Microsoft has officially scheduled its next Developer_Direct showcase for Thursday, January 22, at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET. This digital event will provide an intimate look at three of the most anticipated titles arriving this year: Playground Games’ reimagined Fable, the globe-trotting Forza Horizon 6, and the latest project from Pokémon creator Game Freak, Beast of Reincarnation.
The broadcast aims to strip away the marketing fluff, offering gameplay footage and commentary straight from the creative minds behind the projects. Viewers can look forward to the first substantial gameplay deep-dive for Fable and the world premiere of Forza Horizon 6 in action. Notably, the racing franchise is finally heading to Japan—a setting the community has clamored for since the series’ inception. Rounding out the trio is Beast of Reincarnation, an action-RPG that debuted at last year’s showcase. This update will highlight protagonist Emma’s unique botanical abilities and the mechanics involving her canine ally, Koo.
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Fable: Playground Games is ready to welcome adventurers back to the whimsical and often perilous land of Albion. This segment will provide an in-depth look at 2026’s most sought-after RPG, focusing on the franchise’s hallmark themes: moral agency, consequence-driven storytelling, and quintessential British wit. Expect to see stunning new gameplay that balances high-stakes action with the series’ legendary eccentricities—chickens included.
Forza Horizon 6: The Horizon Festival shifts gears to the neon-lit streets and serene countryside of Japan. The developers will showcase how they’ve harnessed the hardware to bring this diverse landscape to life, revealing brand-new features and the debut of the game’s actual driving mechanics in this highly requested setting.
Beast of Reincarnation: Game Freak steps away from the world of Pocket Monsters to explore a haunting, post-apocalyptic Japan. This “one-person, one-dog” action-RPG will demonstrate how Emma utilizes plant manipulation to navigate a dangerous environment. The presentation will pull back the curtain on the game’s development secrets and the bond between Emma and her companion, Koo.
While the official lineup is already impressive, Xbox fans know to expect the unexpected. The 2023 Developer Direct famously ended with the surprise “shadow drop” of Hi-Fi Rush. Whether Microsoft has another secret up its sleeve remains to be seen, but with Fable and Forza taking center stage, January 22 is shaping up to be a landmark day for the platform.
