New Running Shoe Releases and a Game Worth Your Weekend: A Roundup

Introduction

Just when the running shoe release calendar looked settled, a fresh wave of announcements landed. Nike has unveiled the Pegasus 42 and rebranded its trail counterpart as the ACG Pegasus Trail, Adidas has shown off a shockingly light third iteration of its Pro Evo racer, and a supposed Alphafly 4 prototype has surfaced with small but telling changes. And because variety is good, there is also a quick look at Resident Evil Requiem, which turns out to be a genuinely welcome surprise on Switch.

Nike Pegasus 42

Nike skipped a year, and the 42nd edition of the Pegasus returns with a full-length Zoom Air unit once again. This one is thinner than the units seen in shoes like the Alphafly or Vomero Premium, and it does not appear as flat as the full-length unit from the Pegasus 35 or 36 era. It also looks slightly curved, almost like a strobel board, in a way that echoes the Pegasus Premium approach. Rather than zonal cushioning, the air now runs under the whole foot.

The specs sit right where Pegasus fans expect them: 37 mm in the heel, 27 mm in the forefoot for the classic 10 mm drop, and a claimed 300 g for a men’s US 10. That sample size is not the usual reference, so expect roughly 330 g in a UK 11, a slight increase over the previous version’s roughly 325 g. The larger air unit is the likely culprit. Expect stabilising rubber along the outsole edge and waffle traction up front, both staples of the line, plus the usual dual-layer upper and ReactX foam in the midsole.

It is striking how rigidly Nike sticks to the tested Pegasus formula, and there is presumably a reason a shoe can reach its 42nd version. Both new Pegasus models launch in early April 2026.

Nike ACG Pegasus Trail

The trail version picks up the all-conditions gear moniker, becoming the ACG Pegasus Trail, and the changes feel purposeful. Nike has bolstered the outsole and specifically states it will perform better in wet weather than before, which addresses one of the weaker points of the last version.

Nike also uses a different last here, apparently wider in the toe box to improve stabilisation and ground contact. This reads very much as an answer to the Adizero EvoSL ATR: a shoe that works from road to trail without being a master of any single surface. That versatility may explain why many runners have historically picked the trail Pegasus over the standard model. The slightly softer ReactX foam of previous trail versions carries over, along with a pull cord at the heel to help get the shoe on and extra reinforcements around the toe box and sidewalls.

Adidas Pro Evo 3

Adidas has shown off a third iteration of the Pro Evo, and the headline number is mesmerising: 97.27 g. Once you drop below 100 g, those decimal places matter, and this makes Adidas the new record holder for the lightest marathon shoe. For context, the Pro Evo 2 was 138 g, so roughly 40 g has been shaved off.

How has it been done? The halo plate running around the edge of the midsole likely provides structure in place of more material. The upper looks barely there, with fewer layers, minimal three stripes, and no heel counter to speak of. Reduced rubber probably contributes too. For a race shoe of this type, durability is clearly a secondary concern.

As a point of comparison, the Asics Metaspeed Sky Ray measured 129 g in sample size and 153 g for a UK 11, previously the lightest shoe in many collections. Even at roughly 130 g in a larger size, the Pro Evo 3 remains nothing on foot. Pricing is unknown; a figure around 500 or more seemed plausible given previous iterations, but since stock of the Pro Evo 1 and 2 is still readily available, a lower price is not out of the question.

Nike Alphafly 4: What the Prototype Shows

Images of a supposed Alphafly 4 have surfaced, with runners already using them in races, though the shoe is clearly still in development. The changes versus the last visible version are small but directional: Nike appears to be relieving weight in the midsole, cutting out small sections, carving more from the big void between the heel and the pods, and reducing outsole rubber. There is also channeling on the midsole sidewalls to shave a few more grams.

Some observers suggest the air units may be larger, which would add weight, running counter to the current industry direction. Adidas and Asics are the flagbearers of the super-light race shoe right now, with Mizuno’s Hyper Warrior Elite at a claimed 165 g in sample size, so Nike needs something to stay in the fight. The upper looks very close to the Alphafly 3, close enough that some call it the old upper on a new midsole, though there may be more foam up front. A return to the lower drop of the original Alphafly is possible, but that is speculation.

Resident Evil Requiem

A change of pace, and a good one. Resident Evil Requiem is dripping in atmosphere and runs surprisingly smoothly on Switch, arriving at a moment when the release calendar for the console was a little slow.

It is very much a game of two halves. One character plays as a stealth-orientated sneak-‘em-up experience, while another delivers all-out action. The result feels like it takes the best bits of Resident Evil 2 and 4, blends in some of the best of Resident Evil Village, and puts them together rather well. For longtime fans, the tension and pacing recall the series’ classics; the vibes are close to playing Resident Evil Director’s Cut in the late ’90s. If you are a fan of the genre, it is definitely worth checking out.

Overall Buying Advice

If you want a dependable daily trainer, the Pegasus 42’s full-length air unit makes it the most interesting standard Pegasus in years. If your runs wander between road and trail, the ACG Pegasus Trail’s improved wet-weather outsole and wider last make a strong case. Racers chasing the absolute lightest marathon shoe should watch the Pro Evo 3 closely, while those loyal to Nike’s flagship racer will want to see how the Alphafly 4 develops before committing. And if you need something for rest days, Resident Evil Requiem fills the gap nicely.

Conclusion

This batch of releases covers the full spectrum: a classic daily trainer refreshed with full-length air, a more capable trail sibling, a record-breaking ultralight racer, a flagship marathon shoe still in development, and a genuinely atmospheric game for the downtime between runs. Keep an eye out for both Pegasus models in early April 2026, and expect more details on the Pro Evo 3 and Alphafly 4 as they emerge.