Gamers Won’t Want to Hit the Snooze Button for These Two Games on March 5

The year is already off to a hot start for video games, and 2026 still has plenty more in store. This time of year is always busy for gamers, and a new wave of major game releases is coming in March 2026. Headlining next month’s gaming line-up are Marathon and Pokemon Pokopia, two games that may not have the same level of hype as something like Resident Evil Requiem or GTA 6, but it’s beginning to look like players won’t want to sleep on these titles at launch.

So far, some of the biggest releases of 2026 include games like Code Vein 2, Mewgenics, Nioh 3, Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties, and Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined. While these games were all fairly hyped up leading to their release, there have already been a few gems that may have flown under players’ radars, like MIO: Memories in Orbit, Cristol: Theater of Idols, and Pathologic 3. However, Marathon and Pokemon Pokopia, two AAA games releasing on March 5, haven’t gotten nearly enough attention from players despite being from well-known developers and franchises.

Pokopia is Serving Pokemon Wind and Wave The Best Idea For This Gen 1 Pokemon on a Silver Platter

Pokopia turns a popular Gen 1 Pokemon into its most likable version yet, and this should be the spark for Gen 10 to give it a new form or evolution.

March 5 is Going to Be a Huge Day for Two Games, But They Might Be Flying Under Players’ Radars

Bungie’s Marathon Drops Players into Tau Ceti IV on March 5

Marathon has seen a somewhat turbulent promotion cycle since it was first announced to be in development at Bungie in 2023. Being the first entry in the series since 1996, and an extraction shooter at that, left a lot of Bungie fans either apathetic and deeming it dead on arrival, or upset that more resources aren’t being put into Destiny 2 or even a Destiny 3. After Marathon‘s art plagiarism controversy and disappointing closed alpha playtest back in early 2025, gamers would be forgiven for writing the game off entirely and moving on with their lives after Marathon was delayed into 2026.

Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.

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However, recent previews of Marathon have shown how far the game has come since that initial playtest, and it’s clear that fan feedback has been taken into consideration. Lots of positive sentiment has been shared by playtesters who participated in the most recent closed tests, and the footage Bungie has shown of Marathon‘s latest build is very encouraging. Between positive previews and the upcoming open beta server slam for Marathon at the end of the month, the extraction shooter could be another ARC Raiders in the making that fans who wrote it off initially may want to take a second look at.

Pokemon Pokopia Could Be a Sleeper Hit for Cozy Game Fans

The Pokemon series is about to get a deluge of announcements related to the franchise’s 30th anniversary, which is all but confirmed to include a Pokemon Day presentation on February 27. While Pokemon Wind and Wave are expected to be revealed as the series’ 10th generation, and Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen are rumored to be released on Nintendo Switch the same day, perhaps the most unique Pokemon game coming this year is closer than ever to release. Pokemon Pokopia is the series’ first serious foray into the cozy life-sim genre, and it looks to combine the best parts of games like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing with the core franchise’s beloved critters.

Casual Pokemon fans may have waved the announcement of Pokemon Pokopia aside when it first appeared in a Nintendo Direct back in September 2025. While it looked like a cute spin-off initially, the premise of playing as a Ditto that transforms into a human and can learn other moves from Pokemon they meet seemed odd. Now that early previews of the game have highlighted its potential to be a surprisingly deep game, Pokemon and cozy game fans alike should be paying attention. Pokopia already has a larger Pokedex than Legends: Z-A, and is allegedly the biggest spin-off game in the Pokemon franchise. Everything is pointing towards Pokopia being one of the best Switch 2 releases of the year, and it shouldn’t be overshadowed by any Pokemon Day announcements.

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Day One Xbox Game Pass Game Fans Have Been Waiting Years For Locks Down March 2026 Release Date

Xbox Game Pass already has a strong 2026 ahead of it, and its line-up now includes an indie game fans have been waiting years to play.

Other Games Releasing on March 5

Planet of Lana 2: Children of the Leaf — PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Never Grave: The Witch and the Curse — PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Poker Night at the Inventory remaster — PlayStation 4, Switch, PC
Portrait of a Torn — PlayStation 5
Timberborn — PC

Marathon and Pokemon Pokopia might be the most high-profile games releasing on March 5, but there are plenty of other titles releasing that day that players may want to be aware of. The sequel to the beloved indie platformer Planet of Lana 2: Children of the Leaf will debut for fans of beautifully designed environments and puzzle platforming to enjoy, as will the Hollow Knight-like action platformer Never Grave: The Witch and the Curse.

Never Grave - The Witch and the Curse Banner Image

Although the atmospheric horror game Portrait of a Torn has been available on PC since 2024, it will make its way to PlayStation 5 on March 5 as well. For PC players, Timberborn‘s beaver-based city-building gameplay will finally be available in 1.0 as the game plans to leave Early Access on this date. Finally, the classic poker simulator from Telltale Games, Poker Night at the Inventory, is getting a remaster for PlayStation, Switch, and PC, which features characters like Max, Strong Bad, Tycho, and the Heavy from Team Fortress 2 to give players a burst of nostalgia with their Texas Hold’em games.