Each year, game graphics grow more advanced and stunning. While we’re far from the mind-blowing tech leaps of early gaming days, new releases still wow even technically spoiled audiences with massive, detailed worlds, lifelike characters, realistic dynamic lighting, and more. Just this year, we got visually spectacular titles like Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Mafia: The Old Country, Ghost of Yotei, and many others that could claim the title of the best graphics of 2025.

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As we approach the twilight of current-gen platforms (PS5 and Xbox Series X/S), developers are finally tapping the full power of these systems. Games that began development early in this generation are now hitting their stride. This means the coming years will bring the best-looking titles of the generation — including, of course, GTA 6 — surpassing everything we’ve seen so far. But there’s more to look forward to. Below are the biggest games with jaw-dropping graphics set to impress in early 2026 and beyond.

Only games with officially confirmed release dates are listed below, though delays are always possible.

Resident Evil Requiem

Release Date: February 27, 2026

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Resident Evil Requiem
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Survival Horror
Action
Adventure
Shooter
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Released
February 27, 2026
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ESRB
Mature 17+ / Intense Violence, Blood and Gore, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases
Genre(s)
Survival Horror, Action, Adventure, Shooter

Capcom has been on a roll with recent Resident Evil releases, striking a perfect balance between familiarity and innovation while exploring fresh themes and pushing the franchise into bold new territory. Technologically, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard and Resident Evil Village have both been real feasts, with the RE Engine (short for "REach," not Resident Evil) delivering cinematic visuals that create a chillingly realistic sense of immersion in their virtual worlds.

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Upcoming Open-World Games With Ridiculous Graphics

The video game future is bright and visually stunning with these graphical powerhouse open-world games on deck.

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Resident Evil Requiem is already being hailed as the most ambitious and expensive Resident Evil game yet, showcasing Capcom’s confidence in this upcoming release. Based on what we’ve seen so far, there’s little doubt that Requiem will be another thrilling chapter in this iconic franchise, and potentially one of the most visually spectacular games of 2026, with photorealistic environments and lifelike characters.

Crimson Desert

Release Date: March 19, 2026

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Crimson Desert
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March 19, 2026
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DIGITAL
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Genre(s)
Action, Adventure, Open-World, Exploration

When Crimson Desert debuted in its first trailers over four years ago, it looked simply unbelievable. As the years passed, the game grew even more ambitious, consistently blowing players’ minds with each new showcase. Sheer scale is Crimson Desert’s secret weapon, with an open world poised to be breathtakingly vast and richly detailed, offering a diverse array of activities for every taste.

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From what the devs have shown so far, Crimson Desert’s world isn’t just massive and beautiful, but also incredibly dense and interactive. Players can destroy towers and fortresses, ride dragons to unleash chaos from the skies, and dive into massive battles featuring entire armies — a rare feat, especially on such an epic scale and with such stunning technical execution. The game’s BlackSpace Engine has evolved dramatically over the years to support cutting-edge advancements, leaving just one question: how will it handle everything the team has packed in while running smoothly?

Saros

Release Date: March 20, 2026

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Saros
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Released
April 30, 2026
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RP - Rating Pending
Genre(s)
Action

As the next major PS5 exclusive, Saros is expected to launch in a flawless technical state while building on the stellar gameplay formula established by Housemarque. A direct continuation of Returnal’s ideas, Saros promises to deepen the action-roguelike gameplay while pushing the boundaries of technology.

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Returnal was among the first PS5 first-party titles, and launching nearly five years later, Saros is poised to deliver significant improvements across the board, fully harnessing the PS5’s capabilities and making creative use of the DualSense controller’s unique features. Although players might find it hard to notice every subtle visual detail amid the game’s relentless, dynamic action, driven by spectacular abilities, distinct weapons, and challenging enemies unleashing waves of bullet-hell chaos.

007 First Light

Release Date: March 27, 2026

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007 First Light
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May 27, 2026
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DIGITAL
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Genre(s)
Action, Adventure, Stealth

007 First Light is described as IO Interactive’s most ambitious and expensive game ever — the perfect showcase for the latest iteration of the studio’s proprietary Glacier Next engine. As Unreal Engine 5 becomes increasingly common for triple-A development, crafting blockbuster titles with in-house technology stands out as somewhat of a flex, especially when that tech is as impressive as what powers the latest Hitman games.

GTA 6, Borderlands 4, and 007 First Light budgets
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From the looks of it, 007 First Light lives up to its prestige on a technical level, delivering a diverse array of expansive, incredibly detailed explorable locations, both indoors and outdoors, alongside adrenaline-fueled chases, explosive action full of destruction, believable characters, and unmistakable cinematic flair. The recent gameplay showcase raised some concerns about potential technical hiccups, but let’s not forget it was an early build, and there’s still plenty of time for the devs to polish their ambitious creation.

Grand Theft Auto 6

Release Date: November 19, 2026

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Grand Theft Auto 6
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November 19, 2026
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ESRB
Rating Pending - Likely Mature 17+
Genre(s)
Action, Adventure

There are countless reasons to be excited about Grand Theft Auto 6, but its technological prowess is undoubtedly near the top, captivating even those who’ve never been fans of the series. As likely one of the most expensive entertainment products ever made, GTA 6 is set to deliver unprecedented levels of realism and fidelity in a massive open world. The glimpses shown in the first trailers were so stunning that many question whether the final game can match that vision — especially with the sheer number of unique NPCs populating its world.

Rockstar, however, has given little reason for doubt, consistently overdelivering with titles that often look even more impressive at launch than in early previews. With the immense resources and talent poured into this monumental production, it’s entirely possible that GTA 6 will set a visual and technical bar so high it remains unmatched for long years, at least until next-generation platforms arrive.

A collage of characters from some of the best-looking video games ever made: DK and Diddy from Donkey Kong Country, Serge from Chrono Cross and Arthur Morgan from Red Dead Redemption 2.
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