The Xbox Games Showcase 2026 airs in June and will be followed by a 'deep dive' into the Gears of War franchise with the E-Day Direct — here's when you can tune in and what to expect

• The Xbox Games Showcase 2026 will air on June 7
• New gameplay and "huge news" for upcoming titles will be revealed
• The showcase will be followed by the Gears of War: E-Day Direct

Microsoft has announced plans for its annual Xbox Games Showcase this summer, along with a Gears of War: E-Day Direct.

The Xbox Games Showcase 2026 is scheduled to air on June 7 at 10AM PT / 1PM ET / 6PM BST and will be followed immediately by a "deep-dive" into the return of the Gears of War franchise with the Gears of War: E-Day Direct showcase.

To watch both livestreams, viewers can tune in on Xbox's official social channels, like YouTube, Twitch, Xbox ASL Twitch, and its Facebook.

The main showcase is expected to offer "first gameplay looks and huge news on upcoming titles" from Microsoft's first-party studios and third-party partners, including games "from the biggest franchises to soon-to-be indie darlings."

Immediately after, Xbox will "go even deeper on one of the games coming later this year", Gears of War: E-Day, directly from developer, The Coalition Studio.

The game was officially revealed during the Xbox Games Showcase in 2024, so it's a high likelihood we'll finally hear a release date announcement and see new gameplay.

"Gears of War: E-Day Direct will take players into the start of Emergence Day, offering new details, gameplay and insights about the hugely anticipated origin story to the Gears of War saga," Microsoft said in an Xbox Wire post.

To celebrate Xbox's 25th anniversary, the company is bringing back Xbox FanFest and will include a look back at the last 25 years, "alongside a forward view of what’s next".

The Xbox Games Showcase is typically a huge event filled with exciting updates on new and upcoming games, so I'm expecting some big hitters this year, and perhaps even the long-awaited release date for Playground Games' Fable, which is due out later this year.

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