As gamers seem to have lost a bit of faith in Xbox over the past few months, it seems the same can be said for our HR team. But while this list of desired titles is much shorter than some of our others, there are still a number of Xbox titles to look forward to in 2026.
There is a desperate desire for Fable to still be present among us, and console gamers may also be lured by Subnautica 2, Gears E-Day or Forza Horizon 6. Here's what got our staff talking about the most wanted Xbox games of 2026.
007 First Light – Helen Ashcroft
Despite enjoying a number of Bond films over the years, the last game I played featuring the titular spy was GoldenEye 007 on the N64. Since then it's been mixed, but something about 007 First Light draws me back to this world of gadgets and innuendo.
I think it's the combination of an original story, closely inspired by the novels, a reset button being pushed in terms of the characters, along with a studio that really knows how to make a great action title. I don't want to play through a movie I've seen. I want to experience the world in a unique way, and it looks like I might be in luck.
Fable could be the biggest PS5 game in 2026
With its latest delay, Microsoft is undoubtedly making some big plans for Fable.
Crimson Desert – Andrew Scariati
Crimson Desert hooked me from the moment I stopped watching the breathtaking trailer, which showcased incredible visuals and awe-inspiring scope. But no matter who I talk to about this game, the conversation always comes back to a single sentence: “That game looks very ambitious.”
It's not that Pearl Abyss shouldn't be ambitious with their project, but the scale and unfathomable level of nuance found in the trailer feels like it's setting gigantic expectations. Crimson Desert has our attention; we just hope its medieval fantasy world mixed with magic, mythical creatures, and futuristic technology delivers on what's been teased so far.
Mixtape – Stacey Henley
Mixtape was one of my more anticipated games of 2025, having first piqued my interest at Summer Games Fest 2024. But all was quiet on the Xbox front since then, and the game quietly slipped back to 2026 (and hopefully no further).
Produced by the team behind the woefully underrated The Artful Escape, Mixtape is another soundtrack-driven adventure sure to dial it up to eleven.
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties – Meg Pelliccio
Shocking absolutely no one who knows me in any way, I'm super hyped to revisit Yakuza 3 with its Kiwami remake and even more hyped to get more Mine story with Dark Ties.
I often shout about my love for Majima, but for those who care about my fan ranking, Mine is actually my third favorite character. So now you know.
Fable – Hilton Webster
Is Fable really coming out this year? Who knows! Did I also write down Fable last year? Yep. And I'll do it every year until it's released, because Microsoft doesn't give me much else to work with.
Also, I just bought an Xbox One the other day so I could play my original copies of Fable 2 and 3 from like 15 years ago. God, I love Fable. I need more non-American fantasy and humor in my life. I've been waiting so long, Microsoft. Just a bit of fable, thanks.
Grand Theft Auto 6 – George Foster
Xbox isn't the console I'll be playing Grand Theft Auto 6 on (I bought a PS5 Pro specifically for it), but I can't pass up a chance to hype up Rockstar's next monolith. We all know why GTA 6 is exciting, so I won't waste your time on it, but I have no doubt that it will be able to live up to the impossibly high expectations we all have for it.
As long as it actually ends up launching next year (fingers crossed!), GTA 6 will be a true game changer that shows just how far the medium can go. Hot take, I know.
Halo: Campaign Evolved – Josh Coulson
Outside of a mild obsession with Halo: Reach's multiplayer 15 years ago, I was never a Halo guy. That was until very recently when I started playing through the Master Chief Collection with my son.
We're halfway through Halo 2 as I write this, and after not being all that phased about the Halo: Campaign Evolved remake announcement, I'm now dying to see what Xbox has done with the game that started it all after playing through the original just a few days ago. It's going to be a big year for Xbox if all goes to plan, but a return to Halo's roots is the game I'm most looking forward to.
Video game release date 2026
From indie titles to triple-A giants, we've got all the release dates for games coming out in 2026. We've even included TCG and tabletop.
