As the leaves begin to drop from the trees and the weather chills, there are plenty of video games to keep you busy indoors. From a new LEGO game to a big sports title, plus one of the most anticipated action sequels in years, fall will prove to be a busy time for gamers.
NBA 2K26
Get back into the starting lineup with the latest installment of the popular basketball game franchise from 2K Sports. This will be the 27th edition of the game, so 2K has made some updates to keep things as fresh as possible.
This includes the coveted Leave No Doubt edition of NBA 2K26. While this retails for a hefty $149.99, it has numerous bonuses for the MyCareer mode, which allows players to step into the role of an NBA player. But there are several other editions, and the “choice between them ultimately comes down to how early you want to play the game, which bonuses you care most about, and how much you want to spend,” said ScreenRant.
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The game also highlights different cover athletes for different editions; the standard edition features Oklahoma City Thunder standout Shaivonte Gilgeous-Alexander, while the WNBA edition features Chicago Sky star Angel Reese. (Sept. 5 preorder for Xbox Series X, PS5, Steam)
LEGO Party
You can build your party brick-by-brick with the upcoming LEGO Party, which allows up to four players to compete at once in a series of digital challenges. The game, which appears to be heavily inspired by similar co-op titles like Mario Party, features at least 60 LEGO-themed minigames and allows players to customize and control their own LEGO minifigures.
The game lets players “experience nonstop action, humor, surprises, and hours and hours of play, all crafted through the medium of the beloved LEGO brick,” LEGO said in a press release. Video games aren’t exactly new for LEGO: the toy company has licensed numerous successful franchises for LEGO games, including “Star Wars,” “Batman” and “Harry Potter.”
LEGO Party is enjoyable whether “you’re playing solo, with your friends on the couch or online with cross-platform multiplayer,” said LEGO. (Sept. 30 preorder for Xbox Series X, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Steam)
Ghost of Yotei
Ghost of Tsushima is widely considered one of the best video games of the decade, and fans have been begging for a sequel since its 2020 release. Now that time has finally arrived: Ghost of Yotei is set to continue the story of Japan’s samurai, with some returning elements as well as some all-new features.
Ghost of Yotei is set more than 300 years after Tsushima and allows the player to control Atsu, a ronin who embarks on a quest for revenge against six samurai. The free-roaming game, which, like its predecessor, is a PlayStation exclusive, allows players to don their katana again as a cunning warrior, but also hide in the shadows for stealth gameplay.
The game has a new mechanic that “lets you quickly switch between outfits instantly,” something fans were wishing for in the first game, said Vice. This lets you craft the perfect armor set for each mission. (Oct. 2 preorder for PS5)
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
One thing there’s no shortage of is Call of Duty games, and you will soon be able to pick up the whopping 22nd installment of the series. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 has many of the same gameplay mechanics and modes as prior entries, but also takes players to new heights.
But the franchise itself has been waning in recent years amid “accusations of predatory monetization, pay-to-win skins, swarms of in-game bugs, and the recent use of AI to create in-game, paid-for content have understandably irked many players,” said The Guardian. Even so, many are still excited for the latest entry.
The game “features a mind-bending campaign starring Hollywood actors,” alongside a new 20-player mode with its own dedicated maps. (Nov. 14 preorder for Xbox Series X, PS5, Steam)
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