Top 5 RPGs you want to play (player or GM) in 2026?

[Voadam]

Shadow of the Weird Wizard. I've gotten a bunch of PDFs from sales and I want to try it out as a D&D like that is set up for a quick paced campaign without the grimdark/horror/gore Shadow of the Demon Lord overtones.

Blades in the Dark, I'd like to try a fantasy heist system.

Savage Worlds. I'd like to do a pulp system and see how it goes.

Gumshoe, investigation system that keeps pushing you forward.

Kamigakari: God Hunters, they do interesting things with dice mechanics to build up to doing your Voltron style power moves instead of D&D style use them in the start of the fight incentives from the mechanics.

Honorable mentions:

13th Age, d20/4e-ish fantasy mechanics that are different for each class. I am not entirely sold on icons but the mechanics base is right up my alley.

The now out of print 2d20 Conan from Modiphius, pulpy mechanics for Sword & Sorcery play.

Pathfinder 2e. I played a lot of 1e, use a bunch of Golarion lore in my games, and I have a bunch of 2e PDFs, but I have not dived into the mechanics of 2e at all, I've so far just used my 2e stuff for lore purposes.

5e D&D, I am not playing any currently (current games are Cypher and a homebrew system) and I have not done any 24 5e yet.

4e D&D, I really like a lot of 4e.

 

[TheAlkaizer]

My Burning Wheel campaign is winding down...

Right now I'm eyeing:

1. Dolmenwood. Just received my pledge last week, the books are so inspiring.
2. Outcast Silver Raiders. Similar boxset with everything you need. It's gonna be this or Dolmenwood, not both.
3. The One Ring 2E has been next to my bed for a while. I'm slowly getting through the rulebook.
4. Orbital Blues I've been wanting to run this for a while. But it's lower priority.
5. Gangs of Titan City. I just really like the settings. Haven't even opened the book, but it's eyeing me back.

I'm gonna give an honorable mention to Old School Essentials. I've played in one OSR one-shot, and DMed one. But I've yet to really dive into it. I might just cut a corner and become a short campaign before the rest.

 

[Suspicious_Maybe]

Currently playing Triangle Agency......in 2026 planning to run several from these:

1. Thunder Road Vendetta RPG
2. Stay Frosty
3. Cairn (2e)
4. Dragonbane
5. Broken Compass / Outgunned