This is your calendar for the big PlayStation and Xbox events of 2026: every PlayStation State of Play, the Xbox Developer Direct and Showcase, and the end-of-year recaps, PlayStation Wrapped and Xbox Year in Review. It also lists the official places to follow PlayStation and Xbox news so you never miss an announcement.
PlayStation Wrapped: how to see your year in gaming
PlayStation Wrapped is Sony’s yearly recap of your gaming habits, similar to Spotify Wrapped. It usually launches in early to mid-December and shows your most-played games, total hours, trophies earned, favorite genres and the share of time you spent on PS5 versus PS4. Players who take part sometimes receive a free avatar or a digital collectible.
- Go to the PlayStation Wrapped page on playstation.com when it opens in December (Sony posts the link on the PlayStation Blog and @PlayStation on X).
- Sign in with your PlayStation account.
- Scroll through your stats and share the cards on social media.
To appear in PlayStation Wrapped, your account generally needs to be at least 18 years old (rules vary by region) and you need to have played for a minimum number of hours on PS5 or PS4 during the year. PlayStation Wrapped 2025 ran from December 2025 into January 2026, and PlayStation Wrapped 2026 is expected in December 2026.
Xbox Year in Review
Xbox Year in Review is Microsoft’s equivalent. It shows your most-played games, hours played, achievements, gamerscore and how you compare with other players, and it covers console, PC and cloud play. Xbox Year in Review 2025 launched in December 2025 at xbox.com/yearinreview. You need to sign in with your Microsoft account; the page builds a personalized recap you can share. Expect the 2026 version in December, around the same time as PlayStation Wrapped.
PlayStation State of Play 2026
State of Play is Sony’s online showcase of upcoming PlayStation games. In 2026 Sony held several:
- February 12, 2026: one of the longest State of Plays ever at over an hour. It shadow-dropped God of War: Sons of Sparta, confirmed a God of War Greek trilogy remake in development, dated Saros (April 30), showed Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 joining PS Plus, and revealed Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 2 (August 27) and Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse.
- June 3, 2026: a large showcase of autumn release dates, including Dune: Awakening (September 22), Silent Hill: Townfall and Control Resonant (September 24), Onimusha: Way of the Sword (September 25), Ace Combat 8 (October 2) and Phantom Blade Zero (October 29), plus extended Marvel’s Wolverine gameplay and Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis dated for February 12, 2027.
- September 3, 2026: the last big State of Play before Marvel’s Wolverine launched, focused on 2027 and beyond.
These State of Play 2026 games are the PS5 headliners for the year; see the best PS5 and Xbox games of 2026.
Xbox Developer Direct 2026
The fourth Xbox Developer Direct aired on January 22, 2026. It opened with the first full look at Forza Horizon 6, set in Japan and dated for May 19, 2026, gave a deeper look at Playground Games’ Fable reboot, showed Game Freak’s action RPG Beast of Reincarnation (later dated for August 4, 2026 and confirmed for Game Pass at launch), and revealed a new Double Fine game, Kiln. Xbox also used 2026 to celebrate its 25th anniversary; see the Xbox 25th anniversary guide.
Other 2026 events
- Xbox Games Showcase (June): Microsoft’s biggest annual show of upcoming games and hardware news.
- Xbox Partner Preview: smaller showcases for third-party games, such as the March 2026 show where Wuthering Waves’ Xbox version was announced.
- Summer Game Fest (June) and The Game Awards (December): industry-wide showcases with big reveals for both consoles.
- Gamescom (August): the European show with its Opening Night Live.
Where to follow PlayStation news
- PlayStation Blog (blog.playstation.com): official announcements, State of Play recaps, monthly PS Plus games and system updates.
- PlayStation on X (@PlayStation) and @AskPlayStation for support and outages. When people search “PlayStation X”, this official account is usually what they want.
- The PlayStation App: news cards, store deals and event reminders on your phone.
- Independent sites such as Push Square and PlayStation LifeStyle cover PlayStation news daily. PlayStation LifeStyle is an independent fan site, not owned by Sony.
Searches like “PlayStation news today” are best answered by the PlayStation Blog for official news, and by independent outlets for leaks, reviews and analysis. Be wary of small sites that copy press releases or publish rumors as facts, and of social accounts that imitate official PlayStation branding.
Where to follow Xbox news
- Xbox Wire (news.xbox.com): official Xbox news, Game Pass additions and showcase recaps.
- Xbox.com: the official site for consoles, Game Pass, store pages and support. People often search “Xbox com” to reach it.
- Xbox on X (@Xbox), @XboxGamePass and @XboxSupport. The “Xbox Twitter” account posts trailers and event times.
- Pure Xbox: an independent fan site that tracks Game Pass, sales and Xbox news every day. It is not run by Microsoft.
- TrueAchievements and Windows Central: independent coverage of achievements, Game Pass and Xbox hardware.
How to watch the showcases
Sony streams State of Play on the official PlayStation YouTube and Twitch channels, usually at 2pm PT / 5pm ET / 10pm UK. Xbox streams the Developer Direct and Showcase on YouTube, Twitch, Facebook and Xbox.com, often in multiple languages and with audio description. Both companies upload the full show and individual trailers right after the stream ends. Set a reminder on the YouTube premiere page to get a notification.
Events calendar 2026 at a glance
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| January 22 | Xbox Developer Direct |
| February 12 | PlayStation State of Play |
| March | Xbox Partner Preview |
| June 3 | PlayStation State of Play |
| June | Summer Game Fest and Xbox Games Showcase |
| August | Gamescom Opening Night Live |
| September 3 | PlayStation State of Play |
| November 15 | Xbox 25th anniversary |
| December | PlayStation Wrapped, Xbox Year in Review, The Game Awards |
Events FAQ
When does PlayStation Wrapped 2026 come out?
Sony has not announced the date yet; recent editions launched in early to mid-December.
Why can’t I see my PlayStation Wrapped?
You may not meet the minimum play time, your account may be under the age limit for your region, or the event may not be available in your country.
Where can I watch past State of Play shows?
On the PlayStation YouTube channel, which keeps every past show.
What was announced at the big 2026 shows
Xbox Developer Direct (January 22, 2026)
Forza Horizon 6 got its May 19, 2026 release date with a move to Japan, Game Freak’s Beast of Reincarnation was shown in depth, Double Fine revealed its new game Kiln, and Playground showed more of Fable.
State of Play (February 12, 2026)
One of the longest State of Play shows ever, at about 85 minutes. Highlights included the shadow-dropped God of War: Sons of Sparta, a God of War Greek trilogy remake in early development, Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 2, Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse, Kena: Scars of Kosmora, and dates for Saros, Pragmata and Marathon.
Xbox Games Showcase (June 2026)
The showcase revealed the Xbox Series X25 Limited Edition for the 25th anniversary, alongside first-party updates. See the X25 console.
State of Play (June 3 and September 3, 2026)
June focused on fall release dates such as Dune: Awakening, Silent Hill: Townfall, Control Resonant, Onimusha: Way of the Sword and Ace Combat 8, plus extended Marvel’s Wolverine gameplay. September looked ahead to 2027.
Tips for watching showcases live
Showcases usually start at 10 a.m. Pacific time for Xbox and 2 p.m. Pacific for State of Play, which is evening in Europe and late night or early morning in Asia. Watch on the official YouTube or Twitch channels for the best quality, and keep the official blog open, because Xbox Wire and the PlayStation Blog publish every announcement with links within minutes. Many games shown are added to wishlists or receive demos the same day, so check the store right after the stream ends.