Xbox Game Passhas started 2025 with a bit of a whimper. The early January Game Pass line-up mostly consists of titles that were previously available on higher tiers coming to the lower-pricedXbox Game Pass Standard tier. The only two truly new additions to Game Pass so far this year have beenCarrionandRoad 96.
The 2025 Xbox Developer Direct Could Mean Big Things for Xbox Game Pass
Everything Confirmed to be Appearing at the 2025 Xbox Developer Direct
Much likethe last two Xbox Developer Directs, this year’s January showcase will focus on four of Xbox’s upcoming titles. Three of these games have already been confirmed, those beingDoom: The Dark Ages,South of Midnight, andClair Obscur: Expedition 33.
First announced duringXbox’s June 2024 showcase, a bit more light will be shed onDoom: The Dark Ageson January 23. If previous Xbox Developer Directs are any indication, fans can probably expect to see id Software briefly discuss the experience of developingDoom: The Dark Ages, highlighting its differences and improvements over previous entries. It’s likely this developer commentary will be accompanied by some new gameplay footage.
A similar approach can probably be expected ofCompulsion Games’South of Midnightand Sandfall Interactive’sClair Obscur: Expedition 33.South of Midnight’s developers will likely discuss the game’s unique American Deep South influences, whileClair Obscur’s developers will probably mention the game’s impressive cast and the challenges of being a new studio creating its first game.
All three of these games will be hitting Xbox Game Pass on day one, and all three have a general release window of 2025. Fans might get to see some concrete release dates for these games during the Xbox Developer Direct.
The 2025 Xbox Developer Direct will air at 10am PT/1pm ET on January 23.
What The 2025 Xbox Developer Direct Mystery Game Could Be
But there’s one other game confirmed forXbox’s 2025 Developer Direct, a mysterious “brand new game” from an unidentified studio. The wording used in the official description of the event implies that the game is something that hasn’t been previously announced before, which rules out games likePerfect DarkorGears of War: E-Day. But there are a few rumors circulating about what it could be.
One of the biggest rumors over the last years or so has been that Bethesda has anElder Scrolls 4: Oblivionremake or remasterin the works. The Xbox Developer Direct might be the perfect opportunity to reveal this long-rumored project. Another possibility is that the newly rebranded Halo Studios could reveal one of its next projects, with it having been confirmed that “multiple new games” using Unreal Engine 5 are currently in development.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is the highest tier of Microsoft’s flagship game subscription service that offers over 100 game titles that you can play with a single purchase, making it one of the most outstanding value propositions of the Xbox ecosystem to date.
