Summary
Since 2017, Microsoft’s video game subscription service,Xbox Game Pass, has allowed a variety of games to find a sure footing on its Netflix-style platform. Beyond the huge library of legacy titles on the service, many publishers have sought to capitalize on Xbox Game Pass’s popularity with day-and-date simultaneous releases with retail and digital stores.
These can range from Microsoft’s own AAA first-party offerings, to momentous indie console debuts. The following games made their debut on Xbox Game Pass and went on to see great success.
Coinciding with the 2019 Game Awards reveal of Microsoft’s Xbox Series X console, Ninja Theory’sSenua’s Saga: Hellblade 2brought the first next-generation Xbox experience to players. While it would be four years until the third-person cinematic adventure would be in fans' hands, its day-and-date release on Xbox Game Pass arguably ushered in a new era for Microsoft’s gaming division.
This first-party Xbox Game Studios title jumped from Unreal Engine 4 to Unreal Engine 5 — and, in doing so,raised standards for video game graphics.Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2performed well on both Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S systems.
The firstCoffee Talkgame received praise forits visual appeal, interesting characters, and well-written dialogue.Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterflynot only continues what the original cozy barista title did so well, but expands on it.
Released in 2023, day-and-date with the retail release of the title on PlayStation, PC, and Nintendo Switch, the Xbox version also found itself as an Xbox Game Pass title.Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterflyis a comforting visual novel that utilizes Xbox Game Pass’s ease of accessibility more than other titles. Arriving on the subscription service day one, theCoffee Talksequel was able to highlight its approach to a possibly larger section of the gaming population.
Through the collaborative development efforts of Neowiz Games and Round8 Studio,Lies of P’s Soulsborne gameplaycreated a lot of buzz. An unexpected adaptation of the original 1883 story of Pinocchio,Lies of P’s launch on the Xbox ecosystem came a single day before it was available on PlayStation consoles.
The game’s day one Xbox Game Pass availability ensured that the much-hyped title was a software success for Microsoft. Instantly becominga massive hit,Lies of Pis emblematic of not only the quality of titles Microsoft hopes to have on its service, but also the accessibility potential of Game Pass as a video game platform.
British Xbox Game Studios developer Rare’s pirate-themed online action titleSea of Thievesis one of Microsoft’s poster children for the company’s expansion of its video game division. As one of the first first-party Xbox games to make the jump to PlayStation and Nintendo availability,Sea of Thievesalso has the honor of being the first Xbox Game Studios' day one release onto Xbox Game Pass.
Since its 2018 release,Sea of Thieveshas continued to be updated. To this day, thesea-faring, Megalodon-slaying, crossover-having property remains a staple of Microsoft’s games as a service title. Continuing with its established Xbox Game Pass presence,Sea of Thieves’accessibility is one of the title’s most endearing features.
Considering that its creative director called Xbox Game Pass"a fantastic service"and the title itself hasbeen a major sucess storyin the years since its release,Hades' day-and-date release in 2020 was a boon to the subscription service.
The roguelike hack-and-slash odyssey of the god Zagreus attempting to leave the underworld and reach Mount Olympus has become an indie darling, with a critically acclaimed sequel in early access. The rate at which the game reached critical, user, and sales milestones is a testament not only to the quality of Supergiant Games' title, but the productivity of Xbox Game Pass.
Despite itscontroversial themes and possible IP infringement, along with the fact that it still has not left early access development, Pocketpair’s monster-taming survival titlePalworldremains one of Xbox Game Pass' most renowned successes.
Available first on PC and Xbox consoles through Steam Early Access and Xbox Game Preview respectively, the title colloquially known as"Pokemonwith guns"became Xbox Game Pass’biggest third-party launch of all time. This success has snowballed, with"explosive growth and the continued popularity"sustainingPalworld’s development. It has become a landmark title not only for Xbox Game Pass, but for independent developers around the world.
Considering thatMicrosoft paid $68.7 billionto acquire the video game development subsidiary Activision Blizzard, the relative lack of titles on Xbox Game Pass from the conglomerate of studios is surprising.
However, with the 2024 release ofCall of Duty: Black Ops 6on not only PlayStation and Xbox consoles but day-and-date onto Xbox Game Pass,this excellentCall of Dutyinstallmentfound its place on Microsoft’s subscription service.Call of Duty: Black Ops 6was not only a return to form for the genre-defining first-person shooter franchise, but a defining moment for the Xbox ecosystem.
In spite of a solid cadence of first-party titles since the launch of Microsoft’s ninth console-generation systems, it is safe to say that Xbox has faltered in providing video game enthusiasts with what they want. However, with the critical and player adoration for Xbox Game Studios developer MachineGames' 2024 titleIndiana Jones and the Great Circlefound its way on Xbox Game Pass day one.
Foregoing a gung-ho attitude in place of a truly cinematic and authenticIndiana Jonesescapade,Indiana Jones and the Great Circleremainsone of Xbox game Studios' highest-rated titlesof the generation. As such, its place among the easily-accessible greats of yesteryear on Xbox Game Pass solidified,Indiana Jones and the Great Circle(despite its multiplatform ambitions) remains one of Xbox Game Pass' greatest day one releases.
