October 2026 packed with major releases, updates and gaming events across PC

October 2026 is shaping up to be one of the year's busiest months for PC gaming, with major new releases, substantial updates to established titles, and several major gaming conventions running throughout the month.

New releases anchor the schedule. Star Wars: Galactic Racer arrives October 6, drawing interest from fans of sci-fi racing games. Car Park Capital launches October 9 as a satirical city builder that centers American car culture, using propaganda mechanics to convince citizens to bulldoze their homes for parking structures. Valor Mortis debuts October 13 as a first-person Soulslike set in a supernatural version of the Napoleonic wars, developed by the creators of the Ghostrunner series.

Enshrouded reaches its 1.0 milestone on October 15 with a major combat overhaul, optimization fixes, and quality-of-life improvements. Dragon's Dogma 2 expands with the Dark Arisen update on October 9, adding character creator options, new challenges, and a storyline set in the Snowy North. MapleStory Classic launches October 21, offering nostalgia-focused MMO gameplay. Final Fantasy Resonance releases October 22. Gears of War: E-Day arrives October 6, while Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 launches October 23.

Expansion updates continue throughout the month. Deadlock receives the City Never Sleeps hero update on October 2. Arc Raiders gets the Frozen Trail update October 8 with new maps and enemy types. Once Human's Isles of Abyss expansion adds ocean regions and floating bases on October 21. Age of Empires 4 expands Crucible Mode with the Raiders of the North update October 29, introducing Vikings and Scots. Crimson Desert receives an ocean-themed update called Charting the Unknown on October 29, featuring new ships and deep-sea enemies.

Gaming industry events run throughout October. LudoNarraCon begins October 8 as a digital celebration of narrative indie games. Brasil Game Show starts October 9 in São Paulo. PAX Australia runs October 9. League of Legends Worlds begins quarterfinals and semifinals October 15. Paris Games Week marks its 15th anniversary starting October 22. Gamescom Asia x Thailand Game Show returns October 29 in Bangkok. Final Fantasy 14 Fan Fest concludes its tour in Japan on October 31.

Steam is hosting themed sales events throughout the month: Autumn Sale (Oct 1-8), Cooking Fest (Oct 12-19), Next Fest (Oct 19-26), and Steam Scream 5 Fest (Oct 26-Nov 2). Epic Games continues its weekly free game distribution every Thursday.