There was a time when Action horror The genre was not only dominated but overexposed to the point of exhaustion. Over the last few years, the gaming industry seems to have found a good balance between traditional survival horror and combat-oriented options, and you should be able to find some modern releases that can satisfy your desire for either category (or both at the same time). As a result, these days, “action horror” no longer carries a negative stigma, and we can only look forward to some remaining nightmares featuring guns, satisfying air attacks, and maybe some allies.
There always are New horror games on the horizon, especially if your main platform is PC (and Steam, to be precise). The genre is largely kept alive by small, indie projects, which isn't a bad thing; However, we also get the occasional big release that just seems destined for greatness or, at the very least, notoriety. So, if you want to scare something with an explosion or two, you should keep an eye on these. Upcoming action horror games.
Some criteria and notes:
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We are primarily focusing on games with release dates between December 2025 and February 2026. That said, a title that will be tentatively targeted for an early 2026 debut is highlighted.
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For the most part, the choices seem to at least emphasize the horror element, so they shouldn't just be action games with zombies.
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Includes trailers for each game.
routine
A single-player sci-fi horror FPS game dripping in atmosphere
Well, there are many descriptors, but the subtitle describes it accurately routine. Since high-quality sci-fi horror games are rare, any project that seems to be backed by a top-notch production, for better or worse, gets very little attention. Looking at the available footage, routine It looks set to be an intense first-person game that prioritizes exploration over non-stop gunplay, though you're not without protection either. As several stories go, the protagonists find themselves on an abandoned lunar base, forcing them to venture into the ghostly void in search of answers and help. Also, naturally, they are not alone, and they are far from safe.
Your main source of defense will be the CAT, aka the Cosmonaut Assistance Tool, which is primarily designed to access terminals and scan the environment. However, it can also be used as a weapon in do-or-die situations, even if other methods should be explored first. Among all the upcoming games discussed in this article, routine More likely to be scary than action, the latter is likely coming in spurts.
Code Purple
An upcoming PS5 action horror game with dinosaurs
Code Purple Frankly, it's somewhat shrouded in mystery, and it can be surprisingly great or completely forgettable. The game's announcement came out of nowhere, and its PS5 spec doesn't reflect its quality. TeamKill Media is a relatively small studio that primarily works on PlayStation games, and the team previously explored action horror with 2020. quantum error. While not without positives, that release was rough around the edges, but it may have served as valuable experience for the devs' newest outing.
So, let's get the most important thing out of the way: Code Purple there is one Dinosaur action horror game. Obviously, this is all you need to know to make up your mind, but let's expand a little on what it has to offer. The story is high-concept and envisions a future where the remnants of humanity have moved to a new world and are sterile. To solve the latter problem, they create a time machine that lets them kidnap women from the past, which is an impressively dark premise. You're cast as one of these victims, and you'll be armed with several guns as you try to survive against dinosaurs (and other threats, but mostly dinosaurs).
Midnight Walkers (Early Access)
The horror genre loves a good multiplayer game, and Midnight Walkers 2026 should start on a positive and bloody note. The game has been rapidly gathering hype since Steam Next Fest, and it's not hard to see why it's attracting so much attention. An immersive first-person horror game that revolves around visceral melee combat, Midnight Walkers It prides itself on being “fanatic” and seems to aim to deliver a challenging fight for survival while fully committing to the horror. If done right, this could be a game-changer, as there are very few truly scary multiplayer horror games with satisfying combat.
Midnight Walkers Steam will enter early access on January 29, 2026, so be warned that it will likely come with bugs and incomplete content. That doesn't mean it's not worth checking out, but you might want to wait to see the launch state of this version.
Basically, the gameplay loop revolves around entering a mega complex filled with zombies, loot, and other players. You can go alone, though Midnight Walkers Will also support co-op via a trios mode. Once you have your wealth, you must quickly get out of the loop, because death leaves you with nothing. The game has four classes that play quite differently with a crafting system so you can make the most of your stuff.
Resident Evil requests
The biggest horror game of 2026 should support action-oriented playthrough
“Work” and Resident Evil has a long and troubled history, and the combination of the two can fill many fans with dread. Yes, the series has historically struggled to balance horror and action, but we're far from the days when Chris could punch boulders and Leon would karate kick zombies. Recent mainline entries have been spectacular, and Resident Evil requests Prime and looks poised to write a new chapter in the franchise's legacy. In terms of gameplay, the most interesting element is that players will be free to choose between first- and third-person perspectives, with the former possibly scarier and the latter a touch more action-oriented.
Resident Evil requests Raccoon takes place in a city decades after it was destroyed by a nuclear explosion. So far, the only confirmed playable character is Grace Ashcroft, an FBI analyst who prefers to work alone and decides to take on a case that turns out to be a little more terrifying than she expected. Capcom knows what it's doing with core releases of IP these days, and there's nothing to suggest the upcoming game will stop that momentum.
without birth
Become a monster or die trying to escape it
Another PvPvE extraction horror game, without birth A release date is yet to be confirmed, but it's targeting a Q1 2026 drop. In early November, the game completed a playtest weekend, so a debut within the next few months is very much on the cards. Like falling within the same category Midnight Walkers, without birth What sets itself apart is its emphasis on progression through base expansion, as you start with a simple cabin that can be expanded through the resources you acquire. Besides teaming up with (and fighting) other players, the game will let you join factions.
That's all well and good, though The birthless' The defining feature is that your goal during the race is to complete the ritual and summon the demon, at which point you become the latter. Then, you need to kill the other players before they escape. It adds an asymmetric horror element to the extraction shooter base, hopefully creating a marriage that exemplifies both popular genres.
