My most anticipated game of 2026 finally has a release date, and I'm so excited to play it day one on Xbox Game Pass

I'm practically drowning in all the amazing games I've yet to play, and I'm not alone. My backlog is voracious, consuming all my time, only to keep growing larger and larger. Alas, I cannot stop feeding it.

2026 is coming, and the roster is already stacked with a veritable feast of upcoming, highly anticipated releases from teams and publishers all over the world, and I still can't contain my excitement that REPLACED finally has a definitive release date.

I've been following this retro-futuristic, 2.5 action-platformer since it was announced back in 2021 at an Xbox event, and Sad Cat Studios has dropped quite the Thursday bombshell by revealing its ambitious debut title is officially coming to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, and Xbox Game Pass on Mar. 12, 2026.

Remind me to put in a time-off request for that day.

REPLACED looks brutal, devastating, and gorgeous — and I can't wait to play

Replaced - Official Release Date Trailer - YouTube

Watch On

In REPLACED, you are R.E.A.C.H., a highly advanced artificial intelligence that has been mistakenly trapped inside a flesh-and-bone human body. It's the 1980s in America, but it's a very different world than the one we know.

Rapid technological advancement and a devastating nuclear catastrophe have given rise to a lawless and bloody dystopia. Now, in a world where true humans struggle to find compassion and empathy, you have to somehow find your humanity.

It's a fascinating premise for a narrative-driven cyberpunk game, but what will likely strike you first about REPLACED is its incredible pixelated art style, with a gorgeous and dynamic lighting system, dozens of hand-drawn animations full of weight and intention, and action-packed gameplay that combines exploration, platforming, and brutal combat.

I actually went hands-on with REPLACED last year, well before it was announced that the game was once again delayed — this time to Spring 2026. I was devastated when REPLACED was pushed back once more, but I'm grateful to at least have a definitive date to look forward to.

I wasn't exaggerating when I called REPLACED my most anticipated game of 2026. I'll have been waiting five years for Sad Cat Studios' debut, which is now being published by Thunderful Games in partnership with ID@Xbox.

REPLACED is coming on Mar. 12, 2026, and it's also still coming to Xbox Game Pass day one, and will be an Xbox console exclusive at launch. Be sure to check out the new release date trailer linked above for a fresh look at the game.

Find Your Humanity ✊

REPLACED: at xbox.com

Becoming human has its downsides. REPLACED explores an alternative American history irrevocably damaged by nuclear devastation, and you'll explore this darkly gorgeous world as R.E.A.C.H., a misplaced AI desperate to learn how to survive in a human body it didn't ask for.

👉See at: Xbox.com or SteamPowered.com

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