Not out yet · Not ranked
Upcoming difficult games: 13 coming in 2026
Games that expect to beat you repeatedly before you beat them. These have not been released, so none of them carry a score. They are ordered by when you can play them. For difficult games you can play today, see the ranked difficult games.
Every upcoming difficult games we track
- as Steam has it
Tabletop GalaxyAnticipation 32
10 turn-based board and card games. Play, share, host, or spectate! A lobby system designed for whichever! Tweak the difficulty to play at your desired level.
- as Steam has it
OverprintAnticipation 30
Survive the night shift at a possessed print shop. You pick your tool, clock in at 10 PM, and mow down waves of printer's devils until the morning edition ships at 6 AM. You level up, evolve your arsenal, get PRINTED or get PULPED. A roguelike bullet heaven where ink runs. So should you.
- as Steam has it
No World: Store SimulatorAnticipation 23
A roguelike store simulator where you stock shelves, hire a mysterious staff, and fend off an ever-growing wave of thieving customers. No world outside. No end in sight. How long can your store survive?
- as Steam has it
Rule SeekerAnticipation 23
This is a bullet hell shooter where you combine skills to enhance weapons, armor, and runes—creating your own combat style. Plan carefully and manage limited resources to survive relentless enemies and enjoy the power of your custom build.
- as Steam has it
Grave New WorldAnticipation 19
A tactical Tetris roguelike set in a dark Lovecraftian world. Build a powerful deck of shape cards, outsmart the undead, and master fast-paced runs where every piece can change the battlefield.
- as Steam has it
PROJECT.98Anticipation 6
An action-roguelike, with visuals inspired by the 90s and early 2000s OS and UI, survive the hordes of enemies and earn XP and upgrade your character. Let your reflexes be tested, let your luck take the wheel, let the damage be dealt.
- as Steam has it
Critical DescentAnticipation 5
Master the hardcore, Starship-style catch maneuver in Critical Descent. Pilot massive boosters and agile upper stages across 75 handcrafted levels on Earth, the Moon, and Mars. Featuring global leaderboards, multiple difficulties, and a realistic physics system, for the ultimate landing experience.
- as Steam has it
Ember CovenantAnticipation 0
A dark-fantasy roguelike deckbuilder where burning cards fuels your power—and your enemies. Build a deck, master five Sigils, complete Litanies, break four Seals, and decide how much Heat you are willing to unleash.
- as Steam has it
Asterika: Phantom Rose RefrainAnticipation 91
Asterika is a challenging bullet hell rhythm game! Forget falling notes. Move to the beat instead! Weave through bullet patterns, and master the chaos on the grid!
- as Steam has it
Rogue BlightAnticipation 77
Rogue Blight is a rogue-lite with focus on souls-like combat, featuring a Slay The Spire-inspired map system. Fight your way through ever-changing maps. Customize your playstyle based on what you find. Death is punishing. Only skill and persistence will carry you forward.
- as Steam has it
WanderburgAnticipation 87
Drive your Castle on Wheels into battle in this minimalist medieval roguelike of roaming fortresses! Devour entire villages, build your modular arsenal of siege weapons and arcane machinery as you grow with every stronghold you crush.
- as Steam has it
Shroom and GloomAnticipation 87
Gather and grow cards in Shroom & Gloom, a moody first-person, roguelike double-deckbuilder bursting with fungal foes and mountains of mega-combos!
- as Steam has it
Kernel HeartsAnticipation 23
Gather your allies. Eliminate Angels. Transform into a Magical Girl. Slay god. Kernel Hearts is a Multiplayer Co-Op Roguelike Action RPG about four magical girls and their attempt to save a world that's drowning in ashes
Matched on store genre and description rather than player tags, because unreleased games have none. That will occasionally pull in a game that mentions the subject without being about it.
Already out
Our ranked list of difficult games you can play now is computed from player sentiment, critic aggregates and reach, which is the evidence these upcoming titles do not have yet.
Common questions
What upcoming difficult games are coming out next?
Tabletop Galaxy is the next one with a firm date, 30 August 2026 as its Steam listing has it. 13 of the 13 on this page carry a real date; the rest give a window only.
How are these difficult games chosen?
An unreleased game has no player tags, because nobody has played it. So these are matched on the store genres and description text rather than on the tags behind our released difficult games pages. That is a weaker match: a description mentioning the subject is not the same evidence as thousands of players tagging a game with it.
Why is there no ranking here?
Because there is nothing to rank on. The GamingPickz Score is computed from player sentiment, critic aggregates and reach, none of which exist before a game is released. Ordering these by anticipation would be an opinion dressed as a measurement, so they are ordered by date instead.