre, while others are downright terrifying and compare well enough to the scariest horror games on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation.
It's just so nice when a game lets you play with your friends--when implemented well, co-op can make a good game great, or turn an awful game into something amusing. The not-so-good ones are plentiful, but we aren't here to talk about the many games that are only fun because you like spending time with your friends. No, this is about the PC co-op games that deliver enjoyable and entertaining experiences for you to dive into with your friends,
Whenever you think the game industry has run out of ideas for weird battle royales, you're going to need to think again. Developer Button Mash is developing Final Sentence, a game about writing where mistakes can mean death. "You've never played anything like this before," reads the game's Steam page. "Type fast and type accurately--your life depends on it. There's a revolver pointed at your head... with one bullet in the chamber."
Life is a series of battles, and I just lost my last one against four gyoza on a skewer. It was an unexpected blow, because honestly, who could have expected me - a springy, respectably proportioned hot dog - to lose against a seemingly inflexible spear of small, unassuming dumplings? This is my struggle in Sausage Legend: Arena, a mobile game with a very simple premise: duel with other players' sausages and win.
Black Ops 7 launches on November 14, and the game is packed with 30 weapons, including 16 debuting for the first time in Call of Duty history. There are plenty of powerful guns and equipment to try, as we went over in our best BO7 loadouts guide but you'll also want to make sure you have the best perks to suit your playstyle.
Basically, it sounds like the Palworld version of farming simulator games like Stardew Valley. "Each Pal will lend a hand in farm work by making use of their unique abilities," Pocketpair says in a press release. "From sowing seeds and watering to harvesting, Pals make for reliable partners. Deepen your relationships with the island residents and Pals through daily conversation and gift-giving, and you may discover unexpected, special stories unfolding."
