As the end of Microsoft’s Xbox Games Showcase, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer teased the company’s plans for 2026, which marks the 25th anniversary of Xbox.
Spencer said Gears of War: E-Day, the new Fable, and the next Forza game will launch in 2026. He also teased the “return of a classic that’s been with us since the beginning.”
Many are taking that to be a reference to the Halo franchise. Microsoft is working on multiple new Halo games, one of which could be a remaster of 2001’s Halo: Combat Evolved. It was previously reported that a remaster of the first Halo game was in the works and might also come to PS5.
In 2024, Microsoft announced that it was working on new Halo games and that the franchise was shifting from using the company’s own game engine to Epic’s Unreal Engine. As part of this, Microsoft also changed the name of 343 Industries to Halo Studios.
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Fable, Forza, Gears, and Halo are some of the most iconic and recognizable Xbox brands, and all four franchises coming out in 2026 to celebrate the franchise’s 25th anniversary could be a big moment.
As for what Microsoft has on tap for 2025, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is on the way from Activision, as is The Outer Worlds 2 from Obsidian. While fans have to wait until 2026 for Gears of War: E-Day, the Gears of War 1 Reloaded remaster is releasing this August.
