October has arrived, and gamers have plenty of reasons to be excited.

The month is shaping up to be one of the busiest periods of 2026 for new video game releases, with major franchises, long-awaited sequels, remasters and completely new experiences arriving across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC.

From Gears of War to Star Wars, Call of Duty and Phantom Blade Zero, there is something for almost every type of player.

Gears of War: E-Day Kicks Off the Big Releases

One of October’s biggest releases is Gears of War: E-Day.

The new entry from The Coalition launches on October 6 for Xbox Series X|S and PC. The game takes players back to the beginning of the Locust invasion, serving as a prequel to the original Gears of War.

The campaign focuses on Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago during the events of Emergence Day.

The game also represents an important return for the franchise, bringing the series back to its roots while taking advantage of modern technology and Unreal Engine 5.

For Xbox players, it is easily one of the most important releases of the month.

Star Wars: Galactic Racer Brings Speeders to the Galaxy

October 6 will also see the release of Star Wars: Galactic Racer.

The game focuses on high-speed racing through the Star Wars universe, featuring speeders and podracers competing across different environments.

It is scheduled for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.

The release gives Star Wars fans something very different from the franchise’s traditional action and adventure games.

Kingdom Hearts Collection Arrives

Fans of Japanese RPGs also have something to look forward to.

Kingdom Hearts Collection is scheduled for October 8, making it one of the month’s notable RPG releases. The collection brings together games from the long-running Square Enix and Disney franchise for modern platforms.

For newcomers, the collection could also provide a convenient way to experience a large portion of the franchise without having to track down older versions of the games.

More Horror Arrives in October

October is also the perfect month for horror games, and several releases are taking advantage of the Halloween season.

Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival is scheduled for October 8, bringing the iconic horror franchise back to gaming.

The month also features other horror-focused releases, including End of Abyss and several smaller survival-horror projects.

With Halloween approaching, October could become one of the strongest months of the year for horror fans.

Phantom Blade Zero Arrives Later This Month

One of the most anticipated PlayStation releases of October is Phantom Blade Zero.

The action game is scheduled to launch on October 29 for PlayStation 5 and PC.

Phantom Blade Zero has attracted attention because of its fast-paced combat, dark visual style and martial-arts-inspired world.

Its late-October release means it will be one of the final major games competing for players’ attention before the holiday season begins.

Call of Duty Returns

Another enormous franchise returning this month is Call of Duty.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is scheduled for October 23 across PlayStation, Xbox, PC and Nintendo Switch 2.

As one of gaming’s biggest annual franchises, its release is expected to be another major event during an already crowded month.

Final Fantasy Also Has a New Adventure

October will also bring a new Final Fantasy experience.

Final Fantasy Resonance is scheduled for October 22 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. The game uses a distinctive HD-2D visual approach combined with turn-based RPG combat.

For fans of classic-style Japanese RPGs, it could become one of the month’s most interesting releases.

October Is One of 2026’s Busiest Gaming Months

The sheer number of major releases makes October stand out.

The month includes new games across practically every major genre, from shooters and RPGs to racing games, horror, action adventures and remasters.

Major releases include:

• Gears of War: E-Day — October 6
• Star Wars: Galactic Racer — October 6
• Kingdom Hearts Collection — October 8
• Hellraiser: Revival — October 8
• Final Fantasy Resonance — October 22
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 — October 23
• Phantom Blade Zero — October 29

And those are only some of the biggest releases on the calendar.

Which Game Should You Play First?

That depends entirely on what you enjoy.

Xbox players looking for a major blockbuster have Gears of War: E-Day.

Star Wars fans can try Galactic Racer, while RPG fans have Kingdom Hearts Collection and Final Fantasy Resonance.

Horror fans have Hellraiser: Revival, while action-game fans have Phantom Blade Zero waiting later in the month.

With so many releases arriving within a few weeks, October could easily become one of the most expensive months of the year for gamers.

Final Thoughts

October 2026 is shaping up to be an incredible month for gaming.

With major franchises returning, new experiences launching and several highly anticipated titles finally arriving, players across PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo and PC have plenty to look forward to.

And with GTA 6 still scheduled for November, the gaming industry is entering one of the busiest periods of the entire year.

For gamers, October is just the beginning.