Xbox Developer_Direct Returns This January, Playground Games Confirmed to Appear

Among the many publishers that didn’t have much of any presence at The Game Awards was Microsoft. Fortunately, the company’s own Developer_Direct will return this January, and it’s going to be packed.

Microsoft president of game content and studios Matt Booty told Variety that, “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.”

Playground Games is confirmed for the 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.” Obviously, Booty didn’t specify which of its games we’ll dive deeper into, but a safe assumption is Forza Horizon 6, which is rumored to launch in the first half of next year.

It wouldn’t be too strange to see Fable, though, especially after its delay earlier this year. Despite rumors of another delay to 2027 (however remote), there’s hope that this Developer Direct will clarify its status.

Otherwise, there’s also Clockwork Revolution, Gears of War: E-Day, and Halo: Campaign Evolved, all launching next year. Who knows? We may even see the first trailer for Starfield’s next expansion, rumored to launch alongside its PS5 port in Spring 2026. Don’t count on The Elder Scrolls 6, especially with director Todd Howard recently reminding us it’s a “long way off.”