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The holiday hangover barely fades before publishers start swinging for the fences, and January 2026 looks ready to empty wallets before most people finish their New Year’s resolutions.
After 2025 delivered an absolutely stacked calendar of releases, the industry shows no signs of slowing down. The first month of 2026 brings a fascinating mix of long-awaited sequels, beloved remakes finding new platforms, and original titles hoping to capture early-year attention. Whether you’re a JRPG devotee, an action game enthusiast, or someone who just wants to run a wholesome island village, this January has something demanding your time.
Switch 2 flexes its launch window muscles
Nintendo’s new hardware clearly dominates the early 2026 conversation, and the company isn’t wasting time proving what their successor can do. Several major titles either launch alongside the Switch 2 or receive enhanced versions specifically for the new platform.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons arrives on Switch 2 starting January 15th, likely serving as many players’ first experience with the upgraded hardware. While details about enhancements remain scarce, the prospect of revisiting island life with improved performance and visuals should attract both returning players and newcomers who missed the pandemic-era phenomenon.
Dynasty Warriors: Origins follows just two days later on January 17th, bringing the hack-and-slash franchise’s latest entry to Nintendo’s new system. The musou genre has always found audiences on portable hardware, and the Switch 2 version promises the complete experience without the compromises previous Nintendo ports required.
Perhaps most intriguing for RPG fans, Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade finally breaks PlayStation exclusivity on January 22nd, landing on both Xbox Series X/S and Switch 2 simultaneously. This expansion of availability suggests Square Enix recognizes the massive audience still waiting to experience Cloud’s reimagined adventure.
Switch 2 January Releases:
| Date | Game | Genre |
|---|---|---|
| January 15 | Animal Crossing: New Horizons | Life Simulation |
| January 15 | The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon | JRPG |
| January 17 | Dynasty Warriors: Origins | Action |
| January 22 | Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade | Action RPG |
| January 29 | Dispatch | Narrative Adventure |
Dispatch also receives Switch and Switch 2 versions on January 29th, bringing the critically acclaimed superhero workplace drama to Nintendo platforms after its successful launch elsewhere.
The trails series continues its westward journey
Falcom’s beloved Legend of Heroes franchise adds another chapter on January 15th with Trails Beyond the Horizon, launching simultaneously across PS4, PS5, PC, Switch, and Switch 2. This multi-platform approach reflects how far the series has come from its niche origins to mainstream recognition.
For longtime fans who’ve followed Estelle, Lloyd, Rean, and countless other characters through interconnected adventures spanning multiple arcs, each new entry represents both continuation and potential entry point. The series’ dedication to world-building and character development rewards investment like few other franchises manage.
New players intimidated by the series’ length should know that Falcom typically designs each arc to function independently while rewarding those who’ve experienced previous entries. Whether Trails Beyond the Horizon serves as a fresh starting point or continues existing storylines won’t be clear until closer to launch, but January 15th marks another chapter in one of gaming’s most ambitious ongoing narratives.
Original titles stake their claims
Not everything hitting in January carries franchise baggage. Several original projects hope to capture attention before the spring blockbuster season begins.
MIO: Memories in Orbit launches January 20th across PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch, offering what appears to be a narrative-driven experience set against orbital backdrops. The multi-platform simultaneous release suggests confidence from the developers, though specific details about gameplay remain somewhat mysterious.
Highguard arrives January 26th for PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S. This title generated significant buzz during its announcement, positioning itself as a substantial action experience worth watching as launch approaches.
Cairn releases January 29th for PC and PS5, another original title seeking to establish itself during the traditionally quieter post-holiday window. The limited platform selection suggests a more focused development approach, potentially indicating a smaller studio betting on quality over ubiquity.
Expansions and remakes round out the month
Cult of the Lamb: Woolhaven expansion drops January 22nd across all platforms, extending the roguelike cult management hybrid that captured hearts since its 2022 debut. The base game’s unique blend of adorable aesthetics and dark themes proved surprisingly addictive, and dedicated players have been anticipating substantial new content.
Front Mission 3: Remake arrives January 30th with the widest platform availability of any title this month, spanning PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. The tactical mech RPG from 1999 gets the remake treatment, potentially introducing a new generation to the political intrigue and turn-based combat that defined the original.
Complete January 2026 Release Calendar:
| Date | Title | Platforms |
|---|---|---|
| January 15 | The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon | PS4, PS5, PC, Switch, Switch 2 |
| January 15 | Animal Crossing: New Horizons | Switch 2 |
| January 17 | Dynasty Warriors: Origins | Switch 2 |
| January 20 | MIO: Memories in Orbit | PC, PS, Xbox, Switch |
| January 22 | Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade | XSX/S, Switch 2 |
| January 22 | Arknights Endfield | PC, PS5, Mobile |
| January 22 | Cult of the Lamb: Woolhaven | PC, PS, Switch, Xbox |
| January 26 | Highguard | PS5, PC, XSX/S |
| January 28 | The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin | PC, PS5, Mobile |
| January 29 | Cairn | PC, PS5 |
| January 29 | Dispatch | Switch, Switch 2 |
| January 30 | Code Vein 2 | PC, PS5, XSX/S |
| January 30 | Front Mission 3: Remake | PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, XSX/S |
Soulslike fans get their fix
Code Vein 2 closes out the month on January 30th, arriving for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. The original Code Vein carved its niche by combining soulslike combat with anime aesthetics and vampire themes, attracting players who wanted challenging action with a distinct visual identity.
The sequel promises to expand on that foundation, though specific improvements and new features await official reveals. Soulslike enthusiasts always hunger for new challenges, and Code Vein 2’s late-January position gives it breathing room from other major releases.
Gacha adjacent releases expand their reach
Two titles bridge the gap between mobile gaming and traditional platforms this month. Arknights Endfield launches January 22nd for PC, PS5, and mobile devices, expanding the tower defense franchise into new territory with what appears to be more action-oriented gameplay.
The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin follows on January 28th across PC, PS5, and mobile. Licensed anime games have historically varied wildly in quality, but the multi-platform approach suggests ambitions beyond typical mobile tie-ins.
January 2026 establishes the tone for what promises to be another packed year of releases. The Switch 2’s launch window presence dominates early conversations, but the diversity of genres and experiences across all platforms ensures nobody lacks options. The only real question is whether wallets and free time can possibly keep pace.
Which January 2026 release tops your wishlist, and are you planning to grab a Switch 2 at launch to experience these games on Nintendo’s new hardware?
