Five Xbox Games Worth Watching in October 2026

Five Xbox Games Worth Watching in October 2026

After a difficult September for Microsoft, October brings a much stronger selection of Xbox releases. Two major first-party games sit alongside three distinctive third-party launches, giving Xbox players several reasons to stay engaged through the month.

From a bloody prequel and a high-speed Star Wars racer to a time-bending Metroidvania and a historical Soulslike, these are the five Xbox games to keep on your radar. Players interested in arcade-style hardware can also explore RETROCADE’s arcade news and gaming coverage.

1. Gears of War: E-Day

Release date: 6 October 2026

Gears of War: E-Day is the month’s biggest Xbox exclusive. This prequel travels back to the beginning of the series’ timeline, depicting the events of Emergence Day while retaining the brutal third-person shooting that defines the franchise.

Preview sessions have pointed to a familiar, action-heavy experience filled with bloodshed, monstrous enemies and a thrilling Horde mode. For fans who want one major Xbox release to prioritise in October, E-Day is the obvious choice.

2. Star Wars: Galactic Racer

Release date: 6 October 2026

Star Wars: Galactic Racer brings fast arcade racing to a galaxy of battered, unconventional vehicles. Its driving model draws on the crash-heavy spirit of Burnout, including slow-motion collisions that make every race feel spectacular.

A demo shown at Summer Game Fest suggested tight handling and energetic competition. The game’s roguelike-inspired campaign is another point of interest, potentially offering a fresh approach to solo progression in racing games. For a dedicated driving setup, see RETROCADE’s racing simulators.

3. Echo Weaver

Release date: 8 October 2026

Echo Weaver is a 2D Metroidvania built around time manipulation. Its unusual design gives players the abilities required to advance from the beginning, but discovering how and when to use those powers is part of the challenge.

That combination of exploration, experimentation and puzzle-solving creates an intriguing adventure structure. With a launch on Xbox Game Pass, it could become one of October’s most notable independent releases.

4. Valor Mortis

Release date: 13 October 2026

Launching day one on Xbox Game Pass, Valor Mortis is a first-person Soulslike from One More Level, the studio behind Ghostrunner. Its premise puts players in the role of a dead soldier from Napoleon’s army, resurrected to confront a mysterious plague spreading across Europe.

The result is a grim historical-horror setting: a corrupted vision of 19th-century Europe populated by grotesque monsters. Players seeking a demanding October challenge may find plenty to test their skills here.

5. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4

Release date: 23 October 2026

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 follows 2023’s Modern Warfare 3 with a campaign centred on a South Korean soldier defending their home against an invasion. As the year’s major entry in Activision’s long-running first-person shooter series, it is positioned as a significant release for the franchise.

The headline multiplayer development is the return of DMZ, the extraction-shooter mode previously associated with Modern Warfare 2. After several uneven years for the series, that mode could give the wider Call of Duty audience a reason to return.

October’s Xbox highlights

October’s line-up covers several very different play styles: cover-based shooting, arcade racing, exploratory puzzle-solving, punishing melee combat and competitive multiplayer action. That variety makes it one of Xbox’s strongest months for new games in 2026 so far.

If these releases have you considering a dedicated gaming space, RETROCADE’s arcade machine buying guide can help with planning, while the arcade machine range covers full-size cabinet options. For a compact setup, browse the available bartop arcades.