Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2025: Full Recap of Announcements and Reveals

Microsoft used this year’s Tokyo Game Show to showcase a long list of new projects heading to Xbox platforms and beyond. The broadcast balanced remakes of classics, new IPs, and updates to long-running franchises. While Xbox consoles remain a niche product in Japan compared to competitors, the company presented a clear strategy to integrate Japanese culture, locations, and creative voices into upcoming releases. The strongest evidence of this came with Call of Duty Black Ops 7’s Japanese-inspired maps and Forza Horizon 6’s full setting in Japan.

Every Announcement from Tokyo

The broadcast mixed smaller reveals with heavy-hitting announcements, creating a rhythm that mirrored the showcase style of larger industry events. Major franchises like Dragon Quest, Ninja Gaiden, and Monster Hunter took center stage, while independent projects such as Winter Burrow and Starsand Island found room to shine. Microsoft’s message was unmistakable: Japan is not just a market to chase, but a setting and creative backdrop to shape the next phase of Xbox’s library.

Gungrave Gore Blood Heat

Remakes played a major role in the presentation. Gungrave Gore Blood Heat, rebuilt in Unreal Engine 5, revived the 2002 action shooter with a focus on updated gore effects and visual fidelity.

Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly

Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly also returned, this time with enhanced graphics, spatial audio, and a new mechanic allowing characters to hold hands, a feature absent in the original release.

Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven

Square Enix contributed Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, already available on other platforms but now reaching Xbox with a playable demo that transfers progress into the full game.

Perhaps the most anticipated remake was Dragon Quest 1+2 HD-2D, which will be released on October 30. It introduces the Ocean Floor, a completely new area inhabited by mermaids, accessible via a bubble-encased ship. The game’s expanded content signaled Square Enix’s intention to offer something beyond nostalgia.

Double Dragon Revive

Double Dragon Revive modernizes the beat ’em up formula with story missions and episodic content. The franchise, often recognized as a pioneer of the genre, will arrive on October 23 across multiple platforms, marking another revival aimed at a contemporary audience.

007 First Light

IO Interactive’s 007 First Light, launching March 27, 2026, featured a reveal that British actress Gemma Chan will play Dr. Selina Tan, a newly created character for the game and MI6’s Head of Tactical Simulation. The announcement added a new layer of intrigue to an already anticipated title.

Aniimo

Aniimo, a creature-collecting game drawing obvious comparisons to Pokémon, showed off colorful critters but offered little concrete gameplay information.

Starsand Island

Starsand Island, a life simulation title set for February 1, leaned heavily on charm, with promotional materials highlighting anime-style characters alongside a panda and capybara playing Xbox controllers.

Mistfall Hunter

Mistfall Hunter, introduced by game director Haoliang "HAO" Zhang, was positioned as a dark fantasy extraction experience. Though no release date was attached, atmospheric art and emphasis on tone placed it among the most visually distinct reveals.

Project Evil Bane

Project Evil Bane, set for 2027, delivered a cinematic trailer that promised large-scale multiplayer battles against giant creatures using swords, firearms, and grappling magic.

Winter Burrow

Winter Burrow, centered around the survival struggles of a small mouse, was locked in its release date for November 12. Its comparisons to The Animals of Farthing Wood suggested a darker tone beneath its initially gentle aesthetic.

Monster Hunter Stories 3

Capcom confirmed that Monster Hunter Stories 3, originally announced during Nintendo Direct, will arrive on PlayStation and Xbox on March 13. The first two entries in the spin-off RPG series will follow on November 13, marking the first time the games will be available on Xbox platforms.

Ninja Gaiden 4

Ninja Gaiden 4 set its release for October 21 and outlined a comprehensive difficulty system. A new Hero Mode provides accessibility through automatic guarding and dodging, while Master Ninja mode ensures that veteran players face one of the franchise’s toughest challenges yet. Difficulty adjustments can be made midgame except for the hardest level, preserving its exclusivity.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 received World Update 20, which adds Japanese landmarks and cities like Tokyo and Osaka. Available immediately, it reinforced the broadcast’s thematic link to Japan.

Age of Mythology Retold

Age of Mythology Retold announced Heavenly Spear, an update that introduces Japan into the strategy title on September 30.

Hitman World of Assassination

In one of the more surprising announcements, Bruce Lee entered Hitman World of Assassination as an Elusive Target ally. Available from September 25 to November 20, this event tasks players with defending the martial arts legend rather than assassinating him.

Terminull Brigade

Another crossover saw Evangelion entering the free-to-play roguelike Terminull Brigade on October 31. Despite the anime’s broad popularity, the game’s negative player ratings on Steam highlighted skepticism around whether the collaboration will meaningfully improve its reception.

Hotel Barcelona

Swery65 and Suda51’s Hotel Barcelona, releasing the day after the showcase, presented itself as a horror-action game with cooperative and competitive multiplayer. The broadcast leaned into a lighter moment, showing Swery struggling during gameplay demonstrations.

Rhythm Doctor

Rhythm Doctor was revealed as a rhythm game controlled with a single button, releasing December 6, mixing humor with pixel art charm.

Forza Horizon 6

Forza Horizon 6 provided only a short tease but confirmed that Japan will serve as the next setting for the racing series. While the game is scheduled for 2026, Microsoft signaled a full reveal for the following year. Though brief, the announcement served as one of the showcase’s most impactful moments, acknowledging long-standing fan requests for a Japanese Horizon map.

Xbox TGS Recap

By the end of the showcase, Xbox had positioned itself with a strong release calendar extending well into 2026 and even 2027. Major franchises ensured attention from established audiences, while experimental projects aimed to reach communities outside the traditional Xbox base. The emphasis on Japanese content aligned with a strategy of cultural outreach, which could help improve Xbox’s standing in a region where it has historically struggled.

The Tokyo Game Show broadcast will likely be remembered less for individual standout reveals and more for the way it framed Japan as central to Xbox’s creative roadmap. With upcoming releases like Black Ops 7 and Forza Horizon 6 leading the way, Microsoft’s long-term bet on the region has never been clearer.