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The 10 Best Games Shown at Xbox Games Showcase 2026

By HC Green Men's Journal

Updated June 7, 2026 10:46 PM

Even though E3 has gone the way of brick-and-mortar video stores, the gaming industry still targets June for its big events. That officially kicked off on Tuesday with Sony's State of Play and continued Friday with Summer Game Fest. On Sunday, it was Microsoft's turn with the presentation of the Xbox Games Showcase 2026, followed immediately by a Developer Direct for Gears of War: E-Day.

With more than 25 games shown, there was a lot to sort through. So, before we get to the top 10 titles from the Xbox Summer Showcase, let's look at some news and honorable mentions:

On the news side, several titles announced upcoming expansions, most notably DOOM: The Dark Ages, which will be getting a DLC called Revelations next month. That was one of my favorite games of 2025, so more campaign content is a huge win. New content was also shown for Sea of Thieves, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Age of Empires IV, and Where Winds Meet. A 25th anniversary edition of the Xbox Series X also was announced.

Kicking off the honorable mentions is a double dip from Atlus, which showed off Persona 4 Revival and a tease of Persona 6-the latter would typically land in the top 10, but so little was shown I decided to stick it here. Vivarium looked like a Studio Ghibli film in game form, and Bad Magpie smacked of Untitled Goose Game.

JOIN US appears to be a cult simulator, which is an interesting concept, and Magicians: The Devil's Deal had a BioShock vibe with first-person magic and trickery (and tossing playing cards ala Gambit from X-Men). I've been lukewarm on Valor Mortis, but I thought the latest trailer looked intriguing. I can't say the same about the release date, though, as it joined an already loaded group of titles dropping in late September.

10) Senua

There were rumblings we'd be getting a third title in the Hellblade series, and developer Ninja Theory confirmed those with a new trailer. Entitled simply Senua, the new game promises to take the series in a much more action-oriented direction. Hopefully that change doesn't rob Senua of what made its predecessors stand out.

9) Castlevania: Belmont's Curse

While it's going to be an uphill battle for a lot of games coming out this winter, I think the new Castlevania has a chance to carve out a nice little niche in between massive October launches for Gears of War: E-Day and Modern Warfare 4. The new trailer showed off more of the combat and platforming. I'm ready to dive in.

8) State of Decay 3

Nearly six years since its initial announcement, State of Decay 3 finally showed some gameplay and let fans know it's arriving in 2027. Just give me more of what I got in the first two games with some improved graphics and we'll be good.

7) Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy

Like Senua, Resonance is the third installment in a series that looks to be taking things into more action-adventure territory. The game is a prequel to Amicia de Rune's trials and tribulations while protecting her brother Hugo, and there was no sign of rats. It's launching on Aug. 27, 2026, smartly looking to get ahead of the deluge of September releases.

6) METRO 2039

METRO 2039 was revealed with a mind-bending trailer back in April. This time around, we have a lot more straightforward gameplay. So much the better. Getting to see the game in action has me a lot more excited for its 2027 release.

5) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4

Although Modern Warfare 4 had its big reveal ahead of Summer Showcase, Microsoft still closed the show by showing off the DMZ mode. This is a big year for the franchise after experiencing a lot of pushback and negativity with Black Ops 7. Thus far, I like what I've seen.

4) Fable

It felt inevitable that one of Microsoft's massive projected 2026 releases would push into 2027 once Grand Theft Auto VI laid claim to the month of November and beyond. Fable volunteered as tribute in late May, and we got an official launch date revealed (Feb. 23, 2027) as part of a new trailer that was more story focused. Although I'm a little sad that I must wait longer to play it, the idea of Fable having more room to breathe makes it palatable.

3) Halo: Campaign Evolved

The rumors are true. Halo: Campaign Evolved will feature three all-new campaign missions surrounding Sergeant Johnson and the Master Chief in Operation: METEORITE. Perhaps even more exciting is that the game is eschewing a predicted launch this fall and instead releasing on July 28. That affords Halo a little runway ahead of the huge September push.

2) Clockwork Revolution

Prior to today, I had been teetering on the fence with Clockwork Revolution. Parts looked good, while others felt a bit over the top. No longer. Everything shown here looked awesome with a distinct Shadow and Bone slant to it. The premise, the gameplay hook, the graphics. I'm all in. Plus, making it a console exclusive tells you how Microsoft feels about its upside.

1) Gears of War: E-Day

Speaking of console exclusives, Gears of War: E-Day was the featured attraction here, opening the show and then getting its own Developer Direct. I loved everything I saw and heard. Sure, there's still a part of me that wishes we were getting a proper sequel to Gears 5, but I will be playing the hell out of this game, and the confirmation that it'll feature couch co-op means I won't be playing alone.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 8, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

This story was originally published June 7, 2026 at 9:40 PM.