Action games have long been a pillar of the gaming industry. Yet, the past decade has seen the genre dominated by a particular style. The influence of stamina-based combat, punishing difficulty, and methodical pacing has left a long shadow over action RPGs, and I am tired of it. Developers follow the same blueprint, hoping to capture the same lightning that sparked soulslikes taking over. The result has been a generation of games attempting to replicate a formula rather than explore what action RPGs can fully offer.
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But 2026 finally has me hopeful that we will see greater experimentation in the action genre and more variety with it. Instead of relying on a singular combat philosophy, developers are expanding skill systems, narrative depth, traversal design, and worldbuilding styles. What excites me most is that these upcoming titles are refusing to live in the shadow of the soulslike identity. They are faster, more expressive, more open to player choice, and built around action systems that highlight versatility rather than imitation. After spending so much time in worlds shaped by the same rhythm, it feels refreshing to see the genre moving forward again.
The Soulslike Era Has Defined the Genre for Long Enough
There is no denying how deeply soulslikes have shaped action RPGs. Once Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls became gaming sensations, their design philosophy spread across the industry. Stamina management, punishing learning curves, and precise timing became the go-to formula for any team entering the genre. For years, that influence produced some fantastic results, but it also created a sameness that was hard to ignore. Many new releases seemed more concerned with chasing the success of FromSoftware rather than carving out their own identity.
At a certain point, it became clear that the genre needed to evolve. Not every action RPG needs to punish players or slow the pace to create tension. Not every title needs labyrinthine worlds or opaque storytelling. The problem was simple: soulslikes had become the default. As someone who dabbles with these games, I saw how the broader action RPG landscape was being held back. There was room for more creativity, more variety, and more expression.
2026 is the first year in a long time where the strongest upcoming titles break from that mold. Instead of leaning on difficulty as the primary hook, developers are returning to faster combat, character-driven stories, and systems that let players grow in more customizable ways. The genre is rediscovering its personality, something that feels overdue, and I cannot wait to see how these titles shake up the genre.
Actions Games Fully Embracing Intense Combat
One of the most exciting shifts comes from the reemergence of action-driven franchises. Onimusha, once one of Capcom’s flagship series, is returning with a renewed focus on fast, stylish combat through Onimusha: Way of the Sword. Rather than borrowing Soulslike pacing, it embraces the sharp, responsive swordplay that defined its earlier popularity.
Then there is the highly anticipated Crimson Desert, a game that blends open-world exploration with a hybrid combat system that looks far more dynamic than what many soulslike frameworks support. Its mobility, cinematic strikes, and expansive world design show how action RPGs can deliver power fantasy without sacrificing challenge. It represents the kind of bold experimentation the genre has been missing.
Marvel and PlayStation fans are also watching Marvel’s Wolverine with high expectations. Insomniac has already proven it can blend speed, spectacle, and character-focused storytelling in its previous titles. Applying that to an action RPG built around Wolverine almost guarantees a break from the slower, methodical style that has dominated recent years.
When you combine these major releases with new projects like Tides of Annihilation,Phantom Blade Zero, and The Blood of Dawnwalker, the variety coming in 2026 looks like a defining moment for the genre. If even a fraction of these games live up to expectations, soulslikes may finally have to adapt and evolve beyond tweaking what FromSoftware does to recapture the genre.
A New Wave of Action-Focused RPGs
The biggest shift happening in 2026 is not just the number of action RPGs releasing, but the diversity in how they approach combat and storytelling. Soulslikes have earned their place in gaming history, but they were never meant to represent the full scope of the genre. The upcoming slate of releases finally reflects that truth. Faster games. More narrative-driven games. More flashy, combo-based systems. More worlds built around player expression instead of punishment.
This change also benefits longtime fans like me who have spent years hoping for a broader selection of action RPG experiences. I still enjoy mastering difficult bosses and learning precise attack windows, but I want just as much to explore games that prioritize story arcs, emotional beats, and fluid combat. 2026 is the first time in over a decade that we’re getting that scale, and I look forward to playing a game I don’t have to spend hours mastering just to progress.
Most importantly, the new wave of titles proves that the action RPG genre does not need to follow one blueprint to succeed. Players are hungry for different styles of progression, combat, and worldbuilding. If these games deliver on their potential, 2026 will be remembered as the year action RPGs stepped out from the shadow of soulslikes and embraced the full range of what they can truly be, as the genre did years ago.
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