Ever since Genshin Impact’s overwhelming commercial and critical success paved the way for this genre, gacha games have continuously become bigger and more mainstream. Companies like Hoyoverse and NetEase are now developing premium free-to-play titles with high production values that rival many western AAA releases.
Despite no big new releases from either of these publishers, 2026 carries the momentum forward for new gacha games, with relatively smaller titles like Arknight: Endfield and NTE already making huge waves.
As such, for both veteran and new gacha gamers, there’s plenty to try this year. For players looking to try something new, below is our list of the top 5 new gacha games to play in 2026.
Astrae Oratio
- Release date: TBC
- Platforms: Mobile (iOS, Android), PC
- Genre: Turn-based RPG
- Publisher: NCSoft
- Official Website
Astrae Oratio is a turn-based RPG with a muted color palette that makes it tonally very reminiscent of early Makoto Shinkai movies such as The Place Promised in Our Early Days. It takes place in an alternate Tokyo in 1989 when Tokyo Tower’s construction has just been completed.
The story revolves around the magicians of Tokyo, who are tasked by an agency to govern the city’s many magic-related incidents. Playable characters include female high schoolers, high-profile government agents, and more.
In combat, these characters use magic wands to take down enemies in a turn-based battle system that’s very reminiscent of games such as Honkai Star Rail. However, visually, it’s a blend of visual novels and 3D action games, which adds to its overall uniqueness and charm.
Chasing Kaleidorider
- Release date: TBC
- Platforms: Mobile (iOS, Android), PC
- Genre: Turn-Based RPG (card combat)
- Publisher: Promixa Beta (Tencent Games)
- Official Website
Chasing Kaleidorider (not to be confused with the iconic Kamen Rider) is a 3D whimsical romance RPG focused on Rider Girls. It takes place in Terminus, a futuristic, neon-soaked metropolis where the Rider girls, a diverse group of rebellious women, serve as navigators, protecting the city from mysterious, reality-altering anomalous phenomena.
Rider Girls ride motorcycles and indulge in turn-based battles (in a party of four) against Hysteria, enemies created by humanity’s negative impulses.
What’s unique about Chasing Kaleidorider is that the rider girls can gain new powers through intimate contact, such as kissing. It’s a neat way to gamify fan-service elements and make it a relatively unique entry among its peers.
Sea of Remnants
- Release date: 2026
- Platforms: Mobile (iOS, Android), PC
- Genre: Turn-based RPG (open world)
- Publisher: NetEase Games
- Official Website
Sea of Remnants is an open world pirate RPG with puppet-like characters and stylized animated visuals. The story unfolds from the perspective of an amnesic puppetfolk sailor seeking lost memories, battling strange sea monsters, and recruiting over 300 companions along the way.
It’s a full-blown pirate adventure and features in-depth ship customization, open sea exploration, treasure hunting, and close-quarter turn-based combat, among other additions.
Perhaps what separates Sea of Remnants from other pirate games is that it’s built on real ocean physics, creature behaviours, and environmental systems. It’s also very punk, aesthetically and thematically, making it a more light-hearted and whimsical pirate adventure that’s worth keeping an eye out for.
NTE
- Release date: April 29, 2026
- Platforms: Mobile (iOS, Android), PC, PS5
- Genre: action RPG (open world)
- Publisher: Perfect World
- Official Website
NTE (Neverness to Everness) is easily one of the best gacha game releases of 2026, currently boasting a Metacritic score of 73/100. It’s an urban open world action RPG in which players take control of Appraisals, combat-trained anomaly hunters on the lookout for supernatural oddities.
NTE takes place in a vibrant, breathtakingly beautiful metropolis inspired by East Asian cities. It features a dynamic weather system, open world racing and business elements, Persona-style romance and bonding mechanics, and fast-paced action combat to top it all off.
Azur Promilia
- Release date: 2026 (Japan)
- Platforms: Mobile (iOS, Android), PC, PS5
- Genre: Creature collection RPG
- Publisher: Nexon
- Official Website
Azur Promilia is Genshin Impact meets Palworld, from the developers of hit RPG Azur Lane. It’s a creature-collecting action RPG set in a fantasy open world brimming with vibrant and diverse locations such as Mistleaf Forest and Jinghua Cape.
The gameplay loop revolves around collecting whimsical creatures called Kibo, which are resourceful in combat, exploration, and base-building. Unlike other games in this list, Azur Promilia features fast-paced action combat with no stamina bar, which should make both combat and exploration more free-flowing.
Azur Promilia features 150+ creatures to collect, each useful in different aspects of gameplay. Since it takes place in an ever-evolving open world, players can expect new and unique creatures to be added over time.
That concludes our list of top 5 new gacha games to play in 2026. You might also want to check out our top picks for new cozy games this year.
