The end of 2025 has come and we've kicked off another new year once again, which naturally means we're back in January. And as January came again, so to did Microsoft's annual Xbox Developer Direct showcase — a tight, roughly 45-minute presentation in which developers gave fans a closer look at some of the new games coming to Xbox systems, Windows PC, and Xbox Game Pass in 2026.
Indeed, as opposed to the Xbox Games Showcase run every summer that focuses on titles scheduled for release in the coming years, the Xbox Developer Direct is instead centered around games that are set to launch in just a few months. This makes it uniquely exciting for players compared to other conferences.
Forza Horizon 6
Microsoft opened the Xbox Developer Direct 2026 show with a deep look at Forza Horizon 6, detailing several of the game's systems while also showing off its meticulously crafted rendition of Japan.
Developer Playground Games explained that the game's primary campaign is focused around the feeling of going on a journey, with you starting as a tourist to Japan that has to earn their place in the Horizon Festival by completing qualifiers, overcoming obstacle course challenges in Horizon Rush events, and unlocking wristbands. Earning your gold wristband will then unlock a special "Legend" island with exclusive locations to explore.
The rest of the Japan is fully explorable from the get-go, with Playground focusing on delivering a balance of "rural and urban, modern and traditional" areas that represent the country's rich history and culture. It's the largest Forza Horizon map ever, with tons of verticality, biome variety, and significant seasonal changes.
The developers traveled to Japan to capture reference, studying weather patterns, getting photogrammetry of its landscapes, scanning roads and buildings, and even recording the country's natural soundscapes before working to bring all of it in-game authentically. Tokyo itself is said to be five times larger than any city featured in Forza before.
But what about the cars themselves? Playground says there will be over 550 at launch, with deeper customization and better performance balance than previous titles. Many cars will be found and made purchasable as you find them around the map, and there will also be customizable garages at player houses too.
One unique feature will be The Estate, a large plot of land that's overgrown and empty when first unlocked, but can be gradually upgraded as you play into your own high-class property. Notably, the devs also say Forza Horizon 6 is carrying forward all previous accessibility features while implementing new ones, and say you'll be able to build custom tracks anywhere on the map and do it with friends if you want.
The Forza Horizon 6 showcase closed with the confirmation that it's launching on May 19, 2026 on Xbox systems and PC, with the game set to come to PlayStation at a later date.
Beast of Reincarnation
Game Freak's upcoming action RPG Beast of Reincarnation was next up at the Xbox Developer Direct 2026 show, with the Pokémon developer's next game getting an extensive gameplay showcase as well.
The game is set in post-apocalyptic Japan 2,000 years in the future, in a world "consumed by a blight," and with gameplay "described as a one-person one-dog action RPG." It follows protagonist Emma and her wolf-like companion Koo as they journey through the dark and lonely setting, with Emma's "vine-like" hair giving her some unique abilities that help her traverse the ruins of human civilization.
Along the way, the pair will encounter "malefacts," which are creatures fused with other animals and the plants causing the blight that ended the world. As Emma and Koo defeat them, Emma will seal away their blight within her body, as she has special powers. Deadly malefacts called Nushi threaten the Capital, a last bastion of human civilization; Emma and Koo are tasked with thwarting them, with their final target being an especially dangerous Beast of Reincarnation.
There are also golems, which are a faction of mechanical enemies humans transferred their souls into in an effort to survive the blight hundreds of years ago. Their souls have deteriorated, however, causing the golems to ultimately become hostile.
Both Emma and Koo possess blight-based powers, and bounce off one another in interesting ways. As Emma parries attacks, for example, Koo will power up until she can unleash a powerful Blooming Art that deals major damage to all nearby foes; this then gives Emma some different follow-up options of her own. As you progress, you'll get access to various new skills that build on this teamwork-driven gameplay flow, with numerous different options for customizing your build through gear and other unlocks as well.
Notably, at the end of the presentation, it was announced that it's coming out on Xbox, PC, and PlayStation in Summer 2026, and that the game will also be playable through Xbox Game Pass; this is quite notable, given that Beast of Reincarnation is a third-party title.
Kiln
Surprise! The Xbox Developer Direct 2026's fourth hidden game is Kiln, a new multiplayer party brawler from Keeper and Psychonauts developer Double Fine Productions that grew from a game jam concept formed way back in 2017.
It tasks you with creating your own unique piece of pottery, and then using it to battle other players across a variety of different maps, with the ultimate goal being to carry water to the other team's kiln and put out its fires while protecting your own.
On the creation side of things, Kiln allows you to design your pottery with a wide variety of different shape types and decorative adornments, ensuring that your cups, mugs, pots, vases, feel uniquely yours. But then in the thick of the action, each of those shapes feature distinct strengths, weaknesses, and abilities to learn and master, along with bespoke animations.
Notably, the maps have nearly as much diversity and personality as the pottery itself, with some featuring special pathways you can only access with certain pottery types, unique elements that shake up the gameplay experience like sponges you can swell with water to block routes, and more. Overall, the stages seem to have an Ancient Mythology focus — fitting, considering how prominent clay pottery was in early human history.
Kiln is coming to Xbox, PC, and PlayStation in Spring 2026, with Double Fine promising regular updates, new activities and modes, and more. A Closed Beta is coming soon as well, and will give some a chance to play Double Fine's latest early.
Fable
Microsoft closed 2026's Xbox Developer Direct with an in-depth look at Playground Games' other upcoming game, the Fable reboot. The studio explained that the core focus of the RPG is "what does it mean to be a hero?" and figuring out what kind of hero — and in general, what kind of person — you want to be.
This is reflected in the ability to make a highly customizable character, fight enemies with a combination of melee, ranged, and magic options, and even to play a "game within a game" life simulation experience in which you can learn and master craftsmanship trades, romance and marry NPCs, start families, buy up houses and businesses, and more.
This type of slice-of-life gameplay was a huge part of the original Fable games, so Playground felt it was important to include and elevate it in this reboot of the series.
Notably, the world of Albion will be highly and deeply reactive to all of the different choices you make, with your reputation with others rising or falling depending on what you say to them and how your actions impact their lives. Major story decisions like, say, killing a giant will leave his corpse near a town's land for the rest of the game, reducing property value and annoying its citizens.
At the end of its Fable segment, Playground Games revealed that Fable is scheduled to launch later this year in Fall 2026 on Xbox, PC, and PlayStation.
FAQ
What is the Xbox Developer Direct?
Microsoft's Xbox Developer Direct show is a short gaming presentation that runs annually every January. Compared to other showcases that tend to feature titles coming years later, the Developer Direct solely focuses on games scheduled to release on Xbox and PC within the same year as the showcase itself. It also features lengthy developer interviews and overviews, as opposed to short trailers.
When did the Xbox Developer Direct 2026 start?
The Xbox Developer Direct 2026 show began on January 22 at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET / 6 PM GMT.
How long was the Xbox Developer Direct 2026 show?
The Xbox Developer Direct 2026 ran for about 45 minutes, which is consistent with the length of previous Direct presentations.
Are the Xbox Developer Direct 2026 games coming to Xbox Game Pass?
Yes, all four of the games shown today will be playable on Xbox Game Pass on day one; specifically, you'll need Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to play them at launch.
Are the Xbox Developer Direct 2026 games coming to Xbox Play Anywhere?
All of the games shown during the Xbox Developer Direct 2026 will also fully support Xbox Play Anywhere, which means you'll be able to play them across Xbox systems, Windows PC, and Xbox Cloud Gaming with cross-save and progression as long as you're using the same Microsoft account across all of these systems and services.
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