The Xbox Developer Direct 2026 event will take place on Thursday, January 22 at 10 a.m. PT, or 7 p.m. in France. Microsoft made the announcement official at the beginning of the week, thus confirming the return of its highly anticipated annual meeting. Accessible live on IGN and on YouTube, this format aims to reveal in depth the next major titles in the Xbox ecosystem.
Since the first edition of the Developer Direct, fans of the green brand have become accustomed to discovering upcoming blockbusters directly from the studios. This year, the promise is great with two flagship games from Playground Games at the heart of the presentation: Fable and Forza Horizon 6.
Fable and Forza Horizon 6: the stars of the event
Expected for years, the new Fable will finally make a public appearance with gameplay. The reboot of this cult saga by Playground Games is closely watched, as the project is ambitious. The announcement mentions a new sequence, allowing players to discover for the first time the combat system, the revisited universe of Albion and the visual style of the game.
Another major exclusive: Forza Horizon 6. After the critical success of the previous episode, expectations are immense around this new opus. The Developer Direct will be an opportunity to see the first images of the map, available vehicles, and new gameplay mechanics promised to be revolutionary for the franchise.
A surprise from Game Freak: Beast of Reincarnation
Alongside historic Xbox licenses, the Developer Direct will also highlight a more unexpected project: Beast of Reincarnationthe new action RPG from Game Freak, the Japanese studio behind Pokémon. Briefly presented during the Xbox Showcase 2025, this title intrigues with its dark universe, its evolution mechanics and its original artistic style.
This is the first time that Game Freak has worked closely with Xbox on a major project for Microsoft consoles. The presence of this title shows the desire for diversification of partner studios and the strategy of opening up to the Japanese market.
Absent people… but a surprise still possible?
For the moment, Microsoft has not confirmed the presence of certain highly anticipated games like Gears of War: E-Day or Halo: Campaign Evolvedthe Unreal Engine 5 remake of the original campaign. These absences leave the door open to a possible “one more thing” at the end of the show.
Rumors also mention the possibility of seeing Life is Strange: Reunionrecently revealed via a PEGI leak. The franchise having already been highlighted by Xbox during the 2024 showcase, a new presentation would not be surprising.