Capcom just showed off a string of new games during its Spotlight stream, and there is a lot to be excited about. Aside from returning IPs like Resident Evil, Capcom also showed off a brand-new IP that looks very exciting. The game features some relevant themes in its story, and its gameplay looks like a fun mix of puzzles and action. Between this new game, and returning favorites, next year is shaping up to be an exciting one for Capcom, and for fans of their games.
I wasn’t going into the Capcom Spotlight with high expectations for much besides Resident Evil: Requiem. Although I know many players are likely excited about the Street Fighter and Monster Hunter updates, I’ve never been a big fan of those IPs. However, pretty quickly Capcom managed to get me excited about their upcoming IP that will be debuting next year, especially because it seems to share some traits with one of my favorite survival horror games. If you didn’t watch the presentation, I definitely recommend checking out the videos about this new game that will be coming out in 2026.
What We Know About Pragmata’s Story
Pragmata Is A Sci-Fi Game Set On A Malfunctioning Lunar Base
Pragmata is part action game, part puzzle solver, set in a sci-fi future where modern technologies like generative AI and 3D printing have advanced far beyond their current capabilities. Players take on the role of Hugh Williams, who has been sent alongside a small team to investigate a malfunctioning research facility on the moon. Hugh ends up separated from his team and injured, but is saved by an android that looks like a young girl, who he names Diana.
Related
Capcom Spotlight June 2025 Live Updates – All News & Announcements
Capcom Spotlight highlights information about a number of major current and upcoming Capcom titles, and you can follow along with Screen Rant here.
The preview describes Hugh as sarcastic, while Diana is the classic “born yesterday” trope of a character who approaches the world with a lot of wonder and curiosity. This will likely allow them to play off one another pretty well, and I would imagine we’ll see Hugh grow a bit less jaded over the course of his time with Diana. The game’s central conflict and gameplay also suggest that, while Diana acts and looks like a young child, she also has a deeper understanding of the station’s technology.
It quickly becomes apparent that the other machines on the station are going haywire, and have become hostile towards Hugh and likely the rest of his team. Diana is able to help Hugh combat the station’s machines by hacking into their systems and exposing weak points in their armor. Together, Hugh and Diana have to fight their way through the station to get Hugh back to Earth.
Pragmata’s Gameplay, Explained
Pragmata Is A Shooter With Unique Puzzle-Solving Elements
Pragmata is a third-person game with an interesting gameplay loop. Enemies in their natural state can’t be hurt by Hugh’s weapons, so the player will need to use Diana’s hacking ability to make them vulnerable. This involves solving a grid puzzle which pops up on the screen when you begin hacking. You are tasked with creating a path between the starting space on the grid and a marked tile.
Related
Capcom Showcase Coming Next Week, Promises New Look At Resident Evil Requiem, Monster Hunter Wilds
Resident Evil Requiem and Monster Hunter Wilds, among other games, will have more revealed during a Capcom Spotlight scheduled for next week.
As seen in the game’s preview, these puzzles become more complex when dealing with more powerful enemies. For instance, places on the grid may be blocked off, forcing you to essentially work your way through a maze to complete the puzzle. There are also optional blue nodes for you to pass through on the grid which give you a damage boost, and keep enemies vulnerable for longer. You can stack these for bigger bonuses, but it also means having to solve a more difficult puzzle to do it.
Hugh appears to control similar to most third-person shooters, though he does have a quick lateral dodge thanks to his space suit. In the trailer, the dodge also appears to slow down time a bit, though I’m not sure if this is an upgrade, or a reward for a well-timed dodge, or simply how the dodge works every time. Combat appears to be a balance of keeping Hugh safe, solving puzzles, and taking out enemies.
Why Pragmata Should Be On Your Wishlist
Pragmata Has An Interesting Setting And Unique Gameplay
Although the setting is much cleaner and less horrific, Pragmata reminds me of a game I’m very fond of, Dead Space, both in story setup and gameplay. However, instead of simply dissecting enemies by firing at a strategic point on their body, you also have the new puzzle element added on, which I think will create some genuinely stressful scenarios in combat.
Related
Despite Its Success, The Future Of Dead Space 4 Is As Bleak As Its Setting
While there’s still hope for the future remasters of Dead Space 2 and 3, a recent interview is bad news for fans hoping for a third sequel.
I have seen some players online express concern that the puzzle aspect of combat could get tiring over the course of the game. After all, you’re essentially being asked to complete a hacking mini-game every time you want to shoot something. I think as long as you go into Pragmata seeing it as part puzzle game, then I don’t see it being an issue. That said, I’ve also sunk an inordinate number of hours into Catherine, so I have a high tolerance for games that blend action and puzzle-solving elements.
Although story details are somewhat scarce at the moment, I am interested in learning more about the game’s setting, and to see how a topical subject like generative AI is tackled by Pragmata‘s story. If there’s one downside to Pragmata, it’s that I can’t look at Diana without seeing the eponymous killer robot from the movie M3GAN. However, I’m sure this superficial issue won’t matter much if I become engrossed in the game’s narrative.
2026 Is Going To Be A Great Year For Capcom
Pragmata And Resident Evil: Requiem Are Both Releasing In 2026
Pragmata isn’t the only exciting 2026 release coming from Capcom. The extended look at Resident Evil: Requiem from the Capcom Spotlight, which you can watch on YouTube if you missed it, made me even more excited than I already was for the game. I’m glad that first-person perspective is returning and that the new game focuses on a fresh character. I’ve always preferred the horror element to Resident Evil and Resident Evil 7 is one of my favorite games from the series, so I’m glad that Resident Evil: Requiem is leaning into the elements that made that game so scary.
Related
Resident Evil 9 Can’t Repeat RE6’s Biggest Character Mistake
Resident Evil 9 could continue the series’ new golden era, but it can’t do so while repeating the same mistake with its characters that RE6 made.
Although I’m sure some fans are disappointed that Leon S. Kennedy won’t be returning for Resident Evil: Requiem, I agree with Director Koshi Nakanishi’s sentiments that Leon is a bad fit for a horror game, because nothing would scare him. Overall, I’m very pleased with what I’ve seen from the game, and I can’t wait for it to terrify me in February. Between an exciting new Residen Evil game and Pragmata, I think Capcom will be having a pretty good year in 2026.
Source: Capcom USA/YouTube
- Date Founded
-
January 1, 1979
- CEO
-
Kenzo Tsujimoto
- Subsidiaries
-
Capcom Taiwan, Capcom Singapore, CE Europe, Capcom U.S.A., Capcom Maintenance Service Co., Ltd., Enterrise Co., Ltd., K2 Co., Ltd., Swordcanes Studio Co., Ltd.
- Services
-
CAPCOM ID
