First gaming show of the year, and Microsoft had the difficult task of exciting us for the upcoming months. The template was known from the previous years. Four titles with trailers, explanations and presentations from the developers, and release dates for some of the games. However, for me, something was missing, and overall, the showcase wasn’t what I had hoped for. Let’s see analytically which games Microsoft decided to show us.
- Forza Horizon 6
The next instalment of the best arcade racing game in the industry right now. Playground hit the jackpot with the Forza Horizon series, and it deserves it, since each game the company releases is better than the previous one. The new game takes place in Japan, a setting that many fans have been waiting for a long time. And to be fair, Japan’s culture is something that I believe fits perfectly in an open-world racing game. The trailer looks fantastic, the graphics are insane, and the environmental elements give the title an incredible sense of atmosphere. However, I am not so excited, and I will explain why. I liked Forza Horizon 5 very much at first. But as I continued to progress through the game, I started losing my interest for two reasons. The first one is that the game feels like an MMO, and the second one is that it’s very colourful, happy, lighthearted and practically a theme park for car races. I wish Forza Horizon 6 won’t be like that, and have a single player, more serious story. I don’t think so, but I can only hope. The game comes out on 19th May 2026, for Xbox Series X/S and PC, day one in Game Pass and probably, later in the year, for PS5 consoles.
- Beast of Reincarnation
Game Freak is best known for the Pokémon series on Nintendo consoles, but now they decided to try something else. Beast of Reincarnation was announced a couple of months ago, and in the Xbox Developer Direct, we learned some new things about the upcoming title. The “one-person, one-dog action RPG”, as it is described by the developers, will come out in Summer 2026 on Xbox Series X/S, PC and PS5. I think it has some good vibes and looks interesting. But I have more anticipation for other similar games that come out this year, like Phantom Blade Zero. Nevertheless, I might check it for free since this title will also be available in Game Pass day one.
- Kiln
The third game was the most indifferent for me. Kiln comes from the Double Fine Productions, creators of Psychonauts, Keeper, the legendary Brutal Legend, and many more. The development studio, led by the veteran Tim Schafer, wants to try an online multiplayer game approach this time. What is the catch? Pottery. Yes, you read right. You can make your own pottery creations before smashing them on your opponents’ heads. Even though it might seem fun and quite original, mmo’s are not my thing and online gaming in general. Skip.
- Fable
Last game in the show was one of the most anticipated games from the X360 era. Finally, we got a deep dive into the new Fable game, developed also by Playground Games. Fable has a lot of history behind its name, as the original trilogy is remembered as one of the best fairytale stories of all time. The choices in the game will be plenty, the interactions with any NPC will be unique and battling enemies combine melee and magical attacks. All that you expect and even more from a fantasy open-world action-RPG. In addition, great graphics and magical environments complete the puzzle. But for me, that wasn’t enough. I have tried the old Fable games in their time, but they weren’t my thing. Too much of a fairytale for me. The new Fable comes out in Autumn 2026, on Xbox Series X/S, Steam, PS5 and of course, day one in Game Pass.
To conclude, among these four games that were presented on the show, only Forza Horizon 6 has hyped me, and with scepticism. So, the Xbox Developer Direct had me disappointed in a way. The one thing that could have saved my interest in the show was Gears of War: E-Day, also to be released in 2026. Maybe Microsoft keeps some secrets for this year down the line, but I wanted to see a glimpse of Marcus Phoenix in his prime, cutting down locusts.
You can watch the full show in the following video:
