October 2026 Xbox releases bring Gears of War origin story, Castlevania sequel, and major franchises

October 2026 brings a substantial lineup to Xbox, with over 50 new titles spread across the month. The releases range from major franchise installments to indie titles, offering variety across genres.

Gears of War: E-Day arrives October 6 as the brutal origin story of one of gaming's most acclaimed third-person shooter franchises. The game explores Emergence Day, the catastrophic event that shaped the series' world.

October 23 marks the launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, which depicts war erupting on the Korean Peninsula as North Korea launches an invasion threatening global stability.

Castlevania: Belmont's Curse releases October 15, set 23 years after Castlevania Dracula's Curse. Players follow Rose Belmont's journey in a 2D action-exploration title developed by KONAMI, Evil Empire, and Motion Twin.

October 13 sees Planet Zoo 2, where players build distinctive zoos around the globe featuring fully aquatic and flying species alongside traditional animals. The game expands beyond zoo management to include Wildlife Reserves for animal releases.

Final Fantasy Resonance arrives October 22 as a pixel-art evolution of the classic Final Fantasy formula. The game features companions bound by fate and a Vision system for battle support as players uncover a world-threatening force.

Other notable releases include Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve (October 1), focusing on intense aerial combat and squad connections; Star Wars: Galactic Racer (October 6), described as a high-stakes underground racing circuit set in the lawless Outer Rim; Clive Barker's Hellraiser: Revival (October 8), a first-person action horror survival game centered on the Genesis Configuration puzzle box; and Valor Mortis (October 13), a first-person action soulslike from the creators of Ghostrunner featuring a former soldier of Napoleon's army wielding supernatural powers.

Toy Story Retro Roundup launches October 15 as a five-game collection including four Toy Story titles and A Bug's Life, all featuring quality-of-life improvements and behind-the-scenes content.

The month also features Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen (October 9), Kingdom Hearts Collection I-III (October 6), Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 (October 14), Just Dance: Decades of Hits (October 13), and The Jackbox Party Pack 12 (October 15). Early in the month, October 1 sees seven releases simultaneously, including Gears of War: E-Day in Early Access, Dynasty Warriors 3: Complete Edition Remastered, and Ultimate Admiral: Dreadnoughts.

Two games are newly confirmed for Xbox Game Pass in October: Keeper (October 2) for Game Pass Premium and Beyond These Stars (October 15) for PC only.