Microsoft is going all-in on Xbox's 25th anniversary with a lineup designed to recapture momentum after years of sliding hardware sales. The company's betting on its "four horsemen" - Forza, Halo, Fable, and Gears of War - to launch this year while simultaneously pivoting toward cloud gaming and third-party hardware partnerships. But with console revenue down for three straight years and AMD hinting at a next-gen Xbox arriving in 2027, the real story is Microsoft's quiet shift from traditional consoles to a platform-agnostic future.
Microsoft faces a pivotal year for Xbox as the gaming division marks its 25th anniversary against a backdrop of declining hardware sales and strategic uncertainty. The company's roadmap for 2026 centers on four flagship franchises - what insiders are calling the "four horsemen" - while simultaneously laying groundwork for a future that looks less like traditional consoles and more like platform-agnostic cloud gaming.
The gaming lineup starts with Forza Horizon 6 arriving May 19th, followed by Halo: Campaign Evolved tentatively scheduled for summer release. Microsoft plans to launch Fable in fall, with Gears of War: E-Day also targeting the second half of 2026. Sources tell The Verge there's significant internal pressure to deliver all four titles on schedule, though the company's wary of colliding with Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto VI, which Take-Two confirmed will begin marketing this summer ahead of its November 19th launch.
Beyond the marquee releases, Double Fine's new game Kiln is set for April, while Bethesda continues developing content for Starfield. Rumors of a PS5 version of Starfield persist, years after it was first reported. The cross-platform speculation reflects Microsoft's controversial 2024 decision to release Xbox exclusives on rival consoles, a move that sent shockwaves through the gaming community.
