It’s been a tough few years for video games and the games industry. That’s a truth you can’t really get around. We’ve seen major changes across the board, with high profile, award-winning companies laying off countless staff, and rabid enthusiasm for generative AI creating drama behind the scenes, and in front of it.
But there’s always room for hope, even amidst these shifts. There’s a brighter future for video games on the horizon – and while it might look different than expected, change can occasionally be for the better. As we look towards the future, there’s plenty of potential in the air.
Here are all of ScreenHub‘s hopes (and predictions) for the games industry as we head into the new year.
2026 games industry hopes and predictions – quick links
The Wolf Among Us 2 gets a much-needed update
Let’s start with a wild fantasy: what if The Wolf Among Us 2, first announced in 2017, is finally released in 2026? It shouldn’t be too much to hope this long-anticipated game finally releases, particularly given recent blockbuster successes (Dispatch) in the narrative adventure game genre.
There are plenty of obstacles standing in the way of this game’s release, however. Developer Telltale Games has been impacted by multiple rounds of layoffs in the last few years, and the last major update we got about TWAU 2 was that co-developer AdHoc Studio (also responsible for Dispatch) had no idea about the game’s progress.
Despite all this, we hope 2026 is the year of The Wolf Among Us 2. With such a rich cast of characters, and so much left unfinished from the original game, it would be a shame to see this sequel disappear.
Generative AI fawning gives way to an appreciation for human talent
On a more serious note, we hope 2026 is the year of common sense. That studio managers and developers around the world finally realise a core truth: for all the promises of generative AI, nothing beats human talent and ingenuity.
Last year, we saw countless studios adopting an AI-first approach, with a notable and common twist in most of these stories: staff using the technology reportedly overwhelmingly disliked it, and it was causing more problems than solving them. Not only that, but word of AI adoption caused immediate, sustained outrage online, with relentless criticism facing developers who admitted to its use.
Hopefully, this is the year the promises of generative AI are understood without the hype, and that the true value of supporting human labour is highlighted. Surely after experimentation, the benefits of relying on a human-first approach will be clear.
Big Walk is the smash hit we all need
Big Walk is at the top of our 2026 wishlist at ScreenHub. Not only is it a new game from the folks behind Untitled Goose Game (an Aussie classic), it also brims with pure, good vibes. The premise is simple and cute. You enter a cosy world alongside your friends, and must solve various puzzles as you travel together.
What makes Big Walk stand out in an overcrowded multiplayer space is its sense of humour. Each of its little beings are delightful to look at, with blobby round bodies and cute little noses. The puzzles also seem designed with a tangible sense of whimsy – you’re just a little blob person trying to get by in a big wide world.
Over the years, we’ve seen a growing desire for more multiplayer-oriented experiences that let you travel alongside friends, spending time together in meaningful ways. Big Walk looks set to deliver exactly the right vibes.
2026 is the year of the video game superhero
As mentioned, Dispatch was a significant success in 2025, exceeding all expectations. It was a financial success for new developer AdHoc Studio (comprised of narrative game veterans and newcomers), and it pierced the veil of pop culture. If you travel the circles of social media, it won’t be long before you stumble onto a Dispatch hot take, or even fan art – a true sign of mainstream success.
In the wake of Dispatch, we expect renewed attention on superheroes in video games. While it was the strength of the writing and performances that elevated Dispatch, it’s fair to say the superhero themes and its menagerie of cool, unique superhero characters also inspired the growth of its fandom.
In the coming months and years, we could certainly see new games inspired by Dispatch and its approach to superheroics.
A superhero revival could also be aided by the upcoming release of Marvel’s Wolverine by Insomniac Games, which will bring iconic X-Man Wolverine back to the forefront of pop culture (not that he ever left). Even as superhero fatigue sets in across other entertainment mediums – there’s ample belly-aching about Avengers: Doomsday already – we expect superheroes will fare brilliantly in the world of video games this year.
Playground Games’ Fable arrives as a staggering homage to the beloved franchise
Fable is another game that’s experienced an array of delays over the last few years. It was first revealed with a flashy trailer in 2020, promising a new beginning for the beloved Fable franchise. Since then, we’ve only seen a handful of trailers introducing various characters, many of them played by iconic British actors and comedians.
After its latest delay, Playground Games announced Fable would officially release in 2026. We hope this game sticks to these plans, and that it arrives as a worthy homage to its predecessors, honouring the legacy of Fable.
With writers from the world of the Remedy Connected Universe and PlayStation’s Horizon series, there’s plenty of potential in this upcoming game. We hope it’s been given the chance to realise this potential behind the scenes, and that it arrives with style and panache sometime this year.
Indie studios get their due
Another big, ambitious hope for the games industry in 2026 is that indie studios are given their time to shine, and that they’re better understood. Discourse surrounding The Game Awards and other events in 2026 seemed to put a strange spin on indie game developers, painting them as ‘saviours’ of the games industry, for their small size and plucky ambitions.
It contributed to a mystification of indie studios, and rumblings that smaller teams were better (and that perhaps, large company layoffs were justified).
In 2026, we hope the nature of indie developers is better understood. Often, these are small teams working against difficult circumstances, creating games out of pure love and passion – and not necessarily financial reward. It’s tough to make a major, ground-breaking, financially successful title, and not all indie developers are able to achieve this.
Many games are made simply with love, buoyed by talent that isn’t always rewarded. This year, we should appreciate those working to create games of all sizes. We should appreciate the difficulty of establishing and maintaining indie game studios. We should make time to love and appreciate our local game studios – in Australia, New Zealand, and abroad – and to learn more about how games are made.
Let’s get away from the simplistic understanding of small, independent studios, and readily engage with the realities facing those who create video games at various scales.
That GTA 6 is everything players want it to be
Face it. In 2026, you’re not going to get far into video games discourse without hitting Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6). It’s one of the most anticipated games of the year, and the one most likely to enthral global, mainstream audiences, including lapsed game players.
After several years in development, and several delays, GTA 6 will finally (hopefully) arrive in this November. While there’s every chance the game will be delayed beyond this date, as it’s failed to meet a string of other planned release dates, it should make it into the 2026 gaming calendar.
When it arrives, we expect it will spark a raucous response, reigniting any dormant passion for video games in players of all kinds, and creating a hunger for more. GTA 6 won’t ‘save’ the games industry, as some analysts have predicted. But for countless players, it’ll spark a revival of their interest, reintroducing games as a hobby and passion. For those players, we hope GTA 6 is everything they desire, and that it meets the lofty expectations it faces after years in development.
