Jan 22, 2026
3 min read
Developer_Direct just brought us gameplay and information on Fable, Forza Horizon 6, Beast of Reincarnation, and Double Fine's surprise new game, Kiln.Find out everything you need to know inside.
Developer_Direct 2026 kicked off with new gameplay and developer previews of four upcoming Xbox games, which all gamers can enjoy this year.
The development team at Playground Games (which brought two games to the show), Game Freak and Double Fine off Fable, Forza Horizon 6, Beasts of Reincarnation, and a surprise announcement, Kiln.Kiln.Kiln.Kiln.Kiln.All with a new extended film, look behind the development curtain and, of course, information about when you will be able to play the games yourself.
All of the games on our list are Xbox Play Anywhere titles, which means that when you buy them from the Xbox or Windows Store, you can play them at no extra cost on your PC, Xbox console, or supported handheld — and you can pick up where you left off with all your saves, game add-ons, and achievements.
Here's a summary of everything we're bringing to Developer_Direct today:
Beast of Reincarnation – Summer 2026 release
Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere, Handheld Optimized, or play it on day one with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (see developer's website for other platforms)
Launching this summer and available on day one with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Beast Reborn promises an unforgettable blend of action, strategy and mystery.Game Freak has given us more details about Emma and her friend Koo's adventure in a terrifying, post-apocalyptic Japan.
We learn that Emma was infected with "corruption" - which took away her thoughts and feelings, but gave her the ability to control plants - and this led to her meeting Koo, a dog who became "corruption".Emma's position is hunting scavengers, but she formed a new relationship with Koo, who established her during a trip to Japan around 4026 AD.
Game Freak calls Beast of Reincarnation a "one-person, one-dog action RPG" and has created a unique combat system to match - Emma offers classic, fast-paced attacks in real-time, but Koo offers additional skills that can be accessed from a time-slowing menu like a turn-based RPG.This adds tactical complexity to the high-speed combat, creating a game that offers a completely different feel to other action titles - all three can be changed to your liking with difficulty settings.
You can learn more about the game's characters, combat, world, story, and dynamic pacing in our Xbox Wire article, and you can add the game to your wishlist before it launches this summer.
Fable - Launched in Fall 2026
Xbox Series X/S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Play Anywhere and start day one with Game Pass Ultimate - also available on PlayStation 5 and Steam
The Fable team at Playground Games took us to the fairy world of Albion for the first in-depth look at the studio's latest open-world action RPG, revealing that the game will arrive in autumn 2026. Developed by a dedicated team at the studio in the UK, Drylog Player Original Studio is set to deliver everything Drylog Player chooses. Intelligence and playful moral dilemmas – all reimagined as an unmistakable playground fora new generation of players.
During the show, we learned how your story in Albion begins, how character customization will work, learned more about the game's new take on Fable's morality system, and saw a brand new game that introduced combat - with old and new enemies - as well as the game's unique animal NPC population.Fable will be a fresh new start for this beloved franchise, coming to Xbox Series X/S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Steam, PlayStation 5 and Game Pass Ultimate in Fall 2026.
Check out our in-depth interview with Fable GM & Game Director Ralph Fulton here.
Forza Horizon 6 - Launches May 19, 2026
Serie Xbox
Forza Horizon 6 is speeding toward players in 2026, and the next installment in the Horizon series will drop on May 19 this year, Developer_Direct has announced.At Developer_Direct, the Forza team at Playground Games revealed the first game featuring the stunning Japanese landscape.At the front of the game is Land25, which features amazing vehicles.went up.Cruiser.
Forza Horizon 6 features the largest and most dense map of any Horizon game, full of verticals, different biomes, seasons and an amazing driving experience - all fueled by Japan's unique automotive culture.And just when you thought things couldn't get any better, the team gave an overview of the new features that players will enjoy as part of Forza Horizon 6 - including Custom Garages and Real Estate, an updated car roster (with 550 cars to collect and customize at launch), as well as a new co-op experience, Drag Meets and Horizon Time Attack Circuits.
For a detailed look at the new features of Forza Horizon 6, read our interview with design director Torben Ellert here.
Kiln – Launched in spring 2026
Xbox Series
We joined Double Fine at their pottery studio in San Francisco, California to learn more about Kiln, a fun multiplayer pottery brawler (say that ten times fast!) coming this spring.
Double Fine's new foray into fun poses the question: What would a game look like that combines the beautiful expression of creativity with all the chaotic fun of destruction?It appears to be a team fighting game that asks you to craft ceramic battle weapons on a realistic potter's wheel, and where your abilities are determined by the type of craft you make.
We take the mix on the wire wheel to learn all of the 4v4 and Kiln, a lot of work in your favor you have done to your fancy.
You can check out more of the action now in the "Announce" trailer, and get ready for the final shot by creating today's "Kiln" wishlist.Help the team shape the game before it launches this spring by signing up for the upcoming closed beta test and joining the Double Ended Action Insider program.Game history, mechanics, and more. Find out with a preview on Xbox Wire.
As with every Developer_Direct, today's show highlights some of the games coming to Xbox this year.2026 marks the 25th anniversary of Xbox and provides a time to honor the games, creators, teams and players that have inspired gaming for decades, and we're celebrating it all year long.We're returning to our favorite franchises, not to mention introducing our worlds with third-party partners.It's going to be an incredible year - stay tuned to Xbox Wire and Xbox Social Channels to stay up to date with everything we have to show you.
