Phil Spencer closed the Xbox Games Showcase with a series of real bombshells. Next year will be absolute madness for Xbox fans: Gears E-Day, Fable, a new Forza Horizon, and—perhaps most exciting of all—the return of a true icon. Spencer even teased that Halo could rise again in 2026, but will it be a full remaster or a long-awaited Infinite sequel?

The video game industry has changed radically since the first Xbox burst onto the market in 2001. There have been new consoles, bold strategies, and shifting priorities, but through it all, the legendary Xbox franchises have remained. Halo, Forza Horizon, Fable, and Gears are still the backbone of the brand—and now, with these titles reaching PlayStation 5 as well, the hype has never been higher for what’s next.

The Halo Comeback: What Is 343 Studios Cooking?

Phil Spencer, head of Microsoft’s gaming division, wrapped up the Xbox Games Showcase 2025 by confirming that 2026 will be the year when all the big franchises make their grand return. He announced that for Xbox’s 25th anniversary, Playground Games’ new Fable is set to arrive in 2026, though it’s been delayed to make room for other huge projects.

Spencer also revealed that Gears of War: E-Day, a prequel to the original, will launch in 2026. Its remastered version, Gears of War: Reloaded, lands this August—making its PlayStation debut at the same time. A new Forza Horizon is also in the works, though details are scarce. But the night’s biggest tease came not in the form of a title, but a hint.

“The return of a classic that’s been with Xbox from the start” is how Spencer put it, clearly alluding to Halo. Could Master Chief really be back in 2026? The bigger question is what the next 343 Studios FPS will actually look like. Rumors have swirled for months that Microsoft is preparing a remaster of the original Halo, and that a PS5 release is even on the table. The fan community is equally hungry for a direct sequel to Halo Infinite, especially after the studio’s switch to Unreal Engine 5 and their promise of “multiple new games.”

Source: 3djuegos