Forza Horizon 6 to be showcased at Xbox Developer Direct 2026
Xbox is hosting a new Developer Direct event on January 22nd
2026 is the 25th anniversary year of Xbox, and Microsoft is starting the year with a new “Xbox Developer Direct” event. This event will be live-streamed on January 22nd and will showcase news and gameplay for some of the company’s biggest 2026 releases. This will include Fable and Forza Horizon 6. Additionally, Xbox is travelling to Japan to visit Game Freak and have a look at Beast of Reincarnation. Note that Game Freak is the developer behind the Pokemon franchise. However, Beast of Reincarnation is not being published by Nintendo.
On January 22nd, Xbox Developer Direct 2026 will be streamed at 6 PM GMT.
2026 is going to be an incredible year for Xbox players – you might even call it a… fabled year. To celebrate, we’re kicking it off with the fourth installment of our Developer_Direct broadcast on January 22, bringing you news, new gameplay, and insights directly from the incredible teams working on titles coming this year.
Presented by the game creators themselves, Developer_Direct will once again give you an inside look at not just the games, but the studios working to bring them to life. Fittingly for Xbox’s 25th anniversary year, that includes the return of some of our most legendary franchises, which rub shoulders with a brand new title from one of Japan’s most beloved studios.
The show includes not one but two titles from Playground Games, with the UK studio bringing us a first extended look at Fable, as well as the debut of gameplay for Forza Horizon 6. We’ll also be taking a trip to Tokyo to visit the legendary Game Freak, offering a first in-depth look at Beast of Reincarnation, which we revealed at Xbox Games Showcase last year.
– Xbox
Rumour has it that Xbox plans to showcase a “hidden” 4th game at this year’s developer direct. This game is reportedly a “smaller” first-party title from Xbox Games Studios. Unveiling a “secret” game at an Xbox event is a common practice for Xbox. Last year’s Developer Direct had several Ninja Gaiden reveals. Hi-Fi Rush was unveiled and released at Xbox’s 2023 Developer Direct event.
If I were to guess, Microsoft will start to tease a “secret” 4th game closer to its Developer Direct streaming date. This will generate more interest in the event as it approaches. Regardless, we can expect gameplay and developer deep dives into Fable and Forza Horizon 6, both of which are launching in 2026.
You can tune in at 10am Pacific / 1pm Eastern / 6pm UK on January 22 to see all the latest on:
Fable – Playground Games welcomes players back to the fairytale land of Albion, with the first in-depth look at Fable – one of 2026’s most anticipated titles. Devs from the Playground team will unveil the magic and mischief that awaits players in this fresh new beginning for the franchise, including a first look at some stunning new gameplay. Of course, the core themes of Fable will all be there – choice, consequence, drama, action, British humor and (of course) chickens, all reimagined for existing fans and new players alike.
Forza Horizon 6 – The Forza team from Playground Games will share a deep-dive on the much-anticipated Forza Horizon 6 as the open world racer takes players to the beautiful and contrasting landscapes of Japan. The segment will deep-dive into a very first look at gameplay, including reveals of new features – and how Japan comes to life in this stunning new installment.
Beast of Reincarnation – Join us as we delve into Game Freak’s intense one-person, one-dog action RPG. For the first time, Game Freak will reveal details of our protagonist Emma’s innovative plant manipulation actions and gameplay with her canine companion, Koo. In Beast of Reincarnation, a profound and dangerous world unfolds in post-apocalyptic Japan. Discover the development secrets behind its creation in Developer_Direct.
– Xbox
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