Competitive shooters still make up the majority of the most popular multiplayer games, but in 2025, co-op games as varied as Peak and Elden Ring: Nightreign also found huge audiences. 2026 already has its share of co-op games on the way, and the year starts with an inventive multiplayer game I’m hooked on. You’ll split your time in DuneCrawl between piloting your Dune Crawler and hopping off to explore cities, outposts, and caves on foot. It’s the way DuneCrawl demands teamwork that makes it such a great multiplayer experience. A week into 2026, DuneCrawl’s fresh approach to co-op is the year’s first big surprise.