New fantasy games
Jul 8 – Oct 25, 2026Updated Oct 25, 2026
Reviewed by Dimitry Apollonsky
Which brands AI mentions
Mentioned in
ChatGPTChatGPTGoogle AI ModeGoogle AI Mode
Widest split: Elden Ring, 57% on ChatGPT and 29% on Google AI Mode.
- #1tiedClair Obscur: Expedition 33ChatGPT 87%Google AI Mode 76%
- #1tiedAvowedChatGPT 91%Google AI Mode 71%
- #3tiedCrimson DesertChatGPT 43%Google AI Mode 67%
- #3tiedElden RingChatGPT 57%Google AI Mode 29%
- #3tiedKingdom Come: Deliverance IIChatGPT 48%Google AI Mode 33%
Questions and answers
ChatGPTOct 15, 2026
If you're looking for the best recent fantasy games as of October 2026, I'd focus on games that deliver great world-building, memorable quests, magic, exploration, and satisfying combat—not just games with dragons in them.
I'll include a mix of huge open-world RPGs, darker action RPGs, and story-driven fantasy adventures, with an emphasis on games released in 2025–2026 as well as recent standouts worth catching up on.
The best new fantasy games to play now
1. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
(Best overall) 2025 · Turn-based RPG
A gorgeous, haunting fantasy RPG inspired by Belle Époque France. Its painterly environments, emotional story, and reactive turn-based combat make it one of the strongest recent choices.
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Best for: A deep story, unforgettable characters, and a distinctive fantasy world.
2. Crimson Desert
2026 · Open-world action RPG
A large-scale fantasy adventure built around exploration, spectacular battles, and a mercenary protagonist. A strong pick if you want a world that feels physically expansive and combat that emphasizes action.
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Best for: Open-world exploration, cinematic fights, and big fantasy set pieces.
3. Esoteric Ebb
(Best indie RPG) 2026 · Narrative RPG
Imagine Disco Elysium mixed with Dungeons & Dragons: you investigate a mystery in a quirky fantasy city, talk your way through trouble, cast spells, and make choices that can change the story. Critics have praised its writing and role-playing depth.
Platform: PC
Best for: Dialogue, player choice, political intrigue, and tabletop-style role-playing.
4. Avowed
2025 · First-person fantasy RPG
Explore the Living Lands, combine magic with melee weapons and ranged attacks, and make consequential decisions in a richly imagined setting. It's especially appealing if you prefer playing an RPG from a first-person perspective.
Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, PC
Best for: Spellcasting, quests, companion interactions, and classic fantasy adventuring.
5. The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales
2026 · Action RPG
A colorful, HD-2D fantasy adventure featuring an expansive overworld, dungeon exploration, and journeys through different periods of its world. It offers a lighter, more classic action-adventure feel than the darker RPGs above.
Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2
Best for: Classic fantasy quests, charming visuals, and real-time combat.
6. Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles
2025 · Tactical RPG
A refreshed version of a classic fantasy strategy RPG, with political betrayal, a memorable medieval setting, and a deep job system for customizing your party. Not a brand-new story, but a compelling modern way to play a beloved one.
Platforms: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, Switch 2
Best for: Tactical battles, party-building, and intricate political fantasy.
More recent fantasy games worth considering
Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time — 2025
A cozy fantasy RPG mixing crafting, gathering, life simulation, and dungeon adventures. Great if you want something relaxing with lots to do.
Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake — 2025
A classic high-fantasy adventure with monsters, exploration, turn-based combat, and beautifully updated pixel-art visuals.
World of Warcraft: Midnight — 2026
A major fantasy MMO expansion for players who want a persistent world, raids, dungeons, and adventures with friends.
Which one should you pick?
My recommendations by play style:
- For the best all-around story: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- For a huge fantasy world: Crimson Desert
- For deep dialogue and meaningful choices: Esoteric Ebb
- For magic and first-person combat: Avowed
- For a classic adventure: The Adventures of Elliot
- For cozy fantasy: Fantasy Life i
One question that would help me narrow this down: what kind of fantasy games do you enjoy most?
1. Preferred style
Open-world adventures like Skyrim or The Witcher
Dark fantasy and challenging combat like Elden Ring
Story-heavy RPGs with choices and companions
Turn-based or tactical fantasy RPGs
Cozy, colorful fantasy adventures
Anything good, regardless of style
2. Gaming platform
PC
PlayStation 5
Xbox
Nintendo Switch / Switch 2
Any platform
3. How recent?
Released in 2026 only
2025–2026
Last three years, including hidden gems
[Find my best matches]
Sources cited in this answer7
- gamespot.comBest Fantasy Games To Escape The World In 2026 - GameSpot
- gamespot.comThe Best RPGs Of 2025 According To Metacritic - GameSpot
- rpgsite.netRPG Site Best of 2025 Awards: Our picks for the best of the year | RPG Site
- gameranx.comBest New Fantasy Games of 2026 - Gameranx
- gameinformer.comGame Informer's Top Scoring Reviews Of 2026
- pcgamer.comEsoteric Ebb Review | PC Gamer
Google AI ModeOct 15, 2026
The fantasy genre has seen an incredible streak of blockbuster hits and artistic triumphs. If you are looking for fresh, highly acclaimed fantasy worlds to dive into, these standout titles have taken the gaming community by storm:
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 — A breathtaking, painterly turn-based RPG from Sandfall Interactive heavily inspired by Belle Époque France. It features an unforgettable premise where a mysterious paintress wakes up once a year to paint a death toll, turning everyone older than that number to dust. Hailed as a masterpiece for its reactive turn-based combat and deep storytelling, it swept the charts and cemented itself as an all-time great.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II — Released to massive critical acclaim, this sprawling 15th-century historical RPG delivers the ultimate grounded, "low-fantasy feel" reality. While it trades traditional magic and dragons for gritty, hyper-realistic medieval survival, politics, and swordplay, it remains an absolute must-play for immersive-world fantasy fans.
Crimson Desert — Developed by Pearl Abyss, this massive open-world action-adventure throws players into a high-fantasy continent laced with dark, visceral elements. Known for its stunning fidelity, fluid traversal, and incredibly dynamic real-time combat, it has been one of the premier major fantasy launches.
The First Berserker: Khazan — A punishing, highly stylish hardcore action-RPG set in a dark fantasy reimagining of the Dungeon & Fighter universe. It marries gorgeous anime-infused cel-shading with brutal, demanding soulslike boss fights and weighty combat mechanics.
If you want to narrow down your next game, tell me:
- What platform are you playing on (PC, PS5, Xbox)?
- Do you prefer turn-based strategy or action/soulslike combat?
- Are you looking for high magic or a gritty/dark tone?
ChatGPTOct 25, 2026
The top new fantasy books to read right now
As of October 24, 2026, there’s a great crop of fresh fantasy releases, from epic battles and dangerous magic to whimsical fae stories and literary fantasy. I’ve focused on books released this month, prioritizing titles with distinctive premises, established authors, or strong appeal for fantasy fans.
6 recent fantasy releases worth checking out
OCTOBER 13 · DARK EPIC FANTASY
1. The Thrice-Bound Fool
Christopher Buehlman
A brutal war, a captured commander, and an enemy whose identity changes everything. Expect dangerous alliances, morally complicated characters, and high-stakes conflict.
Best for: Readers who like gritty fantasy and dark, character-driven stories.
OCTOBER 20 · MAGICAL, META FICTION
2. The Bookshop Book
Mark Lawrence
A mysterious bookshop connects people with lives unfolding inside books. This shorter story explores the boundary between fiction and reality in the world of Lawrence's Library Trilogy.
Best for: Book lovers who enjoy clever premises and unusual magical worlds.
OCTOBER 20 · FAE FANTASY
3. Goblin Market
A. J. Hackwith
A changeling guides visitors through a supernatural marketplace where dreams and talents can be traded. When her sister arrives and the market's magic begins to fail, she must fight to save her home.
Best for: Readers who love fae bargains, strange magical settings, and found-family adventures.
OCTOBER 20 · LITERARY FANTASY
4. The Bishop of Durham Attempts to Surrender the City
Susanna Clarke
A fairy host descends on medieval England in this illustrated return to the world of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. Expect eccentric characters, enchanted landscapes, and dry humor.
Best for: Fans of intricate prose, historical fantasy, and whimsical magic. Note that this is a short story, not a full-length novel.
OCTOBER 13 · EPIC POLITICAL FANTASY
5. Bird King Rising
Samantha Bansil
A newly crowned queen faces rebellion, a potentially resurrected rival, and the temptation to wield lightning as an ultimate weapon. This sequel mixes court intrigue with elemental magic.
Best for: Readers who want ambitious heroines, royal rivalries, and high-stakes magical politics.
OCTOBER 27 · UPCOMING EPIC FANTASY
6. The Riven Kingdom
Juliet E. McKenna
A dead king leaves a kingdom divided between rival princesses, competing religious powers, and dangerous supernatural forces. Multiple characters become entangled in a looming struggle for the realm.
Best for: Fans of sprawling political fantasy, succession crises, and competing divine powers. It's scheduled for October 27, so it hasn't launched yet as of October 24.
More new releases for specific fantasy tastes
The Splintered Sun — Tad Williams
Released October 6 · Classic epic fantasy
Set centuries before The Dragonbone Chair, this new Osten Ard story follows a kingdom threatened by rival claimants and sorcery. A promising pick for traditional, world-spanning fantasy.
Legacies of Betrayal — Steven Erikson
Released October 6 · Military fantasy
The third Tales of Witness novel returns to the Malazan world for dangerous military missions and the machinations of an empire at war. Best for experienced epic-fantasy readers.
The Fires of December — Brandon Sanderson
Released October 6 · Illustrated fantasy
December travels through a kingdom sustained by demon blood to warn its rulers of a plague that threatens the rivers. A good option for readers who enjoy imaginative magic systems and illustrated storytelling.
Which one should you pick first?
- For a gripping, darker read: The Thrice-Bound Fool
- For whimsical, bookish magic: The Bookshop Book
- For a richly imagined fae world: Goblin Market
- For classic epic fantasy: The Splintered Sun
- For court intrigue and elemental magic: Bird King Rising
One caveat: this is a curated list of notable recent releases, not a verified sales or bestseller ranking. Release dates can also vary by country and format.
What kind of fantasy are you in the mood for? Epic fantasy, romantasy, dark fantasy, cozy fantasy, or progression/LitRPG? I can narrow the list to the strongest new releases in your preferred subgenre.
Sources cited in this answer5
- reactormag.comAll the New Fantasy Books Arriving in October 2026
- bookriot.comNew Science Fiction and Fantasy Books Out October 2026
- manatoastmedia.com10 Fantasy & Sci-Fi Books Releasing October 20, 2026
- manatoastmedia.comFantasy & Sci-Fi Books Releasing This Week: October 13, 2026
- manatoastmedia.com10 Fantasy & Sci-Fi Books Releasing October 6, 2026
Google AI ModeOct 25, 2026
If you are hunting for fresh fantasy releases making waves, here are some of the top recent titles and hot additions to the genre:
The Last Starborn Seer by Venetia Constantine
- The Vibe: Epic romantic fantasy and instant bestseller.
- What it’s about: The first installment in the Chronicles of Arcelia follows Leilani Stellarion, who is cursed with a volatile prophetic magic. Blamed for a wasting curse called the Sickening that plunged the realms into war, she embarks on a deadly quest to an Astral Mountain to find an ancient relic that can save her dying mother and clear her name. Perfect for fans of high stakes, intricate world-building, and complex romantic rivalries.
The Rainshadow Orphans
- The Vibe: Mythical archipelago meets Studio Ghibli, dragons, and high-tech flair.
- What it’s about: Set in Rainshadow City—a corrupt place terrorized by a gang called the Lucky Crows—this inventive novel follows a tight-knit foster family, an emperor's son who talks to Sun Spirits, and a stolen dragon pearl that sets off a city-wide revolution.
Burn of the Everflame by Penn Cole
- The Vibe: High-stakes epic romantasy.
- What it’s about: The explosive, highly anticipated final installment in the smash-hit Kindred's Curse Saga . As all-out war overtakes Emarion and the realms of Light and Shadow, long-overdue rebellions ignite and fragile alliances are forged to stop total annihilation.
A Court of Splintered Harmony by Sarah J. Maas
- The Vibe: Blockbuster fae romance and political intrigue.
- What it’s about: The massive latest continuation of the globally bestselling Court of Thorns and Roses universe, diving back into the high-stakes courts of Prythian for fans eagerly tracking the next chapter of the inner circle's journey.[1][2][3][4]
If you want to narrow down your next read, tell me:
- Are you leaning more toward romantasy / love triangles or epic/world-building-heavy fantasy?
- Do you prefer standalone novels or long-running series?
I can give you a more tailored recommendation based on your taste.
Also asked as
- I'm looking for fresh fantasy titles that just launched. What do you suggest?
