Xbox Game Pass has been a great deal in the gaming world for years, offering a huge library of games, sometimes even day-one releases, for a monthly subscription. While a 2024 price bump set up a new hurdle, it stayed strong with plenty of the year’s biggest releases despite lacking some important titles and exclusives like FF7 Rebirth. The service makes it easy to try new games without spending extra money, which has helped it remain relevant.
However, 2025 is shaping up to be different. While Game Pass will still offer plenty of great games, the ones not coming to the service could have a bigger impact this year. Some of the most anticipated releases will only be available on other platforms, and there may be fewer major third-party games launching on Game Pass right away. This doesn’t mean Game Pass is in trouble, but as competitors roll out some big exclusives and titles that aren’t likely to come to the service, Game Pass may not be the center of attention.
2025’s Biggest Exclusives Won’t Be On Xbox Game Pass
Game Pass Will Be Missing Some Exciting Games This Year
Nintendo’s new console, the Switch 2, is set to release major first-party games in 2025. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment adds a new story to the Zelda series, and Mario Kart World is expected to be a huge hit. There’s also Donkey Kong Bananza, releasing on July 17, a month after the console’s release. Since Nintendo keeps its games exclusive to its own systems, Xbox players won’t have access to these titles.
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PlayStation is also launching big exclusives. The highly anticipated Ghost of Yotei, a new samurai action game, and Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, the sequel to 2019’s Death Stranding, will only be available on PlayStation 5, at least for the time being. Since they won’t be available on Xbox, Game Pass subscribers won’t be able to play them unless they own a PS5, and they’ll still have to buy the games at full price if they do.
Finally, there’s Grand Theft Auto 6, which is primed to be the biggest release of the year by a significant margin. Unlike the other games, GTA 6 isn’t exclusive to PlayStation or Nintendo, but it’s very unlikely to launch on Game Pass. Rockstar’s games sell millions of copies, so there’s no reason for them to put it on a subscription service right away. With so many huge games skipping Game Pass, Microsoft will need to focus on its own exclusives and third-party deals to keep players excited in 2025.
Despite Competition, Xbox Game Pass Has A Strong Line-Up
There Will Still Be Worthwhile Games Available On Game Pass
Thankfully, Game Pass still has a strong lineup going into 2025. Avowed‘s day-one release in February was already one major victory, and late 2024 additions like STALKER 2 and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle still provide plenty of value to the service. Classic games like Fallout: New Vegas are also available, giving players a mix of new and old favorites.
Game Pass games are always changing. New ones are added and old ones are cycled out, so make sure to play the ones you really want before they’re gone.
More exciting games are coming soon, too. April alone has some exciting titles coming to Game Pass. South of Midnight launches on April 8, followed by Descenders Next and Commandos: Origins on April 9. Blue Prince arrives on April 10, Tempopo on April 17, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 on April 24. Each game brings something different, from action-packed adventures to strategy and puzzle-solving.
May continues the excitement with Revenge of the Savage Planet on May 8 and Doom: The Dark Ages on May 15, delivering intense action. To a T follows on May 28 with a unique story-driven experience. Then in July, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 arrives on July 11, bringing classic skateboarding fun. While none of these games are slated to be the next Mario Kart or GTA 6, the overall combination of titles could easily make the service worth keeping.
2025 Still Features A Lot Of Unknowns
Some Games Have No Release Date For Game Pass
Even though 2025 has a lot of big games coming out, there are still many things we don’t know yet. Some games have been announced for Xbox Game Pass but don’t have exact release dates, and there’s always a chance that more games could be added later. At the same time, other platforms like PlayStation and Nintendo may still reveal new exclusives, making the competition even tougher.
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Several games are confirmed to be coming to Game Pass this year, but we don’t know when. Some of the bigger ones include NINJA GAIDEN 4, expected in fall 2025, and The Outer Worlds 2, the sequel to another popular RPG from Avowed and Fallout: New Vegas developer Obsidian. Other games like Subnautica 2, The Alters, and REPLACED are also on the way, but their exact arrival is still a mystery. There are also smaller but interesting games like Winter Burrow, Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo, and Tanuki Pon’s Summer, which should arrive later in the year.
Of course, Game Pass isn’t the only platform with surprises. PlayStation and Nintendo still have games they haven’t announced yet, and it’s possible that some unexpected exclusives will shake things up. Game Pass could also add more games that weren’t originally planned, either through surprise deals or partnerships.
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Even with all this uncertainty, Xbox Game Pass still has a lot to offer. Games like FBC: Firebreak, Lost in Random: The Eternal Die, and Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault will be joining the service at some point this year. There’s also Sleight of Hand and Wheel World, which could become favorites once they arrive. Plus, it’s rumored that Game Pass will soon add Dragon Age: The Veilguard, too.
And that’s just covering games coming in 2025. 2026 has its own impressive lineup, with titles like Fable and Hollow Knight: Silksong. Other games like the Perfect Dark reboot still lack release windows, but should be coming in the foreseeable future. As 2025 continues, more details will be revealed, and the service will likely grow even more. All the same, Xbox Game Pass may have more of an uphill battle to look like an obvious subscription choice in the face of 2025’s massive titles that won’t be coming to the service.
Xbox Series X/S
- Brand
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Xbox
- Original Release Date
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November 10, 2020
- Original MSRP (USD)
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Series X priced at US$499 and the Series S priced at US$299
- Weight
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9.8 lb
