2025 is an exciting year for Xbox Series X/S owners and Xbox Game Pass subscribers. With exciting two Obsidian RPGs on the slate, a new Doom, the return of Ninja Gaiden, and so much more, this year has a lot to offer. We know it can be hard to keep track of every single new game coming out, so we put together this handy list to help you keep up with as many noteworthy Xbox games as possible.
Here’s every game that Xbox owners should definitely keep an eye on in 2025.
Star Wars Episode 1: Jedi Power Battles
Aspyr – Jan. 23
Originally released for the PlayStation, Sega Dreamcast, and Game Boy Advance, Star Wars Episode 1: Jedi Power Battles is getting a re-release for its 25th anniversary. This remastered version of the classic Star Wars game brings back couch co-op mode, training rooms, bonus levels, and the arcade cheats and power-ups that made the original version so fun. In addition, the game will have 13 new playable characters, including Jar Jar Binks, and a lightsaber toggle that allows players to choose between the original lightsaber colors used in the game or more screen-accurate versions. No matter your age, Star Wars Episode 1: Jedi Power Battles is sure to be a fun walk (or Force-powered jump) down memory lane.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
Warhorse Studios – Feb. 4
Set in the Kingdom of Bohemia during the early 15th century, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II follows the story of Henry, a trusted diplomatic escort of the king who seeks revenge for his murdered family. In the game’s open-world Medieval setting, the player can guide Henry on daring adventures, forge alliances with a charismatic cast of characters, and engage in visceral real-time combat. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is a gripping action RPG perfect for anyone eager to step into an epic Medieval adventure.
Civilization 7
Firaxis Games – Feb 11
Arriving nearly a decade after the previous game, Civilization VII promises to be a “revolutionary new chapter” in this award-winning franchise. Similar to its predecessors, Civilization VII is a turn-based tactical strategy game where you develop an empire across three distinct historic eras. With updated graphics and improved gameplay that includes updates to diplomacy mechanics, changes to production management, as well as other improvements, this evolution seems poised to bring this franchise into the next generation.
Avowed
Obsidian Entertainment – Feb 18
Avowed is an action RPG set in the Living Lands of Eora, which was first introduced in Obsidian’s stellar Pillars of Eternity games. It’s a vast region encompassing a variety of landscapes, from lush forests to rocky deserts. The player begins the game as an envoy from the Aedyr Empire who is sent to the Living Lands to investigate rumors of a spreading plague and a secret so dangerous it could destroy everything.
The Envoy can use different combos of magic, melee weapons, and firearms to defeat dangerous enemies, and the choices they make affect the story. The player can also recruit various NPCs to join their party, up to two at a time, that can aid in accomplishing certain tasks. Though these companion NPCs unfortunately won’t be available for romancing or smooching, Avowed still looks like a world that will be easy to get lost in. We quite enjoyed our time with a preview build of the game last year.
Monster Hunter Wilds
Capcom – Feb 28
The latest chapter in the Monster Hunter series, Monster Hunter Wilds is set in the Forbidden Lands, an uncharted region long thought to be uninhabited. That is, until a boy named Nata is discovered near the border of these lands, on the run from a mysterious creature known as the White Wraith that attacked his people. As the player, you control The Hunter, one of the professional monster hunters tasked with searching for the White Wraith, charting the Forbidden Lands, and searching for Nata’s people. Monster Hunter Wilds doesn’t only have an intriguing story, however. The game also features new fighting moves and a wide variety of weapons and equipment that give you even more ways to use monsters and their environment to your advantage. Even if you’re not familiar with the series, Monster Hunter Wilds looks to be a fun game for any fan of action RPG games.
Fragpunk
Bad Guitar Studio – March 6
Fragpunk is an upcoming 5v5 FPS that lets you bend the rules of gameplay with unique Shard Cards that each have their own abilities and effects on the game. You can instantly create grass to hide from your enemies, you can give everyone a big head to give yourself a comically large target, you can flip the map around to create your own route through the battlefield, and so much more. Not only does combat look incredibly fun, but Fragpunk also has a vibrant art style that makes gameplay even more electric and energetic to watch and play in.
Suikoden I & II HD Remaster
Konami – March 6
Konami’s RPG series Suikoden is joining a long list of classic RPGs getting a fresh update for modern consoles. The Suikoden I & II HD Remaster will feature improvements to graphics and the art style, gameplay mechanics, and sound. Players will also now have the option to automate battles with a single button and play through combat at double-speed. Despite all of these updates, however, the developers are still striving to keep the original story and the “charm of the colorful cast of characters” that fans know and love intact.
Assassin’s Creed: Shadows
Ubisoft – March 20
Set in the late Sengoku period of feudal Japan, Assassin’s Creed Shadows features two playable protagonists: Naoe, a shinobi assassin, and Yasuke, a legendary samurai. Quests can be handled as either protagonist, with Naoe as the more stealthy and discrete approach and Yasuke as the charismatic warrior, useful for taking on several enemies at a time. The game encourages players to explore the open world gathering intel and building a network of spies ready to help usher Japan into a new era. After playing six hours of the game earlier this year, we have to say this one definitely has potential to be an all-time great installment in the series.
Tales of the Shire
Wētā Workshop – March 25
New cozy game alert! Tales of the Shire is like if Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing took a trip to the Shire of Lord of the Rings. The game lets players live out their dreams of spending time in the idyllic landscape of the Shire as they create their own character, decorate their own Hobbit hole, make friends in the community, and help the town flourish. We played Tales of the Shire at SGF and were impressed with the amount of care put into creating this version of the Shire. Even though the game isn’t technically canon, there are still plenty of references and easter eggs for Lord of the Rings fans to find.
Atomfall
Rebellion – March 27
Inspired by the real-life Windscale Fire nuclear disaster in Northern England, Atomfall is a survival-action game set five years after the event. In this alternate version of history, there are more mysterious and sinister forces at work behind the scenes, and it’s up to the player to explore the quarantine zone and uncover what truly happened at Windscale. As with any good post-apocalyptic survival game, you must learn how to craft items and weapons with what you can find in the environment—either through bartering, ransacking, or straight up stealing. This fictional yet familiar world is full of mysticism and folk horror influences, creating the perfect eerie environment to explore.
South of Midnight
Compulsion Games – April 8
Inspired by the gothic folklore of the American deep South, South of Midnight follows protagonist Hazel as she goes on a journey through legends and folktales to find her mother and the power within herself. With an animation stylehttps://https://ift.tt/YPoJ6yc inspired by stop-motion, enemies are even more haunting and gameplay feels like it was ripped right out of a storybook. On her journey, Hazel must learn how to harness the ancient power of weaving magic to rip apart enemies and repair the Grand Tapestry on her quest to heal her home after a devastating hurricane. South of Midnight looks like it will be a unique and powerful story to play through, and perfect for anyone looking for an exciting third person action-adventure game to try out this year.
Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves
SNK – April 21
The popular ’90s fighting game franchise Fatal Fury is back after 26 years with Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves. With 22 playable characters, including 17 familiar faces from previous games, and 3 different modes of gameplay, there are plenty of options for longtime fans and franchise newcomers alike to have a great time. There’s a single-player RPG mode, Episodes of South Town, as well as online modes that allow you to match with other players or clones generated by automatic AI technology that learns your play style.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Sandfall Interactive – April 24
Developed by the relatively small Sandfall Interactive, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is an upcoming turn-based RPG with real-time mechanics that is already looking to be one of the most exciting new games this year. Expedition 33‘s voice cast includes Daredevil‘s Charlie Cox and Baldur’s Gate 3‘s Jennifer English as two of the six playable characters you can use to build your team, crafting unique builds to fit your playstyle. Set in a world inspired by Bell Époque France, the game is full of hauntingly beautiful visuals that aren’t afraid to hide a little whimsy below the surface. Expedition 33 has an expansive world to explore, and we can’t wait to spend hours looking through every nook and cranny with these characters.
DOOM: The Dark Ages
Bethesda Softworks – May 15
Cue the heavy metal, DOOM fans, because the latest game in the franchise is coming to crush some demon skulls. A prequel to DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal, DOOM: The Dark Ages tells the origin of the DOOM Slayer as the hero fights against the forces of Hell in a dark fantasy setting unlike anything we’ve seen from this franchise before. This single-player FPS not only allows you to crush combat scenarios with classic DOOM weaponry, The Dark Ages also features new tools like a face-shattering flail, throwable Shield Saw, and yes, even a Mecha Dragon.
Double Dragon Revive
Yuke’s – Oct 23
Another popular fighting game franchise set to return this year is Double Dragon. This isn’t the first modern-era sequel for this arcade-style beat ’em up franchise, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t excited to see what this game has in store in 2025. With four playable characters, including brothers Jimmy and Billy Lee, modern 3D graphics, and an exhilarating belt-scroll action experience, Double Dragon Revive seems like a fun merge of past and present gaming.
Borderlands 4
Gearbox Software – TBD
Set on the all-new planet of Kairos, Borderlands 4 already looks like it will be an irreverent, chaotic time—as any good Borderlands game should be. While we don’t know a lot about the game thus far, Gearbox promises the games will deliver “intense action” and “billions of wild and deadly weapons” with its brand new planet and story. You’ll get to control one of four new Vault Hunters seeking wealth and glory after crashing on Kairos and breaking free from the planet’s ruthless dictator, the Timekeeper. With the option to play solo or in co-op with up to three other players as well as free-form combat and exploration, there are plenty of opportunities to fight your way through the planet, and maybe even spark a rebellion in the process.
Dying Light: The Beast
Techland – TBD
After over a decade in captivity, Dying Light hero Kyle Crane escapes into a changed world, though not necessarily for the better. Using not only the survival skills honed in the previous games, but also some new abilities that come from being experimented on, in Dying Light: The Beast, you’ll once again play as Crane as he tries to help the survivors of Castor Woods and keep the ever increasing population of zombies at bay. This survival horror game also has a 4-player co-op feature if you want a little help to make it through the violent, zombie-filled nights.
Fable
Playground Games – TBD
It’s been over a decade since the last Fable game was released, and now the upcoming sequel is set to take us back to the fantasy world of Albion for the first time in a while. So far, the story seems to be focused on a former hero named Humphry and a young adventurer he’s taken under his wing. Someone from his past has come back to haunt him and threatens Albion’s very existence in the process. While we don’t know much else about Fable‘s story or gameplay yet, this third-person action RPG already looks to be a welcome addition to the franchise.
Grand Theft Auto VI
Rockstar Games – TBD
Twelve long years after GTA V hit shelves, Grand Theft Auto VI is finally supposed to arrive this year. Promising to be the “biggest, most immersive” evolution of the Grand Theft Auto series yet, GTA VI will be set in the fictional state of Leonida, home of Vice City. This game will feature the franchise’s first female protagonist since 2000, Lucia, and her partner in a Bonnie and Clyde-inspired scenario.
Judas
Ghost Story Games – TBD
From the creator of BioShock, Judas is a single player narrative FPS set on a disintegrating starship. Playing as the “mysterious and troubled” Judas, you must navigate alliances, fight against foes, and do whatever it takes to escape. Whether you’re a fan of BioShock or just looking for a new and intriguing sci-fi game, Judas is definitely one to keep your eye on this year.
Killing Floor 3
Tripwire Interactive – TBD
The Co-op action horror FPS franchise that’s fun for your entire squad of friends is back this year with Killing Floor 3. Made with Unreal Engine 5, this next-gen sequel looks to be full of the blood, gore, and heart-pounding action that fans have come to love. Playing as a member of the rebel group Nightfall, you and up to five teammates must fight against waves of zeds (bioengineered zombies) in order to save humanity.
Revenge of the Savage Planet
Raccoon Logic Studios – TBD
In this upbeat, satirical sci-fi adventure game, you play as a space explorer fired and abandoned by your corporate employer – because even in space, the cruel hand of capitalism knows no bounds. With few resources and no safety net, you must explore every inch of the planets you visit to collect resources that will help you level up, return to Earth, and get revenge on your greedy corporate overlords. With single player, online co-op, crossplay, and split screen modes at your disposal, you can go at it alone, or team up with a friend to scan as many planets, capture as many creatures, and explore as many terrains as you can. Revenge of the Savage Planet looks like it’ll be a zany, fun time, and we can’t wait to check it out.
The Alters
11 Bit Studios – TBD
The Alters tells the story of Jan, a simple miner who crash lands on a hostile planet alone. Tasked with running a mobile base by himself, Jan soon realizes that he can’t do this alone if he’s going to survive. With the help of his ship’s quantum computer and a rare substance found on this planet, Jan is able to create clones of himself based on different life paths he may or may not have chosen in his past. While these clones are versions of him, they are also very different people with their own motivations, goals, and fears—which means that they don’t always get along. It’s a very intriguing premise that makes for a unique sci-fi survival game that we really can’t wait to play.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2
Paradox Interactive – TBD
It’s been over twenty years since Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines was first released, and now we’re finally set to see the sequel this year. Just like its predecessor, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is an action RPG where you get to play as an elder vampire. As you fight and talk your way through modern-day Seattle, your choices matter. Whether you choose to rise through the ranks of vampire society or rail against it, your decisions influence the balance of power in the city and what becomes of it and the people within. Whether you’re familiar with this franchise or looking to dip your toe into a new RPG, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 looks like it’ll be a blood-sucking good time.
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers
Leenzee Games – TBD
A dark and fantastical Soulslike game, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers follows Wuchang, a pirate who awakens with amnesia in the final years of China’s Ming Dynasty. It’s a chaotic time as a mysterious phenomenon known as Feathering has come to the land of Shu, causing mutations and an epidemic of plague and monsters across the land. Playing as Wuchang, you must fight your way forward using a variety of fighting styles, hidden weapons, ancient firearms, and even the power of Feathering itself to forge a path toward the truth, and hopefully uncover some of your own memories along the way.
Ninja Gaiden 4
Team Ninja – TBD
After over a decade since the last mainline game, the Ninja Gaiden series is back this year with Ninja Gaiden 4 currently in active development with Team Ninja. Set in a dark, gritty dystopian Tokyo, Ninja Gaiden 4 follows new protagonist Yakumo, a young ninja prodigy connected to the formidable Master Ninja, Ryu Hayabusa, who is also a playable character in the game. As Yakumo navigates this world and tries to put a stop to the Dark Dragon’s rise, he must also face off against his foes, and Hayabusa to become the ninja the world needs him to be. During the Xbox Developer Direct showcase, Team Ninja was adamant that this game isn’t just for longtime fans of the series and that they hope it can be an entry point for newcomers as well.
The Dark Pictures Anthology: Directive 8020
Supermassive Games – TBD
Supermassive Games’ Dark Pictures Anthology is back with another immersive horror experience this year. Directive 8020 is the studios’ first foray into full on sci-fi horror, both for the Dark Pictures series and for the studio at large. House of Ashes toed the line between the genres with ancient vampiric aliens as the main source of scares, but the game was very much still grounded on Earth. Directive 8020 follows the crew of the Cassiopeia as they find themselves hunted by an alien organism capable of mimicking its prey – very much like The Thing, but actually in space. With Lashana Lynch (Captain Marvel) as the games’ star, there’s no doubt in my mind that this is going to be an epic and terrifying adventure to play through.
The post Upcoming Xbox Games You Need to Play in 2025 appeared first on Den of Geek.
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