For fans of the soulslike genre, the future looks bright. Many developers have announced their upcoming soulslike games for 2026, including highly anticipated sequels like Code Vein 2 and Mortal Shell 2. Beyond these announced titles, there are surely more unannounced soulslikes in development that fans will hear about in the coming months and throughout next year.
Upcoming Soulslike Games With Ridiculous Mechanics
From late 2025 onward, these upcoming soulslike games promise to shake up the genre with innovative mechanics.
Every new soulslike tries to tweak the familiar formula in unique ways, so it’s always exciting to see how other studios follow in FromSoftware’s footsteps while exploring new territory and introducing fresh mechanics to make the soulslike experience more diverse and thrilling. Below is a look at the top five upcoming soulslike games currently set for release in 2026, along with each game’s standout features to get excited about.
The Duskbloods
Perhaps the Most Intriguing Soulslike Release of 2026
The Duskbloods
- Released
- 2026
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Action
After the massive success of Elden Ring, it seemed likely that FromSoftware would stick to a similar formula. Instead, the studio took an unexpected turn, first releasing Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon, and then launching an experimental multiplayer project, Elden Ring Nightreign. The studio’s experimental phase is clearly far from over, as The Duskbloods builds on the ideas of Nightreign, promising another multiplayer-focused soulslike with a strong emphasis on player interactions.
Highest-Rated Soulslike Games On Open-Critic, Ranked
Can any studio compare to FromSoftware's expertise in the soulslike genre? Let's find out.
The Duskbloods is easily one of the most intriguing new IPs announced for 2026, offering a fresh universe crafted by Hidetaka Miyazaki and a more intricate balance between PvE and PvP interactions than Elden Ring or Nightreign ever achieved. While some fans are thrilled about The Duskbloods, others are eagerly awaiting FromSoftware’s return to the traditional single-player soulslike experience, though it seems that won’t happen anytime soon.
Nioh 3
Both Familiar and Innovative for the Series
Nioh 3
- Released
- February 6, 2026
WHERE TO PLAY
Many soulslike fans are eagerly awaiting Nioh 3, and it’s easy to see why. The series ranks among the highest-rated soulslike games released so far, celebrated for its intricate, layered combat and abundance of loot to chase. With Nioh 3, it seems the franchise’s hallmarks will be elevated to new heights, while the game is set to deliver nail-bitingly challenging boss encounters that will test even genre veterans.
Dark Souls 3 And Other Great Soulslikes That Deserve A Remaster
These games are long overdue for a remaster.
Nioh 3 will feel familiar to fans of the previous entries, but it introduces enough fresh elements to stand out. From more open zones and mission designs that encourage exploration and side activities, to two distinct combat styles - block-focused Samurai and evasion-focused Ninja - Nioh 3 promises to kick off 2026 with a bang.
Valor Mortis
What If Soulslikes Adopted a First-Person Perspective?
Valor Mortis
- Released
- 2026
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Soulslike, RPG, First-Person
Valor Mortis stands out as perhaps the biggest wildcard soulslike for 2026. Depending on how the Ghostrunner creators deliver on the title’s unique promises, it has a real shot at becoming something special, bringing a first-person perspective and its distinctive setting to the soulslike genre, and potentially leading the pack as the first to truly nail it.
Upcoming Soulslike Games That Could Be The Next Dark Souls
There are plenty of exciting games on the horizon for the Soulslike genre, and any one of them could be the next big thing.
From the recent pre-alpha playtest, many soulslike fans were already impressed by the gameplay slice of Valor Mortis, praising its unique combat feel that lets you wield a sword and pistol simultaneously, along with those challenging bosses. Hopefully, the devs will tackle the current issues raised in player feedback, like clunky controls, to ensure Valor Mortis launches in the best possible shape.
Ballad of Antara
Ambitious Free-to-Play Soulslike With Multiple Characters
Ballad of Antara
- Released
- 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Ballad of Antara remains a bit of a mystery, with very few updates or details released so far about this gorgeous-looking game. Despite still being officially slated for a 2025 release, it’s almost certain to slip into the next year. It’s also not entirely clear how close to the traditional formula Ballad of Antara truly is, as the devs haven’t shown proper boss encounters yet. On top of that, the game is expected to launch as free-to-play, which is uncharted territory for the genre.
Soulslike Games That Balance Their Difficulty Perfectly
Soulslikes are infamous for being incredibly hard, but these games craft a perfect balance to help players hone their skills.
According to previous showcases, Ballad of Antara will have a cinematic flair to its narrative, as well as several playable characters, each with their own story. The devs also showed a gameplay section for Ballad of Antara to give a taste of its combat system, but it’s hard to jump to conclusions just yet, given it was an early version, though the combat appears a bit too slow. Nevertheless, Ballad of Antara seems like a possible pleasant surprise, almost akin to Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, so it’s worth keeping an eye on.
Lords of the Fallen 2
Sticking to a “Gamers First” Approach
Lords of the Fallen II
- Released
- 2026
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Soulslike, Action RPG, Adventure
The original Lords of the Fallen (which was a soft reboot of a 2014 game of the same name) faced technical issues at launch, but thanks to the team’s efforts, it didn’t sink into oblivion. As more players tried the game after numerous updates, the consensus is that Lords of the Fallen is a very solid soulslike, with stellar exploration and dark fantasy aesthetics done right. Now, it’s up to Lords of the Fallen 2 to fully realize the original’s potential.
Lords of the Fallen 2 promises to take fan feedback from the first game seriously, while deepening its core mechanics and standout features, like the dual-world system. The ability to seamlessly switch between two realms for puzzle-solving and exploration is already unique enough to make the series stand out, but there’s still plenty of untapped potential that Lords of the Fallen 2 will hopefully tap into.
Best Soulslike Games That Make You Think
Beyond strong combat and exploration, these soulslikes feature plenty of intricate mysteries and puzzles to solve.