PlayStation Exclusives 2026: Every PS5 Game Worth Clearing Your Backlog For

If you’ve been wondering what PlayStation exclusives are coming in 2026, here’s the short answer: quite a lot.

From Insomniac’s brutal take on Wolverine to Housemarque’s spiritual successor to Returnal, Sony’s exclusive lineup is shaping up to deliver some of the most compelling reasons to keep your DualSense charged and ready. After Ghost of Yōtei and Death Stranding 2 dominated conversations throughout 2025, PlayStation isn’t slowing down—and neither should you.

This year marks a particularly exciting stretch of PlayStation exclusives. We’re getting everything from fast-paced martial arts action to live-service heists, all designed to take full advantage of what the console and its controller can do. And with several titles built from the ground up for PS5, expect DualSense features that go far beyond simple vibration.

PlayStation Exclusives in 2026 to Watch out For

Sony’s strategy has been clear for a while now: quality over quantity. That approach paid off in 2025 when Ghost of Yōtei sold over 3.3 million copies within its first month and Death Stranding 2 earned GOTY nominations at The Game Awards. Now, 2026 is inheriting that momentum with a slate of games that couldn’t feel more distinct from each other.

What makes these exclusives special isn’t just that they’re unavailable on Xbox. It’s that PlayStation’s first-party studios and partners are building experiences around the DualSense controller in ways that genuinely change how you play. Adaptive triggers that tighten based on in-game tension. Haptic feedback that lets you feel every terrain type beneath your character’s feet.

For players who’ve invested in a quality controller setup, 2026’s lineup offers the perfect excuse to put that hardware through its paces.

Whether you’ve upgraded to Hall Effect joysticks or fine-tuned your trigger sensitivity, these games are designed to reward precision.

Marvel’s Wolverine

Developer: Insomniac Games
Release: Fall 2026
Platforms: PS5 exclusive

This is the one most people have circled on their calendars. After Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 pushed the boundaries of what superhero games could be, Insomniac is taking things in a decidedly more mature direction with Marvel’s Wolverine.

We’re talking brutal claw combat, dismemberment, and a tone that acknowledges Logan isn’t your friendly neighbourhood anything.

What makes Wolverine particularly interesting from a gameplay perspective is the healing factor mechanic. Since Logan regenerates, the studio has designed combat around aggressive, reckless engagement. You’ll see injuries heal in real-time, which fundamentally changes how you approach fights.

It should go without saying, but the DualSense integration should be something special here. Every slash through adamantium claws, every berserker rage build-up, will feed back through the controller. If Insomniac follows their usual MO with Marvel’s Spider-Man and Ratchet & Clank formula, expect adaptive triggers that resist differently depending on combat situations and haptic feedback that makes you feel the SNIKT.

For players wanting precise control during intense combat sequences, a custom PS5 controller with digital triggers could make all the difference.

Saros

Developer: Housemarque
Release: April 30, 2026
Platforms: PS5 exclusive

Returnal was divisive for one specific reason: you’d lose progress when you died. Housemarque clearly heard that feedback, because Saros features permanent progression. You keep what you earn. For players who bounced off Returnal’s punishing roguelike design, this changes everything.

Starring Rahul Kohli, Saros maintains Housemarque’s signature bullet-hell intensity while making the game more accessible. You’re still dodging cascades of projectiles and fighting through procedurally arranged encounters, but now there’s an ensemble cast of NPCs and narrative threads that persist between runs.

The studio isn’t abandoning what made Returnal special, though. Expect the same visceral third-person shooting, the same screen-filling particle effects, and absolutely the same DualSense implementation that made Returnal a showcase title. That means every projectile impact, every dash, every weapon swap will communicate through your hands.

Marathon sessions with games like Saros are exactly where TMR joystick upgrades prove their worth. Magnetic sensors don’t degrade like traditional potentiometers, which means your aim stays consistent whether you’re on hour one or hour ten.

Phantom Blade Zero

Release: September 9, 2026
Platforms: PS5 + PC (timed console exclusive for 12 months)

Part of PlayStation’s China Hero Project, Phantom Blade Zero has had the video game industry under its Wuxia spell since its first gameplay reveal.

The game lets you play as Soul, an assassin with 66 days to live after being betrayed and left for dead. The premise drives the urgency, but the combat carries the experience. Every weapon has weight, every combo has purpose, and timing your counters rewards you with devastating follow-ups.

What separates Phantom Blade Zero from other soulslike titles is its sheer speed. Where FromSoftware games often emphasise patience, S-GAME has built something more aggressive. You’re constantly pushing forward, reading animations, and committing to attacks.

Players serious about mastering Phantom Blade Zero’s combat should consider whether their current setup can keep up or whether it’s time to explore controllers with improved stick technology and faster trigger response.

Nioh 3

Developer: Team Ninja
Release: February 6, 2026
Platforms: PS5 + PC (console exclusive)

Team Ninja’s soulslike series returns with Miyamoto Musashi as its new protagonist. Set in Edo-period Kyoto, Nioh 3 promises the same punishing combat and deep stance-switching mechanics that defined the first two games, but with a refined focus.

The series has always offered incredible depth for players willing to learn its systems. We’re talking about multiple stances, ki pulse timing. There’s definitely a lot going on beneath the surface. Nioh 3 appears to double down on this complexity while introducing new samurai and ninja combat styles.

DualSense features haven’t been detailed yet, but given Team Ninja’s track record with haptic implementation in other titles, expect feedback that communicates weapon weight, ki pulse timing, and combat impact.

Fairgame$

This one’s a bit of a wild card. The premise positions players as “modern-day Robin Hoods” in a live-service structure designed for long-term engagement. While the departure of key leadership has raised some questions about the project’s direction, Sony’s commitment to publishing suggests they see potential.

For competitive multiplayer, controller reliability becomes non-negotiable. If you’ve noticed your DualSense developing drift issues, now’s the time to address it before Fairgame$ launches. Professional stick drift repair services can restore your controller and even upgrade to drift-resistant magnetic sticks.

Looking Ahead: Future PlayStation Exclusives

Two major PlayStation exclusives won’t arrive in 2026 but deserve your full attention.

Physint is Hideo Kojima’s return to action espionage. The game won’t release until approximately 2030 and is likely a PlayStation 6 title. Kojima has described it as “the culmination of my work,” celebrating his 40th anniversary in game development. With confirmed cast members including Don Lee (Eternals) and Minami Hamabe (Godzilla Minus One), this is a project worth keeping an eye on.

Another game is Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. As Naughty Dog’s first new IP since The Last of Us in 2013, starring Tati Gabrielle as bounty hunter Jordan A. Mun with a score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, everything about this project suggests Naughty Dog is taking a big swing and expecting to hit a home run.

Getting Your Controller Ready for PlayStation Exclusives 2026

Marathon gaming sessions with story-driven exclusives create specific challenges. Extended play accelerates wear on analog sticks, which means drift can creep in faster than you’d expect. And once drift starts affecting your gameplay, you’re fighting your hardware instead of your opponents.

The TCP Pro Controller addresses this directly with Hall Effect joysticks that use magnetic sensors instead of physical contact points. No surface degradation means consistent input from day one through year two. Pair that with digital triggers that remove travel time, and you’ve got a setup built for precision.

For players who want the absolute best, the TCP Ultimate PS5 Controller weighs just 171 grams while packing every competitive advantage. During those 40-hour narrative campaigns or intense online matches, that weight difference translates to less fatigue and more control.

And if you’re happy with your current DualSense but want to future-proof it, upgrading the internals through a custom build lets you keep what works while fixing what doesn’t. Swap in TMR joysticks, add ClickSticks for rear button inputs, and suddenly your controller is ready for whatever 2026 throws at it.

The Bottom line

PlayStation’s 2026 lineup is about variety. You’ve got brutal superhero action, punishing soulslike combat, frenetic roguelites, and experimental live-service concepts all arriving within the same calendar year. Each game takes advantage of PS5 hardware and DualSense capabilities differently, meaning your controller experience genuinely varies between titles.

For players invested in getting the most from these PlayStation exclusives, preparation matters. Sort out any controller issues now.

More PlayStation exclusives are coming. Make sure your controller is too.