My Impressions of the Xbox Developer Direct and Why It's a Great Start for Microsoft in 2026

I just watched the Xbox Developer Direct, and honestly, I really enjoyed it. It has been a long time since Microsoft released an online event focused on game announcements that felt this well put together. This one delivered exactly what it needed to.

We saw four games in total: Forza Horizon 6, Beasts of Reincarnation, Kiln, and Fable. I want to share my thoughts on each of them, because the event as a whole left a very positive impression.

The first game shown was Forza Horizon 6, and it looks stunning. As expected, Forza continues to set the standard visually. When it comes to arcade-style racing games, it is hard to think of any real competitor. The game features a massive open world with a wide variety of race types, and they mentioned around 550 cars available at launch, which is an incredible amount of content.

I have never been a huge Forza player, and I do not play many racing games in general. That said, I spent a good amount of time with Forza Horizon 5 and had a lot of fun. It had so much content that it eventually became overwhelming for me. For players who grew up with games like Need for Speed Underground or Burnout, the amount of content of Forza can feel a bit overwhelming. You choose what to do, when to do it, and which car to use, and that freedom is one of the game’s greatest strengths. Personally, it did not fully click with me at the time, but I can easily see how Forza Horizon 6 will be an incredible experience for racing fans, especially with the Japan-inspired setting and its strong car culture.

Next was Beasts of Reincarnation. This game looks fantastic, visually striking, and very intriguing, but there is an important caveat. The developer is Game Freak, the studio behind Pokémon, and the recent 3D Pokémon games have received a lot of criticism. Fans still enjoy them, but I have never understood why Game Freak struggles to deliver stronger visuals or a more cohesive art direction. This is not about cutting-edge graphics. The Switch has its limitations, and that is fine, but better textures and a clearer artistic vision would already go a long way. Nintendo has proven with Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom that beautiful open-world games are possible on the Switch, and Pokémon has not reached that level yet.

Beasts of Reincarnation makes it clear that this is not a lack of talent. Game Freak presented something bold and completely different from Pokémon. The game feels like an action, souls-like experience, with dodging, boss fights, and a more deliberate combat system. The relationship between the protagonist, Emma, and her companion Koo stood out to me. As Emma fights, she charges Koo’s abilities, and activating them briefly pauses the action and turns the moment into something closer to a turn-based RPG. It looks fresh, creative, and very promising, and it proves that Game Freak has real potential outside of Pokémon.

The third game, Kiln from Double Fine, looks like a fun and lighthearted multiplayer experience. The core mechanic revolves around building pots and ceramics, and it offers a surprising amount of freedom. Different shapes, sizes, and designs affect gameplay, with larger pots granting specific abilities and smaller ones changing how you interact with the game. That connection between creativity and mechanics is very appealing.

It seems ideal for players looking for a more casual multiplayer game to enjoy with friends. At the same time, it appears that it’s going to follow a live service model, with ongoing updates, new pot types, maps, and customization options. Live service games are always a risk, as many fail to live up to expectations, but this one feels targeted at a more relaxed audience and could offer something genuinely different.

Finally, we have Fable, which was easily the highlight of the show for me. For a long time, I genuinely thought this game might never be released. Years of delays created a lot of doubt, and even after last year’s trailers, I still feared it might be delayed again or canceled. Now, though, it looks real and close, with a release window pointing to the end of the year, sometime between September and December.

I played the original Fable a couple of times, and while I do not remember every detail, it has always been a game I loved. RPGs in this style are some of my favorite experiences, and the gameplay shown captured that classic Fable feeling. Player choice once again seems central to the experience. Back then, those systems were simpler, and this time they look far more complex. They showed an example of a character who turns into a giant, and if you choose to kill him, his body remains in the world, affecting NPC behavior, property prices, and how people perceive you.

The reputation system appears deeper and more impactful than ever. On top of that, there are layered mechanics like marrying, having kids, buying houses, owning shops, managing property, and building wealth. It looks like a very rich game, both literally and mechanically. I am genuinely excited. I have not played many new releases lately, but this is a game I do not want to miss.

Looking at the event as a whole, it also reinforced how important Game Pass still is for Microsoft. For me, Game Pass is worth it, even though with the current price I am not as confident as I used to be. Even so, the value is clear. We are getting three major titles and one smaller, more party-focused multiplayer game, all launching day one on the service.

This shows that, despite the recent price increase, Microsoft is still delivering strong value. It feels like a deliberate effort to justify the higher cost we saw a few months ago, and this event made that strategy very clear.

Overall, the Xbox Developer Direct was excellent. Microsoft did a great job here, and I hope we see more events like this throughout the year. Most of all, I am eagerly waiting for Fable, which I plan to play the moment it launches.