The Xbox Series X has built up a library of games that covers almost every style of game you could want. From massive open-world adventures to competitive shooters and co-op chaos, there’s always something new to play. This list rounds up the best Xbox Series X games you can play right now. You’ll find blockbuster action titles, online hits, family-friendly picks, and a few standout indies that deserve your time.
Whether you’re chasing the best FPS games on Xbox Series X, diving into RPGs, or just want a great two-player game for your next couch session, this guide has you covered.
Top Xbox Series X games in 2026
Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced
Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced rebuilds Edward Kenway’s Caribbean adventure rather than simply updating how it looks. The remake adds a 60 FPS mode, ray-traced lighting, dynamic weather, and a seamless open world. Combat now includes parrying, Edward can crouch during stealth, and tailing missions give you more freedom when following a target.
The changes also affect how you move through the Caribbean. Loading screens no longer separate sailing from major cities. Exploring therefore feels more connected than it did in the 2013 original. New story missions bring back characters such as Blackbeard and Stede Bonnet. Three recruitable officers also join Edward during the main story.
That combination makes Resynced more than a visual return to Black Flag. Familiar naval exploration and pirate combat now come with fewer of the original game’s restrictions. You also have new reasons to revisit characters and places you already know. If Black Flag is still one of your favourite Assassin’s Creed games, the remake changes enough to make another voyage worthwhile.
Madden NFL 27
In Madden NFL 27, one Franchise decision can affect what happens later in your season. The Persona Engine influences motivations, negotiations, trade demands, and holdouts. Free Agency Frenzy turns signing a major free agent into a competitive event where every team is working against the same clock.
Weekly management has changed too. Emergent Actions replace the old weekly flow with decisions tied to what is happening in your league. A contract issue, roster question, or unhappy NFL athlete can demand attention before game day. You can also delegate some of those decisions to your staff.
The changes aren’t limited to Franchise. New receiver and defensive back interactions make route battles more physical, while Dynamic Weather can force mid-game adjustments. If Madden NFL 26 is still in your rotation, Madden NFL 27 adds more to manage between games. There’s also more to react to once the ball is snapped.
The Blood of Dawnwalker
The Blood of Dawnwalker treats time like a resource instead of a clock that constantly counts down. Each day and night is divided into eight units, and quest actions show their time cost before you commit. Exploring Vale Sangora doesn’t move the clock, so you can search for routes, characters, and opportunities without wasting Coen’s limited 30 days.
That makes planning more important than clearing every marker you see. There isn’t a traditional split between main and side quests. Some areas and narrative threads are only available while Coen is human or in his vampire form. Even certain skill choices can consume time, so building Coen can affect what else you manage to accomplish.
You won’t see every story in a single playthrough, and that is part of the point. You have to decide which problems deserve your time and which ones can wait. That changes the purpose of the open world because completing everything isn’t automatically the safest approach.
NBA 2K27
NBA 2K27 puts more control over an offensive possession in your hands. The Dynamic Layup Engine can change a finish in mid-air based on movement, ratings, and defensive pressure. Dribbling is more customizable too, letting you combine signature moves instead of being tied to one complete package.
The changes extend to the other side of the ball. Computer-controlled teams can push early offence, hunt mismatches, change their gameplan, and make more complex defensive rotations. That means five-on-five games can change even when you aren’t directly controlling the action around the ball.
There’s also plenty to do beyond Play Now. MyCAREER lets you build a MyPLAYER and chase a career through the league, while The City lets you compete with friends. MyTEAM returns for building fantasy lineups with NBA and WNBA stars. If you move between several NBA 2K modes, 2K27 gives you new mechanics on the court without narrowing the rest of the package.
NHL 27
NHL 27 adds a new reason to start a Franchise with the same group of friends. Connected Franchise supports online leagues with up to 32 human-controlled teams. You can manage schedules, rosters, trades, league rules, and commissioner settings together instead of leaving every other club to computer control.
The presentation has received a major update as well. All 32 NHL arenas have team-specific details such as goal songs, pregame introductions, crowd behaviour, and lighting. John Buccigross and Darren Pang lead a new commentary team, supported by updated broadcast graphics and more situational commentary.
Those changes help NHL 27 cover two very different reasons to keep coming back. Connected Franchise lets a regular group of friends manage a league together over time. The arena and broadcast work makes individual games feel more tied to the club and building you’re playing in. If Franchise is where you spend most of your time, Connected Franchise is one of NHL 27’s biggest additions.
Gears of War: E-Day
Gears of War: E-Day takes you back 14 years before the original Gears of War. Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago are together as the Locust Horde first erupts from below and Emergence Day begins. The campaign returns to the series’ cover-based combat while adding more freedom and vertical movement to how you move through fights.
You can play the story alone, in two-player split-screen co-op, or online with up to four people. After the campaign, Horde Siege expands the familiar wave-survival idea across larger maps with multiple squads and shared objectives. Versus also returns with new maps and refined 4v4 competitive modes.
On XBOX Series X, E-Day supports 4K, HDR, and up to 60 FPS across Campaign and Multiplayer. It’s also XBOX Play Anywhere, playable through XBOX Cloud Gaming, and included day one with Game Pass Ultimate. You can come for Marcus and Dom’s origin story and stay for co-op, Horde Siege, or Versus. That gives E-Day a lot to offer after the campaign is over.
Forza Horizon 6
Forza Horizon 6 is one of the best racing games on Xbox Series X. It feels meaningfully different from Forza Horizon 5. In Forza Horizon 5, we got Mexico’s open countryside, long highway stretches, and huge festival map. In Forza Horizon 6, the series moves to Japan, and that changes the driving right away. Tokyo City brings tighter streets, docklands, shortcuts, and packed downtown routes built around landmarks like Shibuya Crossing and Tokyo Tower. When you leave the city, the mountain roads and Touge Battles give the racing a different personality without losing the freedom that makes Forza Horizon work.
The progression also gives Forza Horizon 6 a better sense of direction. You start as a tourist and work your way into the Horizon Festival by earning wristbands, unlocking faster cars, and building your reputation across Japan. The Collection Journal gives exploration more purpose by tracking places you visit, photos you take, and discoveries you make along the way. That helps the game feel less like a giant checklist. Instead, races, car meets, and sightseeing all feed into the same road trip across Japan.
Forza Horizon 6 also works so well on this list because the Japan map gives you more than straight-line speed. Tokyo’s tight corners, bright signage, highway runs, and crowded races need quick steering and a clean view of the road. You’re also getting Xbox Play Anywhere support, so your progress follows you between Xbox and supported Windows PC play. The difference from Forza Horizon 5 to Forza Horizon 6 is easy to see: Forza Horizon 5 gives you a massive open festival map, and Forza Horizon 6 gives you a more focused driving playground built around city racing, mountain routes, and Japan’s car culture.
007 First Light
007 First Light is one of the best Xbox Series X games to consider if you want a James Bond adventure with more flexibility than a straight action game. IO Interactive’s Hitman background is easy to see, but this isn’t just Agent 47 in a tuxedo. This is a reimagined Bond origin story, with a younger James Bond learning how to survive MI6 missions before he becomes the experienced 007 from the films.
That makes 007 First Light a good fit if you like games that let you solve problems in more than one way. You can sneak through a mission, talk your way past trouble, use Q gadgets, or push through when a plan goes wrong. The appeal comes from having options. You’re not just aiming your way through every encounter. You’re reading the room, using the tools you have, and deciding when to stay quiet or when to act.
007 First Light is built around replayable spy missions rather than straight action stages. Missions can be approached with stealth, gadgets, vehicles, or direct action, which gives you reasons to try a different route after you’ve cleared an objective. That works well for a Bond game, since the fun isn’t only in finishing the mission. It’s in seeing how cleanly, quietly, or creatively you can pull it off. If you’re looking for one of the best Xbox Series X games for stealth action, 007 First Light gives Bond more room to think, improvise, and make mistakes before earning the number.
Resident Evil Requiem
Resident Evil Requiem proves that a horror game doesn’t have to choose between being a psychological thriller and a full-blown action movie. The game splits the campaign between two characters to give you the best of both worlds. You’ll spend your time as Grace sticking to the shadows and cracking puzzles, then switch to Leon to march right back through those same halls with his shotgun. It’s a great example of how the Xbox Series X handles a high-budget horror project with ease.
The care centre feels like a living character that reacts to what you do. You’ll spot the aftermath of Grace’s narrow escapes when you return as Leon, like seeing the broken furniture or empty resource crates you used earlier. It’s satisfying to realize that the shortcut you unlocked while hiding from a monster is now your main path for a big firefight. This focus on a shared, evolving world makes the care centre much more memorable than a standard set of levels.
On the Xbox Series X, the lighting and shadows look incredible because of the full ray-tracing that makes every dark corner feel threatening. One of the best parts of playing on this system is Quick Resume, which lets you jump between your save and other games almost instantly without sitting through a title screen. The performance stays at a steady 60 frames per second, ensuring the action stays responsive even when the screen is full of enemies. It’s a great choice for your library if you want to see what your console does best.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 has arrived on Xbox Series X with a campaign that dives back into Cold War-era conflicts. Missions take you across varied locations with a mix of stealth, large firefights, and cinematic set pieces the series is known for. Multiplayer is still the main hook, packed with new maps, weapons, and operators to master.
Zombies mode returns with longer progression paths and story-driven runs you can tackle with friends, making it a highlight for co-op fans. Gunplay feels fast and familiar, with refinements that keep every match sharp. Post-launch seasons will continue the cycle of new maps, modes, and balance tweaks, so there’s always something fresh to jump into. Multiplayer and Zombies are where most of your time will go, but the campaign’s still worth a run if you’re curious.
Borderlands 4
Borderlands 4 brings back the fast action and loot-focused gameplay the series is known for. It builds on the formula with a new storyline, fresh locations, and a larger mix of weapons and gear. Combat stays quick and chaotic, with each encounter giving you a reason to experiment with different builds and elemental effects. The world mixes humour and sci-fi style, creating a setting that keeps things lively as you move from mission to mission.
You can tackle the story solo or team up with friends for co-op sessions that feel true to the series. Every class offers its own skills and playstyle, giving you different ways to deal with enemies, clear objectives, and explore each map. Loot drops are frequent, and finding better gear stays exciting throughout the campaign. Boss battles also return with large arenas, multi-phase fights, and rewards that make the effort feel worthwhile. Borderlands 4 is an easy recommendation for anyone who enjoys action-heavy shooters with constant progression and a steady stream of new gear to chase.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 updates two of the most iconic skateboarding games with modern visuals and refined controls. The collection brings back classic levels, fan-favourite skaters, and the familiar mix of high-speed lines, combos, and challenges. The controls feel tight and responsive, letting you chain tricks together with the same flow the originals were known for. Levels have been rebuilt with sharper textures and improved lighting, giving each map a fresh look while staying true to the original designs.
Career mode returns with objectives that push you to explore levels, land specific tricks, and chase higher scores. Free Skate and local multiplayer also give you quick ways to practice lines or compete with friends. The soundtrack carries many returning tracks alongside newer additions, keeping that familiar energy. If you enjoyed the first two remakes or grew up with the originals, this collection brings back a style of arcade sports action that feels right at home on Xbox Series X.
Battlefield 6
Battlefield 6 marks a big return for the series. The game pushes large-scale battles across sprawling maps where infantry, tanks, aircraft, and explosives all collide. Matches feel chaotic in the best way, giving you the freedom to fight on foot or take control of vehicles. Combat goes back to the classic class system with Assault, Engineer, Support, and Recon roles.
Each has unique tools that encourage teamwork, whether you’re repairing vehicles, holding choke points, or scouting ahead. The new Kinesthetic Combat System also promises smoother movement and more responsive gunplay. Post-launch support starts quickly, with Season 1 adding maps like Blackwell Fields, fresh weapons, and a new Strikepoint mode. Later updates bring additional maps, seasonal events, and limited-time game types. For fans of big, explosive firefights, Battlefield 6 looks ready to deliver the scale and action the series is known for.
EA Sports FC 26
EA Sports FC 26 continues the series with a strong focus on realism, responsiveness, and match flow. You cannot rely on sprinting through defenders anymore. Passing needs better timing, defending asks you to stay disciplined, and small mistakes get punished. Player movement feels more predictable, especially when tracking runs or closing space. On Xbox Series X, matches load quickly and stadiums feel alive once the crowd ramps up.
All the main modes return, so you can play it your way. Career Mode suits longer runs where you want to see a plan play out over a season. Ultimate Team still focuses on quick matches and steady upgrades, which works well when you only have a bit of time. Online play works for competitive games or more relaxed matches with friends. EA Sports FC 26 fits both short play periods and longer stretches without feeling demanding.
The Xbox Series X library keeps growing
From massive exclusives to indie gems and top-tier multiplayer titles, Xbox Series X keeps building a library worth exploring. Whether you’re into story-driven adventures, competitive shooters, or family-friendly fun, this list highlights some of the best the console has to offer.
And with big releases still on the way, it’s a great time to revisit old favourites or try something new. No matter your style, there’s always another world to jump into. Got a favourite Xbox Series X game you keep going back to? Or think we missed one that deserves a spot? Share it in the comments!
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