The first big video game release of 2026 is only a few weeks away, and when it arrives, Xbox Series X users won’t be able to play, at least not on an Xbox Series X. If they want to play the first big 2026 release, they will need either a PS5 or a PC to do so, highlighting a consistent problem with being isolated on Xbox Series X, which is that you miss out on more big releases every year than just about any other platform, especially compared to the PS5.
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This year, gamers will have to wait until February for noteworthy releases to start coming through. January has one semi-notable game, Code Vein II, but this isn’t really a big release. The first game did sell well, but it was also a PS5 and Xbox Series X launch game, which helped sales greatly. The first proper major release is coming on February 6, when developer Team Ninja and publisher Koei Tecmo will release Nioh 3, a sequel to 2017’s Nioh and 2020’s Nioh 2. Like the previous installments, Nioh 3 is set to be a PS5 console exclusive when it releases. And considering the first two games never came to Xbox platforms, there is no reason to expect things to be any different with Nioh 3.
One of 2026’s Biggest RPG Releases
Nioh 3, currently, looks poised to be one of the biggest RPG releases of this year. There is no guarantee it will deliver, but Team Ninja is quite consistent, and the first two games indicate fans should have nothing but excitement for a third installment. The first game released during the PS4 generation to an 88 on Metacritic, while the second came at the end of the PS4 generation and hit to an 85 on Metacritic. And Nioh 3 looks like more Nioh and Nioh 2.
There has never been any insight or information as to why Nioh is an exclusive series for PlayStation, but there is clearly some money-hatting going on. Further, Team Ninja is known to work out these exclusivity deals with various platforms. Whether this will be the end of the series remains to be seen, but if it is, then there is a chance it could come to Xbox all at once in the future, as some other Japanese series have, but for now, this is just speculation.
All of that said, and as always, feel free to leave a comment or two letting us know what you think, or join the conversation over on the ComicBook Forum.
