There are so many games releasing in 2026 that it feels as if even across an entire lifetime, we may not have the opportunity to play them all. Alas, such is the state of the gaming industry, with newer AAA releases often offering hundreds of hours of gameplay, and hidden indie darlings launching into a turbulent sea filled with thousands of other titles on Steam. Even if just GTA 6 is released in 2026, one would likely have more than enough to do, considering just how big we’ve all speculated it will inevitably be.
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Naturally, then, it will be difficult to slot any newer titles into 2026’s backlog-inducing line-up. However, were you to make one concession, I’d highly recommend the return of one of the most underrated games and a true cult classic. Gone for years and now faithfully remastered, Poker Night at the Inventory is finally making its triumphant return. This game garnered quite the cult following when it initially launched, but never the mainstream attention it deserved. Now that it is back, everyone has the opportunity to check it out, experience its masterfully written dialogue, engage in a light bit of digital, no-stakes gambling, and hang out with your virtual buddies.
Poker Night At The Inventory Is Returning After 7 Years
Poker Night at the Inventory, for those who don’t know, was a Telltale-developed game featuring characters from across its collection of games, as well as guest characters like the Heavy from TF2. Pitched as an exploration of what video game characters get up to when they’re not shooting at one another or solving incredulously complex puzzles, it was an extraordinarily riveting experience, one that felt simultaneously cozy, nostalgic, and hilarious. Poker Night at the Inventory was, and perhaps still is, one of the few genuinely compelling examples of hanging out with virtual friends, something that served as a core reason as to why I loved it so much, as sad as that may seem to some.
Unfortunately, Poker Night at the Inventory and its sequel (which featured GLaDOS from Portal as the dealer) were delisted when Telltale sadly shut down. It hasn’t been available since 2019, meaning seven years have passed without newcomers being able to delve deep into the game’s ridiculous amount of bizarre, hilarious, and interesting interactions between each of the four characters. Fortunately, the same folks who remastered Sam and Max back in 2020, Skunkape Games, are back with a vengeance. This time, they’re remastering Poker Night at the Inventory and, most importantly, bringing it to the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4, in addition to PC.
I cannot express just how wonderful this is. Sure, Poker Night at the Inventory isn’t widely regarded as one of the best Telltale games, but, at least in my humble opinion, it is a truly iconic and unique experience that everyone should try. If you have even the slightest vested attachment to any of the game’s guest characters, then you’ll get a lot out of the experience Poker Night at the Inventory offers.
Each character is voiced by their original actor – aside from Tycho, who was given a voice for the first time in this game – and features an abundance of dialogue, quirks, tells, and likes and dislikes to make them as believable as possible. Their dialogue was then checked and refined by their original creators to ensure they felt as authentic as possible. Of course, there’s a limitation to their complexity; they’re digital beings after all. Yet, for the time you’ll spend playing poker, they serve as a cozy little group of friends with plenty of fascinating insights to keep you busy as you play. However, even if you have no idea who the Heavy is or any of the other characters, fear not. Poker Night at the Inventory is a hilarious poker simulator that will offer you hours upon hours of fun.
Poker Night At The Inventory Is Worth Playing In 2026
Beyond being a phenomenal representation of each of the game’s central cast, Poker Night at the Inventory is a legitimately enjoyable poker simulator, one that can actually net you in-game items for Team Fortress 2, if you feel so inclined. The opponent AI was always decently competent (although the remaster promises to improve it), and the low stakes meant that you could take bigger risks without worrying about losing real-life money. Of course, it still required strategy and skill, this is poker after all, and you could, were you observant enough, notice the tells of your opponents, giving you a potential upperhand each round.
This was all complemented by the aforementioned level of depth given to the social interactions, creating an almost cozy atmosphere previously unavailable in single-player focused poker games. I think, ultimately, this is what Poker Night at the Inventory offers players who don’t know or care about its main cast. I had no idea, perhaps rather shamefully, who Sam and Max were, or Strong Bad, when I first played. However, I never found it to be a barrier to entry. Much like turning up to a Magic: The Gathering night at your local game store, joining a pod of strangers, enjoying a few matches, and leaving with a group of new friends, Poker Night at the Inventory almost expects you to not know anyone, but instead intergrate yourself into a new group.
There’s something rather special and seemingly impossible about taking an inherently social and people-centric experience and making it a solo affair. However, miraculously, Poker Night at the Inventory works thanks to Telltale’s dedication to the format. Ironically, this wouldn’t really work as a multiplayer game, as it would strip the experience of its portrayal of video game characters.
I, as someone with social anxiety, find that somewhat refreshing, a poker experience for those looking for their next cozy game or those who’ve always wanted to play the card game with others but couldn’t for one reason or another. Poker Night at the Inventory may not have the pedigree of GTA or Crimson Desert, but I still believe that it warrants a space in your backlog, if only so you can experience weekly games with the gang, sit back, relax, play a few hands, and revel in the hilarious conversations of fully-realized digital friends.
Will you be checking out Poker Night at the Inventory? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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