A mix of expected sequels and out-of-nowhere indie gems made 2025 a joy.

The latest in the franchise is the most hyped release of 2026 and looks set to push the boundaries of gaming visuals – but it could prove more disturbing than entertaining.

As 2025 winds down and 2026 looms on the horizon, it's time to look back at the year that was in pop culture. We asked our For The Win staff members to pick their favorite movies, music, games and television from the past year, and now we are sharing it with you.

Get the latest video game release date information for 2026 in our detailed schedule for upcoming titles, starting this week with Pathologic 3.

Games don’t make you smarter, but they can support your brain, regardless of your age. Different games sharpen different skills—and video games may have an edge over traditional board games by demanding faster, more flexible thinking. Perhaps it’s time to update our Christmas game stash with a video game or two.

For AAA gaming, the top of 2026 sure looks a lot like the top of 2025. Xbox is rebooting Fable. Bungie is rebooting Marathon. Captain America and Black Panther are headlining a Marvel game. And everything under the sun has to break through under a Grand Theft Auto 6 -sized shadow.

Not all of these titles launched exclusively in 1998. For instance, in one very high-profile case, a game debuted in arcades the year prior. However, this list will focus on the very best titles that gamers in North America could first play on their consoles in 1998. It's a stellar line-up.

The Las Vegas skyline went full Jedi as Disney and Lucasfilm joined forces with Lego to transform the Sphere into an interactive Star Wars video game for CES 2026.

Shot in black and white and evoking David Lynch more than NES classics, Obex is already the year's most unique video game-inspired movie.

Netflix’s Stranger Things ended with a finale that united fans in a rare moment of shared culture. As creators Matt and Ross Duffer wrapped their story in the two-hour “The Rightside Up,” they gave a climactic battle in the Abyss against the Mind Flayer and Vecna that felt both grand and intimately tied to the

A popular video game retailer is closing more stores in 2026. GameStop has closed or will close more locations this month, according to Fast Company and other reports. At least 20 stores in New York state on the company’s website are now listed as closed.