Along with the Summer Game Fest show, arguably the most high-profile stream of the former E3 period is the Xbox Games Showcase, typically paired with a developer deep dive into one of Xbox’s biggest upcoming games.
In the case of the latter, this year’s Direct was split between two Obsidian games: the already announced sci-fi RPG The Outer Worlds 2 (set for release on 29 October this year), and the surprise reveal of co-op adventure sequel Grounded 2 (Think Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The Game), which enters Early Access next month, from 29 July.
Anyway, you can watch the full two-hour Showcase and Direct double above, or read a thorough summary of the various announcements here.
What we’re doing is singling out our top five game announcements from the event, with a side note that well be doing the same for the rest of Summer Game Fest, and its dozen of smaller affiliated showcases, in another article.
Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy
Out of nowhere we got a reveal trailer for Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy, from Asobo Studio and Focus Entertainment. Amicia and Hugo’s story is done, but action-adventure Resonance shifts the spotlight onto one of their Requiem allies, the smuggler Sophia (who was one of our favourite characters of 2022). Set 15 years before the events of the last game, Resonance follows Sophia as she journeys to the Minotaur’s Island, overcoming deadly trials, puzzles and a relentless army as she uncovers ancient secrets, and a curse that has a powerful connection to her.
Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy comes to Xbox Series consoles, PC and PlayStation 5 in 2026. It’s also going to be a day one Game Pass release.
Still talking sequels and fresh franchise additions, charming puzzle platformer Planet of Lana is getting a follow-up in 2026 (for all gaming platforms), and future-set military shooter Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 was teased. Blops 7 is out later this year apparently (on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, and PC). Both titles will be immediately playable with Game Pass.
Cronos: The New Dawn
Fresh off their success with Silent Hill 2’s remake, Bloober Team, the same developer behind the likes of Layers of Fear and The Medium (both of which we were big fans of), is back in survival horror territory with Cronos: The New Dawn – which we can probably consider their Dead Space. You play as the Traveler, sent by the mysterious Collective to salvage what remains of humanity. That means harnessing a time travel mechanic that can transport you to 1980s Poland, among other things, as well as facing the monstrous Orphans, creatures that can fuse together to create even deadlier foes.
Revealed last October, Cronos: The New Dawn is out this Northern Hemisphere autumn, coming to PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
On matters of horror, special shoutout to Bandai Namco and Rebel Wolves’ already announced The Blood of Dawnwalker, a Witcher-esque pitch-black fantasy out in 2026 for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Dawnwalker received a new gameplay trailer during the Xbox Showcase.
Aphelion
Keeping things space centred, but with more of a hard sci-fi angle (it’s made in collaboration with the European Space Agency), is Aphelion. From Life is Strange makers DON’T NOD, this narrative-driven adventure seems to be taking a cue from the studio’s 2024 releases Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden and Jusant in that you’re exploring, and delving into the mysteries of, a hostile world. In this case, you’re astronaut Ariane, trying to reach your wounded partner Thomas on Persephone, a frozen ninth planet discovered on the edge of our Solar System. The game promises a cinematic experience with traversal and stealth gameplay.
Aphelion comes to Xbox Series X|S, PC, PS5, and Game Pass in 2026.
Keeper
It’s been four years since the release of Psychonauts 2, and now we know what’s next from Double Fine Productions. With Stacking project lead and Brutal Legends art director Lee Petty leading the project, Keeper is described as a “beautiful and surreal third-person, atmospheric puzzle adventure… told without words.” Players take control of a battered lighthouse (yes, a lighthouse) that awakens in a post-human world and totters off across the island with a seabird companion. The lighthouse’s beam and the bird’s agility will be key tools in completing their odyssey.
Keeper is coming to Xbox Series X|S, and PC on 17 October this year. You’ll also be able to play it day one with Game Pass.
There Are No Ghosts at the Grand
Finally, there’s the genre-spanning and completely unpredictable There Are No Ghosts at The Grand, the debut title from indie developers Friday Sundae. By day you’ll be restoring the dilapidated English hotel you inherited from your estranged father, and exploring the local seaside village with its many secretive inhabitants. By night, though, you’ll be facing supernatural threats with the aid of a sassy talking cat. Either way, There Are No Ghosts at The Grand is a kooky, cosy blend of mystery, music, and environmental puzzles with an in-game deadline of 30 days and nights.
There Are No Ghosts at The Grand releases in 2026 for PC, Xbox Series X|S. It’s also a day one release with Game Pass.