September 2026 game release guide: what to play before GTA 6 releases?

All big 2026 game releases

To start, a quick overview of the biggest game releases still coming in 2026:

GTA 6 release date: November 19, 2026

Grand Theft Auto 6 releases on November 19, 2026. After 12 years of development, it’s all the gaming community can talk about. Since there’s so much hype around GTA 6, it seems like other gaming companies are scared to release their games in the same timeframe. This shows in the release calendar. So far, the only releases planned for November 2026 are:

• Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered (November 3)
• Wielders of the Essence (November 5)
• Barbie Rewind (November 12)
• GTA 6 (November 19)

Only these games are brave enough to take on the giant. But the fact that there are almost no (big) releases this month doesn’t mean there aren’t any good games coming this year. The other gaming companies seem to have adopted the same strategy: releasing their games in September and October 2026.

September & October 2026 game releases

September and October 2026 are stacked with anticipated game releases. Here’s what’s coming:

• Halloween: The Game (September 8)
• Marvel's Wolverine (September 15)
• Silent Hill: Townfall (September 24)
• Control Resonant (September 24)
• EA FC 27 (September 25)
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 (October 23)
• Phantom Blade Zero (October 28, 2026)

A new Marvel game, a Silent Hill title, EA FC 27, Modern Warfare 4, and that’s not even all of them. So many big titles in one month isn’t something we see very often, which leads us to think it can’t be a coincidence.

But for gamers, this release schedule comes with a dilemma: how will we find the time to play all these amazing releases?

What to play while you wait for GTA 6

Since GTA 6 is the biggest release of 2026, we figure every gamer wants to dive into this title right away. But how should you divide your time before then? We have a couple of tactics:

Horror focus

Four of the games releasing in September and October fall within the horror genre. Are you a horror fan? Then we advise you to focus on these games first. What’s great about this tactic is that you can start early. Halloween: The Game is the first release, scheduled for September 8. Start playing this game instantly upon release. Hopefully, you'll have finished it by September 24, because it'll be time to switch to Silent Hill: Townfall.

You can either take your time playing Silent Hill: Townfall until GTA 6 releases on November 19. But if you have some time left, you could make a start on Control Resonant or Phantom Blade Zero.

Action focus

Is action more your thing? No problem, we’ve got a great tactic for that too. Your journey will start on September 15, with the release of Marvel's Wolverine. This game promises to be a real action-fest with lots of fighting, blood, and fast-paced combos. Play this one until October 23, when the ultimate action game releases: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4.

If you want to cram in more games, we think you should check out Control Resonant on September 24. With its focus on melee action and ability updates, it might be right up your alley. Or try out Phantom Blade Zero to step into the shoes of a Soul warrior and fend off assassins. Feel like taking a step back before GTA 6? Then playing some rounds of football in EA FC 27 on September 25 might be a good idea!

100% dedication

If you don’t want to make any compromises and want to play every release before GTA 6, we first of all want to wish you good luck, but we’ve made a tactic for you too. We don’t know the exact lengths of the games, but here's what we predict based on current rumours:

• Halloween: The Game: 5-8 hours
• Marvel’s Wolverine: 11-15 hours
• Silent Hill: Townfall: around 12 hours
• Control Resonant: 20-25 hours
• EA FC 27: 15 to 20 minutes per match
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4: 6-8 hours
• Phantom Blade Zero: 20-30 hours

Halloween: The Game isn’t expected to be very long. That’s good, because it means you should be able to complete it before September 15, when Marvel's Wolverine releases. For Marvel’s Wolverine, you’ll have 9 days, which means it’s possible to finish it by playing 1 to 2 hours per day.

Now comes the hard part: on September 24, both Silent Hill: Townfall and Control Resonant release, and on September 25, EA FC 27 is coming. We advise the following: focus on Silent Hill: Townfall first. If you also play this game for around 1 to 2 hours a day, you should be able to finish it within 6 days. Then you’ll have around 14 days to play Control Resonant and EA FC 27. Play around 1 to 2 hours of Control Resonant per day, and mix it with some EA FC 27 matches.

For the final stretch, you’ll need to start playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 immediately upon release. Play for around 1 to 2 hours a day, and you’ll finish it in time for Phantom Blade Zero. To finish the last game, also play it for 1 to 2 hours a day, and you’ll be done exactly on November 19, 2026!

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