2026 is a low-key revolutionary year for player movement in games

A lot of the 3D games I consider touchstones of thoughtful player movement are a decade or more old: Mirror's Edge, of course, Titanfall 2, Dishonored 2, Doom Eternal or ARMA 3. That's by no means a comprehensive list, but these are the games that come to mind when I think about in-game movement that feels incredibly considered. And if ARMA 3 feels out of place in that list, its sim-style tactical physicality is memorable to anyone who plays it even briefly (me).

These each set the ceiling high for what you could achieve with their controls, if you were prepared to learn them. Each offered a power fantasy of some kind to be mastered, whether you're wall-running onto a mech or peeking out across a field to line up a perfect shot.

In recent years, though, I feel like it's increasingly common to find developers who want to capture granular, basic movements from real life that have no power …