So, this is the follow up to our last podcast. Be advised, it is a long podcast, in which we discussed the games we enjoyed the most in 2025.
In this podcast, we discuss the games we are looking forward to playing the most in 2026.
Be advised, this does not mean the games all release in 2026. Some are early access (and you have likely already played them) and one released in December, but after we recorded.
Once again, in this companion article, we are deploying our excess scientists to rank our list.
There were 5 of us on the podcast, comprised of the usual team of myself (BBB), David, Drexy, Ricky and William. Beard Ambassador could not join us, but you can always ask him what games he is looing forward to on the Discord.
So, if a game was 5th in someone’s list, that game got a point. If it was 4th, it got 2 points. And so on.
| BBB’s picks | Notes (from BBB) |
| 5. RuneQuest: Warlords (1 point ) | A tactical game set in the world of 6 Ages? Yes please! |
| 4. HoMM: Olden Era (2 points) | I had a blast with the demo, and the full release is a no-brainer |
| 3. 9 Kings / Feudums (3 points) | 9 Kings is an interesting, compact game, and Feudums…well, we have the developer active on the discord. |
| 2. Dawn of War 4/ Godsworn (4 points) | You probably already know about Dawn of War. Godsworn is a lesser known, great fun rts that is an easy recommendation. |
| 1. AoW4 dlc / Elemental: Reforged (5 points) | Triumph – allegedly – have something quite interesting cooking up, and as for nuElemental, I tried this with very low expectations and found msyelf playing through 50 turns of very early access, and missing key features. So, yeah, I am very curious as to what the end result will be |
| Honourable Mention: Endless Legend 2 | Ofcourse I am going to play this… |
| David’s (Frequent Weaver) picks | Notes (from official page) |
| 5. The First Explorers (1 point ) | The First Explorers® is a settlers-like game, that offers the perfect mix of organic city-building and RTS in a bustling world. Set in the time of antiquity in Europe, you will play as the Romans, Carthaginians or Gauls. Are you ready to raise an army backed by a thriving economy? |
| 4. Atre: Dominance Wars (2 points) | Become an Elder, a master Sorcerer. Manipulate or conquer your way to godhood, mastering arcane spells and transforming your armies in this lore-rich 4X real time/turn based strategy game. Achieve total domination—or destroy the world itself. |
| 3. Age of Respair (3 points) | Age of Respair is a medieval strategy castle-builder. Build massive castles with fortifications while managing resources and production chains. Assemble a large army and lay siege to enemy castles. Lead your people and bring respair to your kingdom🏰⚔️ |
| 2. Star Trek Voyager: Across the Unknown (4 points) | Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown is a story-driven survival strategy game in which the fate of the iconic starship is in your hands. Take the helm, manage the ship and resources, and make difficult decisions. Will you be able to bring home the ship and its crew? Bonus: PC Gamer article. |
| 1. AoW4 dlc / Menace (5 points) | Lead a strike force against an alien threat in this turn-based tactical RPG from the developers of Battle Brothers. Answer distress calls across different worlds, train and equip infantry, deploy tanks and mechs, and plan and execute missions in detailed turn-based battles. |
| Honourable mentions: Nova Roma Kingdoms and Castles Slay the Spire 2 |
| Drexy takes the stage | Notes (from official page) |
| 5. Grand Tactician Napoleonic Wars (1 point each) | Fight the campaigns and battles of Napoleon from the French Revolutionary Wars all the way to Waterloo’s muddy, crimson fields. |
| 4. Solasta 2 (2 points) | In a Mana-infused land, a dark force led by the enigmatic Shadwyn threatens Neokos. Bring your party of adventurers together across perilous realms in this Turn-Based Tactical RPG based on the SRD 5.2 ruleset. You make the choices, dice decide your destiny. |
| 3. Total War: 40K (3 points) | Experience the brutal fusion of galactic strategy and grimdark warfare in Total War: WARHAMMER 40,000. Take command of iconic factions, customise your war machine, and engage in devastating battles as you carve a bloody warpath across the stars. |
| 2. Fragile Existence (4 points) | Save humanity from the brink of extinction in this sci-fi strategy game of survival. Travel among the stars to seek out resources, establish and develop colonies to sustain civilization, and grow your military might to push back against an overwhelming threat. |
| 1. Falling Frontier(5 points) | Conquer a vast procedurally generated star system in Falling Frontier, a sci-fi RTS where intel and logistics are decisive factors. Design ships and raid enemy supply lines, lay minefields and construct recon stations, and ambush enemy forces within asteroid fields and nebulae. |
| Honourable Mentions: Shadow Empires Republica DLC Menace Star Wars Zero Company Warhammer Mechanicus 2 Strategos |
| Ricky’s picks! | Notes (from official page) |
| 5. HoMM:Olden Era / Elemental Reforged (1 point) | Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era is the official prequel hailing back to the origins of the genre-defining, critically acclaimed series of turn-based strategy games. Raise grand armies and wield devastating spells to overcome your foes in both solo and multiplayer. ————————————————————– Create a character and lead your civilization in this epic, turn-based fantasy strategy game. Design units, research technology, learn magical spells, send adventurers on quests, craft magical items, trade or battle other civilizations for dominion of worlds of your imagination. |
| 4. Endless Legend 2 (2 points) | Lead your people to victory on an ever-evolving world in this strategy game featuring asymmetric factions led by powerful heroes. Build your empire, wield political influence, and raise grand armies to wage war in a race to uncover dark secrets buried within the planet. |
| 3. Total War Attila : The Dawnless Days mod (3 points) | The Dawnless Days is a total overhaul mod for Total War: Attila based on the Tolkien Legendarium. The project brings to life the peoples, places and events of Tolkien’s world loved and cherished by fans all around the world, and is set in the time of the great wars of the final years of the main books. This is a non-commercial, fan-made project. |
| 2. Atre: Dominance Wars (4 points) | Become an Elder, a master Sorcerer. Manipulate or conquer your way to godhood, mastering arcane spells and transforming your armies in this lore-rich 4X real time/turn based strategy game. Achieve total domination—or destroy the world itself. |
| 1. Gilded Destiny (5 points) | Forge empires, incite revolutions, and reshape society in Gilded Destiny, the definitive grand strategy game of the Industrial Age. Take command of your chosen nation and lead it to glory through masterful diplomacy, sweeping industrialization, and decisive warfare. |
| Honourable Mentions: Falling Frontier Espiocracy Manor Lords Carthage: Bellum Punicum Global Magnates: Shipping Tycoon |
| William (pareod) wades in | Notes (from official page) |
| 5. Strategos ( 1 point) | Strategos is a real-time tactics wargame set in classical antiquity. Simulate large-scale battles with over 120 factions, and 250+ units, from the ancient world. Create custom battles, or take command of historical ones. |
| 4. Feudums / Imperiums Greek wars mystery game (2 points) | Lead multiple branches of your noble house in a living, persistent online 4X grand strategy. Expand fiefdoms, command vassals, master warfare, and outwit rivals through diplomacy, espionage, and schemes. With NO pay-to-win, only strategy will determine the legacy you carve in history. |
| 3. Elemental: Reforged (3 points) | Create a character and lead your civilization in this epic, turn-based fantasy strategy game. Design units, research technology, learn magical spells, send adventurers on quests, craft magical items, trade or battle other civilizations for dominion of worlds of your imagination. |
| 2. Total War: 40K / Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic (4 points) | Experience the brutal fusion of galactic strategy and grimdark warfare in Total War: WARHAMMER 40,000. Take command of iconic factions, customise your war machine, and engage in devastating battles as you carve a bloody warpath across the stars. ————————————————————– The fate of the galaxy is in your hands in a narrative-driven action RPG where you step into the role of a Force user on a journey through a galaxy on the edge of rebirth. Blending innovative storytelling, memorable characters, and heart-pounding combat, Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic immerses you in an unforgettable experience where every decision deepens your journey toward light or darkness. |
| 1. Gilded Destiny (5 points ) | Forge empires, incite revolutions, and reshape society in Gilded Destiny, the definitive grand strategy game of the Industrial Age. Take command of your chosen nation and lead it to glory through masterful diplomacy, sweeping industrialization, and decisive warfare. |
| Honourable Mentions: Imperiums Greek wars mystery game Ymir | In Ymir you play as pigs! |
As we move into 2026, it comes down to Gilded Age versus the upcoming Age of Wonders 4 DLC. Now, as it is a tie, I declare Gilded Destiny the winner. Honourable mention to Feudums, good to see a smaller game getting so much attention. Well done Mat:
Enjoy, and keep exploring!
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Also known as BBB in many places, Andy is well known for his love of strategy games of all types, especially the Age of Wonders series.