Games Release Calendar Fall 2026: What Comes Out Before and After GTA 6
Every notable game release from September to November 2026, and which publishers planned around GTA VI. Plus the indie studios launching on GTA day on purpose.
CAESVRA JournalOctober 16, 20263 min read
GTA VI does not only change what people play. It changes when everyone else releases. Here is the fall 2026 calendar, and what publishers have said about planning around Rockstar.
The short version
- GTA VI launches on November 19, 2026, on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
- September became the most crowded month of the year, Bloomberg reported, because publishers moved away from November.
- Late October is seen as the last safe window. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 lands there, on October 23.
- Some indies launch on November 19 on purpose.
The calendar
| Date | Game | Platforms |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 15 | Marvel's Wolverine | PS5 |
| Oct 6 | Gears of War: E-Day | Xbox, PC (Game Pass day one) |
| Oct 13 | Valor Mortis | — |
| Mid-Oct | Castlevania: Belmont's Curse | — |
| Oct 23 | Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 | PS5, Xbox, PC, Switch 2 |
| Oct 29 | Phantom Blade Zero | PS5, PC |
| Nov 5 | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake | Switch 2 |
| Nov 5 | Edge of Memories | — |
| Nov 12 | Metaphor: ReFantazio | Switch 2 |
| Nov 19 | Grand Theft Auto VI | PS5, Xbox Series X/S |
| Nov 19 | Volvy's Adventure: Reslimed | PC |
| Nov 19 | Blacksmith Master 1.0 | PC |
Dates come from publisher announcements and VGC's release schedule. Castlevania: Belmont's Curse is listed for October 13 or 15 depending on the source, so check before you plan around it. A dash means we did not confirm the platforms.
Who planned around GTA 6
Publishers rarely say it directly, but some came close:
- Take-Two, which owns Rockstar, said in 2024 that no one would stack huge releases unnecessarily, about keeping Borderlands 4 and GTA VI apart.
- EA said in May 2025 that Battlefield's window was "clearer than it was before" after GTA's first delay.
- Ubisoft said in 2024 it was organizing things around GTA's launch.
- Three unnamed publishers told The Game Business in March 2025 they would move their games to avoid GTA.
- CI Games moved Lords of the Fallen II from fall 2026 to early 2027, citing a "highly competitive holiday period", without naming GTA.
Not every delay is about GTA, though. Phantom Blade Zero's director denied that GTA played a role and cited polish, and Valor Mortis's team pointed to another game's date.
The indies that go straight at it
Two small PC games release on November 19 on purpose. Devolver Digital's Volvy's Adventure: Reslimed costs $4.99 and launches on GTA day. Hooded Horse's Blacksmith Master leaves early access the same day. Their bet: PC players have no GTA VI yet, and some people want something small next to something huge. If you are one of them, read what Rockstar has said about GTA 6 on PC.
Before and after
A single date shaped a whole year of release plans. Studios that hold the line on November 19 have one thing in common: they understand that the cut is not the same for everyone.
We are an independent studio too, and we build our own games: see what we do.
Sources
- VGC: upcoming game release dates
- Rockstar Newswire: GTA VI launches November 19, 2026
- Bloomberg: GTA VI scares away all the other video games
- VGC: Take-Two on GTA 6 and Borderlands 4
- VGC: EA on Battlefield after the GTA 6 delay
- GameSpot: why GTA 6 does not scare Ubisoft
- VGC: publishers ready to delay to avoid GTA 6
- Gematsu: Lords of the Fallen II delayed to Q1 2027
- Gematsu: Volvy's Adventure: Reslimed
- Worthplaying: Blacksmith Master release date
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