I’ve actually met Phil Spencer in person, and even shared a few drinks… But I must have made a bad impression, because I’m convinced he has a personal grudge against me.
The evidence is clear — Xbox as a whole must despise me, because the Xbox Games Showcase 2025 was missing some of the games I so desperately wanted to see during the event.
Obviously, that’s a joke (although I’m stating the obvious because some internet-bound folks take everything too seriously), but there were some Xbox and Windows PC projects that we didn’t see during the show that I wish we had.
While we’re here, I may as well rant a little.
Honorable mention — Hollow Knight: Silksong
Allow me to declare a truth that will undeservedly earn me the ire of those piled too high on the metaphorical hype train — I have absolutely zero interest in Hollow Knight: Silksong.
I’d fight the sun before claiming that I care about one of the most anticipated upcoming games in years… and I’d have to play the first Hollow Knight to do that, so it’s simply not happening.
That being said, I do have to give an honorable mention to what I’m fairly confident is the greatest video games troll of the decade. Hollow Knight: Silksong deftly evades every event that draws even a modicum of attention from Hollow Knight fans, to the point where it has become a running joke.
Silksong was mentioned during Summer Game Fest just to fuel the fire and troll even more at the Xbox Games Showcase, where it was a part of the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally gaming handheld announcement. Alas, there was no trailer in sight, much to the disappointment of at least three people, but we did randomly get some news after the events.
5. Everwild
Between the prolonged periods of absence and the rumors of a complicated development, I honestly can’t tell you with any degree of confidence what Everwild is. It’s so intangible, our Everwild guide hasn’t been touched in years.
What I can say is that Sea of Thieves, being the narrative-light live service game that it is, has never won me over. I’ve wanted to see more out of Rare for a very long time, given its storied history as a legendary studio, and Everwild is supposed to be exactly that.
It was announced in 2019, back when Xbox’s shallower pool of first-party studios encouraged it to tease games years ahead of time. I wouldn’t be nearly as passionate about the game if it only existed as a rumor, but we know Everwild is in the process of being created — we just don’t know anything about it.
Is Everwild truly still years away from release? I’m not sure, but I would’ve loved an update during the Xbox Games Showcase, at least to realign our expectations and give us a fresh perspective on the kind of game Everwild is aiming to be.
4. Fable
I normally detest the way such varied genres are lumped together as the “Sports & Racing” category, but in this case it’s apt: I typically don’t enjoy sports and racing games.
Forza Horizon is the absolute exception, and the sheer quality of the franchise has led Playground Games to become one of my most beloved and trusted studios. That makes it all the more exciting that Xbox chose Playground — a team traditionally dedicated to open-world racing games — to take on a new challenge: take a legendary RPG franchise and revitalize it for modern platforms and audiences.
Yes, Playground Games is in charge of the end-to-end reboot of Fable, and every snippet and all-too-brief trailer I’ve seen of this studio’s debut in an all-new genre has furthered my excitement.
I understand that the Fable reboot was recently delayed, so I’m not altogether too shocked that it didn’t make an appearance during the Xbox Games Showcase, but that doesn’t quite halt my disappointment. This game has been on my most-anticipated list since its announcement, and I want to see more of it.
Phil Spencer did, at least, tease that we should be playing Fable in 2026, mind.
3. REPLACED
Perhaps not so surprisingly, REPLACED is the only game on this list that doesn’t hail from a member of the Xbox Game Studios.
Well, I am an avid fan of Xbox, but it’d be ridiculous to presume all of my most anticipated titles originated from the first-party publisher — even on this list of games I specifically wanted to see during the Xbox Games Showcase, REPLACED made the list.
REPLACED may be a “pixel art” game, but it’s also one of the most breathtakingly beautiful games I’ve ever laid eyes on. Correction: one of the most beautiful games with which I’ve gone hands-on, as I’ve actually played a tiny portion of REPLACED.
Something about this game in particular makes me drool in anticipation, and it’s confirmed day one addition to Xbox Game Pass (and its subsequent partnership with Xbox) makes it an obvious addition to this list. I need to play this game.
2. Forza Horizon 6
Forza Horizon 5, which I had the privilege of reviewing for Windows Central, is still one of my highest-rated video games of all time. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s one of my all-time favorite games, but it’s certainly up there.
With Forza Horizon 5 dialing down its live service updates alongside its momentous launch on PlayStation, it makes complete sense that I’d be attentive to the inevitable announcement of Forza Horizon 6. Alas, Playground ducked me again.
Never mind the rumors that FH6 may finally take the open-world racing series to Japan, I’m mostly excited to see what Playground Games can accomplish with the technically impressive, upgraded ForzaTech engine Turn 10 Studios showcased with Forza Motorsport (2023)… Which I also reviewed.
Forza Horizon 6 is almost guaranteed to be one of the most visually impressive games of the decade, but I’m also simply excited to embark on another wild, free-roam adventure behind the wheel of whatever car I fancy at the moment.
I know we may see Forza Horizon 6 officially revealed next year, but I would’ve loved at least a teaser during the Xbox Games Showcase.
1. State of Decay 3
Finally, we have the game that makes me froth at the maw (I wasn’t bitten, I promise), and the next project from Undead Labs. State of Decay 2 is one of my favorite co-op games of all time, and I’ve been eagerly awaiting every scrap of news on its sequel.
Well, we finally got something on State of Decay 3 last year, but it seems this game is still trapped well in the future. Undead Labs didn’t make an appearance during the latest Xbox Games Showcase, nor did we even get a teaser.
With State of Decay 2 officially done receiving updates (and it kept getting new content for far longer than I think anyone expected), my hunger for the next zombie-infested adventure has only deepened.
State of Decay 3 looks like it’ll dramatically expand on the Undead Labs formula, with a significantly more ambitious scope that could make it one of the best Xbox games ever.
I just hope that I get to play this game before I actually become a zombie. That being said, I also want Undead Labs to take its time to make this game as amazing as I know it can be.
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