It's easy to forget what a powerhouse Microsoft has become in role-playing games, and over the past year we've been able to enjoy Xbox Games Studios titles such as Avowed, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, and The Outer Worlds 2, and this year we can look forward to Fable.
In addition to this, they also have Clockwork Revolution, developed by Inxile, a studio that has made a name for itself with top-notch titles such as Torment: Tides of Numenera and Wasteland 3. But apart from the game being announced, we don't really know much else, and it's doubtful whether it will be released in 2026, considering how much Microsoft has planned.
Regardless, it seems like it will be worth the wait. In an interview with GamesRadar, role-playing veteran Brian Fargo (who founded Inxile and is also its CEO) says that it is their "most ambitious title, probably by a factor of 10."
If you've played the studio's previous titles, you know how your choices completely reshape the story, and this is something Fargo believes is important for Clockwork Revolution as well:
"For me, roleplaying means I can play a role and actually affect the world around me. If all paths lead to the same outcome, the immersion breaks, and you start to feel like you're just playing a game rather than living in one. But when the world is constantly reacting and reflecting your choices, both in big ways and just as importantly in small ways, that's when immersion really sets in."
And it's going to be really extensive. No player will be able to see more than around 70% of the adventure in a single playthrough because your choices and personality will close off some potential paths:
"We probably build roughly 30% more content than what any player could see in a single playthrough. We want players to be able to approach the game as a different archetype, whether you want to be good, evil, or something in between."
We recommend reading the full interview for more information about Clockwork Revolution. Hopefully, we will learn more about the game at this summer's not-E3, but it is possible that Microsoft wants to celebrate Xbox's 25th anniversary this year by focusing entirely on new instalments its biggest series: Fable, Forza Horizon 6, Gears of War: E-Day, and Halo: Campaign Evolved.