Forza Horizon 6

Forza Horizon 6 looks set to continue Playground Games’ mastery of open-world racing, building on one of the most consistently polished franchises in the genre. Set against the gorgeous backdrop of Japan, Forza Horizon 6 takes players across an even more dynamic map, deeper seasonal systems, and expanded social features – and of course, plenty of race events. With stunning visuals and an ever-growing roster of cars, Forza Horizon 6 feels like a dream of motorheads come true.

Arknights: Endfield

Arknights: Endfield represents a major shift for the franchise, expanding its tower-defense roots into a full-fledged action RPG. Real-time combat, squad-based mechanics, and large-scale environments are just a few highlights of the experience, but there’s a lot more to get excited about as well. Despite the stark change, the game retains its distinctive art style and emphasis on world-building. Arknights: Endfield already received great critical and commercial reception on PC, and it is definitely worth checking out.

Even more so when game director Chad Moore, who previously worked on Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura, tells Game Informer that the studio is “very focused on making sure the game responds to player choices in a natural way. We want every choice to lead to moments that feel personal, surprising, and true to the story they’re shaping.”

In Clockwork Revolution, you venture through the steampunk-esque city of Avalon, where the upper echelon has access to time travel. You can thus imagine that things shake up extensively when protagonist Morgan Vanette has the same technology, allowing the player to reshape the city as they see fit. Moore notes that the studio wanted these shifts to “feel intuitive, immersive, and uniquely theirs.”

“The biggest thing for us is the depth of the visual reactivity. When you go back in time in Clockwork Revolution and change something, you’re not just opening a new branch; you’re coming back to a present that’s been physically reshaped around those choices. Avalon has been handcrafted to reflect those changes in ways that feel surprising and earned. It reacts to what you’ve done in ways that you just don’t see in many other games,” said Moore.

It’s a stunning proposition, especially considering how there are numerous factions to deal with, each with a unique agenda (and perhaps leveraging Vanette’s time-traveling capabilities). The decisions could run as deep as Wasteland 3, the studio’s previous masterpiece, but considering the increased budget and scale, Clockwork Revolution could surprise us.

Of course, those same factors may also be a reason why there’s no release date, even with a former writer indicating a launch this year. Nevertheless, with Xbox potentially exploring another Developer_Direct and other showcases planned for this year, it wouldn’t be surprising if the time-traveling misadventures of Vanette resurface at some point.

Speaking to GamesRadar+, he noted that the goal was to bring “the level of reactivity from our isometric titles into something first-person.” And while some have noticed similarities to Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (RIP the remake) and Dishonored, Fargo and his team actually just wanted to make a steampunk role-playing game.

“I can see why people make those connections. Any time you’re playing with time mechanics, Sands of Time is going to come up. And we did hire one of the key artists from Dishonored, so that aesthetic influence is real. We seem to be striking a lot of different chords, which I’ll take as a compliment because they are wonderful games. But the actual genesis of Clockwork Revolution was far simpler: we wanted to make a steampunk RPG.”

Considering several other Interplay developers went on to make Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura, it warms my heart to see inXile and Fargo taking their own swing at the concept. And if you needed any further proof of their commitment to the genre, which he believes “hasn’t been well-represented in role-playing games,” the studio actually hired “several key people” involved in Troika’s cult classic, namely game director Chad Moore and principal designer Jason Anderson.

“Steampunk is in their DNA,” said Fargo “If players are picking up vibes from Dishonored or Prince of Persia along the way, we’re in good company, but we’re aiming for Clockwork Revolution to be its own definition for time travel and reactivity.”

Clockwork Revolution doesn’t have a release date, but rumors claim it could launch sometime this year for Xbox Series X/S and PC. Players venture through the clockwork city of Avalon, with time-travel employed by Lady Ironwood to ensure the upper class stays on top. As Morgan Vanette, you’ll get to make your own decision that influences the present in various ways, whether good, bad or somewhere in between.

But what are they up to, and are their offerings going to be enough to either go toe to toe with the PS5, or, at the very least, gather enough momentum to attempt reversing the two consoles’ fading fortunes? We’re here to help answer those questions.

Join us as we take a look at what Xbox Game Studios is cooking up for a year that’s shaping up to be just as good as the one before it on the gaming front. It’s also a big year as the Xbox turns 25, and as such, there’s going to be a lot to be excited about if you’ve been a fan over the years. Let’s get started.

The Coalition

The studio behind the Gears of War franchise is all set to take the meta-narrative it has established over the years back to its roots, bringing back Marcus and Dom to the stage for a prequel that has fans excited to learn more about the gruff soldier’s turbulent relationship with his superiors and the events that led to the Locusts rising as a threat to his world in Gears of War: E-Day.

In a look back at the year it had at 2025, which featured studio heads discussing future projects, Mike Crump (who heads The Coalition) was pretty excited to assert that E-Day is the franchise’s “most ambitious title yet”, and confirmed that it was on track to release later this year with Polish studio People Can Fly joining the studio to lend a helping hand.

We’re going to be watching out with very sharp eyes for a release date announcement, and we’re sure that those among you who love Gears of War share our enthusiasm.

Compulsion Games

The South of Midnight developer has been basking in the success of the title, expressing gratitude for its excellent reception and confirming that a new project is already in the works. It has been stated that the lessons it picked up from developing South of Midnight have allowed it to grow and mature as a studio, and that this new project is going to reflect those learnings to be a game that is made to impress.

However, the studio is likely to focus on the multiplatform release for South of Midnight over this year, and its new project is likely not going to surface in 2026.

Double Fine

The studio has been relatively silent since the release of Keeper last year, and with little to no news about its next project surfacing in the months that followed, we can only guess that the team behind a very unique game is getting some well-deserved rest while they put down ideas for their next big thing on the drawing board.

That’s not to say we may not hear from the studio over the course of the year, though, and we’re hoping for more unique ideas, given its last project was a game with no dialogue that still managed to keep us glued to our screens.

Halo Studios

It looks like Halo is taking the Gears of War route this year, with Halo Studios all set to release Halo: Campaign Evolved sometime this year for the PS5, PC, and Xbox. A remake of a timeless classic, the new game is slated to bring several improvements to the original’s gameplay loop, such as the ability to hijack vehicles, weapon zooming, a redesign for the Warthog, up to 4-player online coop and 2-player couch coop, and so much more.

The visuals are also getting a leg up with Unreal Engine 5 powering the experience. The game’s iconic multiplayer being given a pass is a bummer, though. However, getting to see the campaign in a whole new light is something we’re definitely excited about. The bonus missions that act as a prequel are another nice touch that we’re curious about.

InXile Entertainment

We’ve been looking forward to Clockwork Revolution ever since this title was announced by inXile back in 2023. With a solid look into how the game works last year, and rumors that it could be slated for release this year, which must be taken with a pinch of salt, this is definitely one to watch out for.

If you’re unfamiliar with the game, it brings a very interesting premise with some time-travel shenanigans that pits you against a manipulative antagonist and her quest to consolidate power with a customizable protagonist. It’s quite impressive, and we hope the rumors that it’s making its way to our screens later this year are true, although we’re only carefully optimistic on that front.

Mojang Studios

There’s a lot to be excited about if you’re into Minecraft, as Mojang is bringing eight new baby farm mobs to the game, replete with visual changes that make them quite adorable indeed. However, the drop is still in its testing phase, and you might have to wait a while for an official release announcement, depending on how things progress.

However, that’s still good news, and we’ll be sure to have an update for you as soon as we can confirm any changes to the status quo.

Ninja Theory

The studio behind Hellblade is reportedly working on a new title that’s focused on being more interactive and action-oriented than its past offerings while sustaining the cinematic quality that it is now known for, as per Windows Central’s Jez Corden.

While there is speculation that the new title could be Hellblade 3, it could very well be a new IP. Either way, it’s likely that 2026 might be a quiet year for Ninja Theory, but that could very well change in the coming months.

Obsidian Entertainment

There are reportedly four new projects in development, along with speculations that a remake of Fallout: New Vegas in the vein of last year’s Oblivion is likely coming this year. However, that remains currently unconfirmed, so hopefully this month’s Xbox Direct may bring news on that front.

But if you happen to miss it, fret not, since we’re definitely going to have your back on that one!

Playground Games

The long-standing staple of Xbox Game Studios is going to be front and center at the Developer_Direct event, with both Fable and Forza Horizon 6 slated to make an appearance in what is shaping up to be a big year for the studio.

With no gameplay currently available for both titles, we’re quite certain that we’ll be getting quite a close look at what each of them is bringing to the table. While Fable is poised to be a reboot of the franchise, aimed at modernizing it for a new generation of players, Forza Horizon 6 is going to take you to Japan this time around, with a map that’s touted to be the biggest one yet in the franchise and a lot to look forward to in it.

We expect a release date announcement later this month, although that could take a little longer. Both games are currently slated for a 2026 release, though.

Rare

While the cancellation of Everwild is sure to have been a blow to the Sea of Thieves developer, the appointment of Lousie O’ Connor as the Chief of Staff for Xbox Game Studios might help with dealing with that loss and the layoffs that affected the studio.

It’s looking like a quiet year that’s going to be spent figuring out a way forward for the studio; however, we’re hopeful that we at least get a hint at what it aims to do next.

Turn 10 Studios

The studio behind Forza Motorsport is going to stop updates to its flagship title in order to help Playground Games with Forza Horizon 6. While that news is bittersweet, we’re still happy that the studio has managed to survive the turbulence of last year and come out on top.

Who knows, we might even get news of a new project a little later down the line. But for now, it’s looking like a relatively quiet year for this one.

Undead Labs

We’re still waiting on news about State of Decay 3 after Undead Labs posted that very cryptic teaser ahead of the 2025 edition of Summer Games Fest. However, things have been very quiet on that front, and the studio’s layoffs from last year have us a tad worried about the title’s current status.

We’re still holding out hope, however, and would be delighted to hear some good news at Developer_Direct later this month. Fingers crossed, we’d say.

World’s Edge

The studio’s job postings from last year fuelled a lot of speculation that it was taking a more hands-on approach to Age of Empires, and that an Unreal Engine-powered new addition to the franchise was in the works. And while nothing is confirmed at this moment, that could very well change later this year.

It would make sense for the studio to bring out a new title in its flagship franchise, and you can bet that we’d be very happy to hear about it over the course of this year. Once again, we’re going to advise cautious optimism, but one can always hope, right?

And that’s a wrap on all of the big releases and potential announcements from Xbox Game Studios as it gears up for a year that’s quite the landmark for the iconic console. We can’t wait to get our hands on all of the titles that are coming our way, and hope to join you as we enjoy a year of great games from these talented studios.

Fargo, who previously worked at Interplay and worked on a variety of classic RPGs like 1985’s The Bard’s Tale, as well as critically-acclaimed titles like Wasteland and even Fallout and Fallout 2. The fact that Fargo said, “Well, I can tell you this is the most complex game I have ever worked on,” sets quite a few expectations for Clockwork Revolution. He went on to note that this complexity comes from a host of things, from character creation to the reactivity of the story, and even the world itself.

“Between the character creation that really matters, the reactivity, and, if you’ve seen the trailer, you’ve seen how gritty and how our dark humor really shines through,” he said. “And, to think, we’ve only shown a tiny glimpse of the world, the mechanics, and the wild characters you’re gonna meet.”

Moore went on to talk about how much more reactive Clockwork Revolution will be when compared to other titles, mostly because of the game’s reactivity. This, he noted, also meant that the studio was making things harder for itself, since the title will also allow players to travel back in time and rewrite history, allowing them to face brand new consequences in the future.

“We’re making it way more complicated for ourselves by taking visual reactivity to an entirely new level, letting players go to the past and then rewrite history through their choices in the game,” Moore said.

An example of this complexity was discussed by Fargo back in June when he spoke about the game’s take on player choices and their consequences, as well as how the multi-character conversations in the game would work.

“It was important for us to speak directly to core roleplaying fans and show what this game really is,” said Fargo. “We slow things down for a moment, let the conversation breathe, and show the systems at work. That scene with Alfie isn’t just dramatic, it sets the tone. This is a game that can be brutal. Not just in combat, but in the choices you make and how the world responds. It’s not just about cinematics, it’s about the kind of deep, reactive RPG we love to build, and that our players expect.”

Moore also spoke about conversations with multiple characters involved, and how this affects the overall writing of the game. He noted that, since there are more characters it play, this means that the conversation can end up in an entirely different place than where it began.

Clockwork Revolution is in development for PC and Xbox Series X/S. While it doesn’t yet have a release date, a recent rumour indicates that it will come out some time in 2026.

Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag Remake Announcement

By now, there’s been so much reported about this remake that we’d be more surprised if the developer didn’t officially announce it. Given that it’s apparently out in March – and is supposedly that “unannounced title” listed for release this fiscal year – what bigger stage could the developer possibly have in that time frame?

The Ascent Developer’s Next Game

Over four years is a long time for any developer’s next game, especially since Neon Giant was acquired by Krafton in 2022 and confirmed as working on an open-world first-person shooter. Now, it’s officially set to reveal what’s next, teasing that “Nothing is off limits.” Is this the same title or something new? What does the adorable cat graffiti have to do with anything? We’ll find out soon enough.

Control: Resonant

Based on a recently discovered trademark in Europe, this sounds about as close to a sequel as anything. Could it be film or TV related, especially since it has that agreement with Annapurna Pictures? Probably, but after FBC: Firebreak flopping and its CEO stepping down, a sequel announcement could be exactly what’s needed to re-ignite interest.

Pragmata Release Date

As one of the many releases in 2026 (four, if the rumored Dead Rising 5 gets announced), Pragmata seems due for a release date, especially after all the delays. But there’s actually a far more realistic reason why – it was recently rated by the GRAC in South Korea.

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach PC Port

Speaking of age ratings boards playing spoiler, Kojima Productions’ latest title is seemingly heading to PC, according to the ESRB (who rated it “M” for Mature 17+ – shocking, I know). Considering director Hideo Kojima’s long history with the awards (and friendship with host Geoff Keighley), this seems almost guaranteed for an announcement. When it will be released is a different matter, but given the original’s gap, an early 2026 launch isn’t impossible.

Resident Evil Requiem Reveals Leon

It has already been confirmed that Requiem will be showing up at the event. So what better way to finally reveal the long-rumored Leon S. Kennedy? Even if it keeps that surprise until the game’s release, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a new gameplay trailer with Leon in combat.

Onimusha: Way of the Sword Release Date Announcement

With Requiem due in February and Pragmata potentially in April/May of next year, why shouldn’t Miyamoto Musashi lay claim to July or August? Thus far, Capcom has showcased extensive gameplay, and it’s looked pretty well-polished, so the Summer window would be more due to spacing out its releases than anything else.

The Duskbloods

It’s The Game Awards. It’s FromSoftware. An announcement of some kind is almost guaranteed (at least going by the past several years). With The Duskbloods serving as its next major release, it would certainly make sense to see some new gameplay, maybe even a release window.

Jurassic Park Survival Update

While Saber Interactive has provided some recent updates, it’s been three years since this was announced (at The Game Awards, no less). Perhaps all those trailers were subtly leading to this big announcement at this year’s show. Maybe John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando gets shadow-dropped instead. Either way, we’ll find out where Jurassic Park stands in terms of its development progress.

Star Wars Jedi 3 or Knights of the Old Republic – Remake

Fresh off the Twitter feed from insider Kurakasis, a “big Star Wars announcement” is allegedly coming “very soon.” He even clarified that it’s not for Star Wars: Eclipse or Zero Company. What other titles would that leave aside from the next title in the Star Wars Jedi series or Saber Interactive’s long-delayed Knights of the Republic – Remake? Nothing says they can’t be announced before the show, but either is plausible.

Project: Robot

Can you believe it’s been five years since genDesign signed its publishing deal with Epic Games for its next title? This doesn’t mean Fumito Ueda’s Project: Robot, teased at last year’s show, has been in the works for that long, but The Last Guardian was released almost nine years ago. If it’s time for an update, then there’s no better place.

Clockwork Revolution

This one is interesting for several reasons, starting with the extensive gameplay reveal at this year’s Xbox Games Showcase. Tightly-paced, fairly well-polished – seems about right for a release in 2026, right? Microsoft’s crowded schedule would have you thinking otherwise, but the LinkedIn profile for Nathan Long, who worked as a senior writer and narrative designer, lists it for next year. Given he was involved as of last October, perhaps there’s a chance, however slim, that we see it at the show (and a release date announcement wouldn’t hurt either).

Crimson Desert

While not officially confirmed as of now, the open-world action RPG seems like a no-brainer to appear. A new gameplay trailer, is possible. Since it’s a regular at Keighley’s shows and is only a few months away, there’s no reason for the developer not to get the marketing train rolling.

Silent Hill 2: Born from a Wish Announcement

Silent Hill 2 remake is now on Xbox Series X/S, and Return to Silent Hill is on track for next month. Surely this is the time that Bloober Team reveals the long-rumored Born from a Wish DLC, as insider Dusk Golem has claimed for some time…right? It’s honestly hard to say at this point, given the sheer number of times it hasn’t happened, but we’re still holding out hope.

Whatever That Statue is

By now, Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier has confirmed that this mysterious status isn’t related to Diablo 4’s next expansion or The Elder Scrolls 6. So, unless Gordon Freeman ventures to a strange, medieval fantasy-like dimension in Half-Life 3, or Hasbro announces Baldur’s Gate 4, or FromSoft announces Elden Ring 2, it’s anyone’s guess what this could be.

Possible Appearances

Silent Hill 1 remake may seem like a long shot, but if rumors about development starting about three years ago are true, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a teaser. Silent Hill: Townfall may also finally emerge from the fog to announce a release date, especially after a retailer listing indicated a launch in March.

Clockwork Revolution may not be the only title that Microsoft brings to the show. It may very well have something Fable-related, if only to assuage concerns about its progress. Gears of War: E-Day is probably a safer bet, since we’ve seen nothing on it since June 2024, but Microsoft could be saving that for its next Developer_Direct. There’s always that rumored Starfield PS5 port and the second expansion, especially given recent teases for the latter.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see 007 First Light receive some stunning new gameplay (again, it’s only a few months out from release), but otherwise, the rest of the show is really anyone’s guess. What do you think could appear? Sound off in the comments.

Clockwork Revolution was announced all the way back in June 2023, and since then, while inXile Entertainment has been releasing trailers and revealing details about the RPG, a release window has not yet been confirmed. The title was also originally announced as coming to PC and Xbox Series X/S, but considering Microsoft’s more recent moves, it will also likely end up coming to PS5.

Back in June, game director Chad Moore and studio founder Brian Fargo had spoken about the conversation systems in Clockwork Revolution, and how its multi-person conversations, as well as the choices that players will have to make and their consequences will help tell the storytelling in the upcoming RPG.

“It was important for us to speak directly to core roleplaying fans and show what this game really is,” said Fargo. “We slow things down for a moment, let the conversation breathe, and show the systems at work. That scene with Alfie isn’t just dramatic, it sets the tone. This is a game that can be brutal. Not just in combat, but in the choices you make and how the world responds. It’s not just about cinematics, it’s about the kind of deep, reactive RPG we love to build, and that our players expect.”

“It also highlights our multi-person conversations,” explained Moore. “Some conversations will have multiple people involved, and who you choose to speak to can send you down different dialogue branches. This can wildly change where a conversation ends up going. In the case of the trailer, Morgan chose to speak to Errol instead of Alfie, despite obvious warnings, and that resulted in poor Errol’s death. So, if you choose to go down that path, Errol is then a character that won’t be in the rest of the game.”

“Conversations have meaningful consequences, and I think it’s worth mentioning we have truly evil conversation options,” continued Fargo, following up on Moore’s points. “You see a few of those play out in the trailer. If you’re offering evil options, they need to actually pay off and have meaningful consequences in order for the good choices to feel good. Otherwise, you’re not truly playing the way you want to play.”

Clockwork Revolution had also gotten a trailer earlier this month that showcased the clockpunk setting of the game, as well as its striking environmental and character designs. Along with this, we also got our first look at the game’s character creator, customisation options, and even the kinds of dialogue choices that players will get to make.

June also saw inXile Entertainment releasing a video celebrating the studio’s 20th anniversary and its storied past of having worked with games like the Wasteland series and Torment: Tides of Numenera, among others.

“That Kickstarter campaign was a Hail Mary pass to allow us to go back to making the kind of role-playing games we wanted to and eventually being part of Microsoft,” wrote Fargo on social media platform X, referring to the Kickstarter campaign for Wasteland 2. “That culminated into Clockwork Revolution.”

The video, which you can check out below, offers us a 20-minute look at the studio’s history, featuring several developers that work for the studio talking about their time having worked on games like Wasteland 2, and Torment: Tides of Numenera. The video also included Fargo talking about his time in the gaming industry back when he founded Interplay in 1983.

“We figured out we were able to pitch the games we want to make instead of pitching the game you know you can sell, which is a much more fun place to be,” said inXile co-founder Matt Findley in the video.

Studio president Chris Keenan also spoke about how the decision to go with a Kickstarter campaign to fund Wasteland 2 came about, recalling a story about a conversation he had with Fargo.

“Brian had a conversation with me at one point,” recalled Keenan. “[He] said, ‘Hey listen. We’re going to give this Kickstarter a try with Wasteland 2. I’m going to personally fund you out of my pocket for the next couple months […] if it’s successful you can direct that game, if it’s not we shake hands and it’s been a great run.'”

The newest title by inXile, Clockwork Revolution, is currently in development for PC and Xbox Series X/S. The game recently got a new trailer during Xbox Games Showcase 2025, where we got a great look at the clockpunk aesthetics that the upcoming title is going for.

Fargo, along with game director Chad Moore, have revealed some details about Clockwork Revolution, including the emphasis on conversations, and how the studio wants to offer a deep reactive RPG to players rather than focusing on just cinematics.

“It was important for us to speak directly to core roleplaying fans and show what this game really is,” said Fargo. “We slow things down for a moment, let the conversation breathe, and show the systems at work. That scene with Alfie isn’t just dramatic, it sets the tone. This is a game that can be brutal. Not just in combat, but in the choices you make and how the world responds. It’s not just about cinematics, it’s about the kind of deep, reactive RPG we love to build, and that our players expect.”

Moore also revealed details about how the multi-person conversations in Clockwork Revolution will work, and how they will affect the storytelling and gameplay.

In the interview, Fargo and Moore both touched on their history with working on cult-classic RPGs like Arcanum: Of Steamworks & Magick Obscura, and how games like that also helped inXile’s works to also get critical acclaim. When it comes to Clockwork Revolution, however, the duo spoke about things like figuring out how to make use of slower pacing for dramatic effect, and how player choices will matter.

“It was important for us to speak directly to core roleplaying fans and show what this game really is,” said Fargo. “We slow things down for a moment, let the conversation breathe, and show the systems at work. That scene with Alfie isn’t just dramatic, it sets the tone. This is a game that can be brutal. Not just in combat, but in the choices you make and how the world responds. It’s not just about cinematics, it’s about the kind of deep, reactive RPG we love to build, and that our players expect.”

Moore spoke about the game’s take on multi-person conversations, which can often send players down entirely new dialogue choices depending on the characters involve. Using the example of Morgan, Errol and Alfie, he explained that the player’s decision can change how things turn out.

“It also highlights our multi-person conversations,” explained Moore. “Some conversations will have multiple people involved, and who you choose to speak to can send you down different dialogue branches. This can wildly change where a conversation ends up going. In the case of the trailer, Morgan chose to speak to Errol instead of Alfie, despite obvious warnings, and that resulted in poor Errol’s death. So, if you choose to go down that path, Errol is then a character that won’t be in the rest of the game.”

“Conversations have meaningful consequences, and I think it’s worth mentioning we have truly evil conversation options,” continued Fargo, following up on Moore’s points. “You see a few of those play out in the trailer. If you’re offering evil options, they need to actually pay off and have meaningful consequences in order for the good choices to feel good. Otherwise, you’re not truly playing the way you want to play.”

Clockwork Revolution got a new trailer during Xbox Games Showcase 2025 where we got a good look at the title’s clockpunk setting and environments. The trailer also showed off the character customisation options available both over the course of gameplay, as well as through the character creator. We also got to see combat, weapon customisation, and even the multi-person conversations that Moore and Fargo spoke about.

Clockwork Revolution doesn’t yet have a release date. The game is in development for PC and Xbox Series X/S.