New on Steam & Co.: Over 5 million people have been waiting for this role-playing game

After more than ten years in development, a role-playing game is celebrating its long-awaited release—but not on Steam. Here’s an overview of all the important PC releases of the week.

While Steam is offering viral zombie hits, simulations, and long-awaited JRPG epics this week, the gaming world’s attention is focused on a long-awaited sandbox role-playing game, for which, according to the developer, over 5 million fans have pre-registered over the last eleven years.

But even aside from the big blockbuster, there’s plenty of new stuff for you to discover this week. We’ve combed through the release list for you and provide you with an overview of the relevant titles for the coming week.

Highlight of the week: Hytale

With a development history reminiscent of a Hollywood drama and a huge fan base that has been waiting for this moment for over a decade, an exciting sandbox title is hitting the stage on Tuesday: Hytale. However, it won’t be available via Steam, but via its own launcher.

To understand the significance of the release, it’s worth taking a look back: The project started in 2015 with the creators of the Hypixel Minecraft server and quickly grew beyond a simple mod. After being acquired by Riot Games in 2020, more resources were poured into the project, but at the same time, internal upheavals and a planned technical realignment caused delays.

In June 2025, Riot halted development, but in November 2025, Hypixel founder Simon Collins-Laflamme bought back the studio and is now releasing the title with the old engine, which you can see in the preview video above.

In terms of gameplay, Hytale aims to combine free building with a real RPG experience. So you won’t just be thrown into an empty world, but will experience a real story. The end result should be a mixture of Minecraft and Zelda, with dungeons, bosses, and loot.

Important note from the developers: Hypixel Studios expressly warns against purchasing if you are expecting a finished game. This release is “true early access.”
If you are unsure, you should not pre-order and wait for our already planned test.

More exciting Steam releases of the week

Monday, January 12

• Quarantine Zone: The Last Check: As a security guard at the border of a quarantine zone during a zombie apocalypse, you not only stamp passports in the style of Papers, Please, but also scan people for infections, build up your defenses, and take up arms when the horde rolls in.

• Gamer Stop Simulator (Early Access): Here, you build your own empire for retro games by purchasing used games and consoles, repairing them, and managing the store. There is also an open-world component in a virtual Japan that allows you to go fishing or take photos.

Tuesday, January 13

• Velaster (Early Access): The development team ODYSSEYER ventures into the soulslike genre with a dark fantasy setting. Expect stamina management, precise parries, and punishing bosses in an interesting side view.

Wednesday, January 14

• MaSzyna: After 20 years, the toughest train simulator is coming to Steam.& nbsp;Started as a community project, this ultra-realistic Polish simulation is finally rolling onto Steam. This isn’t about pretty graphics, but about the uncompromising simulation of real locomotives, for which you’ll have to pore over manuals.

• Philna Fantasy: The name says it all, paying tribute to the great role models of the Final Fantasy series, but in terms of gameplay, the 2D pixel graphics title focuses on fast-paced action gameplay instead of turn-based combat.

• Thursday, January 15

  • The Legend of Heroes – Trails beyond the Horizon: Three heroes, 60 hours, and the fate of a continent. This 13th installment of the epic saga brings together storylines from over 20 years and even sends the heroes into space. The improved combat system mixes real-time action with turn-based strategy, but newcomers will be completely overwhelmed by the complex lore.
  • Craftlings: Greetings from The Settlers! German solo developer Ariano spent four years working on this declaration of love to the bustling atmosphere of the 90s. You don’t control your workers directly, but optimize routes and priorities, which plays like a mixture of The Settlers and Lemmings.
  • Windstop Strategy: In this Chinese strategy RPG, you play as a young cult leader waging revenge campaigns while managing your disciples and resources. The game is still flying under the radar, but scores points with its promise of strategic depth in a wuxia setting.

  Friday, January 16

  • BrokenLore: Unfollow: To round off the week, BrokenLore delivers psychological horror that addresses bullying and social media pressure. You escape monsters that manifest trauma and encounter digital versions of real influencers.

  Now you’re all set for this week. Is there a game you’re particularly looking forward to? Then let us know in the comments!