The Friday letters page considers whether 2026 might be the best year ever for video games, as one reader hopes for a Street Fighter EX character comeback. The discussion follows two more 9/10 reviews from GameCentral for Ace Combat 8 and Star Wars: Galactic Racer, which the reader says are deserved according to Metacritic.
Is 2026 the best year ever?
One reader, Plankton, argues that 2026 is "the gift that keeps on giving," noting that Zelda: Ocarina Of Time and GTA 6 are still to come. They question whether this could be the best year ever, acknowledging that 1998 is often considered the benchmark with titles like Ocarina Of Time, Resident Evil 2, Half-Life, Metal Gear Solid, and Starcraft. They also mention 2007 and 2019 as strong years but feel 2026 has already surpassed them.
Plankton adds a note of irony, recalling that this is the year thousands of developers lost their jobs and the Western games industry felt like it was draining away, asking if that counts as art out of adversity.
Console price concerns and PC exclusives
Another reader, Gambol, expresses skepticism about Sony and Microsoft convincing people to pay £1,000+ for a console. They question how Sony will market a PlayStation PC and whether a portable PlayStation 5 could be called a PlayStation 6. They note that Sony hasn't used the name PlayStation 6 at all, suggesting it might not exist as expected.
Solabound, who received a three-year-old laptop, asks for indie game recommendations that aren't on the Switch 2. GameCentral suggests Lovecraftian role-player Look Outside and XCOM clone Xenonauts 2 as PC-only titles, while noting that The Séance Of Blake Manor is also PC-only but has console versions due at the end of the month.
Pre-order queries and Street Fighter EX hopes
Alvin Rainflowers shares that they pre-ordered the Ultimate Edition of GTA 6 on Xbox but weren't charged, despite activating a free GTA+ subscription. They ask if this is normal, and GameCentral admits uncertainty, inviting readers to clarify.
Liam hopes for Street Fighter EX characters in Street Fighter 6, mentioning Garuda, Skullomania, and Ryu clones Allen and Kairi. GameCentral doubts Capcom would license them but notes they appear in Fighting EX Layer, currently 79p on the PlayStation Store.
Remake wishes and mainstream concerns
Shaun, gaming since the mid-1980s, calls for remakes of Cannon Fodder and Final Fight, noting the first Final Fight is in Capcom Beat 'Em Up Bundle but the others aren't. John is remaking the Amiga game Rears Reloaded, and GameCentral praises the work, though they weren't familiar with the 1995 original.
Treantdorus expresses disappointment that GTA 6 doesn't seem innovative and worries about potential controversy over sex scenes, predicting negative mainstream discussions. They also ask if GameCentral will cover Dune: Awakening, but GameCentral declines due to MMOs being too time-consuming.
