October 2026 Game Releases: Gears of War E-Day, Phantom Blade Zero and the Rush Before GTA 6

Gamers have a very busy month. According to release calendars, publishers have crowded their biggest titles into October 2026 so they land before Grand Theft Auto 6, which is slated for November 19 and expected to dominate the conversation. Here are the games to watch, with their release dates.

The biggest October releases

Gears of War: E-Day arrived on October 6 for Xbox Series X|S and PC, and it is available on day one with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Planet Zoo 2 and the action game Valor Mortis both launched on October 13.

Coming up: Castlevania: Belmont's Curse is set for October 15, a 2D action-adventure that fits spooky season. The survival title Enshrouded also reaches its 1.0 release on October 15 on PC and PS5. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is slated for October 23, keeping the franchise in its usual late-October window.

Phantom Blade Zero closes the month on October 29, on PS5 and PC only. No Xbox or Nintendo Switch version has been announced.

Why everything is landing in October

With GTA 6 expected to be the biggest game launch in history, most major publishers chose to release their games a month earlier rather than compete with it. The result is a crowded October, followed by what is likely to be a very quiet window for other launches in November.

Quick FAQ

When does GTA 6 launch? November 19, 2026, according to current release calendars.

Is Gears of War: E-Day on Game Pass? Yes, it is available day one on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

Is Phantom Blade Zero coming to Xbox? No Xbox version has been announced. It launches October 29 on PS5 and PC.

Dates come from published release calendars and can change. Sources: TechWiser, Gaming Amigos and Sports Digest release schedules.