Regardless of which platform you’re rooting for, we all have to admit that this summer of gaming has been one of the best in decades, and that’s saying a lot because we’ve certainly had some fantastic announcements before. While Summer Game Fest of 2026 is now regarded as the best we’ve had in a while, the Xbox Games Showcase isn’t far behind, as it showed many first-party titles coming soon to the platform and recovering that exclusivity that the console desperately needed. And, in case you missed the show, here’s everything that was announced.
Gears of War E-Day
The Xbox Games Showcase kicked off with one of the most anticipated trailers, and that was a lengthy gameplay look at Gears of War: E-Day. We got to see Marcus, Dom, and other new characters fighting the Locust as soon as the invasion began, as well as learn how Marcus got one of his iconic facial scars. And on top of that, Gears of War: E-Day will be an Xbox-exclusive, meaning that the console war is back.
Fable
Fable surprised us with an excellent trailer delving more into its story, villain, and even some familiar characters that fans of the series might have spotted. Yet, we also got an official release date, and pre-orders are live now for anyone yearning to be a hero again. Or, well, at least trying to be one.
Halo: Campaign Evolved
It’s been a long time coming, but we finally have a better look at Halo: Campaign Evolved. We got to see Master Chief and many other iconic characters in a new coat of paint, showcasing fantastic visuals and the same FPS actions many of us love. And of course, we also got a teaser of some of the new content we’ll experience when the game launches.
Resonance: A Plague Legacy
One title we were not expecting to appear during the Xbox Games Showcase was Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy, which takes us 15 years before the events of Requiem in an action-packed adventure that moves away from what we saw in previous Plague Tale installments.
Persona 4 Revival
Everyone knew we’d get some Persona news during the show, but we were not expecting two of them. The first was the official gameplay trailer of Persona 4 Revival, showing the iconic turn-based combat with new additions, characters with better visuals, and all the action you remember from this classic.
State of Decay 3
Speaking of games we wanted to see gameplay of, State of Decay 3 finally made an appearance, and a mind-blowing one at that, with extended gameplay, a look at some of its systems, and a release window, which isn’t too far away.
Sea of Thieves – Custom Seas
Many pirates might still be sailing across the seas, but now, it is time for them to create their own voyages. Sea of Thieves: Custom Seas will let them create their own worlds, make mini-games in them, and even some cinematic experiences if that’s what they want to do.
METRO 2039
Moving away from the lighthearted and explosive fun of the previous reveal, we also got a look at METRO 2039, showcasing its terrifying atmosphere, combat, gadgets, and all the horror we love from the series, which the studio has taken to a whole new level.
Bad Magpie
Bad Magpie lets us play as well, as Magpie, who, instead of flying, is causing all sorts of havoc as he goes from one place to another, burning a meadow, emptying a pool, and many more things. It’s a unique exploration title that many might want to try.
Wo Long 2
Moving on with yet another unexpected reveal, we got the announcement of Wo Long 2, which brings the Nioh-like action that Koei Tecmo has refined into one of the most iconic time periods of China: The Three Kingdoms. So, if you’re a fan of that time and also of its predecessor, then you’ll want to play this as soon as it launches.
Join Us
After the hit that Cult of the Lamb was, it is great to see that there’s another cult simulator game on the way, and that is Join Us. While we don’t know much about it, the trailer was more than enough to show us that it is going to be pure chaotic fun, and we’re in for it.
Senua
It seems as if it were yesterday when we got the sequel to Hellblade, and now, we have Senua, which takes a more action-oriented approach to the series, but while maintaining that eerie art style we all love.
DOOM: The Dark Ages – Revelations
It seems things aren’t going that great for the Slayer in DOOM: The Dark Ages – Revelations, but that isn’t an impediment. Our favorite demon-slayer has a new spear, new combat skills, and some new cool ways to slay infernal creatures, as well as a few throwbacks to the original DOOM.
Crazy Taxi: World Tour
After so many years, we finally have a new Crazy Taxi experience. World Tour brings back the vehicular mayhem from the series, with those slick driving systems, but all on par with modern gaming standards, and it looks pretty great.
Xbox 25th Anniversary Collection
Believe it or not, Xbox has reached its 25-year mark, and to celebrate it, we just got the announcement of the anniversary collection, boasting a brand-new Series X that will take many gamers on a trip down memory lane. While we don’t know the exact price yet, we know it is coming in November 2026.
Age of Empires IV: Raiders of the North
Age of Empires IV is ready to welcome some Vikings into the fray with its Raiders of the North expansion. We got to see some of the gameplay, and we also know it will launch later this year.
Minecraft Dungeons 2
There are a lot of Minecraft experiences out there, and Dungeons has been one of the best we’ve seen lately. Now, we have the announcement of the sequel launching on September 29.
Magicians: The Devil’s Deal
Magicians: The Devil’s Deal puts us in a first-person adventure full of magic, illusions, and a lot of demons as we try to escape from the devil himself. It has some big Dishonored vibes, so you’ll want to give it a shot.
Valor Mortis
We never thought we’d see an action game featuring Napoleon, but here we are. This important historical figure is there to bring our protagonist, William, back from the dead, and you’re now tasked with facing all sorts of unholy horrors.
The Elder Scrolls Online – Return of the Thieves Guild
Elder Scrolls Online has been pumping out updates, and the next one to land on the MMO will put the Thieves Guild back in the spotlight in what seems to be new jobs all across Tamriel.
Where Winds Meet: Hidden Mountain
This open-world Wuxia adventure is getting another expansion called Hidden Mountain, featuring a new weapon, a new area, and many more things for players to explore.
Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse
Castlevania is back, and we take the role of Rose as she goes through the streets of Paris, doing some good old monster-hunting in true Castlevania fashion.
Vivarium
This cozy title with old-school anime style puts you in a pocket world full of mysteries, where you need to unravel everything that is happening, with some lighthearted gameplay on the side.
Persona 6
And the second Persona announcement is for Persona 6. Now, it was pretty short, and we didn’t get gameplay whatsoever, but at least we know this long-awaited RPG is on its way.
Spyro: A Realm Beyond
Another franchise that is back from the dead is Spyro, and he returns with A Realm Beyond, which seems to be a new open-world adventure featuring one of the most iconic dragons in gaming history.
Clockwork Revolution
All of us knew Clockwork Revolution was coming, and we now have a release window, alongside some long-awaited gameplay footage, which looks just as great as the first clips we saw in the past. We only hope that it will launch sooner rather than later.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 – DMZ
Last but not least, we got a lengthy presentation of the DMZ mode for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, which is launching as soon as Modern Warfare 4 arrives here, offering a fast-paced experience for solo and squad players alike.
As you can see, the Xbox Games Showcase was full of surprises and really ended up blowing our minds. Most importantly, it is great to see that exclusives are back on the table, as it will convince many gamers to get a Series X|S, especially for Gears of War: E-Day, which is right around the corner.
