Pixel Harbor Research
Release Window MonitorNo. 11 · October 2026
Release Window Monitor · Console and PCData to 30 September 2026
Eleven titles leave the holiday quarter
Publishers changed 19 dated releases in September, and eleven of the delays moved titles out of the fourth quarter. The holiday slate now holds 46 titles, down from 56 a month ago
1What moved in September
We recorded 19 changes to dated console and PC releases in September, the most in any month since we began tracking in December 2025. Fifteen were delays, with a median shift of 16 weeks. Eleven of those delays took titles out of the fourth quarter, while one sports title was brought forward into November.1
| Change | Titles | Left Q4 2026 | Joined Q4 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delayed | 15 | 11 | 0 |
| Brought forward | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Cancelled | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| All changes | 19 | 11 | 1 |
Source: publisher press releases, digital storefront listings, platform showcase announcements, earnings call transcripts and SEC filings, Pixel Harbor Research tracking
| Title | Publisher | Platforms | Old date | New date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open world action sequel | Large US publisher | Console and PC | Nov 2026 | Mar 2027 |
| Licensed racing title | European publisher | Console and PC | Oct 2026 | Feb 2027 |
| Tactical shooter | Japanese publisher | Console and PC | Dec 2026 | Apr 2027 |
| Fantasy role playing game | Independent studio | PC | Nov 2026 | Jan 2027 |
| Sports simulation | Large US publisher | Console | Feb 2027 | Nov 2026 |
Source: publisher press releases and storefront listings, September 2026
2The holiday slate
The count of titles dated for the fourth quarter had risen every month since December, reaching 56 at the end of August. It now stands at 46. The first quarter of 2027 took eight of the eleven delayed titles and four newly dated ones, lost the sports title brought forward, and now holds 37.
Source: publisher press releases, digital storefront listings, platform showcase announcements, earnings call transcripts and SEC filings, Pixel Harbor Research tracking
Source: publisher press releases, digital storefront listings, platform showcase announcements, earnings call transcripts and SEC filings, Pixel Harbor Research tracking
3Prices and day one commitments
Of the 46 holiday titles, 34 have announced a standard edition price. Three list at $79.99, all from large publishers, and 14 at $69.99. Five titles have committed to launch in a subscription service on day one, two fewer than in August after two of them were delayed.2
| US price | Titles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $79.99 | 3 | 7% |
| $69.99 | 14 | 30% |
| $49.99 to $59.99 | 9 | 20% |
| Under $49.99 | 8 | 17% |
| Not announced | 12 | 26% |
| All Q4 titles | 46 | 100% |
Source: digital storefront listings and publisher announcements, 30 September 2026
4Against the Games Market Forecast
5What to watch in October
Two platform showcases scheduled for mid October, where publishers typically confirm or move holiday dates, and quarterly earnings calls from late October in which three large publishers will update guidance on their remaining fourth quarter slates.
How this monitor is built
- A title is dated once its publisher or a storefront lists a specific day or month; seasons and years alone are not counted
- Every change keeps the prior date, platforms and price, so each title carries its full announcement history
- Quarters follow the calendar year, and a title enters the slate of the quarter that holds its earliest platform release
Approved for subscribersKenji MoreauDirector of Games Analysis · 5 October 2026
1 The monitor covers console and PC titles from publishers with annual revenue above $100 million and independent titles with a published storefront date.
2 Prices are US standard edition list prices on the main digital storefront for each platform.