Xbox unveils Series X25 and new console exclusives

Microsoft used its Xbox Games Showcase to mark 25 years of the brand with new hardware, gameplay premieres and exclusivity announcements. The company unveiled a translucent XBOX Series X25 Limited Edition console and an XBOX Wireless Controller X25 Special Edition, and named Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution as permanent Xbox console exclusives.

The Series X25 console and X25 controller reference the original Xbox with a translucent finish inspired by the OG green and design touches that echo the original controller. The controller includes ABXY color accents and bumpers that recall the original “Duke” controller. Microsoft said the limited-edition collection will be sold in select markets in November and the controller will also be available separately.

Gears of War: E-Day opened the showcase with a world-premiere gameplay demo. The title, developed by The Coalition, is scheduled to launch October 6, 2026; pre-orders are open and an open beta will begin August 6. Clockwork Revolution was presented with new footage and was identified as an Xbox console exclusive alongside Gears; Microsoft characterized those exclusivity agreements as not timed.

Several release dates and windows were announced across first-party studios and partners. Halo: Campaign Evolved will launch July 28, 2026, with up to five days of early access beginning July 23. DOOM: The Dark Ages | Revelations, an expansion to DOOM: The Dark Ages, arrives July 7. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is due October 23 and will add a new DMZ extraction mode. Minecraft Dungeons II is slated for September 29. Fable will launch February 23, 2027, with Premium Edition early access on February 18. Persona 4 Revival is available to pre-order for a February 18, 2027 release and Persona 6 was announced with no release date. State of Decay 3, Spyro: A Realm Beyond, Senua, Wo Long 2 and several other titles were given 2027 release windows or dates. Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy is scheduled for August 27.

The showcase included announcements from third-party and independent developers. Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse is due October 15. Valor Mortis will launch September 24. Several indie projects, including Bad Magpie, Magicians: The Devil’s Deal, Vivarium and JOIN US, received release windows mainly in 2027. Where Winds Meet released on Xbox the same day as the showcase and will receive an expansion, Hidden Mountain, in July.

Microsoft outlined updates for live games. Age of Empires IV will add Vikings and Scots in the Raiders of the North expansion later this year. The Elder Scrolls Online begins Season One on July 8. Fallout 76’s Infestations update is available now. Sea of Thieves will introduce a Custom Seas mode on June 18. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 added detailed US National Parks and will add the National Championship Air Races later this fall.

Microsoft noted many announced titles will be available on Xbox Series X|S, on PC and via cloud streaming, and that several will be included in Xbox Game Pass where developers indicated. The company reiterated that games already announced as multiplatform will remain so while some flagship releases will be exclusive to Xbox consoles.