The end of 2024 was a huge moment for Microsoft’s Game Pass subscription service. One arrival on the day Call of Duty: Black Ops 6the biggest blockbuster to add felt like the climactic endpoint of Microsoft’s $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. And it soon followed by another huge Microsoft release: Bethesda’s’s Indiana Jones and the Greata possibly a great licensed romp starring a real pop culture icon.
Early months of 2025 have never seen such a splash Day One monopoly in Game Pass, Destiny: Dark Ages Arrived on May 15th. However, this period was equally consequence for Game Pass. It did a lot more to show the value of the Game Pass subscription. This service ultimately provides what Microsoft always intends to do.
Starting in January, Ninja Gaiden 2 Black Remastered Sleeper Fantasy Adventure Eternal Chainsand trustworthy Nazi assassination SIM Sniper Elite Resistance. In February there was obsidian avowedperhaps the ultimate game pass release – an easier to manage and more colorful role-playing game. Now we have Atomic PowerComplete a charming yanki one-two punch from the rebellion of sniper elite developers. Pace isn’t about to give up. There will be a forced game on April 8th Midnight South. April 24th, French turn-based RPG clear clear nabure: expedition 33.
Image: Koei Tecmo
Image: Yellow Brick Game
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Image: Obsidian Entertainment/Xbox Game Studios
Among all these titles were scattered with must-see indie games. The Lonely Mountain: Snow Rider, Citizens’ Sleeping 2and in the future Blue Prince. There were also some valuable back catalog drops from the first vintage to various vintages Diablothrough See the dog: Legion and Warhammer 40,000: Rogue TraderNow it’s united Baratoro.
All of these games are great additions, but not headlines. What really striking when you look at this release schedule is the steady cadence of a brand new, medium-sized single-player adventure. It’s a type of game that you’ll get soaked up with yourself for weeks and then get happy. From January Destiny: Dark Ages In May, GamePath offers at least one of these games each month, one day, sometimes two or three times. Also, many of them are worth noting – Eternal Chains, avowed, Atomic Power, Midnight South, Clear – Original. In 2025, GamePass became a reliable monthly supplier of Original AA Games, a trusted monthly supplier of a kind of entertainment that was on the threat of extinction.
The timing wouldn’t have been better as all these new COD and Indy subscribers were hanging out. The game pass has long represented good value. Microsoft has been well stocked with a catalog of services from the beginning, allowing access to all first-party games on the first day – even before the Bethesda and Activision Blizzard titles were included in its lineup – was a compelling reason to always register. However, the rate at which a considerable number of new games were added to the service was volatile, to say the least. Now it’s a smooth conveyor belt. Its success is the same as it stems from smart partnerships with independent studios like Rebellion and smart partnerships with small publishers. ClearLike Microsoft’s new release possibilities, there’s Kepler Interactive.
Image: Rebellion
Image: Forced Games/Xbox Game Studio
Image: Sandfall Interactive/Kepler Interactive
Image: ID Software/Bethesda Software Work
There are some important caveats to keep in mind. First, Microsoft re-adjusted the Game Pass structure last year, so this decision only applies to the Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass tiers that Day-One Games live. Game Pass Ultimate isn’t cheap, but it’s still worth it as it includes EA Play and Cloud Gaming. The PC Game Pass is a stone-like bargain.
Second, a much more important caveat is that we don’t know if this is working financially for Microsoft or its partners. This has been true since the start of GamePass, and even more so after Microsoft stopped reporting subscriber numbers. In fundraising transactions, internal licensing, and cannibalism in game sales, the cost of rolling out all of these one game must be enormous. And that’s before you consider the immeasurable costs of the acquisition riot that you saw Microsoft snap up the studio avowed‘obsidian Entertainment and Midnight SouthForced games, not to mention more expensive purchases of Bethesda and Activision Blizzard.
However, if there was a suspicion that GamePass made sense to gamers, then at least the kind of gamer who wants to play a new single-player adventure every month, that suspicion has been dispelled. Game Pass is not just creating happy customers, but also makes a big contribution to keeping the video gaming industry and art form alive. This is sustainable and for the makers of these games, we hope that it is sustainable, just like the people who play them.
