Some are waiting for Christmas to stock up on new video games. Others don’t need to wait: Microsoft has just unveiled a salvo of nine games to be released directly in Xbox Game Pass, starting this November. Between frenetic roguelites, science fiction stories and horror universes, the selection aims to be broad, without necessarily appealing to fans of AAA blockbusters.
The majority of these titles will be accessible to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Game Pass PC subscribers. Microsoft specifies that the immediate arrival in the subscription mainly concerns these two formulas. The Game Pass Core option, for its part, is rarely affected by direct launches.
Nine games, nine atmospheres on Xbox and PC
The calendar starts strong with The monsters are coming! Rock & Roada defensive roguelite from Ludogram. The game asks players to protect a moving city against hordes of creatures. It arrives on November 20, 2025 on PC.
From November 6, Egging On appears on PC and Xbox Series X. This platform game features a fragile egg who tries to survive a dizzying climb. It is developed by Egobounds, Alibi Games and IndieArk.
December 9 will mark the arrival on Xbox consoles of Dome Keepera mining-based roguelite action game, already available on PC. The player defends a dome against waves of monsters by extracting resources to improve its defenses. Microsoft specifies the mechanics: “you must extract resources to improve your defenses against incessant waves of alien monsters”.
Another highly anticipated title: Routine. Developed by Lunar Software, it is a first-person science fiction horror game, set on an abandoned lunar base. It will be released on December 4 for Xbox One, Xbox Series X and PC. Editor Raw Fury sums up the experience as “a simple exploration mission quickly turns into a fight for survival.”
Sequels, storytelling, and a hint of mystery
Lovers of deep stories will find Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf. Continuation of independent success Planet of Lana (2023), this new opus takes up the story of Lana and Mui after their victory against a robotic army. This sequel promises a more introspective and mysterious adventure, on PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X from early 2026.
Narrative science fiction will also be represented by Apheliondeveloped by Don’t Nod, the studio behind Life Is Strange. The game immerses us in the story of Ariane, an astronaut responsible for rescuing her partner stranded on an icy planet. Its release is scheduled for 2026, on PC and Xbox Series
Another notable title is Darkwood IIthe sequel to the cult survival horror released in 2017. Developed by Ice-Pick Lodge and published by Hooded Horse, it takes place in a desert haunted by terrifying creatures. Its release date remains to be determined.
The Sledding Game And Awaysis complete this selection. The first offers a multiplayer sledding game with proximity chat, the second a cooperative dungeon crawler from 17-Bit. Both will be released on PC and Xbox Series
Microsoft assures us: even if not all players will find what they are looking for among these titles, the eclecticism of the selection aims to appeal to those “who don’t only play AAA games every year”.