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Whether it's the most exciting upcoming Xbox Series X games slated to be Xbox exclusives to those soon to enter the ranks of the best Xbox Game Pass games, there's a lot to watch out for on the Summer Game Fest 2026 schedule. There's also an Xbox Games Showcase confirmed as part of the weekend's festivities, so I figured it was time to put my thinking cap on and pick out the five games I'm most keen to see this summer.
Below, you'll find the latest instalments in the best fantasy RPGs, some iconic third-person shooters, and even one or two new games we've heard precious little about for a very long time. They're all likely showers for different reasons – most lack a release date or window entirely – and are sure to be joined by many unexpected reveals. But I want to see depth and quality over sheer quantity this year, so join me as I go through all the Xbox games I think we'll be seeing at SGF 2026!
1. Fable
Developer: Playground Games
Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X
Release date: TBC 2026
It's likely we'll see the hottest upcoming RPG at Xbox Games Show this summer. Playground Games' Fable reboot has been in the works for quite some time now, with plenty of flashy trailers posing us to ponder what it means to be a hero. This will be our great return to Albion following the end of the original trilogy from Lionheart (RIP), and despite having a 2026 release window locked in, a firm release date still evades us. With a special show on the way from the publisher, I'm getting big "one more thing" vibes when it comes to Fable's spot in the lineup. Or, you know, a hell of a way to tee things off.
2. Gears of War: E-Day
Developer: The Coalition
Platform(s): PC, Xbox Series X
Release date: TBC
It's already confirmed that a dedicated Gears of War: E-Day special is coming after the Xbox Game Show during Summer Game Fest, so this one is less a prediction and more of a reminder. The long-awaited prequel from The Coalition will be taking us back to the roots of the third-person shooter, 14 years before the events of the first game. We haven't seen much of it besides an announcement trailer, though, which is where this new special program has a chance to truly deliver. I'll be watching out for a projected release window or year rather than a specific date, but anything that gives us something more to chew on will be appreciated at this point.
3. O.D.
Developer: Kojima Productions
Platform(s): PC, Xbox Series X
Release date: TBC
This one is a bit of a pipe dream, but I would love to see Hideo Kojima's OD show face at Summer Game Fest 2026. The upcoming horror game, made in partnership with Jordan Peele, is as enigmatic as it is intriguing (in typical Kojima style), and we only have two trailers out in the wild so far at the time of writing.
Given that Kojima and show host Geoff Keighley are known pals, the odds of seeing it this summer might not be so bad – especially now that Death Stranding 2 is no longer on the developer's plate. OD is also one of the only new horror games on the Xbox publishing checklist, which makes it even more appealing to me as we look ahead to the darker, spookier months, and a likely contender for a spot at the Xbox Games Showcase as well as Opening Night Live. Fingers crossed, horror hounds
4. State of Decay 3
Developer: Undead Labs
Platform(s): PC, Xbox Series X
Release date: TBC
Where oh where is State of Decay 3? Six years since being announced (though apparently only existing as a concept at the time), the latest instalment in one of the best zombie game series ever is still nowhere to be seen. Xbox has evaded giving us a proper release date, with most hoping for a 2027 launch now that we are this far into 2026 without any tangible news. But that makes State of Decay 3 a very likely pick for Summer Game Fest, more specifically, the Xbox Games Showcase. There's a lot of air that needs to be cleared, questions in need of answers, and hordes of undead to slay. Here's hoping that all will be revealed this summer!
5. Persona 4 Revival
Developer: Atlus
Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X
Release date: TBC
Set to launch day-one on Xbox Game Pass, Persona 4 Revival's stunning current-gen remake of one of the best Persona games ever will be a hot commodity at Summer Game Fest 2026. Hopes are already high following the success of February 2024's Persona 3 Reload, with many fans even predicting a P4R release date next year in February too. Last year's Xbox Games Showcase saw the game revealed for the first time (but not before some extensive fan theorizing, of course), so it feels only fair that this year's event on June 7 will give us an even closer look at what we can expect.
