With its twenty fifth anniversary on the horizon, Xbox is hoping to have a method higher 2026 than it did in 2025, and a technique it may possibly do that’s by dropping some good video games, and based mostly on this newest Developer_Direct, they’re positively cooking.
Thursday, Jan. 22, group inexperienced kicked off the brand new 12 months with its first of what is going to most likely be many Developer_Direct shows, which provides a deep look into the video games presently in growth at studios below the Xbox banner.
For this version, we received our first have a look at gameplay from Playground Studios’ Forza Horizon 6, Fable, Beasts of Reincarnation from Pokémon creator Sport Freak, and Kiln, a novel get together recreation from Double Wonderful, which was a shock announcement, however sadly, we didn’t get a shadow drop.
So let’s dive into the presentation.
Forza Horizon 6
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The extreme, enjoyable racing motion that the Forza Horizon franchise has change into finest recognized for shifts to Japan within the sixth installment of the racing online game franchise.
The UK studio, Playground Video games, revealed that gamers will begin as a vacationer earlier than conducting their first aim of becoming a member of the Horizon automotive racing competition, and from there, you construct your profession whereas unlocking different areas.
Playground fortunately revealed that Japan would be the largest map that followers of the collection will expertise, promising to ship an correct illustration of Japan, a product of its partnership with consultants.
The builders even visited Japan to get reference materials.
At launch, Forza Horizon will characteristic 550 automobiles, supplying you with a better-balanced roster of playing cards and new cosmetics.
As in earlier Forza Horizon video games, gamers will discover homes with customizable garages. What’s new in Forza Horizon 6 are Estates, which Playground describes as flat areas of traces the place gamers can construct something they need utilizing in-game credit.
Pals may also go to your property to take a look at what you will have constructed.
Forza Horizon 6 launches on Could 19 for Xbox Collection X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Steam, and with Sport Move Final.
It involves PlayStation later in 2026.
To be taught extra about Forza Horizon 6, head right here.
Beast of Reincarnation
Following Forza Horizon 6 was Beast of Reincarnation, the brand new motion RPG from Pokémon developer Sport Freak.
Beast of Reincarnation, directed by Kota Furushima, is a large pivot from the monster amassing video games the studio has change into well-known for.
Within the recreation, gamers tackle the function of Emma the Sealer, who’s affected by the blight, granting her the flexibility to govern crops, and her canine companion, Koo, as they embark on a journey via post-apocalyptic Japan to save lots of what’s left of humanity from extinction.
Beast of Reincarnation is due out summer time 2026 on Xbox Collection X and S, PC, and PlayStation. It’s going to aslo launch day on Xbox Sport Move.
To be taught extra in regards to the recreation, head right here.
Kiln
Double Wonderful Productions isn’t performed blessing us with bizarre, however very distinctive video video games. Kiln was a shock announcement in the course of the Developer_Direct.
Launched by studio head, Tim Schafer, he revealed within the recreation that gamers can wanting ahead to creating others in addition to destroying all the things.
Kiln is described as an internet multiplayer “pottery” get together brawler through which gamers take management of quite a lot of pots that may be created on the in-game potter’s wheel.
Double Wonderful first talked in regards to the recreation in 2017, so this was the studio’s alternative to reintroduce it to the world and present how far they’ve come since then. We should say it does appear like it’s going to be plenty of Wonderful.
Now, does it have endurance? That continues to be to be seen.
Kiln launches in spring 2026 on Xbox Collection X and S, PlayStation 5, and PC. Double Wonderful is promising to replace the sport following its launch and likewise revealed a closed beta is on the way in which.
To be taught extra about Kiln head right here.
Fable
Playground Video games wasn’t performed, and saved the very best for final with its extremely anticipated Fable recreation. The studio has enlisted a brand new group to hold on the work of the shuttered Lionhead Studios to get its reboot of Fable over the end line.
Within the recreation, your journey begins as a baby who grows up in a sleepy rural village, earlier than you embark on an journey as Albion’s first hero in a era.
Playground reveals that its first RPG will probably be a real open-world expertise as a result of, when the sport begins, there will probably be no space you can not attain.
We additionally received to see character customization, fight, and chicken-kicking. Relating to fight, gamers could have a spread of melee and ranged assaults, plus highly effective magic spells.
It wouldn’t be a Fable recreation when you couldn’t do issues like purchase a home, get married, get a job, or make cash, and fortunately, Playground Video games received all of that in its reboot.
Playground Video games was additionally glad to announce that the sport will characteristic a “dwelling inhabitants” of 1,000 NPCs who go about their every day lives.
Playground claims you communicate with all the fully-voiced NPCs, provide them jobs in your online business, and evict them as a landlord.
As a part of the sport’s new repute system, they may even type opinions on you after seeing the way you carry your self all through city, so be cautious about kicking too many chickens. Your selections may even change the world of Albion for the remainder of your playthrough.
Fable is due out on Xbox Collection X and S, PC, and PlayStation 5 in autumn 2026.
To be taught extra in regards to the recreation, head right here.
