Around the middle of the year, the primary source of entertainment isn’t a new Netflix series or a big-budget Hollywood movie, but rather a seemingly endless supply of video game showcases. Recently, we’ve seen the idea of dedicated livestreams expand further, with publishers and various gaming initiatives hosting them year-round. What that means is that you can look forward to digital events that’ll keep you in the loop with all of the upcoming games on the horizon.
Whether they be from established gaming giants like Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo or smaller indie-focused livestreams like the Wholesome Direct, these typically follow the same format of unloading a bunch of trailers for new and upcoming games for you to enjoy at your leisure. Keeping track of all these broadcasts can be challenging, but to make things easier, you can scroll down below to see what’s on the way. We’re also keeping track of all the showcases that have already come and gone, so if you missed one, you can just click the link in each slide to watch the highlights.
We’ll keep this list updated throughout the year, so you can check back often to see what else you can look forward to as soon as it’s announced.
2026 video game showcases
- Resident Evil Showcase — January 15
- Xbox Developer Direct — January 22
- World of Warcraft: State of Azeroth — January 29
- Nintendo Direct: Tomodachi Life — January 29
- Overwatch Spotlight — February 4
- Hearthstone Spotlight — February 9
- Diablo 30th Anniversary Spotlight — February 11
- Black Voices in Gaming Showcase — February 19
- Future Games Show: Spring Showcase — March 12
- Summer Game Fest — June 5
- Story Rich Showcase — June 5-7
- The Game Awards 2026 — December 10
Pokemon Presents — February 27
It’s the 30th anniversary of Pokemon, and it’s time to celebrate. Details on what you can expect from Pokemon Presents remain locked up tighter than the secret recipe for Kentucky Fried Dodrio, but the showcase will run for around 25 minutes.
When to watch:
- February 27
Where to watch:
Future Games Show: Spring Showcase — March 12
The first of three Future Games Show events planned for 2026, the Future Games Show Spring Showcase will offer exclusive trailers and developer deep-dives on a wide range of video games.
When to watch:
- March 12
Where to watch:
Summer Game Fest – June 5
Summer Game Fest 2026 will kick off this year from the Dolby Theatre, and showrunner Geoff Keighley has promised a “spectacular, cross-platform showcase of what’s next in video games.”
When to watch:
- June 5
Where to watch:
Story Rich Showcase — June 5-7
A brand-new video event dedicated entirely to story-rich indie games, the Story-Rich Showcase will take place within the Summer Game Fest period. The event will spotlight a lineup of 20-25 narrative-driven games, and viewers can expect first looks, new trailers, release dates, updates, and a few surprises.
When to watch:
- June 5-7
Where to watch:
- TBC
The Game Awards 2026 — December 10
Geoff Keighley has announced the date for The Game Awards 2026 almost an entire year in advance, and it’ll be broadcast live from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. More details will be revealed later this year.
When to watch:
- December 10
Where to watch:
In case you missed it
With so many video game showcases scheduled for 2026, there’s a chance that you might miss one. Fret not, because we’ll be keeping track of them, and you can keep browsing below to grab links to the original livestream and the stories we wrote about them. We’ve arranged the list according to the date that each event originally aired.
Resident Evil Showcase — January 15
Capcom showed off more gameplay for Resident Evil Requiem, teasing thrilling survival-horror and action, creepy zombies, and one really big revolver.
Where to watch:
All the news:
- Resident Evil Requiem Showcase Reveals Grace And Leon Gameplay Differences
Xbox Developer Direct — January 22
The first big Xbox showcase of the year kept things short and sweet, focusing on games like Forza Horizon 6, Fable, Kiln, and Beast of Reincarnation.
Where to watch:
All the news:
- Xbox Developer Direct 2026: All the announcements
- Forza Horizon 6 Channels Initial D-Inspired Anime Racing With Its New Mode
- Fable And Forza Horizon 6 Are Coming To PS5 To Help Reach The “Largest Number Of People Possible”
- Forza Horizon 6 Gets Official May Release Date, More Than 550 Cars
- Fable’s New Open World Has 1,000+ NPCs As A “Living Population”
- New Fable Keeps Series Tradition Of Kicking Chickens Alive, And You’ll Be Judged For It
- Fable Is Pulling Inspiration From An Unlikely (And Extremely Popular) TV Show
- Fable Releases This Autumn, Coming To PS5 At Launch
- Game Freak’s Beast Of Reincarnation Team Is “Relatively Small” With Many External Developers
- Beast Of Reincarnation Doesn’t Look Like Anything Game Freak Has Made Before
- Double Fine’s New Game, Kiln, Features Pottery Battles To The Death
World of Warcraft: State of Azeroth — January 29
The State of Azeroth livestream revealed what’s next for World of Warcraft and Classic World of Warcraft, introduced Azeroth interiors for budding home decorators, and teased the launch of Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary Edition.
Where to watch:
All the news:
- What to expect from World of Warcraft in 2026
Nintendo Direct: Tomodachi Life — January 29
One of the weirdest games coming out this year, Tomodachi Life is shaping up to be an interesting social-life sim.
Where to watch:
All the news:
- Tomodachi Life: Living The Dream Lets You Have A Love Square With A Clown Because Why Not?
- Tomodachi Life: Living The Dream Adds Same-Sex Relationships And Non-Binary Miis
- Nintendo Places Image-Sharing Restrictions On “Certain” Tomodachi Life: Living The Dream Features
Overwatch Spotlight — February 4
A new era of Overwatch is upon us, as Blizzard is introducing some massive changes to the game. From dropping the “2” from its title to introducing several new heroes, Blizzard’s popular hero shooter is being changed on a fundamental level as the company aims to transform it into a “Forever Game”.
Where to watch:
All the news:
- Overwatch Is Dropping The 2 And Launching A New “Story-Driven Era”
- Overwatch Is Finally Getting A Cat Hero, A Decade After Inception
- Overwatch Is About To Reach Peak Cute With Sanrio Hello Kitty Collab
- Overwatch Director Says Upcoming Changes Will Upset The Game’s Balance: “There’s No Getting Around That”
- Yes, Overwatch Characters Have Been Getting Sexier, But Not For The Obvious Reason
- Overwatch Is Getting Five New Characters, Here’s A First Look At What They Do
- Overwatch Kills Its First Character, But That Won’t Stop You From Playing As Them
- Goodbye Overwatch 2, Hello Overwatch: The Story-Driven, “Forever Game” Blizzard Promised Is Finally Here
- Overwatch Team Is “Not Comfortable” Releasing AI-Generated Content, But Blizzard Is Open To Experimenting
Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase — February 5
Nintendo’s third-party partners were in the spotlight during a livestream dedicated to upcoming Switch and Switch 2 games.
Where to watch:
All the news:
- Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Hits Switch 2 This June
- This Dinosaur Stealth Game On Switch 2 Lets Four Players Share Controls, For Whatever Reason
- A New Paranormasight Game Is Coming And I’m Begging You Not To Sleep On It Again
- This Game Looks Like If Split Fiction Were An 80s Anime And We’re Obsessed
Hearthstone Spotlight — February 9
Another developer-led showcase, Blizzard revealed that Hearthstone will celebrate its 12th year with a new Core Set and a new expansion based on one of World of Warcraft’s most iconic events.
Where to watch:
All the news:
- Hearthstone’s Next Expansion Cataclysm Coming March 17, Imagines If Deathwing Won
- Hearthstone Isn’t Getting A Physical Trading Card Game Anytime Soon, Here’s Why
Diablo 30th Anniversary Spotlight — February 11
The Diablo franchise celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, and Blizzard revealed some big updates for current games in the franchise like Diablo 2, Diablo 4, and Diablo Immortal.
Where to watch:
All the news:
- Diablo 4: Lord Of Hatred Puts Badass Amazons Front And Center
- If You Thought Diablo 4 Didn’t Have Enough Skill Trees, You’re In Luck
- Warlock Is Diablo’s Newest Class, And It’s Coming To (Almost) Every Diablo Game
- Diablo 4’s Next Location Won’t Be “Grotesque, Destroyed, And Ruined,” And Its Devs Appreciate The Break
- How A Diablo 2 Game Manual Found New Purpose In Diablo 4’s Latest Expansion
- Major Diablo 2 DLC Adds Features Fans Have Waited Decades For–But It’ll Cost You
PlayStation State of Play — February 12
The first State of Play from Sony kicked with an impressive hour-long presentation. Alongside Konami announcing the first new Castlevania game in many years and a port of Metal Gear Sold 4, the show also featured a first look at Ghost of Yotei’s new multiplayer mode, the confirmation of a PC port for Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, and much more.
Where to watch:
All the news:
- PlayStation State Of Play February 2026: All The Biggest Announcements And Games
- PlayStation Is Bringing Back An Unexpected Series With A New, Zelda-Like Spin
- Ghost of Yotei Becomes Legendary With New Multiplayer DLC Coming In March
- Death Stranding 2 PC Port Releases In March
- 4 Loop Has A Giant Rubik’s Cube Boss And Alien Berries That Teleport Enemies
- Here’s A First Look At Resident Evil Requiem’s Raccoon City Police Department Decades After RE2
- New Legacy Of Kain Game Revealed, And It’s Out Next Month
- A New Dead Or Alive Game Is In The Works
- Rayman: 30th Anniversary Edition Includes Five Versions Of Game, Interactive Documentary
- Metal Gear Solid 4 And Peace Walker Coming As Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 2
- New Castlevania Game Is Coming From The Dead Cells And Rogue Prince Of Persia Devs
- Silent Hill: Townfall Shifts First-Person Survival To New Town
- John Wick Is Getting A 3D Action Game, Lets You Murder Gangsters With Household Objects
- Marathon Open Beta Announced, Coming Very Soon With Special Perks For PS Plus Members
- New PlayStation Plus Games Revealed, Including Day-One Release For All Subscribers
- Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls Is Building A Packed Roster, New Trailer Shows
- God Of War Trilogy Remake Announced, Brings Back Original Voice Actor
- Sony Reveals New God Of War Sidescroller, And It’s Out Right Now
Silent Hill Transmission — February 12
Konami’s Silent Hill Transmission livestream wasn’t too long, but it did reveal that the next game is expanding into first-person survival horror. Set in the Scottish seaside town of St. Amelia, protagonist Simon Ordell will have to use a handheld portable TV to detect the monsters around him. The game is being developed by Scottish team Screen Burn, who previously produced Stories Untold and Observation.
Where to watch:
All the news:
- Silent Hill: Townfall Shifts First-Person Survival Horror To New Town
Convergence Showcase — February 19
A two-hour show hosted by indie-focused streamers Dodger and Jesse Cox, the Convergence Showcase featured dozens of indie and AA games.
Where to watch:
Black Voices in Gaming Showcase — February 19
An event that aims to address the lack of visibility for Black creators, the Black Voices in Gaming Showcase showed off games at various stages of development–from early concepts to near-launch titles–and also celebrated creativity, culture, and innovation in games.
Where to watch:
All the news:
- The Biggest Games From February’s Black Voices In Gaming Showcase
Indie Fan Fest — February 19
The second Indie Fan Fest presented new game reveals, world premiere trailers, and more for unreleased games. Even better, several of these games now have demos that you can check out
Where to watch:
All the news:
- Suddenly, There Are 14 New Games You Can Try For Free
