Microsoft has announced another Developer Direct, set to take place on the 22nd January. It'll feature Fable, Forza, and Beast of Reincarnation.
British developer Playground Games will be the absolute star of the Xbox Developer Direct 2026, with the first in-depth look at the long-awaited Fable reboot and the proper reveal of Forza Horizon 6, a sequel to a massively successful game that is estimated to have been played by over 50 million users. Sure, there's also Game Freak's Beast of Reincarnation and even a rumored 'secret' fourth game, but those two games are going to be the centerpiece of the showcase due to air on January 22. Officially, both Fable and Forza Horizon 6 are only announced for PC and Xbox […]
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2026 is going to be an incredible year for Xbox players – you might even call it a… fabled year. To celebrate, we’re kicking it off with the fourth installment of our Developer_Direct broadcast on January 22, bringing you news, new gameplay, and insights directly from the incredible teams working on titles coming this year.
Presented by the game creators themselves, Developer_Direct will once again give you an inside look at not just the games, but the studios working to bring them to life. Fittingly for Xbox’s 25th anniversary year, that includes the return of some of our most legendary franchises, which rub shoulders with a brand new title from one of Japan’s most beloved studios.
The show includes not one but two titles from Playground Games, with the UK studio bringing us a first extended look at Fable, as well as the debut of gameplay for Forza Horizon 6. We’ll also be taking a trip to Tokyo to visit the legendary Game Freak, offering a first in-depth look at Beast of Reincarnation, which we revealed at Xbox Games Showcase last year.
You can tune in at 10am Pacific / 1pm Eastern / 6pm UK on January 22 to see all the latest on:
Fable – Playground Games welcomes players back to the fairytale land of Albion, with the first in-depth look at Fable – one of 2026’s most anticipated titles. Devs from the Playground team will unveil the magic and mischief that awaits players in this fresh new beginning for the franchise, including a first look at some stunning new gameplay. Of course, the core themes of Fable will all be there – choice, consequence, drama, action, British humor and (of course) chickens, all reimagined for existing fans and new players alike.
Forza Horizon 6 – The Forza team from Playground Games will share a deep-dive on the much-anticipated Forza Horizon 6 as the open world racer takes players to the beautiful and contrasting landscapes of Japan. The segment will deep-dive into a very first look at gameplay, including reveals of new features – and how Japan comes to life in this stunning new installment.
Beast of Reincarnation – Join us as we delve into Game Freak’s intense one-person, one-dog action RPG. For the first time, Game Freak will reveal details of our protagonist Emma’s innovative plant manipulation actions and gameplay with her canine companion, Koo. In Beast of Reincarnation, a profound and dangerous world unfolds in post-apocalyptic Japan. Discover the development secrets behind its creation in Developer_Direct.
Stay tuned to our official social channels for more from Developer_Direct, airing on Thursday, January 22 at 10am Pacific / 1pm Eastern / 6pm UK.
The post Developer_Direct Returns January 22: Watch Fable, Forza Horizon 6, and Beast of Reincarnation Gameplay, Direct from the Studios appeared first on Xbox Wire.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Gears of War: Reloaded – last year saw several once-exclusive Xbox titles making the jump to PS5. However, the undisputed most popular port is Playground Games’ Forza Horizon 5. Initially launched in 2021, the open-world racer reportedly passed five million sales on Sony’s console last week, according to Alinea Analytics’ Rhys Elliott.
“That’s over $300 million in revenue from a port of a four-year-old game,” he said. “Xbox’s move to third-party is no mystery, especially given Microsoft’s lofty profitability mandates.”
Forza Horizon 6 is the first title in the franchise to be available on a rival console. There’s also the fact that Forza Horizon 5 has been consistently popular since its release (which had more than ten million players in the first week). Combined with the fact that Playground Games continues to offer new content and features, the PS5 version’s success makes sense.
It’s thus more than a little odd that Microsoft wouldn’t prioritize launching Forza Horizon 6 on the PS5 alongside other platforms. Instead, it’s arriving sometime after the Xbox Series X/S and PC versions, which allegedly launch in the first half of this year. Lest you think this is a tactic to push more players to pick up the Xbox version or even purchase Game Pass, the staggered release is apparently due to the PS5 version not being ready.
A source revealed this to VGC’s Andy Robinson, which he found to be a little far-fetched. Nevertheless, you can expect Forza Horizon 6 to be an even bigger success than its predecessor, especially since it finally sees the series venturing to Japan. You can learn more on January 22nd during the Xbox Developer_Direct ’26, which will also feature Fable, Beast of Reincarnation and an alleged fourth game that’s currently a “secret.”
Forza Horizon 5 crossed 5 million copies sold on PS5 this week (@alineaanalytics estimates)
— Rhys Elliott (@superhys) January 9, 2026
That's over $300M in revenue from a port of a four-year old game.
Xbox's move to third-party is no mystery, especially given Microsoft's lofty profitability mandates.
This year’s Xbox Developer_Direct is on January 22nd, and Playground Games is bringing both of its big titles – Forza Horizon 6 and Fable. The former will receive its first-ever gameplay reveal while the latter gets a deep dive into its lovely fantasy world. Interestingly, while Forza Horizon 6 is PS5-bound at a later date, it seems that Fable could be a day-and-date multiplatform release.
This is according to VGC’s Andy Robinson, who shared on the site’s latest podcast, “Fable’s day and date. That’s what I’ve been told. Those are the sort of details where insiders misstep, right? Those are the sorts of details that can be changed a week before or a day before. The other stuff is kind of like a bit more set in stone. Yes, it’s coming to PlayStation 5.” Perhaps more intriguing is that the studio has reportedly been “targeting PS5 for a while.”
Why isn’t Forza Horizon 6 getting the same treatment, especially with how successful Forza Horizon 5 was on PS5? It’s also arguably the bigger brand, appealing to a larger spectrum of consumers. Robinson doesn’t know the “full story,” but heard that, allegedly, “It just wasn’t ready. I don’t know how true that is, because I mean, it’s going to be absolutely massive, but that game would be absolutely massive if it’s launching on everything day one, right? You’d kind of think that’s a bit of a hindrance for them.
“I mean, even Xbox stalwarts are starting to drift away from playing on the console now. It’ll have a humongous PC launch, but PS5, I mean, look at Indiana Jones: The Great Circle. It did so well when it came out on PS5 afterwards.” And yet here we are with Forza Horizon 6 arriving who-knows-when. That said, Robinson imagines that the team (which includes Turn 10 Studios) will “do their best to get that out as soon as they can.”
Fable is confirmed for Xbox Series X/S and PC, and hasn’t really had an extensive showing since its announcement in July 2020. Plenty of stories have circulated about development troubles, and though its delay from 2025 to 2026 didn’t inspire much confidence, Xbox Game Studios head Craig Duncan promised it would be “worth the wait.”
As for Forza Horizon 6, it’s finally taking the series to Japan while delivering Playground Games’ biggest map to date. You can expect seasons to play a major part in the gameplay, and there will be a “broad range” of cars, but the team is also looking at capturing the nation’s atmosphere in every possible way. The open-world racer is rumored to launch in the first half of 2026, which means a potential release date announcement during the Developer_Direct.
2025 had video games. 2026 will have video games. GTA 6 might be one of those video games. However, it’s currently only pencilled in for console next year. Not that I considered writing about it in this sort of article two years running, just for a laugh. That’d be hackish and beneath the level I hold myself to. Well, by about three millimeters.
Yesterday, we published part one of our interview with former Xbox 360 boss Peter Moore, where he talked about the creation of Microsoft's beloved machine, the grand idea encompassing it, and how his team had to break from the stuffy office-worker image Microsoft had. "Guys with pocket protectors and thick glasses", as he described it. He also talked about "throwing punches" to provoke the Xbox vs. PlayStation console war.
There are some features that devalue Forza Horizon 5, but they are not major factors. First, what about the map? Mexico is not a backdrop; it is a character. Biomes come alive, from the blistering sun deserts to the jungles teeming with life. The rocky cliffs have a rawness, while the coastal roads have an uncontrolled elegance. Over hours, every drive still feels fresh. One minute, you slide through dusty trails, the next you're sliding down the highway with the ocean in your peripheral.
But what struck me the most is how Mexico caters to every playstyle. How about drifting in a socked-up Nissan Silvia through volcanic ash? The map is beyond size; it is intentional. Forza Horizon 5 caters to every gearhead and casual racer.
Forza Horizon 5 shifts focus to the handling and performance of the many cars it features and attempts to find the right balance between arcade and simulation gameplay, an aspect it does remarkably well. As an arcade racer, there are changes made in every car to give it a distinct personality. I especially like the Rear Wheel Drive vintage Mustang and a McLaren 720S, and the difference in the feeling I get when I drive them. It's an overt feeling. It's great to see a game where the cars are not a collection of pixels but rather considerately designed and made to feel alive.
It is made even more interesting with the new rally differentials and the semi-slick tires. These two additions for racing guys who buy PS5 racing games single-handedly provide the sense of satisfaction I get from constructing and customising a rally Subaru WRX STI to tsunami my way through a jungle or a Lamborghini Urus to the endless sand dunes.
Forza Horizon 5's visuals and graphics are breathtaking. Every detail is beautifully designed. Everything, including how the sunlight peeks through the trees and the shine on a polished hood, is perfectly created. The feeling of driving while it is pouring rain, while oppressive, is also enjoyable, and if you get cheap PS5 games in the racing category, here you have it. The world at sunset is mesmerizing, with its bright golden glow and warmth. The glow of the sunset almost makes one want to stop the car and simply exist.
The sound design is a mixed bag, but mostly good. The authenticity of the engines makes the players feel the car with its growl, roar, and purr. Some of the cars do sound way too synthetic, and it is also common to hear an engine not match with the car it is supposed to be. Forza's sound design is impressive, but it has a few minor faults in the scope of the whole game.
For me, it is collecting and customizing cars that is the heart of Forza Horizon 5. There is something deeply satisfying, almost meditative, in hunting down the right car, perfecting the tweaks on every performance parameter, and then going on a test drive. My garage is an assortment of modern and classic cars — a sleek, futuristic Porsche Taycan stands next to a 1969 Dodge Charger that rumbles like an earthquake.
Forza is different from the rest of the games in the creativity and imagination that it allows. Want to customize a little Mazda Miata and drop in a V12? Go right ahead. Want to customize a Toyota Supra into a glow-in-the-dark spectacle with neon vinyls covering it and other light-up accessories? A custom-built Ford Bronco that is made for off-road driving is, in my opinion, the peak of my achievements in the game, and I must admit, it is a beast, and I have gotten a little too attached to it.
If you've been playing Forza Horizon 4, you will see just how much has changed — for better or worse. One of the impacts that has been somewhat changed is the tuning menu, which has lots of options for tires, gearing, and the like. But honestly? It's not a bad thing. It is like seeing a close friend who has learned some brand new tricks. And that brand new tricks like the rally differentials are just enough to add some engagement to the experience.
One of the interesting additions is the hint at possible future DLCs. Two enigmatic empty spaces are located on the main menu, hinting at what is to come. If we are to judge based on previous expansions, we are in for a massive treat. New cars, new maps, new gameplay modes, we are guaranteed that new content will be added.
It may not reinvent the wheel, and quite frankly, it doesn't have to. It, in essence, takes everything we cherished in the previous iterations and improves upon it while placing it in what can only be considered one of the most gorgeous landscapes on the planet. Whether you are a mere casual player or have the most serious of passions for cars, there is something for you. To me, Forza Horizon 5 is an entire universe where I can unleash my love for cars, build them, drive them, and let my imagination run wild. Because, why not? That is what gaming truly is.
