The Christmas season is upon us and the year is coming to an end much faster than we are ready for. But with the game of the year now crowned, the next day to mark on a gamer's calendar is the New Year, where we look forward to all the big releases to come in 2026.
The team here at Game Rant won't be taking time off, as we're committed to keeping you updated on all the latest from around the industry, but we'll be making some time for our loved ones (which, of course, means our favorite gaming systems). So we asked the team here at GR what they'll be playing over the holidays, and the results were expected to vary.
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Casey Muir-Taylor
Social Media Coordinator
After The Game Awards and the horrible and exciting Divinity trailer, I've been back in the world of Divinity Original Sin 2. While it plays a bit like Larian's Baldur's Gate 3it's different enough in its combat to remain interesting. I highly recommend playing it if you enjoyed BG3.
On the opposite end of that, I'm always playing Overwatch 2 with my friends. I know it gets a lot of hate in a very overpopulated hero shooter landscape, but it does it best, in my opinion. Finally, I'm also making it through The Hundred Line Last Defense Academy. It's a hidden gem from earlier this year that combines so many aspects of games I love. If you like Persona, Fire Emblem, Danganronpa, or just JRPGs in general, I think it's worth a shot
Dalton Cooper
editor in chief
During the holidays I will play The Seance of Blake Manor. I didn't even know it existed until reviews started coming in, and it suddenly became one of the top rated games of 2025. Then, when I found out it was a first-person puzzle game with Return of Obra Dinn and Blue Prince vibes, I was immediately sold. I've been hooked ever since.
I'm still working on my first playthrough, but it's the kind of game I can see myself going through more than once, so maybe I'll play through it a couple of times over the holidays. Of course, I will also spend time playing games with family friends, so there will be plenty Overwatch 2, ARC Raidersand Battlefield 6 sessions as well.
Greysun Morales
Lead Guides Editor
As boring as the city is, I'll probably spend the holidays continuing to grind Pokemon Legends ZAs Mega Dimension DLC. I'm already over 60 hours into the game, and I'm still only halfway through the new story missions, with many side missions to complete.
If I'm really bored, I might try to complete the entire Pokedex, but we'll have to wait and see. I also plan to spend some quality time with my partner and boot up Mario Kart World, Super Smash Bros. Ultimateand maybe Kirby Air Riders. With the lack of big new December games, there's not much to sink your teeth into, unfortunately!
Jake Fillery
Evergreen editor
This holiday season I will be playing Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. While slaughtering some maggot-addicted zombies is by no means a festive joy, it sure is a good time for everyone involved (except the zombies themselves). I've been having a blast in Black Ops 7 for over a month now, and outside of my addictive enjoyment of Multiplayer, I can't stop driving trains and blasting through high rounds in Zombies mode.
Ashes of the Damned and Astra Malorum are treats I didn't expect for my Christmas stocking, but they're more than welcome to stay. I've racked up over 100 hours in Black Ops 7 Zombies, and I'm afraid I can't stop. Shooting undead, drinking Perks and hearing the hilarious lines of Richtofen never gets old. The loyal nostalgia I've felt for the series since opening my first door in Nacht der Untoten from 2008's Call of Duty: World at War on Christmas Day, remains strong even 17 years later!
Jeff Brooks
Evergreen Editor
This year has been absolutely packed with so many great titles that I've simply had to leave a few unfinished along the way. I usually like to return to one of these back-burner games at the end of the year (or a few, if I can swing it). The game I want to get back to the most right now is Ghost of Yotei. i loved Ghost of Tsushima back in 2020, but it always had a bit of that ludonarrative dissonance with its main story – the invasion was such a critical priority for Jin, so every stray fox or relaxing dip in a hot spring felt like it trampled on the urgency of that main story.
Ghost of Yoteis attentat list structure really lends itself to wandering off-trail and doing anything and everything on the road. Atsu has been simmering for revenge for over a decade, giving plenty of room to include the smaller moments without affecting the pace of the overall story. I doubt I'll actually do everything the game has to offer, but it's such a fun game to play that I'm just happy to spend more time in the beauty of Ezo. I'm excited to put a nice little bow on the game to end the year.
Joshua Duckworth
Executive Editor
My “main game” right now is Fallout 76. It's been years since I last played it, like before Wastelanders, so I wanted to come back and see the changes. I started a brand new level 1 character, so it will be a while before I reach Burning Springs, but I'm really enjoying this version of Appalachia so far. It definitely clicks so much better now than it did when I last played it.
I have a couple of co-op games with my buddies on rotation as well. Phasmophobia almost never leaves rotation, which is why it's easily my most played game of the year. The Winter's Jest update which adds three new ghosts is the cherry on top. We're going hard at it again. Tanglewood hates to see us coming lol. We also have a save at the end of the game Satisfactory we are trying to hit, but I guess it will be before the new year. Oh, and my wife and I have a save on Baldur's Gate 3 going, just need time to play it!
Finally I have one Dragon Age: Veilguard character I started for DA day. I've been playing her slowly (she's a dwarf villain), and she loves Davrin. But I'll probably wrap her up at the end of the year too. Depending on the timing, especially since 2026 doesn't really have anything for me until February, I can feel a Dragon Age marathon coming sooner rather than later.
Mark Sammut
Editor in chief
While the exact game isn't set in stone at the moment, I'll be playing either It takes two or Marvel Cosmic Invasion during the holidays. I visit my family every Christmas, and recently I've started a tradition with my younger brother where we play through a co-op game. Since there is quite a big age difference between us, we didn't have much opportunity to play together before now, so it's been fun.
Paul Woodward
Interactive map editor
During the holidays I plan to play The Witcher 3. I put it down a few years ago and never beat it, but now I'm going to take the time to finally beat this amazing game. I also have the DLC, so I'm looking forward to checking it out for the first time.
Tim Lord
I'm not sure how much gaming I'll get in over the holiday season, between work commitments and parenting, but when I do, I'll be on the couch playing Palia with my wife. We love playing cozy games together, and the genre is perfect for unwinding after a busy day.
The game's latest update has really gotten me into the holiday spirit, so I'm keen to check out the new content when I have time. And, of course, contribute to the huge snowman community!
Tom Bowen
Lead Evergreen Editor
As I tend to do most years, I will replay the first one Shenmue games during the Christmas holidays. It made a huge impression on me when I first played it in December 2000, and I've associated it with Christmas ever since. Over the years, returning to the streets of Yokosuka has begun to feel a bit like going home, so revisiting Shenmue is also a good way to deal with the homesickness that sometimes creeps in during the holidays.
Happy weekend from everyone here at Game Rant!
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