Since 2023, the Xbox Developer Direct has been a showcase of upcoming first-party Xbox games.
This is where games like Hi-Fi Rush and Ninja Gaiden 2 Black made their shadow drop. These events, which are essentially the Xbox version of a Nintendo Direct or Sony State of Play, are also where we saw gameplay reveals and deep dives for Doom: The Dark Ages, Ninja Gaiden 4, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, among others.
After a beefy Developer Direct last year, featuring a total of five games, we were wondering what Xbox would have in store this year. 2026 is a pivotal year for the Xbox brand. Following a tumultuous 2025, which was headlined by layoffs and studio closures, 2026 is the year Xbox aims to bring back major franchises, such as Gears of War and Fable.
Only one of those will be making an appearance at the upcoming 2026 Developer Direct, though. Microsoft announced this morning that Fable, Forza Horizon 6, and Beast of Reincarnation will be seeing gameplay reveals on January 22nd at 1:00 PM Eastern.
This is the Smallest Xbox Developer Direct to Date
Before this year, every Xbox Developer Direct has featured five games:...
