Will Fable steal the show at tonight's Xbox Developer Direct? Join us here to discuss everything announced, as it happens

Xbox's fourth annual Developer Direct kicks off tonight

The fourth annual Xbox Developer Direct will be kicking off later this evening, with a look at Fable, Forza and F... Beast of Reincarnation. Sigh. They just couldn't stick with the F theme, could they!

What are you most looking forward to seeing tonight?

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Raveen says: Well, Xbox has gone from no games in 2023, to bad games in 2023 (Redfall, Forza Motorsport, Starfield), to games that are perfectly alright in 2024 and 2025. So here’s to hoping Fable is the moment they release something great.

No pressure!

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

20 minutes to go

We have about 20 minutes before things begin, hope you are all sitting comfortably! I wonder if Fable will also come to PS5?

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Lasers_pewpewpew says: Not to be Captain Miserable or anything, but if we discount some added Xbox nostalgia, were the previous Fable games actually that good? Having played them all, I'm not sure what the fuss is about other than they usually have some notable UK voice talent... I suppose that is actually a bit Captain Miserable after all.

Don't be miserable when you can be Captain Miserable!

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Carl Sheen says: Hoping for Fallout 3, expecting somethign small and weird from Double Fine

I would looove something small and weird from Double Fine! Keeper was one of my top games from 2025 :D

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

MarcusJ says: Just this week I held a Kinect in one hand and Fable: The Journey in the other. And I did think about doing it. Briefly. I mean, if not now, when?

I think that means one thing... do it now!

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

10 minutes to go

Hello ladies and gentlemen, welcome to your next stop, Anticipation Station! We are just moments away from our final destination, the Xbox Developer Direct, and appreciate you choosing Eurogamer Rail on this cold January evening. Choo choo

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

It's the final countdown (da-na-na-naaaa)

It is time

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

All Game Pass titles

Everything shown tonight will be Game Pass-ified!

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Dwayneh says: 25 Years! Way to make me feel old Xbox.

You don't look a day over 21!

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

the9000 says: I love how reality is full of seasonality.

Agree! Look at those cherry blossoms

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

the9000 says: I love how reality is full of seasonality.

Ha, misread this, but also do still agree XD

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

the9000 says: everything is on Gamepass... but will any of it also be multiplatform day one?

I wondered if there will be a PS5 announce somewhere this evening, but guess Xbox may want to do it like they did with Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and wait for a bit before announcing anything

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Malek86 says: I can't be the only one who's starting to grow tired of the standard Forza Horizon formula. I hope there's more to the game than the usual stuff that's been there pretty much since FH2.

What would you want to see added?

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Dwayneh says: I notice they didn't specify which tier of Gamepass... I'm assuming Ultimate is the cost of entry.

I would imagine Ultimate, yeah

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Forza Horizon 6 arrives 19th May

Forza Horizon 6 has locked in its release date: 19th May. It will also be coming to PlayStation later "when it's ready".

Image credit: Playground Games

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Ghibli says: I’m intrigued by this Gamefreak game. Totally unexpected from them.

This feels really different, doesn't it! I always feel a Game Freak game is going to be... errrm... a little rough around the edges, but this looks pretty

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Dwayneh says: I'm trying to prepare dinner for the boy at the same time as watching this. Subtitles are highly likely to result in chopping a finger off...

Stay safe!

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

the9000 says: @Victoria Biomutant...?

No, not that one (that one really disappointed me :( ) - there is a girl with dark hair on the cover, and you play as her...

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

the9000 says: @Victoria Biomutant...?

It is really going to annoy me, but I will probably remember in the middle of the night XD

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Beast of Reincarnation coming this summer to Xbox, PC and PlayStation

Game Freak's next game Beast of Reincarnation will be coming to Xbox as well as PC and PlayStation this summer. You can wishlist it now.

Image credit: Game Freak

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Tim Schafer is a treasure

I love this man, and I am so happy to see Double Fine this evening :D

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

MarcusJ says: Kena: Bridge of Spirits?

Yes!!!!! Thank you!

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Kiln is so far my game of the night

Kiln looks great, and pretty darn adorable. I love that Double Fine really marches to its own drum, and releases games that mean something to the studio's team.

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

MarcusJ says: @Victoria You’re welcome. Got to use this knowledge for good from time to time. It’s a nice game!

That it is!

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Kiln details

I am enamoured, so googled Kiln. Here is what Double Fine's site says about it:

"Kiln is a multiplayer, team-based brawler by Derek Brand with a focus on creating unique player sculpted characters featuring crazy physics-based animation and destruction. In Kiln you play as a Mountain Spirit, supernatural beings forever at war on the summit. You'll use an ancient pottery wheel to create warrior golems called Vessels, inhabiting them and enabling you to interact with the physical realm to do battle. Created during the match, extremely diverse character shapes and sizes are possible each exhibiting unique attributes and controls that leverage the possibilities in procedural animation."

This is from 2017, though, so maybe this will get updated after this evening's trailer.

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Cardboard Box says: Its just going to be full of walking penises isn't it Hmmm, probably

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Double Fine's multiplayer brawler arrives Spring

Kiln - a pottery-based multiplayer from the Keeper and Psychonauts developer Double Fine - arrives this spring. It is coming to Xbox Series X/S, PC and PlayStation 5. It will be available on Game Pass and Xbox Play Anywhere from Day One. There is also a beta before then, so keep your eyes out for that

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Malek86 says: From this showcase, I get the vague feeling Fable still has a long way to go before release.

I am still hoping for a release date, but yeah, wouldn't be surprised if it is the second half of the year

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Ghibli says: I’m quite liking this. Certainly not upset by any of it. Yet.

"not upset" is def a plus

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Fable comes to Xbox, PlayStation and PC this autumn

We got another look at Fable this evening, and while we don't have a release date yet, we do have a release window: Autumn 2026.

It will be coming to Xbox and PC. Oh, and let's not forget what we were all wondering... yep, it'll be coming to PlayStation as well!

Image credit: Microsoft

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Dwayneh says: And noodles Victoria. Don't forget the noodles.

I could never forget the noodles!

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

So, what did you all think?

Xbox has wrapped its Developer Direct, but I will still be here for a little longer with the liveblog. So, what did you think? Anything you were surprised about with any of those games? Were you hoping for more? What is for supper? Let us know!

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

themightyant says: That was fantastic. Fable looked incredible. Beasts of Reincarnation also looked strong. Kiln not for me, apart from the pottery but can’t win em all. Forza still has a bit to prove it’s not just more of the same, but it LOOKS unbelievable

Agree about Beasts, which I am pleasantly surprised about. I had it in my head it was going to look a bit janky

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

MarcusJ says: I think, with Fable coming to PS5, I’m unlikely to bring my Series X out of its increasingly lengthy hibernation any time soon…

Yeah it is missing its exclusives. Feels a bit like a Game Pass vessel more than anything sometimes

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Malek86 says: Distinct lack of Switch 2 tonight. Some of the games seem like they could fit well. I wonder if they are still keeping an eye on it, to see whether it gains a significant marketshare?

I think Forza would be a good Switch 2 title, like the idea of drifting through Japan while I am waiting for a train or something

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Malek86 says: Anyway, it was a good show. Tonight is pasta with lentils and mushrooms ragu.

Well, that sounds delicious! Enjoy!

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

the9000 says: I'm gutted there's no Horizon for Switch 2 announcement yet. I want a good drifty arcade racer on there!

Agree!

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

themightyant says: @VPK. Janky? Game Freak? Don’t know where you could have gotten that idea. They’ve only been working on a bare bones budget with a tiny IP called Pokemon.

XD

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

Image credit: Eurogamer

Just because I had a little trip down memory lane seeing Tim S pop up, here I am with him at a Keeper preview I went to last year

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

MarcusJ says: @dbaner Acorn planting will be paid DLC.

Are you j-oak-ing... ;-D

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

MarcusJ says: I must check out Keeper. I love Double Fine. Great picture, Victoria!

There are times where it is a bit like an interactive drug trip. There was one bit in particular, though, that made my jaw drop which I then followed with a delighted squeal. I messaged our Matt (who reviewed it for us) straight away, and apparently he did the same thing at that same part XD

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

MarcusJ says: @Victoria Oh - well that does sound interesting! Somehow I totally missed it last year. And I usually hoover up anything Double Fine immediately. Not sure how it happened.

If it makes you feel better, I am still catching up on games from the 2010s XD

Victoria Phillips Kennedy

And that's a wrap

Thank you all for your company this evening, as ever the liveblog has been my pleasure. Hope you all have a good night (or rest of the day), and chat again soon x

Image credit: Xbox

Victoria Phillips Kennedy