This year’s been a big one for gamers across all platforms. Since the start of the year, studios big and small have come in hot with some seriously heavy-hitters, but thankfully, we’re only two-thirds of our way through the calendar.

As we head into August and (hopefully) start to say goodbye to the heat and humidity, these new video games are giving us more and more reasons to stay inside. Whether your hardware of choice is an Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch 2, PC, or one of various slick handhelds on the market — I’m a Lenovo Legion Go gal myself — there’s undoubtedly an incoming drop that’s sure to excite.

Tiny Bookshop

When: Thursday, August 7

Where: PC (Windows, Mac, and Linux)

Price: Unavailable

“Leave everything behind and open a tiny bookshop by the sea in this cozy narrative management game. Stock your tiny bookshop with different books and items, set up shop in scenic locations, and run your cozy second-hand bookshop while getting to know the locals.” (via Steam listing)

Mafia: The Old Country

When: Friday, August 8

Where: PC (Windows) • PlayStation 5 • Xbox Series X|S

Price: $59.99 (Deluxe Edition) — $49.99 (Standard Edition)

“Uncover the origins of organized crime in Mafia: The Old Country, a gritty mob story set in the brutal underworld of 1900s Sicily. Fight to survive as Enzo Favara and prove your worth to the Family in this immersive third-person action adventure set during a dangerous, unforgiving era.” (via 2K)

Madden NFL 26

When: Thursday, August 7 (Deluxe Edition) — Thursday, August 14 (Standard Edition)

Where: PC (Windows) • PlayStation 5 • Xbox Series X|S • Nintendo Switch 2

Price: $99.99 (Deluxe Edition) — $69.99 (Standard Edition)

According to Electronic Arts’ Madden NFL 26 website, the new game “leverages a new AI-powered machine learning system trained on thousands of plays from nearly a decade of real NFL data to deliver more explosive gameplay—with new player-specific traits, authentic playstyles, and adaptive counters that match on-field tendencies and strategies of NFL quarterbacks and coaches.”

Interestingly, this is the first franchise entry to hit a Nintendo console since Madden NFL 13 was available on the Wii and Wii U.

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Drag x Drive

When: Thursday, August 14

Where: Nintendo Switch 2

Price: $19.99

This extreme sports title, first introduced to Nintendo fans via a Direct presentation, puts players in intense 3v3 matches of wheelchair basketball. The all-new game is a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, as it relies on the Joy-Con 2 controllers’ mouse capabilities. Raise your hand and flick your wrist to swish your way to victory.

OFF

When: Friday, August 15

Where: PC • Nintendo Switch 

Price: Unavailable

“One of the most influential RPGs of the last 20 years is finally coming to Steam. Take control of the Batter as he seeks to purify an uncanny and hopeless world haunted by specters, guided by a cryptic, grinning cat called The Judge.” (via Steam listing)

Black Myth: Wukong

When: Wednesday, August 20

Where: Xbox Series X|S

Price: $59.99 (Standard Edition) — $69.99 (Deluxe Edition)

Black Myth: Wukong is no longer just a PC and PlayStation hit; the ARPG is finally coming to Xbox about a year after its initial release. The visually remarkable role-playing game is rooted in Chinese mythology and draws inspiration from “Journey to the West,” one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature.

Gears of War: Reloaded

When: Thursday, August 28

Where: PC (Windows) • PlayStation 5 • Xbox Series X|S

Price: $39.99

“Gears of War: Reloaded is a celebration of one of gaming’s most iconic franchises. Featuring 4K resolution, 120 FPS support, and the ultimate multiplayer experience with cross-progression and cross-play, across all platforms, this is the definitive way to experience the game that started it all. Originally released in 2006, Gears of War: Reloaded brings the full experience forward once again — enhanced for the latest hardware across multiple platforms, introducing the Gears of War franchise to a new generation of players.” (via Xbox)

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater

When: Thursday, August 28

Where: PC (Windows) • PlayStation 5 • Xbox Series X|S

Price: $69.99 (Standard Edition) — $79.99 (Deluxe Edition)

“The core experience of the original, evolved and more immersive than ever. A remake of the 2004 game METAL GEAR SOLID 3: SNAKE EATER. The same gripping story and engrossing world, now with all new graphics and 3D audio that enhance the jungle atmosphere. Get ready for the ultimate survival stealth action experience.” (via Konami)

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance

When: Friday, August 29

Where: PC (Windows) • PlayStation 5 • Xbox Series X|S • Nintendo Switch 2

Price: $26.99 (Standard digital) — $35.99 (Deluxe Edition digital)

“The iconic SHINOBI returns in an all-new 2D action platformer with a unique hand-drawn look created by the team behind the hit brawler Streets of Rage 4. Play as the legendary Shinobi Joe Musashi, master of the ninja arts. After finding your village burned to the ground and your clan turned into stone, you must set off on a quest for vengeance, ready to face an unparalleled evil and avenge your clan.” (via Sega)

Lost Soul Aside

When: Friday, August 29

Where: PC (Windows) • PlayStation 5 • Xbox Series X|S

Price: $59.99 (Standard Edition) — $69.99 (Deluxe Edition)

Run the gauntlet of formidable enemies and colossal bosses in this breathtakingly stylish single player action-adventure RPG; chaining weapon and spectacular attack combos in high-octane, dynamic combat. Embark on an epic odyssey to save your younger sister – and the whole of humanity – from mysterious dimensional invaders from beyond the starlit skies in Lost Soul Aside. (via Steam listing)

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