Xbox Developer Direct Returns January 2026 With Playground Games in Spotlight

The Game Awards 2025 may have just wrapped, but Xbox fans already have another date to circle on their calendars.

Image: Xbox Developer Direct

Microsoft has confirmed that a major Xbox Developer Direct showcase is coming in January 2026, promising a packed lineup after a relatively quiet showing at the awards.

While Blizzard revealed the next Diablo 4 expansion and South of Midnight was announced for PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2, there was no sign of heavy hitters like Fable, Forza, Gears of War, or Halo. That silence left fans wondering what’s next, but Microsoft’s president of game content and studios, Matt Booty, reassured audiences in an interview with Variety that big things are on the horizon.

“I can’t share exactly what’s there, but we’ve got a lot of stuff that we’re shipping next year. In fact, usually Dev Direct is about highlighting what’s coming up for the year ahead. This year, we’ve got more stuff coming up than we can fit in one show,” Booty said.

He added, “So I will tell you that Playground Games is going to be in the Dev Direct, but we’ll have more stuff next year to ship than we can fit into one Dev Direct show in January, which is a good place to be.”

Booty’s comments strongly suggest that Playground Games will showcase updates on Forza Horizon 6 and possibly the long-awaited Fable reboot. Beyond that, fans are hoping for new looks at Gears of War: E-Day and Halo: Campaign Evolved, both confirmed for 2026.

Booty mentioned that “It’s going to be a banner year for the brand and a banner year for some of our biggest franchises to show up across the industry.” So, we’re definitely expecting some major announcements.

2025’s January Developer Direct was held in the final week of the month and featured announcements like DOOM: The Dark Ages, South of Midnight, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Ninja Gaiden 4, and Ninja Gaiden 2 Black. If history repeats, January 2026 could deliver a similarly stacked lineup.