25 Turn-Based RPGs and Strategy Games to Watch in 2026

• Warhammer 40k: Dark Heresy, Trails in the Sky 2, Slay the Spire 2 and Fire Emblem lead a crowded 2026 slate.
• Indies like The Severed Gods, Mewgenics and Aether & Iron offer bold mechanics and demos now.
• Expect sequels, remakes and early-access launches: Solasta II, Alder Forge 2 and Total War: Medieval III are on watchlists.
• Tactical and grand-strategy fans have titles to track from Bit Reactor, Creative Assembly and Destructive Creations.

What to expect from 2026's turn-based slate

2026 is shaping up as a strong year for turn-based fans, mixing AAA sequels and faithful remasters with inventive indie experiments. Publishers are balancing familiar franchises with riskier designs that blend roguelite, deckbuilding and realtime elements into turn-based frameworks.

High-profile sequels and remasters

Major follow-ups and remasters will headline the year. Owlcat Games’ Warhammer 40k: Dark Heresy is progressing through alpha and expands their isometric RPG work into investigative Inquisition gameplay. Nihon Falcom will bring Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter as a remaster aimed at both newcomers and long-time Legend of Heroes fans.

Meanwhile, Creative Assembly’s Total War: Medieval III and Intelligent Systems’ Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave promise grand strategy and tactical play for different audiences—one leaning into scale and the other into character-driven battles on Nintendo’s new hardware.

Indie standouts worth following

Indie studios are offering some of the year’s most original ideas. The Severed Gods mixes 2.5D JRPG aesthetics with roguelite loops and targeted-hit mechanics, while Mewgenics (from Edmund McMillen and Tyler Glaiel) brings tactical, grid-based combat with breedable mutant cats.

Aether & Iron and Esoteric Ebb represent narrative-driven CRPGs with unique settings—art-deco sci‑fi smuggling and satirical cleric adventures—both available in demos that let players test systems ahead of launch.

Tactical, deckbuilders and roguelites

Mega Crit’s Slay the Spire 2 targets a March 2026 release and aims to build on the influential card-roguelike formula. Solasta II enters Early Access in March, offering a closer-to-tabletop 5e experience for tactical RPG players.

Star Wars Zero Company and Stormbinders cater to fans of XCOM-style and Heroes-like strategy respectively, while Space Scum and Plague Lords offer brutal sandbox and survival tactics for players who enjoy punishing systems.

How to keep track

Many of these projects already have playable demos, prologues or Early Access windows—check Steam pages and developer updates. Wishlist and follow studios such as Owlcat Games, Nihon Falcom, Mega Crit, Bit Reactor and Tactical Adventures to get launch alerts and patch notes as 2026 unfolds.

Bottom line

Whether you prefer deep JRPG storylines, deckbuilding roguelites or grand strategy scale, 2026 delivers a broad catalog of turn-based experiences. Prioritize the demos and Early Access builds to find the games that match your taste early in the year.