Xbox has wasted very little time making its presence felt at Gamescom 2026, with the first of its two planned livestreams from Cologne delivering a mixture of major announcements, new gameplay, release dates and several games that arrived almost completely out of nowhere.
There was considerably more to the presentation than simply showing off upcoming Xbox Game Pass titles. Microsoft used the event to reveal its new Disc to Digital initiative, open pre-orders for the striking Xbox Series X25 25th Anniversary Collection, and give players extended looks at some of its most anticipated games.
Among the biggest gaming highlights were Gears of War: E-Day, Fable, Persona 4 Revival, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis and Forza Horizon 6, while smaller projects such as Dumpster Gang, Chosen by Odin, Exterminauts and Gravhounds arguably provided some of the more interesting surprises.
With a second Xbox Gamescom broadcast still to come, here is our breakdown of the biggest announcements and trailers from day one.
Xbox Series X25 Finally Gets a Price and Release Date
The presentation opened with something rather more substantial than a new game trailer.
Microsoft confirmed the details surrounding its Xbox Series X25 Limited Edition, created to celebrate 25 years of Xbox.
The console takes obvious inspiration from the original Xbox with a translucent green design, while retaining the familiar Series X hardware underneath. It comes bundled with the matching Xbox Wireless Controller X25 Special Edition, making this as much a collector’s item as it is a console.
The Xbox Series X25 is priced at £759.99 in the UK and $899.99 in the US, with the console scheduled to launch on November 13, 2026. Pre-orders opened on August 27, following the Gamescom announcement.
The package will also include Halo: Campaign Evolved, giving the anniversary console a little more appeal beyond its distinctive design.
For long-time Xbox fans, the nostalgic styling is likely to be the biggest selling point. Whether that justifies the premium price over a standard Series X is another question entirely.
Dumpster Gang Is Probably the Most Unexpected Reveal
One of the genuinely fun surprises of the show was Dumpster Gang, a chaotic co-operative sandbox from Coyote House Games and Curve Games.
The premise is exactly as ridiculous as the name suggests.
Players become mischievous raccoons, working either alone or with up to three friends while raiding dumpsters, stealing objects, solving puzzles and generally causing as much trouble as possible.
The game isn’t simply about running around stealing rubbish, either. Players can climb walls, crawl through vents, throw objects around and use the environment to their advantage. Missions can also involve rescuing captured teammates before the Exterminator catches the entire gang.
Once a raid is finished, the stolen junk can be taken back to the gang’s hideout, where players can customise their base and unlock different hats with their own abilities.
Dumpster Gang launches in December 2026 on PC and Xbox PC Game Pass.
It certainly isn’t the biggest game shown during the presentation, but this could be one of those wonderfully silly co-op experiences that ends up being far more entertaining with friends than anyone initially expects.
Crazy Taxi: World Tour Brings the Madness to Germany
SEGA brought Crazy Taxi: World Tour back into the spotlight with a new trailer specifically highlighting Germany.
The latest entry is being positioned as a much larger adventure than simply another collection of frantic taxi challenges. Players take control of Axel as he travels around the world, attempting to recover his stolen taxi while becoming caught up in a much larger mystery.
The game retains the series’ trademark combination of ridiculous driving, high-speed manoeuvres and open-city exploration, but this time SEGA is expanding the formula with a proper story and multiple locations.
Perhaps most importantly, Crazy Taxi: World Tour will introduce online multiplayer to the franchise for the first time.
SEGA has confirmed releases for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, PlayStation 5, Steam and Nintendo Switch 2 in 2027.
That could make World Tour particularly interesting for fans who remember throwing passengers around the original arcade and Dreamcast versions.
Chosen by Odin Wants to Make Norse Mythology a Co-op Roguelite
Chosen by Odin is another new game that deserves more attention than its brief appearance might suggest.
Developed by Bedtime Digital Games, the game is a 1–3 player co-operative action title inspired heavily by Norse mythology.
Players take on quests across the Nine Realms while battling cultists attempting to bring about Ragnarök. Combat mixes conventional weapons with powerful abilities granted by the gods, while the game’s progression system introduces a particularly interesting twist.
Players use Fate Dice to influence the upgrades available during each run. The team then chooses how to distribute those blessings, meaning the group has to make decisions together rather than simply building three completely independent characters.
Runs take players through procedurally varied environments, with optional events and rewards tempting players to stay longer before extracting.
Resources brought back to Valhalla can then be used for permanent progression, new dice and character improvements.
Chosen by Odin is currently scheduled for 2027.
Xbox Disc to Digital Could Be One of the Biggest Announcements
While the games understandably dominated much of the conversation, Xbox’s Disc to Digital announcement could have a much longer-lasting impact on the platform.
The new feature is designed to give owners of supported physical Xbox games a way of claiming a digital entitlement for those games.
The process is relatively straightforward: insert a supported Xbox One or Xbox Series X disc into a compatible console and launch the game. If eligible, the player can claim the digital entitlement.
That can provide access to digital-era benefits such as Xbox Play Anywhere and Xbox Cloud Gaming where supported, while the original physical disc continues to function as normal. Microsoft says thousands of games will be supported, although not every title is guaranteed to be included.
The first testing phase begins on August 31 for Xbox Insiders.
For collectors, this could be particularly useful. It doesn’t make the physical disc irrelevant; instead, it potentially gives owners greater flexibility over how they access games they’ve already purchased.
It is also one of the more interesting moves Microsoft has made around game preservation, although exactly which games make the cut will ultimately determine how valuable the programme becomes.
Where Winds Meet Gets Ready for Hidden Mountain
Where Winds Meet is already available on Xbox, but that didn’t stop it from getting attention during the Gamescom broadcast.
The free-to-play open-world wuxia action RPG is preparing for its next major expansion, Hidden Mountain.
The new region introduces a mountainous environment built around vertical exploration, with paths and locations spread across different elevations. The area is also home to the mysterious Mohist sect, bringing new story material, martial arts mechanics and mysteries into the existing world.
The expansion builds on the game’s previous additions, including the Hexi and Imperial Palace expansions.
For players already invested in Where Winds Meet, Hidden Mountain looks set to significantly expand the world rather than simply add another handful of missions.
Alien Deathstorm Looks Like Rebellion’s Next Big Horror Gamble
Rebellion is moving away from the countryside of Atomfall and into much darker territory with Alien Deathstorm.
The game is a first-person survival horror experience set on a devastated off-world colony that has been battered by an enormous storm and overrun by hostile extraterrestrial creatures.
Rather than simply throwing endless enemies at the player, Rebellion is putting survival and exploration at the centre of the experience. The storm itself forms part of the threat, while players have to combine weapons with careful exploration and decision-making to survive.
The developer has described the project as a visceral action-horror experience where the threat can constantly change, making the environment almost as important as the creatures hunting you.
Alien Deathstorm is planned for Spring 2027 on Xbox Series X|S and PC, with Xbox Game Pass support.
Given Rebellion’s experience with action-heavy games such as Sniper Elite and the survival mechanics of Atomfall, this is definitely one to keep an eye on.
Persona 4 Revival Is Looking Like a Serious Remake
ATLUS brought another substantial look at Persona 4 Revival, its modern reimagining of the acclaimed RPG.
The remake returns players to the rural Japanese town of Inaba, where a mysterious series of murders becomes connected to the strange Midnight Channel and the supernatural world hidden beyond it.
Rather than simply applying a graphical upgrade to the original, Persona 4 Revival is being rebuilt with modern visuals, updated interfaces, improved combat and quality-of-life changes.
The social side of Persona remains crucial, with relationships and everyday interactions influencing the player’s journey alongside dungeon exploration and turn-based battles.
The game is scheduled to launch on February 18, 2027, arriving on Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5 and Steam, with Xbox Game Pass support.
For newcomers, this could ultimately become the definitive way to experience Persona 4. For returning fans, however, the big question will be just how far ATLUS has gone in modernising a game that already has a very passionate following.
Exterminauts Turns Alien Pest Control Into a Co-op Shooter
If you like the idea of Deep Rock Galactic but fancy replacing miners with intergalactic pest-control workers armed with industrial equipment, Exterminauts might be worth watching.
Developed by Behaviour Interactive and published by Level Infinite, Exterminauts puts a three-person team on Planet Tian, where alien pests have turned routine corporate contracts into something considerably more dangerous.
The game’s gimmick is its weaponry.
Instead of conventional military hardware, players use weaponised power tools and industrial equipment, with the game’s Overdrive system allowing ordinary-looking equipment to become much more destructive.
Planet Tian is also designed as a living ecosystem rather than a collection of static shooting arenas, with enemies adapting to the team’s tactics and forcing players to communicate and reposition.
The game supports two- to three-player online co-op and cross-platform multiplayer between Xbox Series X|S and PC.
A release date has yet to be confirmed.
Gears of War: E-Day Gets Another Brutal Look
Perhaps the biggest traditional Xbox game shown during the broadcast was Gears of War: E-Day.
The Coalition’s upcoming prequel takes players back to the beginning of the Locust invasion, 14 years before the original Gears of War, putting Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago at the centre of Emergence Day.
The latest developer deep dive once again emphasised the game’s darker tone.
The Coalition isn’t simply recreating the original Gears formula. Cover-based combat remains central, but E-Day introduces updated movement and traversal, new weapons and redesigned enemies, with the team deliberately pushing the series back towards horror.
The campaign supports solo play, split-screen co-op and online co-op for up to four players.
There is also a significant multiplayer component, including Horde Siege, an expanded take on Gears’ traditional wave-based mode, alongside competitive multiplayer.
Built in Unreal Engine 5, the game is targeting 4K resolution and up to 60fps across campaign and multiplayer.
Most importantly, Gears of War: E-Day launches October 6, 2026, and will be available day one with Game Pass.
After years of sequels moving the timeline forward, returning to the moment everything went wrong could prove to be exactly the shake-up Gears needs.
Terrible Lizards Turns a Dinosaur Attraction Into a Nightmare
Terrible Lizards might have one of the most intriguing premises of the entire presentation.
Set in 1992, the game begins when your vehicle breaks down near Dalton’s Dinos, a Route 66 roadside dinosaur attraction in New Mexico.
The attraction appears deserted, but a mysterious telephone message asking for help quickly reveals that something has gone very wrong.
Unfortunately, you’re not carrying an arsenal.
Terrible Lizards is a first-person horror parkour game, meaning survival depends on movement rather than shooting.
Players need to run, jump, climb, wall-run, slide and use momentum to escape creatures hunting them through the attraction. There are no conventional weapons, so outsmarting your pursuers is the only way forward.
Environmental storytelling also plays a major role, with tapes, recordings and notes helping uncover what happened at Dalton’s Dinos.
Terrible Lizards launches October 29, 2026, day one with Xbox Game Pass.
Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis Shows More of Lara’s Reimagined Beginning
Crystal Dynamics’ Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis received another extended gameplay look, and the footage continues to demonstrate just how different this reimagining is compared with the original 1996 adventure.
The game revisits Lara Croft’s first major expedition, but the developers are rebuilding the experience with modern technology, traversal and combat.
One particularly notable change is the return of Lara’s dual pistols, something the developers have been keen to bring back in a way that feels appropriate for modern combat rather than simply recreating the old mechanics.
The new game is also putting considerably more emphasis on Lara physically moving through the environment. Exploration, climbing and traversal are intended to make players feel much more connected to the world around her.
Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis launches February 12, 2027, on Xbox Series X|S, with the game also coming to other platforms.
For longtime Tomb Raider fans, this is becoming one of the more interesting projects in the franchise’s history: familiar enough to recognise, but ambitious enough not to simply be a museum piece.
Forza Horizon 6 Is Getting a Serious Drift Challenge
Forza Horizon 6 may already be available, but Playground Games isn’t slowing down its post-launch plans.
The Gamescom presentation introduced Drift Attack, a new shared-world experience designed around drifting and competitive scoring.
The feature is built around the new Shimanoyama Circuit, which players can access directly from the open world without a loading screen.
The idea is to combine the accessibility of traditional Drift Zones with the competitive nature of Horizon Drift, challenging players to maintain speed, control and style while chasing increasingly impressive scores.
Drift Attack arrives with the September 7 series update.
Playground Games also teased a collaboration with 7-Eleven, including an evolving world and EventLab content planned for the October update.
So while Forza Horizon 6 is already racing through 2026, Gamescom showed that Playground has plenty more planned for the road ahead.
Gravhounds Could Be One of the Best Co-op Surprises
Gravhounds is another game that could easily get lost among the bigger names, but the concept is surprisingly compelling.
This is a 1–4 player co-op action game in which players control bio-engineered canine workers sent to dangerous planets to gather resources and establish operations.
The catch is that the longer the team stays, the more dangerous the environment becomes.
Players construct turrets, generators and fabricators while building pipelines across hostile terrain. The game’s gravity mechanics also allow players to manipulate objects, fling resources and even use the environment against the alien swarm.
The playable Gravhounds can also be upgraded during missions, allowing teams to reshape their abilities and builds depending on what happens during each expedition.
There is a strong risk-versus-reward loop here: stay longer and gather more valuable resources, but every additional minute gives the swarm more opportunities to overwhelm the team.
Gravhounds is planned for 2026 and is coming to Xbox Game Pass.
Fable Finally Gets an Extended Look
And then there was Fable.
Playground Games showed approximately 18 minutes of new gameplay, giving us a considerably better idea of how this long-awaited reboot is shaping up.
The new Fable returns players to Albion while attempting to preserve the series’ distinctive mixture of fantasy, humour, exploration and player choice.
The extended footage highlights a living world filled with characters, homes and businesses, alongside combat, exploration and the consequences of the player’s decisions.
The game also puts a significant emphasis on character customisation and the ability to shape the protagonist’s life beyond simply completing quests.
Fable’s world is intended to react to what players do, continuing the franchise’s traditional themes of morality, reputation and consequence while bringing them into a much more detailed modern environment.
The game launches on February 27, 2027, and will be available day one with Xbox Game Pass.
After such a long development period, the extended gameplay was arguably the moment many Xbox fans had been waiting for.
And based on what was shown, Fable is starting to look much more like a complete game rather than simply an ambitious reboot that exists in trailers.
Xbox’s Gamescom 2026 Showing Has Plenty More to Come
The first Xbox Gamescom broadcast was an unusually broad presentation.
There were major first-party games, third-party surprises, smaller co-op projects, hardware announcements and a platform feature that could have ramifications for Xbox players for years.
Gears of War: E-Day remains the obvious heavyweight for 2026, while Fable, Persona 4 Revival and Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis give Xbox an impressive run of major releases heading into early 2027.
But some of the smaller games could prove just as interesting.
Dumpster Gang looks tailor-made for chaotic evenings with friends, Chosen by Odin has an intriguing co-op roguelite structure, Gravhounds could offer a fascinating extraction-style loop, and Terrible Lizards is certainly one of the more unusual horror games we’ve seen during Gamescom.
Then there’s the wider Xbox ecosystem.
The Series X25 gives collectors a striking 25th anniversary console, while Disc to Digital could potentially become one of the most important quality-of-life improvements Xbox has introduced for physical game owners.
And this was only day one.
Xbox has another Gamescom livestream to come, meaning there is still plenty of opportunity for more announcements, gameplay and surprises before the show wraps up.
For Xbox players, Gamescom 2026 is already shaping up to be a very busy one.
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