With the summer game conference season in full swing, the XBOX Games Showcase 2026 stepped onto the stage to deliver over an hour of announcements. From deep dives to world reveals, there was a lot to go over. But while the games always take center stage, it’s the establishment of policy that is likely to make the biggest headlines.
The XBOX Games Showcase opened with a quick look at Gears of War E-Day. After its trailer ran, the words “XBOX console exclusive” blazed across the screen, signaling a shift in the company’s approach to exclusivity. And it wasn’t the only one. A lengthy trailer for inXile’s upcoming Clockwork Revolution also proclaimed it a console exclusive. How the shift back to the classic model of first-party exclusives works for the company as it tries to redefine its brand remains to be seen, but it has today confirmed that it is happening to some extent.
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Enough about policy, though. Let’s take a look at the games. With over 25 games, the XBOX Games Showcase 2026 offered a lot to be excited about, with virtually every game shown slated for either this year or next. Gamers won’t have to wait long to get time with these exciting new experiences.
What was announced during the Xbox Games Showcase 2026
Gears of War E-Day
Developer: The Coalition
Publisher: XBOX Game Studios
Synopsis: Experience the horror and brutality of Emergence Day. Fourteen years before the original Gears of War, join Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago in a gripping origin-story campaign as the Locust Horde first erupt from below, igniting a desperate fight for survival. Rally your squad and fight on in multiplayer with a reimagination of Gears’ iconic PvE mode, Horde Siege, or go head-to-head with a refined Versus PvP. Built from the ground up in Unreal Engine 5, Gears of War: E-Day delivers the most immersive Gears yet.
Release Date: October 6
Fable
Developer: Playground Games
Publisher: XBOX Game Studios
Synopsis: Become the Hero you want to be in an immersive open-world action-RPG where each choice shapes your journey, reputation is everything, and fairytale endings are never guaranteed.
Release Date: February 23, 2027
Halo: Campaign Evolved
Developer: Halo Studios
Publisher: XBOX Game Studios
Synopsis: Halo: Campaign Evolved is a faithful yet modernized remake of Halo: Combat Evolved’s campaign. Experience the original story rebuilt with high-definition visuals, updated cinematics, and refined controls, plus three brand-new prequel missions featuring the Master Chief and Sgt. Johnson. A broader arsenal of weapons, vehicles, enemies, and gameplay-modifying “Skulls” – optional modifiers that change combat in fun and challenging ways – add fresh tactics and endless replayability.
Release Date: July 28th
Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy
Developer: Asobo Studio
Publisher: Focus Entertainment
Synopsis: Set 15 years before A Plague Tale: Requiem, play as Sophia, a fierce young plunderer, on the run and determined to uncover the secrets of her past. Dive into an original story blending combat, myth, and fate with a brand new take in the universe of A Plague Tale.
Release Date: August 27
Persona 4: Revival
Developer: ATLUS
Publisher: SEGA
Synopsis: Persona 4 Revival intertwines an investigation into a string of murders with the journey of self-discovery and encounters with the occult, all within a critically acclaimed, classic RPG experience—revived in a new form!
Release Date: February 28th, 2027
State of Decay 3
Developer: Undead Labs
Publisher: XBOX Game Studios
Synopsis: The zombie apocalypse nearly wiped out humankind. Years after the initial outbreak, carve out a life for yourself in a world gripped by blood plague. Play as a community of survivors, build up your settlements with friends, and destroy zombies in State of Decay 3, the latest in the franchise from developer Undead Labs.
Release Date: 2027 TBA
Sea of Thieves Season 20: Custom Seas
Devekoper: Rare Ltd.
Publisher: XBOX Game Studios
Synopsis: From hosting multi-crew hangouts and concocting competitive game modes to simply snapping stunning screenshots with a Free Camera, Season 20 invites all pirates to enjoy the Sea of Thieves session of their dreams with Custom Seas!
Release Date: June 18th
Metro 2039
Developer: 4A Games
Publisher: Deep Silver
Synopsis: Journey into the dark heart of post-apocalyptic Moscow in a harrowing conflict for the very soul of the Metro.
Release Date: February 2027
Bad Magpie
Developer: Milktooth
Publisher: Milktooth
Synopsis: You are a magpie with one wing, a missing flock, and an unhealthy obsession with a fallen star. Steal shiny trinkets, cause chaos, and stick your beak where it doesn’t belong.
Release Date: 2027
Wo Long 2: Wings of Ember
Developer: Team Ninja
Publisher: Koei Tecmo
Synopsis: Players must master the evolved Chinese martial arts and conquer the battlefields of the Three Kingdoms overrun by monstrous demons alongside renowned heroes who left their mark on history.
Release Date: Early 2027
Join Us
Developer: Wolf Haus Games
Publisher: Wolf Haus Games
Synopsis: Start a doomsday cult of your very own! Recruit followers, build your compound, customize your cult’s beliefs, and defeat enemies in this 1-4 player co-op, action-packed, open-world survival experience. Can you survive the Apocalypse?
Release Date: March 2027
Senua
Developer: Ninja Theory
Publisher: XBOX Game Studios
Synopsis: A Celtic warrior is trapped between life and death in a fractured vision of purgatory. In an action‑adventure set in the Hellblade universe, Senua fights to reach the afterlife and reunite with those she loved and lost, battling forces that threaten all she believes in.
Release Date: 2027 TBA
Fallout 76: Infestations
Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
Published: Bethesda Softworks
Synopsis: Explore, quest, build, craft, and fight across a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Appalachia’s familiar places can host some unfriendly faces with Infestations! Rediscover “infested” areas across the map, teeming with high-level foes and high-level loot, including new 4-Star Legendary weapons and armor mods!
Release Date: TBA
Doom: The Dark Ages – Revelations
Developer: id Software
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Synopsis: HELL FREEZES OVER in DOOM: The Dark Ages | Revelations, an all-new campaign expansion that unleashes a brutal new chapter of the Slayer’s saga.
Release Date: July 7th
Crazy Taxi World Tour
Developer: SEGA
Publisher: SEGA
Synopsis: Play as Axel in an all-new, high-octane adventure as he sets out to recover his stolen taxi and chase down a mysterious organization causing chaos around the world. Race through iconic locations and tackle extreme missions in the long-awaited return of the classic series.
Release Date: 2027 TBA
Age of Empires 4: Raiders of the North
Developers: Relic Entertainment, World’s Edge
Publisher: XBOX Game Studios
Synopsis: A new force rises in this latest expansion to Age of Empires IV: Anniversary Edition. Command two new powerful civilizations: the Vikings and the Scots! Raid, defend, and evolve your strategy with new systems, expanded Crucible missions, and dynamic new battlefields.
Release Date: Fall TBA
Minecraft Dungeons 2
Developer: Mojang Studios, Double Eleven Limited
Published: XBOX Game Studios
Synopsis: Return to the world of Minecraft Dungeons in an all‑new action RPG adventure, brimming with high‑stakes encounters, thrilling challenges, and never‑before‑seen locations, as you set out to save a world in crisis. Will you and your allies prevail against the forces of evil and save the day once more?
Release Date: September 29th
Magicians: The Devil’s Deal
Developer: Uppercut Games Pty Ltd
Publisher: Focus Entertainment
Synopsis: A narrative-driven FPS where stage magic becomes real. You play as Jacob Menteuro, a fallen illusionist bound by a pact with The Devil and cast into Hell. Master deadly tricks, steal the powers of rival magicians, and escape the infernal world of Theatreland.
Valor Mortis
Developer: One More Level
Publisher: Lyrical Games, One More Level
Synopsis: A first-person action soulslike from the creators of Ghostrunner. Rise from death as a former soldier of Napoleon’s army. Wield supernatural powers, battle horrifying monsters, and unravel a conspiracy that threatens all of humanity.
Release Date: September 24th
Elder Scrolls Online – Return of the Thieves Guild
Developer: Zenimax Online Studios
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Synopsis: Experience a new Thieves Guild questline in Glenumbra, take to the high seas in a new in-game event, tour Tamriel with the Prince of Madness, and encounter new challenges, mysteries, and ways to play when Season One arrives July 8.
Flight Simulator 2024 World Update 22
Developer: Asobo Studio
Publisher: XBOX Game Studios
Synopsis: World Update 22: US National Parks. Featuring over thirty National Parks and Monuments and the Goodyear Blimp – Coming July 4th, 2026.
Release Date: Fall TBA
Where Winds Meet ‘Hidden Mountain’ Expansion
Developer: Everstone Studio
Publisher: NetEase Games
Synopsis: Explore a brand-new map and enjoy martial arts adventures with exciting new content.
Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse
Developers: KONAMI, Evil Empire
Publisher: KONAMI
Synopsis: Set 23 years after Castlevania Dracula’s Curse – follow Rose Belmont’s journey in an all-new 2D Action-Exploration title.
Release Date: October 15
Vivarium
Developer: Studio MeadowFlower
Publisher: Serenity Forge
Synopsis: Step into a summer that never ends in this life-sim adventure, featuring hand-illustrated art inspired by timeless anime classics.
Release Date: 2027
Persona 6
Developer: ATLUS
Publisher: SEGA
Synopsis: A bold, new standalone story blending heartfelt daily life and new characters with pulse-pounding, supernatural adventure.
Spyro: A Realm Beyond
Developer: Toys For Bob
Publisher: Activision
Synopsis: Take flight on a brand-new adventure through a strange and wondrous realm. When Spyro finds himself stranded, his journey to discover a way home is interrupted by the arrival of a vicious invading force known as the Scavs. Spyro must make new allies and rise to protect this realm before it’s changed forever.
Release Date: Spring 2027
Clockwork Revolution
Developer: inXile entertainment
Publisher: XBOX Game Studios
Synopsis: Wield the power of an incredible device to travel back in time, changing the past and rewriting the future of the city you call home: the vibrant steampunk metropolis of Avalon.
Release Date: 2027
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 DMZ Game Mode First Look
Developers: Infinity Ward, Beenox, Digital Legends, Activision Shanghai, Raven Software, Treyarch, Sledgehammer Games, High Moon Studios
Publisher: Activision Publishing Inc.
Synopsis: War erupts on the Korean Peninsula as North Korea launches a full-scale invasion that threatens to destabilize the world.
Release Date: October 23rd
And that’s all the games shown at the Xbox Games Showcase 2026. From third parties to first, from big triple-A titles to indies, there was a lot shown and a lot to look forward to as the games roll out.
