Does Xbox even have games this year? Big titles like Avowed and South of Midnight have already launched to rave reviews, but what’s next? Where do Microsoft’s premier exclusives go now that their most anticipated titles have already come and gone?
Over the years, since Microsoft shifted to the “Xbox Family of Consoles” strategy, exclusives have rolled out sporadically—sometimes with little success or fanfare. This has often been blamed on Xbox’s inconsistent marketing. Hellblade 2: Senua’s Saga was a success in its own right, yet it faded from public discussion, largely due to Microsoft’s baffling marketing decisions.
click to enlarge
+ 3Avowed and South of Midnight both had solid marketing campaigns, and it paid off in the numbers. That’s good news for the company and its respective studios. Both games even endured targeted harassment campaigns from the anti-“woke” crowd, yet they still found success regardless.
33 Immortals also dropped this year. It’s a 33-player action-roguelike where players rebel against God’s final judgment. With fast-paced combat and tough bosses reminiscent of Hades, it offers a fresh yet familiar experience for roguelike fans. Right now, it’s exclusive to the Epic Games Store and Xbox.
So, with those games out, what’s next for Microsoft in 2025? The good news is that a handful of new titles are still set to release this year. While most don’t have a confirmed release date, Microsoft has assured that they’re coming before year’s end. Xbox is still alive and kicking.
click to enlarge+ 3The Outer Worlds 2 is arguably the biggest game expected to launch in the third or fourth quarter—assuming Grand Theft Auto VI doesn’t drop around the same time. Meanwhile, Doom: Dark Ages is shaping up to be one of Xbox’s flagship action games and is scheduled to release on May 25.
But out of the two, only Doom has a confirmed release date. The Outer Worlds 2 doesn’t even have one yet.
Indie games (no, Silksong still doesn’t count) are also on the way. These smaller titles serve as great palette cleansers from the usual wave of blockbuster releases. Thanks to Xbox Game Pass, many of them will be available on day one for subscribers. Games like the cozy survival sim Winter Burrow, the neon-drenched Replaced, and the Lovecraftian road trip Dead Static Drive are all expected to launch sometime this year, though no firm dates have been announced.
click to enlarge+ 3To be fair, both Sony and Microsoft currently have no more than two major titles slated for release in the back half of 2025. Sony has Ghost of Yotei leading the charge, and with Death Stranding 2 set to release in less than two months, it seems unlikely that any other major PlayStation exclusives will land during the fall and winter seasons.
Looking ahead to next year, Microsoft appears to be banking on the next Fable after its recent delay. As for the rest of Xbox’s 2026 calendar, it’s still a complete mystery. What could the future hold for Microsoft by then?