Xbox Gamescom Sequel Reveal Points to a New Ori Game

[Update] Thomas Mahler, CEO and Game Director at Moon Studios, has responded to the recent rumors regarding a new Ori game. He confirmed that he hasn’t heard anything from Microsoft about a new entry in the series and explicitly called the reports "nonsense". Mahler also expressed doubt that another studio could successfully handle the franchise without losing what made it special.

Furthermore, Mahler revealed that Moon Studios has been discussing internally their interest in buying the Ori IP back from Microsoft. Because Microsoft retains full ownership of the brand, the publisher could technically assign a new developer to take over the series. However, given Mahler's response as the head of the original development studio, fans should take the recent sequel rumors with a heavy grain of salt.

[Original report] Industry insider NateTheHate has clarified on ResetEra his recent comments regarding an upcoming Xbox sequel reveal were indeed referring to a new Ori game. However, he emphasized that he cannot confirm whether the official announcement will take place during Gamescom 2026.

Rumors surrounding the project have been circulating for a while, driven by notable industry insiders including Jez Corden (Windows Central) and NateTheHate.

The key details regarding the unannounced project include:

• Established Franchise: The game is reportedly a new entry in an existing Xbox IP with at least two previous installments.
• New Developer: Unlike previous titles in the franchise, development has allegedly been handed over to a new studio - rumored to be Saber Interactive, best known for Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2.
• 2026 Release Window: Despite remaining unannounced, the title is reportedly targeting a release later in 2026.

As Microsoft owns the IP rights to the Ori series, original developer Moon Studios does not need to be involved for Xbox to release a sequel.