Midyear GOTY picks meet a stacked 2026 release calendar
This preview, based only on the episode notes, points to a midyear check-in on The Besties’ favorite games of 2026 so far. It also tees up a look ahead at an unusually crowded second half of the year, plus a mention of The Grinch 2.
## Should you listen? If you like midyear game roundups and release-calendar speculation, this episode sounds aimed squarely at you. Based on the show notes, **The Besties** are comparing their top contenders for 2026 so far while stressing that these are **not** final Game of the Year calls. The bigger draw may be the forward-looking angle. The notes describe the back half of 2026 as **"unprecedentedly dense"** with new releases, and the hosts apparently use that as a reason to shift from current favorites into a curated list of their most anticipated upcoming games. That suggests a mix of recommendation episode and hype-setting industry snapshot, rather than a definitive ranking. There’s also a curveball mention of **The Grinch 2**, which hints at at least one offbeat detour in the conversation. If you enjoy game podcasts that balance serious year-so-far discussion with a little left-field energy, that may be part of the appeal. A practical note from the metadata: the full list of games and other items discussed is available at **besties.fan**, which could be useful if you want to follow along or check whether your favorites are likely to come up. In short, this looks like a good pick for listeners who want a **state-of-2026 gaming** conversation: what’s leading right now, what could overtake it later, and which upcoming releases are shaping expectations.
About this episode
<p>Midway through the year, The Besties share their top contenders. However, don’t make any bets on these being our final picks for our GOTY list, because the back half of 2026 is unprecedentedly dense with new releases. To set the stage, we curate our most anticipated games. Also, The Grinch 2.</p> <p><p>Get the full list of games (and other stuff) discussed at <a href="http://www.besties.fan/" target="_blank">www.besties.fan</a>. Want more episodes? Join us at <a href="http://patreon.com/thebesties" target="_blank">patreon.com/thebesties</a> for three bonus episodes each month!</p></p>