It’s time to be directed by Xbox once again. The fourth annual Xbox Developer Direct is here for 2026, and with Microsoft celebrating the 25th anniversary of Xbox, it’s certain to be a big show to kick off the year.
Xbox Developer Direct 2026 starts at 1pm ET/6pm GMT and airs on all official Xbox channels. This year’s event has three games advertised so far.
Players will get their first look at gameplay for Forza Horizon 6, a deeper dive into Fable, and new details for Game Freak’s—yes, that Game Freak—Beast of Reincarnation. There are also rumors of a surprise game or two making the rounds, but fans will just have to tune in and see if those turn out to be true.
To stop you from having to go elsewhere, though, you can watch it, in full, in the video below. And don’t forget to leave your thoughts on everything down in the comments and join the discussion with other games in the official Insider Gaming Discord server.
Everything Announced At Xbox Developer Direct 2026
Everything below appears in the order it was shown. There will also be links to Insider Gaming’s full coverage of the games and news that were announced.
This story will begin updating shortly after 1pm EST. Be sure to bookmark this page and refresh to get all of the latest updates from the Xbox Developer Direct.
Forza Horizon 6
The showcase began with the first look at Forza Horizon 6, which takes the series to Japan for the first time. Players start out as a tourist in Japan, racing to prove themselves throughout their career. The developers spoke about the decision to take the game to Japan as well as new features and events.
The game will feature over 550 cars at launch, including aftermarket cars that can be found parked throughout the world. It was also made official that Forza Horizon 6 will release on May 19, 2026. Those who pre-order the Deluxe Edition of the game can start playing on May 15. The game will launch on PlayStation 5 later in 2026.
Beast of Reincarnation
The developers of Pokémon are here with a brand new type of game. Beast of Reincarnation is a game that follows Emma the Sealer and her dog companion Koo as they fight to free a post-apocalyptic Japan. The showcase gave a new look at gameplay, the world, and dove into Emma’s abilities.
The game will be available this summer on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC. It will also be available day one on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC.
Kiln
The surprise of the show came third with Double Fine showing Kiln. Kiln is an online multiplayer pottery party brawler. Yes, that’s quite a mouthful. Kiln launches in Spring 2026 on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC.
There’s also a closed beta coming up, with details coming soon.
Fable
The first deep dive into Fable from Playground Games was the final big game of the show. Every choice you make will matter in how the people of Albion feel about you.
Fable will launch on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC in Fall 2026.
For more Insider Gaming, read about Beyond Good & Evil 2 surviving the announced restructuring at Ubisoft. And for more Insider Gaming delivered directly to your inbox, sign up for our weekly newsletter.
Mike has been covering the gaming industry since 2012, and has reported on some of the largest events in the industry while also working as an investigative reporter. Outside of…
More from Mike Straw
