Xbox hosted its first showcase of 2026 last night (January 22) with a Developer Direct – here’s everything that was revealed during the livestream.
READ MORE: 14 unmissable games to look forward to in 2026
“2026 is going to be an incredible year for Xbox players – you might even call it a… fabled year,” wrote Microsoft, teasing the Developer Direct which included “news, gameplay and insights directly from the incredible teams working on titles coming this year.”
Broadcast at 6pm last night, the Xbox Developer Direct featured two big announcements from Playground Games.
The first was that the long-awaited Fable will definitely launch at some point this year. A reboot of the open-world action role-playing game was first announced back in 2020, 10 years after the last entry in the long-running series. The game had been due to launch last year but was delayed to give developers more time to work on it.
Xbox Developer Direct 2026. CREDIT: Microsoft
Fable will now launch in autumn 2026 for Xbox Series X/S, PC, Xbox Game Pass and, for the first time in the franchise’s history, PlayStation.
“Fable is not a remake or a sequel. It’s a new beginning for the franchise, designed to capture the heart and humor that defined the original trilogy while bringing contemporary storytelling, world design and player agency to the forefront,” reads an official description. “Fans of the classic games will recognize the series’ signature blend of choice and consequence, dry British wit, and playful moral chaos – yes, chickens included.”
Playground Games also confirmed that Forza 6 will launch May 19 for PC and Xbox Series X/S. The racing game is set in Japan, with players able to drive through bustling cities as well as the country’s gorgeous countryside. The “biggest ever” entry in Forza Horizon history will feature more than 50 cars and will also release Day One on Xbox Game Pass.
Elsewhere during the Xbox Developer Direct it was revealed that “one-person, one-dog action RPG” Beast Of Reincarnation will launch Summer 2026 as a Day One Xbox Game Pass title while Double Fine’s “online multiplayer pottery-arty brawler” Kiln will join the service in spring 2026.
“As with every Developer_Direct, today’s show marks just a selection of the games coming to Xbox this year,” wrote Microsoft. “2026 marks the 25th anniversary of Xbox, and offers a moment to honor the games, creators, teams, and players that have inspired play for decades – and we’ll be celebrating that all year long. With the likes of Gears of War: E-Day and Halo: Campaign Evolved still to come, we’ll be returning to some of our most beloved franchises, not to mention introducing new worlds of our own, and those from our incredible third-party partners. It’s going to be an incredible year.”
In other news, Undertale celebrated its 10th anniversary last year and Square Enix is celebrating with two special remix albums.
The post Everything announced at the first Xbox showcase of 2026 appeared first on NME.
