Xbox showed off updates for four games releasing in 2026 in their recent January Xbox Developer Direct. From Playground Games bringing two titles to the showcase, Game Freak leaving the world of Pokémon for a new adventure, and a new title from Double Fine, this was a wonderful showcase that’s sure to please fans across multiple genres. Here’s a rundown of everything announced during the January 2026 Xbox Developer Direct.

First up was a deep gameplay overview of Beast of Reincarnation. For all the criticism Game Freak earns for keeping the Pokémon genre in a fidelity fitting of a few console generations past, including Pokémon Legends: Z-A, this game looks wonderful. In a post-apocalyptic Japan, we follow Emma and her companion Koo after the “blight,” which erases her memories and emotions. 

Exploring Japan circa 4026 AD, Game Freak calls Beast of Reincarnation a “one-person, one-dog action RPG”, and the gameplay looks interesting. You have fast-paced action in real-time, but slow-time abilities allow you to bring things down to a nearly turn-based mechanic. The game will release this summer and, hopefully, will be the start of new studios seeking out Xbox as a platform to try new things they aren’t necessarily known for.

While we play that in the summer, we got a look at our fall obsession as the Fable reboot is shaping up to be a jaw-dropping open-world action-RPG. The game involves the same choices and consequences from the original trilogy, all under the lens of the chaos and excitement fans have learned to love from Playground Games.

Enemies from past games as well as new ones were featured in the gameplay teaser. As someone who was a Halo and Fable fanatic in Xbox’s early days, this is shaping up to be everything I want from a reboot in 2026. The game will be coming in Autumn 2026 to Xbox Series X/S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Steam, PlayStation 5, and Game Pass Ultimate.

Playground Games is also gearing up to launch Forza Horizon 6, which has been revealed to have a release date of May 19, 2026. The trailer showcased the first-ever gameplay for the upcoming title, highlighting the breathtaking landscapes of Japan in all their glory. The two cover cars were revealed as well, including the 2025 GR GT Prototype, making its video game debut in Forza Horizon 6, and the 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser.

With the largest and densest map of any Horizon game to date, players will explore historic verticality, diverse biomes, seasonality, and breathtaking driving experiences that are elevated by Japan as a setting.

Lastly, Double Fine surprised us with an online multiplayer pottery-party brawler, in what I can only assume is the first game for the genre of all-time. Kiln seeks to combine the beautiful expression of creation with all of the chaotic fun of destruction. In 4v4 action, you utilize abilities and craft battle armor with clay to take on opponents in a very colorful and crazy game that I can’t wait to check out.

Launching Spring 2026, a closed beta test will be available shortly to get fans ready for Kiln‘s story, gameplay, and mechanics. With nothing from the other 2026 Xbox releases, Gears of War: E-Day and Halo: Campaign Evolved, this wrapped up the Xbox Developer Direct for January 2026. You can watch the full Developer Direct below. Let us know in the comments if any of these reveals really got you excited for Xbox’s upcoming slate of titles!

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