Three Questions We Still Have After The Incredible Xbox Games Showcase 2026

Now that things have calmed down somewhat after the wild week of showcases that we've seen, it's time to share our opinion on the Xbox Games Showcase 2026 - and just like the Pure Xbox community, we thought it was incredible!

We voted "A" in Sunday's poll, which was the majority vote here on the website:

How Would You Grade The Xbox Games Showcase 2026? (2,087 votes)

  1. A44%
  2. B32%
  3. C13%
  4. D5%
  5. E2%
  6. F4%

There were so many amazing games in the showcase, from Gears of War: E-Day to Crazy Taxi and everything in-between. The vast majority were both Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Play Anywhere titles as well, and the announcement of a Limited Edition Xbox Series X25 console and controller was the icing on the cake!

Nevertheless, we still have three questions in particular that we're hoping to see answered at some point in the not-too distant future, so we thought we'd this opportunity to highlight them.

Let's go!

1. When Will We Hear More About Backwards Compatibility & Game Preservation In 2026?

Three Questions We Still Have After The Incredible Xbox Games Showcase 2026 2

There was definitely some hope going into the Xbox Showcase this year that we might hear about backwards compatibility and/or "game preservation". It was announced back at GDC that something would be happening later this year involving the release of "iconic games from the past that are now going to be able to be played in entirely new ways", but these obviously didn't appear at XGS 2026.

With over six months to go, there's still plenty of time for these to be revealed, and there's a hope that they might involve new titles that have never been part of the backwards compatibility program before. Just a few weeks ago, Xbox's Jason Ronald even suggested that fans could vote for their most-wanted BC additions on a dedicated fansite.

2. Will The Xbox Elite Series 3 Controller Be Revealed Soon?

Is this thing the real deal?! It certainly looks like it (or at least a prototype), but there was no sign of the Xbox Elite Series 3 controller at the Xbox Games Showcase this year. It does seem like they're preparing for it though, along with a dedicated Xbox Cloud Gaming controller that also might be unveiled at the same time.

Again, these could be announced at any point - maybe at Gamescom in August, or perhaps one of the Xbox FanFest events taking place around the world later this year. There's plenty of time for the reveal, and perhaps the Xbox Games Showcase was never the best place to highlight new controllers like these anyway.

3. If Gears & Clockwork Revolution Are Exclusives, Why Aren't The Likes Of Senua & State of Decay 3?

Three Questions We Still Have After The Incredible Xbox Games Showcase 2026 4

Regardless of how you feel about Xbox making Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution console exclusives, there's definitely still some confusion about which games in the future might also get the exclusivity treatment. Big multiplayer games and previously-confirmed PS5 and Switch 2 games are the only examples where we definitely know they won't be coming to just Xbox and PC.

The confusion here is about stuff like Senua, and to a lesser extent State of Decay 3. Xbox's Matthew Ball was pressed about Senua in a recent interview and said he had "no further comment", but also suggested that Xbox's exclusivity framework will become more clear and transparent as time goes on. We'll have to wait to see how that pans out!

So, those are three questions that we still have after the Xbox Games Showcase 2026, but make no mistake - this event was absolutely amazing, and one of the most well-received versions of the XGS we can remember.

But what about you? What questions do you still have after the showcase? Tell us in the comments below.