Gaming Influence: Thoughts - Xbox Games Showcase 2026 | Gears of War: E-Day Direct

Hello everyone,

Welcome to Gaming Influence, a reboot of the same name I created in WrestleCorp. However, I will not only be giving my thoughts on certain video games and video game series but also on video game movies, video game anime, video game digital presentations, etc.

For this edition of Gaming Influence, I'll share my thoughts on the Xbox Games Showcase & Gears of War: E-Day Direct on June 7, 2026.

Before I start, not every game shown in this presentation will be discussed, as I will mainly talk about games that I care about and are interested in. If the games you care about and are interested in don't show up here, don't take it personally, have nothing against the games, but they're just not for me, or it's just that I don't have much to say about them except cool. However, if you're happy with the games that you care about and are interested in, I have nothing to say about it; good for you, and I'm happy for you.
Anyway, let's get started!

This Xbox Games Showcase, Gears of War: E-Day Direct will cover games coming to Xbox, Xbox Game Pass, and PC in the future, so let's get to it!

Gears of War: E-Day is a third-person shooter developed by The Coalition and People Can Fly and published by Xbox Game Studios. The game is set to be released on Xbox Series X and PC on October  6, 2026.

It's been seven years since the last Gears of War game, which was Gears 5 back in 2019, as this game looks to be incredible, and it looks to get back to what makes Gears special in the first place. The gameplay combat looks insane and violent, as it should be. This game is also a prequel to the first Gears of War, so I'm interested to see how everything came to be leading up to the Gears of War. Either way, will talk about this more when I discuss the Gears of War: E-Day Direct, but the fact that this game is exclusive to Xbox and coming out in four months is great for Xbox in general. 

Fable is an action role-playing game developed by Playground Games and published by Xbox Game Studios. The game is set to be released on Xbox Series X, PC, and PS5 on February 23, 2027.

Originally, this game was supposed to release back in the fall of this year, but Xbox decided to push the date back to give the game a chance for more people to play since Grand Theft Auto VI will release in the fall, which I totally understand and get. Everything about this game that we've seen has been really impressive, and it looks like there'll be more customization for players to work with, and the new hero they introduced with Isabel looked great as well. Hope this game delivers, and I can't wait to see more of it before its release in eight months.

Halo: Campaign Evolved is a first-person shooter developed by Halo Studios and published by Xbox Game Studios. The game is set to be released on Xbox Series X, PC, and PS5 on July 28, 2026.

Oh dang! I didn't expect Xbox to remake the first Halo game in terms of its campaign, but it's awesome to see. Love the improved graphics and the fact that they're adding new content to it with the new three missions is awesome to see. Very curious to see how this remake will turn out overall, as we won't have to wait long, as it'll be released next month.

Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy is an action-adventure game developed by Asobo Studio and published by Focus Entertainment. The game is set to be released on Xbox Series X, PC, and PS5 on August 27, 2026.

We finally got a release date for the game, and it's coming out a lot sooner than expected. The gameplay looks to be a lot of fun, and I'm very curious to see how the story plays out in this game, as the Plague Tale series tends to have pretty interesting stories. We won't have to wait long to find out, as it'll be released in two months.

Persona 4 Revival is a role-playing game developed by P-Studio and published by Atlus. The game is set to be released on Xbox Series X, PC, and PS5 on February 18, 2027.

We finally got to see gameplay for this game, and it looks incredible. I love Persona 4 Golden on PS Vita, so remaking it in HD is just a delight to see. Probably similar to Persona 3 Reload, they might make a few changes to the game, but will remain the same for the most part to keep it true to the original while also being its own thing. Looking forward to replaying this game as it'll be released in eight months.

State of Decay 3 is a survival horror game developed by Undead Labs and published by Xbox Game Studios. The game is set to be released on Xbox Series X, PC, and PS5 in 2027.

I expected this game to appear on this Xbox Games Showcase, and I was right. The game looks to have improved a lot since the last time we saw it, and we actually got gameplay as well, which is a nice treat. Gameplay looks intense, and the story seems quite interesting as well. It's been eight years since State of Decay 2, and we'll see how State of Decay turns out once it's released next year.

Bad Magpie is a narrative adventure game developed and published by Milktooth, which is set to be released on Xbox Series X and PC in 2027.

Okay, this was a nice surprise as it looks to be a fun adventure game starring a bird exploring the world that it's in. Love the art style that the developers are going for with this game, and it definitely has a certain charm to it, too. Curious to see more of this game and looking forward to it once it's released next year.

Wo Long 2: Wings of Ember is an action role-playing game developed by Team Ninja and published by Koei Tecmo. The game is set to be released on Xbox Series X, PC, PS5, and Switch 2 in early 2027.

Oh wow, I didn't expect Koei Tecmo to make a new Wo Long game, so this was a nice surprise. I did enjoy the first Wo Long game, as this game looks to continue where it left off from the first game as well. Graphics look great, and the gameplay combat looks fun as well. Looking forward to seeing more of this game in the future once it's released early next year.

Senua is an action-adventure game developed by Ninja Theory and published by Xbox Game Studios. The game is set to be released on Xbox Series X, PC, and PS5 in 2027.

Oh wow, didn't expect another Senua game after Senua's Saga: Hellblade II just came out two years ago, but this was another nice surprise. With it being just Senua instead of Hellblade III, it looks to be a spin-off rather than a mainline game. However, gameplay looks like a lot of fun, and curious to see more of this game in the future once it's released next year.

DOOM: The Dark Ages | Revelations is an expansive campaign expansion for the first-person shooter developed and published by Bethesda, DOOM: The Dark Ages. The expansion is set to be released on Xbox Series X, PC, and PS5 on July 7, 2026.

Awesome to see that DOOM: The Dark Ages will be getting DLC, and this looks to be a beefy one at that as well. This looks to be a new story campaign, which I'm totally down for, as I'm curious to see how this one will play. Luckily, we don't have to wait long as it'll be out next month.

Craxy Taxi: World Tour is a racing game developed and published by Sega. The game is set for release on Xbox Series X, PC, PS5, and Switch 2 in 2027.

Oh my god, yes! Finally! It's about time that we see the new Crazy Taxi game, as it looks to be great and a lot of fun to play. This is a part of Sega's revival of old franchises, and glad to see that Crazy Taxi is getting a revival with this game, as it looks to be chaotic as it should be. Looking forward to seeing more of this game once it's released next year.

Minecraft Dungeons II is a dungeon crawler game developed by Mojang Studios and published by Xbox Game Studios. The game is set for release on Xbox Series X, PC, PS5, Switch 2, and Switch on September 29, 2026.

Nice to see that a sequel to Minecraft Dungeons has been made, and it's looking pretty good from what we've seen with this game thus far. The gameplay looks to be fun as ever with its combat style and customization. Very curious to see how this game will turn out overall, and we won't have to wait too long to find out, as it'll be released in three months.

Magicians: The Devil's Deal is a narrative-driven first-person shooter developed by Uppercut Games and published by Focus Entertainment. The game is set for release on Xbox Series X, PC, and PS5 in 2027.

This is a game that caught me off guard, as it looks to be a first-person game where you are a magician and you fight using magic, which is quite awesome. The game has a unique art style, and the gameplay looks to be a lot of fun, using different types of magic to fight against enemies. This game has potential to be something, and I hope to see more of it in the future once it's released next year.

Valor Mortis is an action role-playing game developed by One More Level and published by Lyrical Games. The game is set for release on Xbox Series X, PC, and PS5 on September 24, 2026.

This appears to be an interesting action RPG starring Napoleon, with graphics and gameplay that look quite fascinating. The gameplay seems to be soulslike in a way that is definitely quite interesting for a game like this. I'm definitely very curious about this game and can't wait to see how it plays once it's released in three months.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is a flight simulation game developed by Asobo Studio and published by Xbox Game Studios. The new update involving US National Parks will be released on Xbox Series X, PC, and PS5 on July 4, 2026, and another update involving National Championship Air Races will be released in Fall 2026.

Nice to see that Xbox continues to support this game with new additions and updates they've been doing for the past two years. Adding US National Parks will be a nice addition to the game for players to explore and see. Plus, adding races to this game will be sweet as well. Looking forward to these updates once it's released next month and this fall.

Where Winds Meet is a wuxia action-adventure role-playing game developed by Everstone Studio and published by NetEase Games. The game is available now on Xbox Series X, and the DLC with Hidden Mountain will be released on Xbox Series X, PC, and PS5 in July 2026.

Nice to see that Xbox is getting this game, as it's a fun game that more players should experience. If you guys are into high-octane action games with challenging bosses, this is the game for you. Plus, it looks like the game will have additional bosses for players to face with the Hidden Mountain DLC, which should be quite challenging. Very curious to see how this game will turn out on Xbox, as it's available now for Xbox players to try out, and the DLC will be out next month.

Castlevania: Belmont's Curse is an action-adventure game developed by Evil Empire and published by Konami. The game is set to be released on Xbox Series X, PC, and PS5 on October 15, 2026.

When this game was showcased back at the PlayStation State of Play in February earlier this year, I lost my mind as I didn't expect to get a new original Castlevania game, and it looks incredible. Glad to see that this game is coming a lot closer than expected, too, as the gameplay continues to look amazing, and I love the character designs of the bosses as well. Looking forward to playing this game myself once it's released in four months.

Vivarium is a narrative life-simulation adventure game developed by Studio Meadowflower and published by Serenity Forge. The game is set for release on Xbox Series X and PC in 2027.

This is another game that caught my interest due to the art style alone, as it looks quite charming and cozy. The art style has this classic Studio Ghibli style to it, and the game looks to have an interesting story as well. I definitely have an eye on this game as I can't wait to see more about it once it's released next year.

Persona 6 is a role-playing game developed by P-Studio and published by Sega. The game is set to be released on Xbox Series X, PC, and PS5 in the future.

Finally! After twelve years, we're finally going to get the next installment of the Persona franchise! It's about time. Granted, we only got a teaser trailer, but the fact that it finally exists makes me happy. From the direction that they're going with this game, it seems to be a darker Persona than we're used to, which should change things up a bit, as Persona games tend to be on the more cheerful side for the most part of the Persona games despite having darker themes at times. Either way, glad to see that this game exists, and I can't wait to see more of it in the future.

Spyro: A Realm Beyond is a platformer developed by Toys for Bob and published by Activision. The game is set for release on Xbox Series X, PC, PS5, and Switch 2 in Spring 2027.

Oh my god, we're getting a new Spyro game! Yes! It seems like the Spyro Reignited Trilogy helped make this game happen, and I couldn't be any happier. Everything we've seen with this trailer looks amazing in terms of graphics and gameplay. It looks like Spyro will go up against a new villain as well. Either way, happy to see Spyro make a return, and I can't wait to see more of this game once it's released next spring.

Clockwork Revolution is an action role-playing game developed by InXile Entertainment and published by Xbox Game Studios. The game is set to be released on Xbox Series X and PC in 2027.

Well, we finally got a time frame of when this game is going to come out and the fact that this game is a Xbox exclusive is huge for Xbox fans. Every time we see new trailers for this game, it keeps looking better and better as the gameplay looks to be a lot of fun and story seems very interesting too with compelling characters. Looking forward to seeing how this game will turn out overall once it's released next year.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is a first-person shooter developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision. The game is set to be released on Xbox Series X, PC, PS5, and Switch 2 on October 23, 2026.

Activision did announce this game quite recently, but nice to see Xbox reminding players that this game exists and it'll be coming out soon on all platforms. Even though I'm not a Call of Duty guy that much, can't deny that this game will be huge and a lot of people will be playing it once it's launched. People won't have to wait long either as it'll be released in four months.

With this game coming out in four months, did Xbox do enough to convince hardcore and casual gaming fans to be interested in it? Let's find out and discuss what they've shown.

The presentation started with an introduction to the studio that developed Gears of War: E-Day, The Coalition, as they're thrilled to create the game they have always envisioned. The idea for Gears of War: E-Day came about when they went back to playing the first Gears of War, as they wanted to expand on it since they hadn't been able to do so before due to limited technology. They developed this game from scratch to fully realize the vision that they had for Gears since its inception, and they're doing it with Gears of War: E-Day. Very nice to see that the developers were able to fully realize their vision of the original Gears of War with Gears of War: E-Day. Very curious to see if they were able to accomplish that with this game, but only time will tell.

They then discuss the narrative of the story, which took place before the events of the first Gears of War starring Marcus and Dominic, who are young veterans that are still recovering from the war they've experienced, where they lost someone very close to them during combat, Carlos. Everything was peaceful for them until a big incident occurred, which started the events of Gears of War: E-Day. The game will also take place in one city, unlike previous games, to really immerse the players in the city they explored. It looks like the developers are really giving a big backstory to the origins of the Gears series with this game. Very curious to see how it turns out overall towards the end.

Next, they talked about the gameplay and combat of the game. They added sliding to allow players to go through obstacles, as well as getting to hiding areas a lot quicker. They also included jumping, which allows players to get to certain areas a lot faster than usual. The city was developed in this game for the gameplay, as it'll give players strategies on how to encounter and attack enemies. They also brought the return of e-holes, which is a series staple, as players can come with multiple ways to use e-holes to their advantage when dealing with enemies. It looks like Gears of War: E-Day will stick with the traditional gameplay of the Gear series, which is great to see. Looking forward to trying it out myself to see how it plays like.

After that, they discuss t the characters in this game and how some of the characters ended up being who they are in the first Gears of War. We were also introduced to some new characters as well as returning characters, as the game will take place from the perspective of Bravo and how she viewed the events of the game. The developers also decided to keep the original characters in what they looked like from the first Gears of War, but more expressive. They also mentioned that they made the enemies and monsters in Gears of War: E-Day more intimidating than ever, as well as adding gore when they're destroyed in battle. I really like how much attention to detail that the developers are adding to this game, as it really makes the whole game alive, and you're like a part of it. Can't wait to experience how this feels once the game comes out.

Next, they discuss the weapons in the game, where there are tons of varieties of weapons for players to choose from. They also included the chainsaw weapon, which can be satisfying to use when you use it on an enemy to cut them in half. It's so cool that they added the chainsaw weapon in this game, as it looks awesome and should be a lot of fun to use in combat. Curious to see how it plays out when playing the full game.

They then discussed the audio and music for the game as they're looking to make it as creepy as possible. The sound effects that they were using for the chainsaw have improved since the first Gears of War game, as it feels satisfying when hearing that chainsaw go through an enemy. The developers also mentioned that they use classical instruments as well as the electric guitar to fit the atmosphere of the game. Really love how the developers emphasize the importance of audio design and music when it comes to video games, as it really adds to the atmosphere when playing a game. Curious to hear the audio and music of this game once it's released.

Next, they touched upon the multiplayer mode of the game, which is returning just like in previous Gears of War games. They'll have a traditional co-op mode for players to play up to four players with split screen when it comes to two players. In addition, they also added a new mode where twelve players team up together to take on a huge enemy, as they're planning to test the co-op with an online beta test later this summer. Nice to see the return of multiplayer as it looks to be fun as ever in this game. Curious to see how it turns out overall once it's released.

Finally, they ended the presentation with an overview trailer of what they discussed in the presentation, as well as the developers mentioning how they're happy that the Gears series has been going on for two decades now. They're happy that they were able to envision the game that they've always wanted since the first Gears of War game, and they're able to achieve it with Gears of War: E-Day. They then mentioned that their motto is to Never Be Alone, as they were able to achieve their dream together, as they hope players get to experience this incredible game they develop once it's released in four months. The Coalition is definitely passionate about the game they developed here, and what they showcased here is incredible. Hope the game delivers once it's released in four months.

Overall, this was a great presentation from Xbox. Xbox continues to showcase its first-party games, and the fact that two of its games are going to be Xbox exclusives is something that Xbox needed for a long time, and it is good to see. Plus, the reveal of their limited edition of Xbox Series X25 looks amazing as it has that old school Xbox logo coloring scheme to it, which is nice, and it screams Halo as well, which is Xbox's biggest franchise. The Gears of War: E-Day Direct was also great as they really went in-depth into the game on what it's about and what they're trying to accomplish with the game overall. Even though I still have issues with Xbox, I can't deny that this new direction they're going in is what made Xbox special in the first place, as going back to the Xbox exclusives is definitely needed if they still want to be in the hardware market. Only time will tell how this will turn out for them, and we'll see how they do from here on out.

You can catch the whole presentation of the Xbox Games Showcase; The Outer Worlds 2 & Grounded 2 Direct yourself with the link below:

What are your thoughts on this Xbox Games Showcase & Gears of War: E-Day Direct?

What were your highlights, and what games do you really want?

Let me know in the comments below, and thank you for reading.