As the year draws to a close, many platforms have begun to share their annual recaps. Whether it be YouTube, Steam, or Spotify, users can now find a personalized look at the past 12 months on these platforms, highlighting how many games people played, what type of music they listened to, etc.
However, Xbox has yet to produce a recap for 2025, and a new report may have revealed why. It is said that the gaming giant simply lacks the budget for an Xbox Wrapped this year.
This report comes from Windows Central‘s Jez Corden, who states that Xbox has skipped its recap for 2025 to ensure it can deliver on its promises for next year.
It is said that Microsoft has shifted the marketing budget allocated to Xbox forward for 2026 since next year is shaping up to be the most important one of the Series S|X’s console lifespan to date. Between new Halo, Forza, and Gears of War releases, the next year will see new entries from all major IPs owned by the gaming giant.
Of course, it may come as a surprise that a company like Microsoft has budget constraints to begin with, but recent reports stated that the gaming giant is now being more strict with its spending on the gaming division. The reduced spendings appear to be yet another step to attaining Microsoft’s goal of 30% profitability for Xbox.
Anyhow, the insider believes that Xbox Wrapped 2026 will not be skipped in a similar manner. In fact, it is suspected that this recap will go above and beyond the typical examples due to the gaming giant celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2026.
Elsewhere, the report suggests a game like Starfield will launch on the Nintendo Switch 2 and PS5 next year, in addition to receiving more content. BlizzCon is also returning in 2026, and Xbox will open the year with a big Developer Direct in January.
As such, the gaming giant seems to be allocating its marketing budget wisely as it prepares for the next 12 months. Still, for dedicated fans of the platform, the lack of an Xbox Wrapped in 2025 will certainly be disappointing.
