It’s been a whirlwind adventure from coast to coast with GDC in warm and sunny San Francisco then off PAX East in windy and cool Boston this year. There were a ton of killer demos, both hands on and off, along with some fantastic new tech. Below is just a taste of my top moments from both shows. See you in 2027!
Hands On
Nintendo Switch 2 Latest Hands-On Demos
Elden Ring on Switch 2? Yes please! And guess what? It runs like an absolute dream. Smooth performance, gorgeous visuals, and the staggering scope of The Lands Between soon fitting right in your pocket is still hard to wrap your head around. But FromSoftware's masterpiece was far from the only star of the show; Kena: Bridge of Spirits looked stunning on the hardware, and a packed lineup of additional titles proved that Nintendo's next-gen handheld is ready to deliver the goods. From top to bottom, this Nintendo event was an absolute killer and a clear statement that the Switch 2 is not messing around.
Nintendo already had a hit on it’s hands in 2025 with their latest system but after this event, 2026 is gonna be absolutely packed with killer titles and we’ll be right there for it!
Sleeper Hits
ProbablyMonsters' Nekome: Nazi Hunter & Crimson Moon
Coming out of absolutely nowhere, ProbablyMonsters delivered not one but two jaw-dropping hands-off demo presentations that had me buzzing long after the curtains closed. Both Nekome: Nazi Hunter and Crimson Moon showcased teams brimming with genuine passion and infectious enthusiasm, the kind of energy you can feel radiating off every frame of gameplay.
These titles have all the makings of sleeper hits, and if the final products deliver on even half of what was shown, we could be looking at two of the year's most pleasant surprises.
Tech Showcase
NVIDIA New Tech
No drama here! NVIDIA took the GDC by storm and reminded everyone why they sit at the summit of graphics technology. The reveal of DLSS 4.5 latest features alongside a suite of new innovations, spanning GeForce NOW enhancements, next-gen frame generation, and stunning Path Tracing advancements, was nothing short of breathtaking.
Every demo pushed the visual fidelity bar higher than we thought possible, and it's clear that NVIDIA is operating at the absolute peak of their game right now. I’ve been following NVIDIA since their launch many decades ago and now, even though AI is the talk of the town, PC gaming is alive and thriving!
Nostalgia Revival
EverQuest Legends
Whether you're a veteran adventurer dying for a hit of pure nostalgia or a newcomer who never got the chance to experience the original EverQuest, your moment is almost here. EverQuest Legends promises an enhanced take on the beloved classic, and the development team behind it radiates the same kind of deep-rooted passion that made the original so special in the first place. This is shaping up to be the definitive way to experience one of the MMO genre's most foundational titles so, get ready to return to Norrath.
I personally never got to the play the original but after this walkthrough with the incredible team behind the game, I’m all in!
Dark Horse
Replaced
Talk about a surprise. Published by Atari, Replaced is far from your typical pixel-art adventure, this one is dark, moody, and polished to a mirror sheen. Every frame oozes atmosphere, and the gameplay loop is already proving to be deeply addicting in the best possible way. It's one of those rare titles that grabs you within seconds and refuses to let go. If this wasn't on your radar before, it absolutely should be now, so, consider this your official heads-up.
From smashing teeth in to the slow burn build of your weapon, the demo was absolutely fantastic and I can’t wait for more.
Show Stopper - Best of Show
Valor Mortis
Oh my! Where do we even begin?! Easily the top demo and defining moment across both shows, Valor Mortis delivers a unique, blood-soaked, and utterly electrifying twist on the Soulslike formula. The visuals are gorgeous, the soundtrack is hauntingly beautiful, and the gameplay already feels remarkably polished and deeply satisfying. This is the kind of game that doesn't just climb your most-anticipated list, it rockets straight to the top and stakes its claim. Valor Mortis is the real deal, and everyone needs to pay attention.
Chatting and playing with the devs from Poland was even a bigger treat showing their passion, grit, and humor in all of this sometimes way too serious of an industry. I came in expecting very little and walked away with Valor Mortis being near the top of my most anticipated games for 2026.
