New Games 2026: February Week 1 Spotlight

Welcome back to our weekly gaming roundup! February arrives with an exceptionally strong start featuring proven developers tackling ambitious projects across multiple genres. Before we explore this week's new games 2026 releases, make sure to check out our esports predictions and analysis for comprehensive tournament coverage across Dota 2 and Counter-Strike 2. Let's examine what dropped this week and catch up on some significant industry developments that have been making waves.

Game Releases

MENACE

Platforms: PC

Release Date: February 5, 2026

Status: Early Access

The studio behind the beloved tactical RPG Battle Brothers has transported their expertise to the far future with MENACE, a turn-based tactical experience that drops players into the lawless Wayback system. Currently available through Early Access, this ambitious project tasks you with commanding a strike force of Republic Marines who quickly discover their routine pacification mission has uncovered something far more sinister.

The premise places you aboard the strike cruiser TCRN Impetus, serving as mobile headquarters and orbital support platform. Your mission involves responding to distress calls across multiple planets, managing relationships with various factions ranging from criminal syndicates to repair crews, and ultimately confronting an alien threat that defies conventional military doctrine. The approach emphasizes player agency in determining which missions to tackle and which alliances to forge, with meaningful consequences rippling through your entire campaign.

Combat operations unfold across branching mission paths rather than isolated skirmishes. Taking out enemy air defenses might enable tank deployments for subsequent battles, while choosing to prioritize hostage rescue could earn local support that proves invaluable later. Each decision carries weight beyond immediate tactical considerations, shaping the broader strategic landscape of your campaign.

The tactical layer delivers genuinely challenging encounters where death carries permanent consequences. Squad leaders and their units can be lost forever, forcing adaptation to evolving battlefield conditions. The combat system rewards sophisticated approaches utilizing flanking maneuvers, suppression mechanics, and careful consideration of weapon effective ranges. Infantry squads require thoughtful loadouts balancing armor protection against utility, while vehicle deployment demands resource management choices that could determine victory or catastrophic failure.

Character development adds narrative depth to the proceedings. Squad leaders arrive with distinct personalities and backgrounds that influence their battlefield performance and relationships with other units. A marine dealing with trauma from previous engagements might struggle under pressure, while another leader's successful missions could boost morale across your entire force. Managing these interpersonal dynamics while maintaining combat effectiveness creates compelling tension throughout the campaign.

The procedurally generated nature of operations and battle maps ensures substantial replay value, with each playthrough presenting different character combinations and equipment configurations. Early Access means the development team continues refining systems and incorporating player feedback, making this an interesting time to jump in and help shape the final product.

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One

Release Date: February 5, 2026

Square Enix has undertaken the massive task of completely reimagining one of the longest JRPGs ever created. The original Dragon Quest VII famously stretched beyond 100 hours, and this comprehensive remake modernizes every aspect while preserving the core narrative that captivated players back in 2000.

The story follows a young fisherman's son living on Estard, an isolated island kingdom where residents believe no other lands exist. Your character, alongside childhood friends Prince Kiefer and Maribel, discovers the Shrine of Mysteries and gets swept through time to uncover a devastating truth. An ancient evil has sealed away entire continents, erasing them from existence and collective memory.

The time-traveling framework remains central to the experience. Fragments you discover allow travel to sealed lands during pivotal moments in their histories. Resolving crises in the past gradually restores these regions to the present-day world, expanding the map and revealing new storylines. Each restored land brings unique characters, challenges, and narrative threads that contribute to understanding the overarching threat.

Combat employs Dragon Quest's traditional turn-based system enhanced with modern quality-of-life improvements. The vocation system returns with expanded options, allowing party members to master various jobs and combine abilities for strategic advantages. The new Moonlighting mechanic represents a significant innovation, enabling characters to level two vocations simultaneously and access skills from both professions. This dual-vocation approach opens up substantially more build variety and tactical flexibility than the original system allowed. Boss encounters demand thoughtful party composition and tactical execution rather than simple level grinding. The battle system includes speed adjustments and auto-battle features for those who want to streamline routine encounters, while pre-emptive strikes on weaker enemies eliminate tedious grinding sessions.

Visual presentation receives complete overhaul treatment with the distinctive diorama art style that blends beautifully with Akira Toriyama's iconic character designs. Environments burst with color and personality, from lush forests and bustling towns to ancient ruins populated by whimsical monsters. The aesthetic successfully modernizes the experience while maintaining Dragon Quest's timeless charm.

Voice acting joins the presentation for the first time in this entry's history, bringing personality to the extensive cast. The localization work appears substantial, given the original featured massive amounts of dialogue and regional dialects that helped establish each area's cultural identity.

The narrative has been streamlined to improve pacing without sacrificing the episodic structure that made the original memorable. Quality-of-life enhancements address the original's occasionally punishing design through faster combat animations, improved navigation tools, and streamlined inventory management. The developers clearly learned from feedback about pacing while respecting what made this adventure special.

Carmageddon: Rogue Shift

Platforms: PC, Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X/S

Release Date: February 6, 2026

The legendary Carmageddon engine roars back to life as a spin-off for a new era of vehicular combat, bringing a post-apocalyptic roguelite twist that fundamentally reimagines the franchise. Set in 2050 within a dying world besieged by nightmare creatures called the Wasted, this spin-off transforms the series' signature mayhem into a strategic survival experience where every race represents another step toward salvation.

The premise establishes compelling stakes beyond simple destruction. Humanity cowers in skyscraper homes each night as the Wasted overrun the streets. The only escape lies beyond the mountains at the last remaining spaceport, accessible solely to the Carmageddon champion. You enter these deadly races equipped with salvaged vehicles, makeshift weapons, and determination to survive against rival gangs like the Autoscum and corrupt Enforcers who strip vehicles for parts.

The roguelite campaign structure generates unique runs through randomly branching paths. Each event offers opportunities to earn credits through victories, enemy destruction, and stylish maneuvers like drifts and aerial tricks. Strategic route planning becomes crucial for reaching shops where you can repair damage, swap weapons, or install perks from the 80-plus available options. Synergies between perks, vehicle types, and weapon loadouts encourage experimentation across multiple runs.

The vehicle roster includes 15 upgradeable options spanning front-wheel, rear-wheel, and all-wheel drive configurations, each with distinct weight distribution and suspension characteristics. Metal-on-metal combat emphasizes aggressive driving techniques including crashes, shoves, boosts, and side-bashes. The extensive visual damage model ensures windshields crack, hoods crumple, doors hang loose, and body panels detach under punishment.

Thirteen weapon classes ranging from shotguns to railguns provide ranged combat options to complement vehicular mayhem. All weapons accept upgrades, allowing specialization toward preferred playstyles. Dynamic weather and day-night cycles affect handling and visibility, with rain slicking tarmac and fog concealing ambushes.

Elite events and boss encounters introduce massive war-rigs, corrupted Enforcers, and endless zombie hordes that test your accumulated skills and equipment. Each city area features a particularly fierce boss blocking progress to the next stage, demanding mastery of driving, melee, and ranged combat against unpredictable opponents.

The Wasted themselves present escalating threats throughout races. Individual creatures pose minimal danger, but massing hordes can surround and overwhelm vehicles. Special Wasted variants explode, shoot from distance, or produce nastier surprises during nighttime encounters. The ultimate abomination guards the mountain pass toward salvation, representing your final challenge.

When your vehicle gets wrecked, another driver steps up to continue the challenge through typical roguelite loops. Earned Beatcoins unlock permanent bonuses and new content through the Black Market between runs, encouraging persistent progression toward creating the ultimate killing machine.

Nioh 3

Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S

Release Date: February 6, 2026

Team Ninja returns with the highly anticipated third entry in their brutal samurai action RPG series, this time embracing open-field exploration while maintaining the punishing combat that defines the franchise. Set during an alternate Warring States period where bandits run rampant and yokai stalk the shadows, Nioh 3 presents a deadly struggle for power within a dark fantasy Japan.

The most significant evolution comes through the open-field structure that allows genuine exploration while preserving Nioh's characteristic tension. Previous entries relied on mission-based progression through linear levels, but this approach opens the world for discovery while maintaining the ever-present threat of formidable yokai encounters. Menacing villages harbor darkness in every corner, and the ominous presence of "the Crucible" looms over proceedings.

Combat receives substantial expansion through dual fighting styles that can switch seamlessly mid-battle. Samurai Style emphasizes head-on confrontation with powerful strikes and defensive capabilities, while Ninja Style prioritizes quick movements and special techniques for hit-and-run tactics. The instantaneous switching creates opportunities for sophisticated combat strategies, adapting approaches based on enemy behaviors and battlefield conditions.

The franchise's demanding combat philosophy remains intact. Precision timing, stamina management, and reading enemy patterns determine success or failure against both human opponents and supernatural threats. Boss encounters will test everything you've learned, demanding mastery of both combat styles and understanding of enemy weaknesses.

A free demo is currently available for players who want to experience the game before purchasing. Demo save data automatically carries over when launching the full game, provided both are played on the same device. However, once you start the full game and create save data, you can no longer access the demo. Players who complete the demo by February 15, 2026 receive the Twin-Snake Helmet as a completion bonus. This helmet can also be obtained as a guaranteed drop from defeating Jakotsu-baba in the full game through February 15, after which it becomes a rare drop. Note that a Digital Deluxe Edition is also available for purchase.

Team Ninja's expertise in creating satisfyingly difficult action games positions Nioh 3 as a potential standout in an already strong month. The series has consistently delivered memorable boss battles, deep character progression systems, and satisfying combat that rewards skill development. This third entry's open-field approach could represent the evolution the franchise needs to reach broader audiences while satisfying longtime fans who appreciate the series' uncompromising difficulty.

Happenings in the Gaming World

Ashes of Creation Developer Faces Mass Layoffs Following Troubled Launch

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Intrepid Studios faces an existential crisis as CEO Steven Sharif has resigned and the company prepares for mass layoffs in February 2026, barely seven weeks after launching Ashes of Creation into Steam Early Access. The dramatic developments come from comments made by the former CEO, posts from former employees on social media, and reports of an impending WARN notice to be filed with the US Department of Labor. The situation marks a dramatic reversal for the MMORPG project that first emerged in 2016 with ambitious promises and substantial crowdfunding backing.

Founder Steven Sharif originally told MMORPG publication Massively OP that the project would be primarily self-funded with a projected budget around $30 million. The successful Kickstarter campaign closed with over $3.2 million raised, intended as supplemental funding rather than primary development capital. This financial foundation supported multiple closed alpha phases from 2020 through 2021 for users who purchased highly-priced pre-order packages, followed by a second alpha testing wave beginning in 2024.

The Steam Early Access launch on December 15, 2025 recorded over 31,000 concurrent players at launch, but received mixed user reception that suggested underlying issues with the game's current state. Behind the scenes, financial troubles were already mounting. Ahead of the Steam release, Intrepid faced a lawsuit exceeding $850,000 from Google Cloud services reseller Sada Systems over alleged breach of contract due to delinquent payment of services, with final demands reportedly made in July 2025.

In mid-January 2026, Intrepid acknowledged initial layoffs affecting nine people from their roughly 250-person team, according to Sharif. The situation escalated dramatically when longtime Director of Communications and Marketing Margaret Krohn shared on January 31 that her time with the company had concluded. Her subsequent comments proved particularly striking, expressing uncertainty about how the game could proceed given that "the heart and soul of the product, the amazing dev team, was all laidoff."

Reports now indicate an impending WARN notice to be filed with the US Department of Labor, suggesting mass layoffs that would dwarf the initial January reductions. These notifications legally require advance warning when companies plan workforce reductions exceeding certain thresholds, indicating the scale of pending cuts extends far beyond the nine positions initially eliminated.

The trajectory raises serious questions about Ashes of Creation's viability and whether the ambitious MMORPG can recover from losing substantial institutional knowledge and development talent. Projects of this complexity require sustained team cohesion and expertise, making large-scale workforce disruption particularly damaging to ongoing development efforts.

Switch Claims Nintendo's All-Time Sales Crown as Switch 2 Launches Strong

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Nintendo has reported impressive financial results covering April through December 2025, revealing that the original Switch has surpassed the Nintendo DS to become the company's best-selling hardware platform in history. The milestone came as Switch reached 155.37 million units sold, eclipsing the DS's lifetime total of 154.02 million units.

Meanwhile, the Switch 2's launch has proven historically successful for Nintendo. The new platform moved 17.37 million units through December 31, 2025, representing the fastest start for any Nintendo dedicated gaming console. Strong bundle performance featuring Mario Kart World and Pokemon Legends: Z-A drove adoption, though Nintendo noted that sell-through to actual consumers reached 15 million units rather than the full shipment total to retailers.

Software performance remained robust across both platforms. Mario Kart World led Switch 2 titles with 14.03 million copies sold, while Donkey Kong Bananza added 4.25 million units. Pokemon Legends: Z-A demonstrated impressive cross-generation appeal with 8.41 million sales on original Switch and 3.89 million on Switch 2. Kirby Air Riders contributed 1.76 million units to the software totals. The company's digital sales ratio held steady at 50.4 percent, maintaining consistent trends from previous periods.

Nintendo's financial picture showed dramatic growth, with net sales increasing 99.3 percent year-over-year to reach ¥1,905.8 billion. Operating profits reached ¥300.3 billion, up 21.3 percent compared to the previous period. International markets drove 77.2 percent of total sales, with the United States accounting for 40.3 percent, Europe contributing 24.7 percent, and other regions making up 12.2 percent.

The company recorded 129 million Switch players throughout 2025, demonstrating the platform's continued relevance despite the newer hardware's arrival. Looking forward, Nintendo projects selling 19 million Switch 2 consoles by March 2026 alongside 48 million software units, while original Switch sales are expected to add another 4 million hardware units and 125 million games.

Valve Delays Steam Hardware Pricing Announcements Due to Component Shortages

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Valve has posted an update regarding its upcoming Steam Hardware lineup, acknowledging that global memory and storage shortages have forced reconsideration of previously planned pricing and release date announcements. The company revealed that RAM and digital storage components have experienced rapid price increases since the November 2024 announcement of Steam Machine, Steam Controller, and Steam Frame.

The volatile component market presents familiar challenges for hardware manufacturers navigating supply constraints and pricing pressures. Valve emphasized that its goal of launching all three products during the first half of 2026 remains unchanged, but finalized pricing requires additional work given quickly shifting market conditions. Recent confirmation from AMD's CEO during an investor call reinforced that launch timelines remain on track despite pricing uncertainty.

Valve shared additional technical details about Steam Machine capabilities, noting that internal testing shows most Steam titles running well at 4K resolution and 60 frames per second with FSR upscaling enabled. However, certain demanding titles may require more aggressive upscaling or lower framerates with variable refresh rate support to maintain 1080p internal resolution. The company continues driver optimization work targeting HDMI VRR support, improved upscaling techniques, and enhanced ray tracing performance.

The announcement confirmed that both storage and memory in Steam Machine will be user-accessible for upgrades, addressing longstanding community requests for expandability. Valve also plans releasing CAD files enabling users and third-party manufacturers to produce custom faceplates, suggesting healthy aftermarket accessory potential similar to what developed around Steam Deck.

That wraps up our first February spotlight! What caught your attention from this week's lineup? Looking for more competitive gaming coverage? We've got you covered with comprehensive analysis for Dota 2 and Counter-Strike 2 tournaments. Check out our tournament predictions or jump into our Pick'ems system where you can predict match outcomes and compete for valuable Steam marketplace items and skins.