Microsoft is bringing back the Xbox FanFest event this year, and it’s going on tour to help celebrate Xbox’s 25th anniversary. Microsoft announced today that in addition to the Xbox FanFest that was already announced for Los Angeles, the show will hit the road and make seven stops globally.
These will include:
- Cologne, Germany
- London, UK
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Seattle, USA
- Sydney, Australia
- Tokyo, Japan
- Toronto, Canada
Microsoft said each FanFest will be “unique to the location in which it’s held.” Fans can expect “in-person experiences that bring the worlds of Xbox to life with opportunities for players to connect with one another,” Microsoft said.
More details about each local FanFest event, including ticketing information and more specifics, will be announced later. Microsoft advised people to keep their eye on the Xbox FanFest website to learn more.
The first Xbox FanFest event in 2026 takes place in June, alongside the Xbox Games Showcase. The event in Cologne, Germany is no doubt tied to the gaming event Gamescom, which takes place in August. Microsoft also held an Xbox FanFest at Gamescom in 2025.
What is Xbox FanFest?
Xbox FanFest is a community-focused gathering featuring “events and shared experiences” for fans of Microsoft’s gaming brand. The first Xbox FanFest took place at E3 2015, and Microsoft brought it back in subsequent years during the summer showcase season. In 2020, Microsoft made Xbox FanFest a digital event due to COVID. This year, it’s coming back as an in-person event in Los Angeles and globally to mark the 25th anniversary of Xbox. As such, we’d expect this year’s event to take things to another level.
The Xbox Games Showcase this year takes place on Sunday, June 7, and it will be followed by a broadcast dedicated to Gears of War: E-Day. This is just after the big Summer Game Fest showcase on June 5.
As mentioned, 2026 marks the 25th anniversary of Xbox, and another way Microsoft is marking the milestone is by releasing several marquee titles tied to Xbox history, including Halo: Campaign Evolved and a new Fable. It’s been a year of change and upheaval at Xbox, as Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has stepped down after 38 years at Microsoft, replaced by 37-year-old Asha Sharma.
Microsoft is also working on a new console, Project Helix, but we don’t know much about it yet.
