If you’re keen on finding out what’s next on Xbox, you probably need to catch the 2026 Xbox Developer Direct. It’s scheduled to stream very soon, and several big-name games will be there.
Odds are there’s something in the Developer Direct you’re interested in, even if you aren’t an Xbox fan. Microsoft famously reveals plenty of multiplatform and PC games, so you might end up playing something from it eventually.
What Day Is The 2026 Xbox Developer Direct?
It’ll Nearly Close Out January
Microsoft has revealed that the 2026 Xbox Developer Direct will be held on January 22, 2026. That’s a Thursday, and it’ll be the company’s first major AAA showcase of 2026.
For reference, the last Sony State of Play was held on November 11 in Japan. The last Nintendo Direct was on November 12, specifically for the Super Mario Galaxy movie. Microsoft has a chance to wow its audience here with one of the first big streams of 2026.
You can watch the 2026 Xbox Developer Direct on Facebook, YouTube, or Twitch.
What Time Is The 2026 Xbox Developer Direct?
It’s Later Than Nintendo, But Earlier Than Sony
Interestingly, the 2026 Xbox Developer Direct will be held at the same time as last year, at 1PM ET on January 22, 2026. It’s expected to last nearly an hour.
For reference, the last Xbox Developer Direct ran for 52 minutes.
Every Game Confirmed For The 2026 Xbox Developer Direct
There Are A Few Heavy-Hitters
Microsoft has confirmed that we’ll see a minimum of three titles this year at the 2026 Xbox Developer Direct:
- Beast of Reincarnation
- Fable
- Forza Horizon 6
Beast of Reincarnation is a highly enigmatic AAA title from Game Freak, famous for the world-renowned Pokémon series. It’s an action RPG set 2000 years in the future, in 4026, and stars protagonist Emma and a dog named Koo.
Fable is one of Microsoft’s weirdest AAA games in recent memory, as it was announced in 2020. It took three years for it to even get a trailer, and we’ve barely seen anything from it since, in terms of cold, hard gameplay. Microsoft even insists that it’s still coming in 2026, and we could see a late-2026 release date from the stream.
Note that these particular shows aren’t necessarily indie Directs. Last year, we saw the following, which definitely goes into AAA territory:
- Doom: The Dark Ages
- South of Midnight
- Clair Obscur
- Ninja Gaiden 4
- Ninja Gaiden 2 Black
As far as wishlist items go, Halo fans are definitely going to want to know where the series stands, and what’s coming around the bend beyond the second remake of the original game.
If you’re an Xbox fan, you’ll want to watch the 2026 Xbox Developer Direct for multiple reasons. There’s bound to be at least one showstopping AAA reveal.
- Brand
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Xbox
- Original Release Date
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November 10, 2020
- Original MSRP (USD)
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Series X priced at US$499 and the Series S priced at US$299
- Weight
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9.8 lb
