The last 5 years have all kicked off with a huge co-op hit on Steam, and this sci-fi survival game from the makers of Green Hell might be 2026's ticket

Build a base with friends on an alien planet.

Is it just me or do we ring in each new gaming year with a smash-hit co-op game, usually one that's pretty reasonably priced?

Maybe it's that January arrives to see us flush with holiday cash and looking to link up with friends instead of spending more time with relatives, but the first couple months of the year always seem to be dominated by surprisingly huge co-op hits.

My incontrovertible evidence:

• 2025: REPO (February)...