Microsoft has announced another Xbox Developer Direct event scheduled for January. A company official also revealed that one of the featured studios will be showcased during the livestream, which will be the first Xbox games presentation of 2026.
Microsoft started the Xbox Developer Direct showcase in early 2023 and has since made it a yearly event in January. It’s a chance to get an early look at upcoming Xbox games – both those made by Microsoft and other developers – that are close to being finished. This year will be the fourth time they’ve held the event.
Fourth Xbox Developer Direct Confirmed for January 2026
Microsoft is planning another Xbox Developer Direct presentation in January 2026, according to Matt Booty, Head of Microsoft Studios, in a recent Variety interview. Like the previous three events, it will showcase upcoming Xbox games planned for release in the year ahead. Booty noted they have so many games in development that they won’t be able to fit everything into a single presentation, indicating a strong pipeline of games continuing into 2026.
Xbox Developer Direct 2026 Will Feature Forza Horizon 6, Fable, Or Both
In addition to teasing big news for 2026, a Microsoft executive confirmed that Playground Games will be highlighted in January. Considering the showcase will focus on games coming out soon, this likely means we’ll see more about either Fable, Forza Horizon 6, or both. Fable was pushed back to 2026 earlier this year, while Forza Horizon 6 was announced for a 2026 release last September. If only one game is shown, the new Forza Horizon is the more probable choice. Rumors suggest it could launch in the first half of 2026, but we still don’t have a specific release timeframe for the Fable reboot.
The Xbox Dev Direct usually focuses on games releasing in the coming year. However, we have so much exciting news to share this year that it won’t all fit into a single presentation.
Xbox Developer Direct 2026 May Take Place on January 22
The last two Xbox Developer Direct showcases happened on the second-to-last Thursday in January. If that continues, the 2026 event will likely be on January 22nd. We can expect Microsoft to announce the date officially between January 8th and 13th, as they’ve done before. They might also reveal some of the games that will be featured, like in previous years. It’s highly probable that most, if not all, of the games shown will be available on Xbox Game Pass from day one.
Microsoft Has No Shortage of Candidates to Showcase at the Next Xbox Event
The Xbox Developer Direct events haven’t just focused on games made by Microsoft studios. They’ve consistently included a mix of titles, from small indie games to larger projects. A great example is the 2025 event, where the release date for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was announced – it went on to become one of the year’s most popular and highly-rated games. The event also revealed Ninja Gaiden 4, and previous years have shown off games like Visions of Mana and Ara: History Untold. This suggests that the 2026 Xbox Developer Direct will likely offer a similarly diverse range of content.
First- and Second-Party Xbox Games Currently in Development
| Game | Developer | First Announcement | 2026 Release |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Elder Scrolls 6 | Bethesda Game Studios | Jun 2018 | ❌ |
| Project: Mara | Ninja Theory | Jan 2020 | ❓ |
| State of Decay 3 | Undead Labs | Jul 2020 | ❓ |
| Fable | Playground Games | Jul 2020 | ✅ |
| Clockwork Revolution | inXile Entertainment | Jun 2023 | ✅ (rumored) |
| Marvel’s Blade | Arkane Lyon | Dec 2023 | ❌ |
| OD | Kojima Productions | Dec 2023 | ❓ |
| Gears of War: E-Day | The Coalition, People Can Fly | Jun 2024 | ✅ |
| Forza Horizon 6 | Playground Games, Turn 10 Studios | Sep 2025 | ✅ |
Several upcoming Xbox games look promising for a reveal at the January showcase. Besides the already anticipated Fable and Forza Horizon 6 (mentioned by Xbox head Matt Booty), Clockwork Revolution from inXile Entertainment and Gears of War: E-Day from The Coalition are both aiming for a 2026 release. While the new Gears of War game’s 2026 window is official, the release date for inXile’s steampunk RPG, Clockwork Revolution, is currently just a rumor based on a developer’s LinkedIn profile.
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2025-12-14 03:36