Horror game fans are about to be spoiled. The early months of 2026 are packed with terrifying new releases, making it one of the busiest stretches for the genre in recent memory. As someone who never misses a good scare, I keep a close eye on upcoming horror games, and the release calendar is stacked. Several chilling titles are set to arrive in February and March 2026, turning what is usually a quiet post-holiday window into a full-blown season of screams.
There are plenty of horror games launching later in the year as well, but the next couple of months alone deliver enough nightmare fuel to keep fans busy. So rather than cover everything at once, let’s focus on the most promising horror games releasing in early 2026.
Here’s a closer look at the spooky standouts you should have on your radar.
Crisol: Theater of Idols
Release Date: February 10th, 2026
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC
I once heard someone describe Bloodborne as “London at night.” While other European cities may share common blood with the game’s Romanesque architecture, Crisol: Theater of Idols proudly draws from Spain. Its city is even called Hispania. The horror title promises to dive deep into Spanish folklore and mythology in its design and story, which involves exploring a cursed island.
The first-person horror game also invites you to shoot foes with bullets… made out of blood. If that isn’t metal enough, it creates a unique risk-reward gameplay loop. Do you make more ammo at the expense of health? What’s more, the Vermila Studios game is published by Blumhouse. The publisher has had a solid track record lately, between Fear the Spotlight and SLEEP AWAKE. Oh, and did I mention Crisol is only $17.99?
REANIMAL
Release Date: February 13th, 2026
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X, Switch 2, and PC
While the Little Nightmares series has moved from Tarsier Studio to Supermassive, that hasn’t stopped the original indie devs from dabbling in small-scale scares. Tarsier has whipped up REANIMAL, a kind of spiritual successor to Little Nightmares. With its tale of a brother and sister finding their friends, the studio promises a “more terrifying journey.” It’s heartening to hear that REANIMAL will focus more on horror, as Little Nightmares III seemed to drift away from the genre.
But REANIMAL will arrive as a co-op game as well. I believe we could always use more co-op horror, as it’s fun to get scared with your friends. I worry a little bit that REANIMAL will try too hard to recapture the magic of the first Little Nightmares. But if nothing else, the co-op gameplay has the potential to offer a spooky experience for two people to bond over.
Resident Evil Requiem
Release Date: February 27th, 2026
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X, Switch 2, and PC
I’m not even going to mince words, Resident Evil Requiem is my most anticipated game of the year, let alone horror game. After getting to preview it twice, I’ve gotten a good grasp of its blend of survival horror and action gameplay. Of course, when the full game releases next month we’ll see if it can sustain these two tones. But from what I’ve seen, it looks like it’ll combine the best parts of the Resident Evil series.
As Grace Ashcroft, players get to embody full-on survival horror. You don’t have enough ammo, resources, or anything. Resource management creates tension as you decide whether to engage or evade zombies. Requiem’s new undead denizens are a particular highlight, retaining vestiges of their human selves. Then just before the tension becomes too much, switch to Leon S. Kennedy to go ham (in combat and one-liners) for some over-the-top action. If Requiem can manage the tightropes between these two tones, it could become a series high point.
Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake
Release Date: March 12th, 2026
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X, Switch 2, and PC
If you’ve yet to try a Fatal Frame game but have held curiosity for the Japanese spirit-snapping series, Koei Tecmo has an enticing jumping-on point in store. Fatal Frame II tells the story of two sisters trapped in a ghost-filled village due to a ritual gone awry. It’s often considered the best of the survival horror series. So you may want to check out its remake this March. Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake promises the same core mechanics of fending off ghosts with a camera, but with a number of quality-of-life upgrades.
Koei Tecmo has taken Fatal Frame II and rebuilt its graphics, sound, and controls from the ground up. But aside from a fresh coat of spooky paint, the studio has added new areas and side stories to investigate. It’s also revamped the camera and added a new “holding hands” mechanic to regain health. So far, it seems like this will be the kind of remake that lovingly updates a classic horror game.
Project Songbird
Release Date: March 26th, 2026
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC
Will you play all of these horror games? Maybe! But time is certainly a resource you’ll have to manage. If you’d like your scares short and sweet, look no further than Project Songbird. The indie horror game will take roughly four to five hours to complete. It’s about as indie as you can get. Solo developer FYRE Games (Conner Rush) made it, previously creating the acclaimed Summerland and We Never Left.
The first-person psychological horror title sees players take on the role of Dakota, a musician recording their new album in a remote cabin in Appalachia. But it turns out, the forest has other denizens. And the voice cast has a number of noteworthy “denizens” too! Valerie Rose Lohman of What Remains of Edith Finch, Jonah Scott of Date Everything, and Aleks Le of Persona 3: Reload all lend their talents.
Horror Game Aficionados, Clear Your Calendars
Of course, these are just a few selections over the next to months. 2026 will have a host of horror games coming out. These include Halloween: The Game, Directive 8020, and more. And like any year, surely we’ll see standouts that haven’t even received announcements yet. We’re not even in striking distance of October, the golden season for spooky games.
But that’s later. For the next two months, horror fans will be eating good. We’ve got survival horror from major franchises with Resident Evil Requiem and Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake. And we’ll see more intimate fare from debut indie titles Crisol: Theater of Idols, REANIMAL, and Project Songbird. Hopefully there’s at least one that thrills you. And if, like me, you plan on checking out a few of these titles: lights off, sound up, and good luck.
