Microsoft kept a relatively quiet profile during The Game Awards 2025, held this Thursday (11). Even with ten nominations and ongoing promotion for the second season of the Fallout TV series, Xbox did not use the main stage to unveil any new, unannounced titles. For fans hoping for a major surprise, the company’s presence may have felt understated.
That silence, however, appears to be intentional. In an interview with Variety shortly after the ceremony, Matt Booty, head of Xbox Game Studios, revealed that the next Xbox Developer Direct is scheduled for January 2026. According to Booty, the event will serve as a preview of what’s coming next year and will kick off preparations for a milestone moment in Xbox history.
2026 marks 25 years of Xbox
The year 2026 will celebrate the 25th anniversary of Xbox, and Microsoft is clearly planning something big. Booty explained that while 2025 was a year focused on stability, consistency, and quality releases, the roadmap for the following year is packed with projects. In fact, the lineup is so extensive that a single showcase won’t be enough to cover everything currently in development across Xbox Game Studios.
This suggests that Microsoft is gearing up for a sustained rollout of announcements rather than relying on one massive presentation.
What to expect from the next Xbox Developer Direct
Unlike traditional showcases that emphasize cinematic trailers, the Developer Direct format has built its reputation on deep dives into gameplay, design philosophy, and direct input from development teams. For the January 2026 edition, Booty confirmed the participation of Playground Games, one of Microsoft’s most respected studios.
This all but confirms meaningful updates on the upcoming Fable reboot and the highly anticipated Forza Horizon 6. Still, Booty hinted that even these highlights won’t represent the full scope of what Xbox has planned. “We have more coming next year than we can fit into a single Dev Direct in January,” he noted, calling it a fortunate problem to have.
That statement points to a staggered communication strategy throughout the year—similar to the approach long used by Nintendo and later adopted by PlayStation—to ensure major titles get the attention they deserve without competing against one another.
A year of anniversaries and broader platform reach
Microsoft’s 2026 plans extend beyond Xbox itself. The year will also mark Bethesda’s 40th anniversary, Blizzard’s 35th, and 30 years since the original release of Diablo—giving the company plenty of legacy moments to celebrate.
At the same time, Microsoft continues to lean into its increasingly bold multiplatform strategy. It was confirmed that South of Midnight, which won Best Game That Impacts at TGA 2025, will arrive on PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2 between March and May. Even more notably, Halo’s 25th anniversary will be marked by the release of Halo: Campaign Evolved, bringing the iconic franchise to PlayStation for the first time, alongside PC and Xbox Series X|S.
This approach highlights a major shift in Microsoft’s philosophy, prioritizing strong IPs and software revenue over strict hardware exclusivity, with the goal of reaching players wherever they choose to play.
Call of Duty, film ambitions, and game pricing
The Call of Duty franchise remains a cornerstone of Microsoft’s gaming strategy following the acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Booty pointed to the success of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, which became the most-played game on Xbox and the top-performing franchise on Game Pass in November. The results reinforced Microsoft’s belief in launching major titles on the subscription service from day one.
Beyond games, Microsoft is also pushing deeper into transmedia projects. The company confirmed plans for the first Call of Duty film, with a script written by Taylor Sheridan, best known for Yellowstone. The goal is to give the franchise a stronger character-driven narrative, building on the critical and commercial success of the Fallout television series.
Finally, Microsoft addressed the sensitive topic of AAA game pricing. After briefly testing an $80 price point with The Outer Worlds 2—and reversing course after negative player feedback—the company says it is reassessing its monetisation strategy. For now, Microsoft plans to keep the standard $69.99 price, placing greater emphasis on perceived value rather than automatic price increases.
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