Microsoft and Xbox have confirmed upcoming showcases, leaving room to see what they have planned for the near future.
The gaming green team has been under a giant microscope these past few months, following the recent release of the new ROG Xbox Ally/X. Microsoft and Xbox have confirmed showcases coming up, leaving room to see what they have planned for the near future. Their first-party studio run has been better than ever with Ninja Gaiden 4, Keeper, The Outer Worlds 2, and more hitting their marks with critics and players. Despite these recent wins, the question lingers: are the original Xbox concepts and ideologies dead?
Ever since Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard, both Microsoft and its gaming brand have been fighting a losing battle in the gaming space. Broad layoffs, studio closures, price hikes, rumours of aggressive and potentially unsustainable profitability targets, and gossip that they will not be making traditional consoles anymore are all the Xbox headlines of late. All these amassing issues continued to lose public confidence, but somehow, the company continues its gruelling expedition—not hinting at Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
Tomorrow is the first of a few confirmed showcases coming in the next few months. IGN’s ID@Xbox showcase is slated for October 28, 2025, at 10:00 am PT / 1:00 pm ET / 6:00 pm CET—a major platform for indie games. The 50-minute stream will show off gameplay, new trailers, and details from some of the most beloved publishers and especially independent studios. Here is a list of confirmed studios and speculated games they will be presenting tomorrow:
- Cult Games – Blood Reaver, Awaysis
- Don’t Nod – Aphelion
- Hooded Horse – Whiskerwood, The Way of Wrath
- Pathea – My Time at Evershine
- PlaySide – MOUSE: P.I. For Hire, Game of Thrones: War for Westeros
- poncle – News on Vampire Survivors
- Raw Fury –The Séance of Blake Manor, ROUTINE, The Last Night
- Serenity Forge – Fractured Blooms
- Skybound Games – Goodnight Universe, Invincible VS
- Thunder Lotus Games – At Fate’s End
- Thunderful – REPLACED, Planet of Lana II
- Wired Productions – Beneath, Task Time
Next up, Windows Central’s Jez Corden revealed that Microsoft has an Xbox Partner Preview showcase slated for sometime in November. They also stated how the “showcase will focus on third-party titles from Microsoft’s publishing partners of all shapes and sizes, and will feature almost entirely (if not actually entirely) Xbox Play Anywhere titles.” Corden also predicted that Microsoft is trying to get as many developers within its PC ecosystem via Xbox Play Anywhere because that “will eventually become the default environment for publishing titles on Xbox hardware in the future.” This was speculated based on the ROG Xbox Ally’s intended uses, and sales being higher than expected.
Then, Microsoft is expected to have some announcements at The Game Awards on December 11th, 2025. So far, no sources have confirmed what Microsoft could be planning at the biggest game event of the year, whether it could be revealing gameplay, ecosystem, or hardware reveals. Either way, there are apparently over 40 first-party titles currently in the works. This could mean they show off some gameplay for big titles like Fable, State of Decay 3, and/or titles we do not know about yet.
Moving into January 2026, there is Xbox’s Developer_Direct expected to air at some point in the month. This is expected to be Microsoft’s biggest reveal showcase to kick off the new year, including focuses on Fable, Forza Horizon 6, Gears E-Day, and Halo: Campaign Evolved. Microsoft has also used the Developer_Direct to showcase third-party titles occasionally from close partners. Most importantly, 2026 marks the console’s 25th anniversary.
With Microsoft changing their strategies in the gaming industry, they have shown that the company is evolving. From a consumer standpoint, the evolution may not be in every player’s interest, but it is happening. Corden’s insights also noted, “Xbox has what is arguably its strongest games line-up in history, on top of what was arguably Xbox Game Pass’ strongest content year ever.” Whether people can still afford Game Pass or find it worth it, the numbers are showing gamers think it is worth it.
Overall, the green team looks to be on the rise again. They are the first console company to adopt the joint PC and console ecosystem. Putting aside all the drama, AI concerns, and tariffs, the Xbox is surviving and thriving. Whether their recent decisions trigger longer-term concerns has yet to be seen. But for now, Xbox is alive.
