August is the calm before the storm for this year's new game releases

August is another quiet month for new PC game releases in 2026, but use the lull to catch up on other games from this year (or month) before September. I don't know if you've looked at the calendar for the next few months—it's, uh, a lot.

As Lincoln pointed out, the Summer Game Fest announcements piled on new game releases for this fall. I count three survival crafting game 1.0 updates on the horizon I want to play (Valheim, Enshrouded, and RuneScape: Dragonwilds), so I'll see how many guys and gals I can make time to smooch this month with the Fields of Mistria 1.0 launch before I kiss them all goodbye. Literally and metaphorically speaking.

If the farm sim life isn't for you, August still has new gems. Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls kicks off the month, then there's another Metal Gear Solid collection on the same day as Star Wars Zero Company to close us out. Gamescom also carves out a few days for itself at the end of August, ensuring we'll be here again next year asking where the hell time went.

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August 2026 PC Gamer highlights

Cozy.. has changed

Cozy.. has changed

Andrea Shearon

I went into this thinking I had three solid picks to give August a cozy game theme, and then I realized this month is also the first time we're getting Metal Gear Solid 4 on PC. I desperately want to replay, so I can't pretend like I'm going to ignore the MGS collection. Instead, we're just going to say I'm taking some time to relax with my first three picks before suiting up to go to war. Unless Konami has a secret romance mechanic with Raiden (Vamp works too), then 'cozy games + old man stealth action' will have to do as the theme for August.

August 5

Steam | I loved Fields of Mistria's shoujo-esque cast and world so much that I stopped playing the farm sim in early access to save my enthusiasm for its 1.0 launch, and that time is finally here. The day-to-day farm life bits were great and all, but I'm most excited to get back to romancing Juniper, a mean lady with just about every red flag in the book. She's perfect.

August 6

ReStory: Chill Electronics Repair

Steam| Thanks to my insatiable urges as a serial tinkerer, ReStory: Chill Electronics Repairs caught my eye ages ago and was an immediate wishlist after I played the demo. As a more reputable restoration professional, you'll spend ReStory fixing up old cell phones, consoles, and other electronics in mid-2000s Tokyo.

August 6

Steam | Sovereign Tower lured me in with its 2D pastel designs, but the promise that I could "pursue forbidden romances" with a cast of weirdo knights with questionable judgment ensured the strategic RPG stayed on my radar. That's one more romance game for me before slapping on the war paint later this month.

August 2026 game highlights

August 4

Steam | A few folks from the PC Gamer team got together last week to go on a Big Walk, and the quirky island puzzler sounds like a real hoot and a holler. I won't spoil it for you, but their diary from one of its most frustratingly obvious puzzles is exactly the type of mystery I would never figure out alone. Thank god it's strictly co-op.

August 6

Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls

Steam | I'm not much of a fighting game person, but after last month's beta for Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls, it's all my friends want to talk about. Arc System Works' 4v4 tag-team fighter launches with a roster of 20 Marvel heroes and villains, but expect that number to grow with updates.

August 27

Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection 2

Steam | Finally, Metal Gear Solid 4 is soon to be freed from its PlayStation 3 prison. Konami's second MGS Master Collection also tosses in Peace Walker's HD version and Ghost Babel—two games I never played, so perhaps I'll tackle Peace Walker first.

August 27

Steam | Even as I suffer from serious Star Wars fatigue, my colleague Ted piqued my interest earlier this year when he described Star Wars Zero Company as more than just "Star Wars XCOM," and said it "feels like Mass Effect but with turn-based tactics and permadeath."

August 2026 gaming events and sales

(Image credit: Valve)

• Quakecon celebrates its 30th year with another massive LAN party starting on August 6
• Gamescom kicks off four days of new game reveals, hands-on previews, and more on August 26
• Future Games Show joins Gamescom with more world premieres and interviews on August 26
• And themed Steam sales keep the month going:
  • August 3 – 10: Cyberpunk Fest
  • August 17 – 20: Pins and Pegs Fest
  • August 31 – September 7: PvE Survival Crafting Fest

August 2026 game updates and DLC

August 14

Man of Honor

Mafia: The Old Country

Steam | Mafia: The Old Country continues Enzo's story with more missions, weapons, vehicles, and the new Free Ride mode in its Man of Honor DLC.

August 19

Steam | Nioh 3 adds new Guardian Spirits, Ninjutsu, Graces, and more when two new characters join Takechiyo's journey in the Hell Rising DLC.

August 20

Steam | Stalker 2 moves from the Chornobyl exclusion zone into the heart of the nuclear power plant with its next DLC chapter, Cost of Hope.

August 28

Tarnished Pack

Elden Ring

Steam | Elden Ring adds the Tarnished Edition's two new classes (Heavy Knight, Idus Knight), three Torrent skins, and four new armor sets as a DLC pack.

The August 2026 games calendar

Beast of Reincarnation (Image credit: Game Freak)

August game releases, events, and updates all in one big calendar

I've hit the highlights, but there's still other new games, updates, and industry events planned for August. Here's what all of that looks like in a handy, consolidated reference:

Swipe to scroll horizontally

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