Around the middle of the year, the primary source of entertainment isn’t a new Netflix series or a big-budget Hollywood movie, but rather a seemingly endless supply of video game showcases. Recently, we’ve seen the idea of dedicated livestreams expand further, with publishers and various gaming initiatives hosting them year-round. What that means is that you can look forward to digital events that’ll keep you in the loop with all of the upcoming games on the horizon.
Whether they be from established gaming giants like Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo or smaller indie-focused livestreams like the Wholesome Direct, these typically follow the same format of unloading a bunch of trailers for new and upcoming games for you to enjoy at your leisure. Keeping track of all these broadcasts can be challenging, but to make things easier, you can scroll down below to see what’s on the way. We’re also keeping track of all the showcases that have already come and gone, so if you missed one, you can just click the link in each slide to watch the highlights.
We’ll keep this list updated throughout the year, so you can check back often to see what else you can look forward to as soon as it’s announced.
2026 video game showcases
- Resident Evil Showcase — January 15
- Xbox Developer Direct — January 22
- World of Warcraft: State of Azeroth — January 29
- Nintendo Direct: Tomodachi Life — January 29
- Overwatch Spotlight — February 4
- Hearthstone Spotlight — February 9
- Diablo 30th Anniversary Spotlight — February 11
- Black Voices in Gaming Showcase — February 19
- Future Games Show: Spring Showcase — March 12
- Summer Game Fest — June 5
- Story Rich Showcase — June 5-7
- The Game Awards 2026 — December 10
Overwatch Spotlight — February 4
What’s next for Overwatch 2? You’ll have to tune in to find out, as the game continues to evolve. Last year saw new heroes added to the roster and the introduction of the Perks system, so Blizzard will likely be showing off new improvements for its live-service hero-shooter.
When to watch:
- February 4 at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET
Where to watch:
Hearthstone Spotlight — February 9
Another developer-led showcase from Blizzard, the Hearthstone Spotlight will kick off in early February.
When to watch:
- February 9 at 09:30 AM PT / 12:30 PM ET
Where to watch:
Diablo 30th Anniversary Spotlight — February 11
The Diablo franchise celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, and we’re certain that Blizzard has some big plans for the franchise that it’ll reveal in this livestream.
When to watch:
- February 11 at 2 PM PT / 5 PM ET
Where to watch:
Black Voices in Gaming Showcase — February 19
An event that aims to address the lack of visibility for Black creators, the Black Voices in Gaming Showcase will show off games at various stages of development–from early concepts to near-launch titles–and it will also celebrate creativity, culture, and innovation in games.
When to watch:
- February 19 at 12 PM PT / 3 PM ET
Where to watch:
Future Games Show: Spring Showcase — March 12
The first of three Future Games Show events planned for 2026, the Future Games Show Spring Showcase will offer exclusive trailers and developer deep-dives on a wide range of video games.
When to watch:
- March 12
Where to watch:
Summer Game Fest – June 5
Summer Game Fest 2026 will kick off this year from the Dolby Theatre, and showrunner Geoff Keighley has promised a “spectacular, cross-platform showcase of what’s next in video games.”
When to watch:
- June 5
Where to watch:
Story Rich Showcase — June 5-7
A brand-new video event dedicated entirely to story-rich indie games, the Story-Rich Showcase will take place within the Summer Game Fest period. The event will spotlight a lineup of 20-25 narrative-driven games, and viewers can expect first looks, new trailers, release dates, updates, and a few surprises.
When to watch:
- June 5-7
Where to watch:
- TBC
The Game Awards 2026 — December 10
Geoff Keighley has announced the date for The Game Awards 2026 almost an entire year in advance, and it’ll be broadcast live from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. More details will be revealed later this year.
When to watch:
- December 10
Where to watch:
In case you missed it
With so many video game showcases scheduled for 2026, there’s a chance that you might miss one. Fret not, because we’ll be keeping track of them, and you can keep browsing below to grab links to the original livestream and the stories we wrote about them. We’ve arranged the list according to the date that each event originally aired.
Resident Evil Showcase — January 15
Capcom showed off more gameplay for Resident Evil Requiem, teasing thrilling survival-horror and action, creepy zombies, and one really big revolver.
Where to watch:
All the news:
Xbox Developer Direct — January 22
The first big Xbox showcase of the year kept things short and sweet, focusing on games like Forza Horizon 6, Fable, Kiln, and Beast of Reincarnation.
Where to watch:
All the news:
- Xbox Developer Direct 2026: All the announcements
- Forza Horizon 6 Channels Initial D-Inspired Anime Racing With Its New Mode
- Fable And Forza Horizon 6 Are Coming To PS5 To Help Reach The “Largest Number Of People Possible”
- Forza Horizon 6 Gets Official May Release Date, More Than 550 Cars
- Fable’s New Open World Has 1,000+ NPCs As A “Living Population”
- New Fable Keeps Series Tradition Of Kicking Chickens Alive, And You’ll Be Judged For It
- Fable Is Pulling Inspiration From An Unlikely (And Extremely Popular) TV Show
- Fable Releases This Autumn, Coming To PS5 At Launch
- Game Freak’s Beast Of Reincarnation Team Is “Relatively Small” With Many External Developers
- Beast Of Reincarnation Doesn’t Look Like Anything Game Freak Has Made Before
- Double Fine’s New Game, Kiln, Features Pottery Battles To The Death
World of Warcraft: State of Azeroth — January 29
The State of Azeroth livestream revealed what’s next for World of Warcraft and Classic World of Warcraft, introduced Azeroth interiors for budding home decorators, and teased the launch of Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary Edition.
Where to watch:
All the news:
Nintendo Direct: Tomodachi Life — January 29
One of the weirdest games coming out this year, Tomodachi Life is shaping up to be an interesting social-life sim.
Where to watch:
All the news:
