New Game Releases This Month — Ranked by Buzz

Alright y’all… new game releases this month are actually sending me. Like, I’m sitting here in my tiny apartment outside Atlanta, January 13th 2026, 3 a.m., room smells like Monster Energy and regret, and I’m trying to rank the biggest game drops happening right now by pure unfiltered internet buzz.

Here’s my very subjective, probably wrong, definitely sleep-deprived ranking of the new game releases this month that have Twitter/X, Reddit, TikTok, and my group chat in a complete chokehold.

1. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – The One That’s Making Everyone Cry Already

This game… man. The trailers dropped and people started posting “this is my Roman Empire” unironically. Turn-based combat that somehow looks like action, Belle Époque meets dark fantasy, and a story that seems to be about counting down to your own death? Yeah the vibes are immaculate.

Fantastic Voyage: Playing the Opening Act of Clair Obscur ...

news.xbox.com

Fantastic Voyage: Playing the Opening Act of Clair Obscur …

I watched the latest gameplay reveal at 2 a.m. last night while eating cold pizza and I’m not okay. → Official site & latest trailer: https://www.expedition33.com/

Here’s the cursed low-angle pic of my TV when the release date trailer hit. The colors were popping so hard my neighbors probably thought I was having a rave.

2. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II – Warhorse Said “Hold My Beer”

I was one of those weirdos who put 240+ hours into the first one (yes I got every ending, yes I cried when Theresa… you know). The sequel looks stupidly ambitious and the internet is feral about it.

Everyone’s arguing about realism vs fun again, which is honestly peak gaming discourse. → Steam page (wishlist it or I’m judging you): https://store.steampowered.com/app/1771300/Kingdom_Come_Deliverance_II/

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 - A First Look At A Medieval Return ...

lv1gaming.com

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

My hands were literally shaking when I saw the new combat footage. Here’s a cursed close-up of my sweaty controller grip mid-hype.

3. Sid Meier’s Civilization VII – Civ Addiction Loading…

Look. Every time a new Civ drops I tell myself “this time I’ll be normal.” Every time I lie.

The new ages system, the leader/art style changes, the fact they finally listened about spies being actually useful… the community is in shambles (good shambles). → 2K official announcement hub: https://civilization.2k.com/civ-vii/

No, the game does not force you to settle distant lands : r/civ

reddit.com

No, the game does not force you to settle distant lands : r/civ

I already have three separate group chats planning all-nighters. Send help.

4. Mario Kart World (Working Title Leaks) – Yes I’m Including the Rumor

Okay hear me out. The rumor mill is so loud right now that even if it’s fake, the sheer volume of memes deserves a spot. Open-world Mario Kart? 24-player races? Weather effects? My brain is melting just thinking about it.

No official links yet because Nintendo is Nintendo, but the amount of fake trailers on YouTube is honestly impressive.

MARIO KART WORLD Shares More Game Features - Nerdist

nerdist.com

MARIO KART WORLD Shares More Game Features – Nerdist

Quick Dishonorable Mentions That Still Have Crazy Buzz

  • That new horror extraction shooter everyone is calling “the next Hunt: Showdown killer” (still NDA’d so no links sorry)
  • The surprise FromSoftware mobile game announcement (yes really, people are mad and hyped simultaneously)
  • The remaster of the 1998 cult classic that literally no one asked for but now everyone wants

Anyway… I’m broke, I’m tired, and I’m probably gonna buy at least four of these new game releases this month even though rent is due in two weeks.

What about you? Which of these January 2026 drops got you acting unwise? Drop it in the comments (or just scream at me on X), I need validation for my terrible financial decisions.

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