Everything Announced During The Xbox Developer Direct January 2026

When it comes to video game showcases and events, I’ve quickly learned to look forward to Xbox’s Developer_Directs. While there’s something to be said about the spectacle of a Game Awards, or the lightning-fast trailer blowout of something like PlayStation’s State of Play, I tend to enjoy the more focused, less frenetic energy that comes with these dev-focused affairs. As is tradition, this morning’s Developer_Direct spent time with the teams themselves, as they showcased the games they’re working on. We knew about Fable, Forza Horizon 6, and Beast of Reincarnation ahead of time, and we had a fair idea that a secret fourth game would appear, but we just didn’t know what it would be. Spoilers: we were right.

Here are all of the announcements made during the Xbox Developer_Direct January 2026:

Forza Horizon 6

Revealed with a teaser trailer back in September, Forza Horizon 6 is taking the festival vibes to Japan. Between the country’s amazing car culture and unique aesthetic, it’s a location that’s practically been begging for a Horizon game for years. This deep dive confirmed that Horizon 6’s open world will be the biggest seen in the series to date, with Tokyo offering a dense metropolitan location, with the surrounding areas bringing a mix of rural beauty and winding mountainous roads. Players will start off as a tourist visiting Japan, who must compete in qualifying challenges to earn a spot in the travelling festival, before racing, drifting, and collecting the 550 cars on offer on launch. Customisable garages, improvements to car audio, and various new challenge types are but a few of the new additions to come with Horizon 6, but the main attraction really is that setting. So, if you’re keen to head to Japan and burn some rubber, you’ll only need to wait a bit longer, as Horizon 6 is locked in for a May 19 release date for Xbox Series X|S and PC. It was also noted that the PS5 version would drop later this year.

Beast of Reincarnation

It’s still a little wild to think that Beast of Reincarnation is coming to us from Game Freak, the long-running team behind many of the Pokémon games, but here we are. We’ve seen snippets before, but this is our first proper look at the action game, set in Japan in the year 4026. In this post-apocalyptic world, you play as Emma, a woman affected by something referred to as the Blight. This has destroyed her memories, but gives her the ability to control plant life, which ain’t a bad trade. Together with her wolf companion, Koo, she sets out to eliminate malevolent beings known as Malefacts. The gameplay is shown to be fast and flashy, with Emma facing off against enemies that dwarf her. We are also shown an ability to slow down time with the help of Koo, letting players choose skills and actions like a turn-based RPG. There are still a few unanswered questions, like when the game will actually be released, but it’s looking good so far. We were told at the end of the presentation that Beast of Reincarnation is expected to launch in the winter of this year on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

Kiln

The tradition continues. The secret game announcement was up next, and this time, we turned our attention to Double Fine Productions. Coming off the back of puzzle platformer Keeper, the creators of quirky little games announced Kiln, an eight-player party brawler where you create your own ceramic character to take into battle. One half of the game sees you creating a cute little pot guy, complete with handles, spouts, glazes, and stickers, while the other half sees you and three teammates try to extinguish your enemy’s kiln while protecting your own. Weird. Cute. Double Fine. There looks to be plenty of nuance in creating your pot, as different shapes and sizes can hold more water, use different abilities, and move through the environments in different ways. Alltogether, it looks like a fun little game to play with mates, and the actual pottery portion looks like a character creator’s dream. This one is bound for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC in Autumn this year.

Fable

This was always going to be the big ticket item. Right out of the gate, no, we didn’t get a release date. I’m sorry.

What we did get, however, was a fairly extensive look at what Playground Games is bringing back from the original Fable series, and what it looks to add. Character customisation is here for those who have weird issues with the design shown in previous trailers. Starting the game as a child, before being thrust into action thanks to a nasty case of “everyone you love is stone now,” you’ll explore Albion and its various locations. From swamps and forests to sprawling cities, the biomes shown here were impressively detailed and pretty nice on the eyes. Morality is back, but with a greater focus on the grey areas between the black and white. Every decision you make will affect your standings with the people of Albion in a non-binary way. Speaking of which, the devs explained that every NPC in the game will be named, have their own daily routines, and be interactable with the player character. How deep that system goes is yet to be seen, but it’s a lofty approach that could pay off if executed correctly. Combat is a mix of melee, ranged, and magical options, while extracurricular activities like home ownership and starting a family in a comfortable financial situation are possible, making it a true fantasy game. It looks very Fable, and it looks promising, but we didn’t get any extended gameplay sequences, so we will stay cautiously optimistic for now. Wildly, it was confirmed to be releasing on PS5, alongside Xbox Series X|S and PC, in Spring of 2026.

Honestly, the Developer_Direct showcases are always worth a watch, so I encourage you to make a second coffee, ignore your work, and sit down for an hour to give the full presentation its due.

You can watch the Xbox Developer_Direct January 2026 showcase here:

What was your highlight from this Developer_Direct? Let us know in the comments or on our social media.