When we first began designing Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss, we asked ourselves a question that became the bedrock of the entire experience: what if your descent into madness wasn’t just a failure state, but a part of the journey itself? What if it could even be a tool?

In many horror games, your sanity is a resource to protect. Once it’s gone, the game is often over. We wanted to explore a more terrifying and interactive idea, where your own mind becomes a system you must learn to manage and manipulate. This is the core of our Corruption system, and today we want to give you a deeper look at how you will forge your own truth in the abyss.

Your Path, Your Madness

Your Corruption level is a direct reflection of your choices. Your path through the game is defined by your investigative style, particularly in how you conclude each chapter. Every clue you find, every deduction you make, and every truth you accept has an impact. Choosing a rational, simple explanation for an event may preserve your sanity for a time; while embracing the horrifying, cosmic truth you’ve started to uncover will open your mind, leading you down a very different, more dangerous path.

These aren’t just minor flavor changes. The choices you make during your investigation, from how you analyze objects and clues to the “Eureka” moments where you connect the dots, all feed into this system. Over time, the accumulation of these choices will steer you down entirely different narrative paths, fundamentally altering the conclusion of your journey.

An Interface for Insanity

At its core, the Corruption System represents the insidious influence of Cthulhu seeping into Noah’s mind. But you are not a helpless passenger on this journey. You can actively manage your descent through the Corruption Interface.

Here, you will find “perks” born from your investigation and the horrors you witness. This system gives you a constant, tangible choice: do you activate these powerful perks, granting you investigative bonuses to help solve the mystery? Or do you resist, preserving your humanity at the cost of that forbidden knowledge? The choice is yours but be warned – some perks are more dangerous than others, and every taste of power has a price. This interface gives you partial, but meaningful, control over your own corruption, making every decision a tense and strategic trade-off.

In the silent depths of Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss, the greatest challenge isn’t a creature lurking in the dark; it’s the truth you uncover and the mind that must bear its weight. We can’t wait for you to take your first steps into the abyss when the game launches on April 16 on Xbox Series X|S.

Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss

Nacon

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$49.99

Pre-order

Pre-order Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss to receive the Sanity Skin Pack, featuring exclusive cosmetics for the user interface and for Noah, as well as new customization options for the flashlight and the sonar. 2053. Across the globe, the occult threat grows ever more blatant, and strange, incomprehensible events multiply. As the Earth's surface resources dwindle, powerful corporations turn to the uncharted depths of the oceans, unaware of the ancient horror they are about to awaken. In this tense Lovecraftian thriller, you play Noah, tasked with investigating the mysterious disappearance of miners in the depths of the Pacific Ocean. With the help of your AI companion, Key, explore the vast, labyrinthine prison of R'lyeh—an ancient, sunken city of cyclopean proportions—and resist the creeping madness caused by Cthulhu's influence. At its core lies a secret that could shatter your understanding of reality. REVEAL THE UNSPEAKABLE Face nightmares and cosmic abominations that will push your sanity to its limits. Journey through a futuristic reinterpretation of Lovecraft's mythos and uncover the legendary sunken city of R'lyeh. But beware: the deeper you descend, the more your mind succumbs to Cthulhu's relentless influence. CHALLENGE THE BOUNDARIES OF YOUR MIND Dive into the darkness with Key, your AI companion. Follow leads, gather scattered clues, and sharpen your detective skills to solve immersive and complex puzzles. Uncover hidden truths and look beyond appearances to choose your path to resolving the case. Every mystery offers branching routes and secret passages waiting to be discovered. AN UNFORGETTABLE NARRATIVE EXPERIENCE As an agent of Ancile, a secret division of Interpol specializing in occult affairs, you are thrust into a gripping story with complex characters, brought to life through cinematic storytelling. Immerse yourself in a first-person investigative horror adventure with a rich, branching narrative, where your choices and understanding will shape Noah’s fate in this nightmarish world. Powered by Unreal Engine 5, Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss features mind-bending environments that defy the laws of physics, pushing the boundaries of immersive storytelling to new heights.

When we started to define what combat would be in Replaced, we kept coming back to one word: weight.

In many pixel-art games the protagonist is featherweight, capable of double-jumping and dashing at a hundred miles an hour. But our hero, R.E.A.C.H, is an AI trapped in an average human body. And even with pushing it to the limits, there is still a physical cap that keeps things grounded.

As we wanted to avoid a “power fantasy” feel, we stuck to the idea that for R.E.A.C.H. fighting is a matter of survival, not something that it enjoys, so in combat he finds the most efficient ways to defeat any threat.

The Dance of The Death

A major inspiration for us was the Batman: Arkham series. We loved how those games turned combat into a rhythmic, timing-based dance, and we wanted to capture that same sense of flow within a 2D-space, rewarding tactical thinking and awareness over mindless button-mashing.

We deliberately designed R.E.A.C.H. to start his journey feeling a bit sluggish. It was a risky move, but we wanted you to feel his evolution firsthand. R.E.A.C.H.’s abilities’ upgrades are tied with crucial story points (both main and side quests), naturally reflecting the idea of machine learning. So, the more R.E.A.C.H. gets familiar with his anatomy and the world around him in general, the more fluent and complex combat grows.

Everything centers around his Huxley Gun – a Phoenix Corporation weapon that alters between a firearm and police baton. Combining Huxley’s features with several other gadgets, which he acquires in his journey, R.E.A.C.H. eventually masters these core combat mechanics:

• Melee Attacks and Momentum: In a world where resources are scarce, you can’t just spray bullets. We wanted melee combat to feel gritty, so we treated Huxley’s baton mode as a weapon. Landing successful hits builds momentum, speeding up your animations the longer you stay in the flow.
• Kinetic Charges: To bridge the gap between melee and ranged, Yo-Yo, the cynical Station engineer, rigs R.E.A.C.H.’s gun with a kinetic coil. Melee strikes generate energy, creating a tactical “give and take” where you must engage in close-quarters combat to shoot high-damage charged blasts.
• Precision Counters: Much like the rhythmic parries of the Arkhamverse games, we implemented dodges and counters that you’ll have to tactically apply against enemies. Avoid damage, seize the momentum of the scene, and turn the tide.

As the story progresses, R.E.A.C.H. will encounter more formidable threats that demand an upgraded arsenal. Termite grunts covered in mining exoskeletons? Armor-breaking enhanced Pickaxe will do the work. Melee combat-evading snipers? Huxley’s built-in Deflect shield will be the key. Highly trained Phoenix Corporation troopers? Break through their squads with a high-tech Shockwave AOE upgrade. Anything goes to shatter enemy defenses and open them up for Replaced’s signature, handcrafted finishers.

Visceral. Stunning. Rewarding.

Gamers and fellow developers often ask us why we chose frame-by-frame animation instead of easier methods based on 3D models. The main answer is: it just looks so much better. Whenever we tried experimenting with 3D models, the result was sub-par and very noisy. We wanted our game’s world to be cohesive, so that everything has its distinctive look.

Our finishers are the exclamation points of this effort. These aren’t just canned sequences; every gear of the game works in these moments together to deliver a specific feeling. Whether R.E.A.C.H. is slamming a Phoenix trooper into the ground or quickly disarming a Termite grunt, we use custom camera movement and unique lighting shifts to ensure the player feels how vibrant and impactful their actions are. If you miss a parry opening, the hit should hurt. If you perform a finisher, it should feel earned both in gameplay and visual aspects.

This approach keeps players on a constant emotional rollercoaster – from “That was close!” to “I prevailed!”

Emotional Damage

Merging combat and narrative was one of the biggest challenges for our team. The world around R.E.A.C.H. had to feel real, complex and alive. This idea required unique animations, background dialogues, and a certain cinematography work from us, but it raised the value of almost every single fight.

When it came to the bosses, we prepared an emotional charge for the players before boss fights. For example, R.E.A.C.H. tries to negotiate with Uncle Ben – the Termites leader – and resolve the problem peacefully until the very end. But Ben narrows players’ options to a brutal fight, adding even more violence to the game’s grim world. In the case of the Commissioner – one of the main villains of Replaced – we had to make sure that at a certain point players would crave to deal with him once and for all. Of course, this affected certain characters’ fate.

So, we didn’t want to force players into combat. We wanted them to slam into it, engaged and motivated.

Experience Replaced Today

Replaced has been a labor of love and a massive technical challenge for us, and we are so proud to finally share it with you all. We wanted to prove that a pixel-art game could have the soul and weight of a modern cinematic experience and we’ve poured everything into making sure that every element of the game – including the combat – tells you a little bit more about the machine trying to become human.

Replaced is available now on Xbox Series X|S and via Xbox Game Pass.

REPLACED

Thunderful Publishing

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$19.99

Get it now

PC Game Pass

Xbox Game Pass

Uncover the sinister secrets of Phoenix Corporation, through the eyes of its own creation, R.E.A.C.H. – an AI trapped in a human body against its will. In an alternate 1980s America reshaped by nuclear catastrophe, Phoenix-City has become one of the Corporation’s strongholds – a haven for corruption where outlaws thrive and human life is traded like currency. Step into the role of R.E.A.C.H., expose the Corporation’s hidden agenda, and uncover the purpose behind your creation. REPLACED is a 2.5D cinematic action platformer wrapped in an intense cyberpunk thriller narrative. Run, climb, and fight through crumbling districts, industrial wastelands, and neon-lit alleys with fluid movement and fast, responsive combat. Chain precise melee strikes with satisfying ranged attacks to take down enemies in high-intensity encounters while keeping the flow of exploration. As R.E.A.C.H. grapples with unfamiliar human instincts and the weight of emotion, the city’s hidden power structures gradually come to light. Themes of humanity, identity, and control unfold through morally complex characters and the slow reveal of a world pushed to its limits. Every corner you explore tells a story, and every secret you expose carries a cost. The retro-futuristic world is brought to life with hand-crafted pixel art enhanced by modern visual effects, while a moody, synth-driven soundtrack sets the tone. REPLACED delivers a single-player journey that blends cinematic platforming, fast-paced action, and a tense cyberpunk thriller narrative. Immerse yourself in a world where every secret – and every life – has a price.

Hi everyone, I’m Chandana Ekanayake, the Co-Founder and Creative Director at Outerloop Games. The team and I just launched Dosa Divas, a narrative RPG all about cooking delicious meals, reconciling with loved ones, and rebuilding communities. You can play the game starting today on Xbox Series X|S.

As you guide sisters Samari and Amani, along with the spirit-mech named Goddess, on their journey, you’ll encounter corporate goons working for LinaWorks, an evil fast food empire built by Samara and Amani’s estranged sister, Lina.

Like our previous game Thirsty Suitors, Dosa Divas features turn-based combat heavily inspired by JRPG games like Bravely Default and Octopath Traveler, giving you a number of familiar mechanics such as boosts and shield breaks reimagined to fit Dosa Divas’ food and cooking theme, right down to weapons like the Spatchuks and Wokarang.

Action-packed Turn-based Combat

While Dosa Divas’s turn-based combat is straightforward on its surface so that anyone can jump in and play, there is a lot of depth underneath. Once you get a feel for everything working in tandem it becomes a strategic, energetic dance.

Each enemy you encounter has a weakness to one of five attack types – Salty, Sweet, Spicy, Sour, or Savory. By choosing the correct flavor profile with your class-based ability, you’ll lower their guard to stun them and knock them out. Attack at just the right moment with the action button, and you’ll deal extra damage by getting another hit in. Likewise, if you don’t block just as the enemy is about to land a hit, you’ll take the full force of the damage.

In order to keep this approachable for everyone, regardless of your experience with turn-based combat or JRPGs, the type matching is kept simple. Spicy attacks will lower shields on enemies weak to Spicy attacks, and so on. When an enemy’s shield breaks, they are Stuffed or stunned for a number of rounds, letting you do massive damage. You don’t need to memorize a weakness chart as everything is laid out for you.

Boosts also let you multiply your damage, but you only have a limited amount at your disposal as you gain them on new turns. When facing off against multiple enemies at once, it’s important to plan your turns carefully.

Attack enemies with matching flavor types to break their shields and put them into a Stuffed or stunned state for a number of turns. While enemies are Stuffed, they’ll take double damage from any of your attacks including Boosted attacks.

Each member of the party will learn new flavor based Skills which use Spirit Points and have active timing like pressing rapidly to quickly punch with Goddess, hold for a growing Spirit Ball with Amani, or timing bounce Sam’s wok back and forth to hit an enemy multiple times. New Skills get unlocked as you help each village as well as through an upgrade system.

And as you progress through each round of combat, your Ultimate meter will slowly fill up until you’re able to unleash devastating team combos to hit multiple targets, buff up the whole party, or fill up all your Boost Points.

You’ll be able to upgrade attacks, unlock new Skills, get bonuses on Perfect Blocks, add more Boost points throughout the course of the game as you face enemies that hit multiple times on a turn and can debuff your party. Luckily you’ve been cooking a lot of delicious meals that can be used in combat to replenish Health and Spirit Points, remove any debuffs, or buff up the whole party.

An Ancient Spirit-Mech Ready to Take On Evil Corporate Goons

Tagging along with Samara and Amani is Goddess, their ancient spirit-mech with fantastical abilities like Mecha Stomp to help them take down Lina’s forces. Acting as the Tank, Goddess can take some heavier punches than Samara and Amani, but can dish it out just as much. As you level up, you have the option to select physical, health, or spirit bonuses depending on your playstyle.

Outside of combat, Goddess can be customized with various parts that you can mix and match, along with custom wraps and accessories to make her your own.

Fun fact: Goddess is inspired by the kaleidoscopic, elaborated decorated auto rickshaws or tuk-tuks found all over South Asia and South East Asia.

Cooking Up Flavorful Meals and Dishing Out Powerful Punches

The heart of Dosa Divas, as emphasized in its name, is food. Narratively, we wanted to explore food’s importance in reconnecting communities with each other and their culture, and losing traditional food is a tool of cultural erasure, but food in Dosa Divas also serves as a tool for you in combat. By cooking up different dosa recipes through several mini games, you gain combat buffs that boost your defense, power up your attacks, replenish your health, or cure status effects. There’s nothing a nice home cooked dosa can’t fix should you find yourself beaten down.

Out Now on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC

After nearly two and a half years of development, the team and I couldn’t be more excited for you to jump into Dosa Divas! The game is out today on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC.

Dosa Divas

Outerloop Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$19.99 $17.99

Get it now

Last December was a huge milestone for Bippinbits and Raw Fury: After five years of being a PC-only game, we released Dome Keeper on Xbox Series X|S. Not only that, but we reached an even wider audience by being included on Game Pass. Since then, more than 200,000 players have joined our community and shared their love for the game on socials, through screenshots, clips, videos, and tips. We couldn’t be more grateful!

Now the time has come to expand the Dome Keeper universe beyond, with our most-demanded update by far. Multiplayer is coming on April 13 and will be free for anyone who owns the base game, providing veterans and newcomers alike with a brand-new way to experience the game.

Multiplayer… but how?

In a nutshell: Any way you want it! Multiplayer in Dome Keeper consists of cooperative and competitive play, local splitscreen (up to 4 players), and online multiplayer (up to 8 players). Of course, online is a must-have these days, but we’re also very fond of the idea of you joining with your pals in your house and playing together; also an obvious choice if you play on Xbox. The good news is that you can even combine that freely, like playing as two people on one machine in splitscreen with a third friend half a world away, as a 3-person team. Time to spread the word among your friends who may not know about Dome Keeper!

Co-op mode is open to up to eight players simultaneously. You and the other players will work together to dig, collect resources, expand your dome, and fight the relentless waves of monsters. The domes now have an additional weapon station, so up to two keepers can participate in combat. Will that make the fight easier? Well… we will see! Monsters won’t rest on their laurels, you know.

If you’re down for a good keeper competition, then the versus mode is for you. This is the true “break” from the regular Dome Keeper experience: Up to 8 players can join and compete in two teams, each one with its own dome. You can pick between two winning conditions at the beginning: “The last dome standing,” where your dome is the one that survives; or being the first dome to make a large resource delivery.

I know you’re probably asking yourself a key question… Can you sabotage the other team? Well, of course. We wouldn’t deny you that fun! There are different ways in which you can sabotage: stealing their resources while they are carrying them, buying new upgrades that will increase the strength of the waves the other team faces, or unearthing a corrupt relic that will buff the waves against your rivals.

In both game modes, you all share the same map, and you have a separate multiplayer leaderboard for you to rejoice and brag. And before you start a versus run, you can choose several modifiers to make your competition as easy or as challenging as you want.

The Lost Keepers are here!

We have another surprise for you: We’re releasing a new paid DLC, also available today! The Lost Keepers feature two new keepers with their own playstyles: The Infiltrator, a nimble keeper moving swiftly with a rope and skilled jumps; and The Beast Master, an arcane keeper traversing the mines with agile tentacles and their catgoblin minions.

This is just the beginning! We hope we will keep adding new fun stuff, improving what we have, and organizing multiplayer tournaments in our Discord server. So be prepared for much more to come, and get into honing your skills. Welcome to a new Dome Keeper era!

Dome Keeper

Raw Fury

☆☆☆☆☆ 274

★★★★★

$17.99 $14.39

Get it now

PC Game Pass

Xbox Game Pass

Defend against waves of alien monsters in this unique roguelike action mining game. Use the time between attacks to dig beneath the surface in search of valuable resources and relics – deliver them back to your dome to unlock powerful upgrades and useful new gadgets. But it won’t be long until the relentless monsters return – do you risk delving deeper into the mine? Or return to base and prepare for imminent attack? The choice is yours, but make it quickly! Dig Use your drill and keeper equipment to quickly dig out tunnels and explore the depths beneath your dome. Each run has its own unique, procedurally generated map filled with resources and caves to discover, along with additional gadgets to obtain. ​ Defend Protect your dome by operating its powerful weaponry to defend against waves of monster attacks. Upgrade, repair and repel a variety of enemy types that approach across air and ground, each with their own unique attack methods and movement patterns. Develop Spend resources to unlock useful upgrades. Improve dome defences, enhance the impact of your drill, or increase movement speed – choose carefully and strategise to increase odds of survival. Discover Customise your setup and find a playstyle that works for you by choosing from two unique keeper types, four different domes, and four primary gadgets. Pick a run modifier, adjust difficulty settings and discover dozens of secondary gadgets while you dig through the earth.

This Thursday, April 16, we’ll be debuting Xbox First Look: Metro 2039 with 4A Games & Deep Silver – a digital-only broadcast offering a world-premiere look at the next title in the beloved post-apocalyptic first-person shooter series. 

This will be the fourth mainline entry from 4A Games in the series based on the iconic novels of Dmitry Glukhovsky, following Metro 2033 (2010), Metro: Last Light (2013), and Metro Exodus (2019), all of which tell the stories of survivors of nuclear devastation living in the Moscow subway tunnels and the world that surrounds them.  

Xbox has always been a home for the franchise, and we’re honored to continue that relationship by bringing you a first look at this next exciting chapter.  

Read on for all the details about how and when to tune into the broadcast. 

What time does Xbox First Look: Metro 2039 begin? Thursday, April 16, at 10am Pacific / 1pm Eastern / 6pm UK. 

How do I watch?  Xbox First Look: Metro 2039 will be available to watch as a YouTube Premiere on YouTube.com/Xbox. 

Is the event available in languages other than English?  We will be providing subtitle support in the following languages: Arabic, Brazilian Portuguese, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Romanian,  Slovakian, Spanish (Castilian), Spanish (MX), Swedish, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Turkish, and Ukrainian. Just click the gear icon in the lower righthand corner of the primary stream to choose the language of your choice. 

Is the show going to be Accessible to those with low/no hearing or low/no vision? There will be a version of the show with Audio Descriptions (AD) in English on the Xbox YouTube channel, and American Sign Language (ASL) on Xbox’s YouTube channel. 

I’m not going to be able to watch live, where can I find out what was announced? The Xbox Wire team will publish a recap rounding up all the news from the show immediately following the end of Xbox First Look: Metro 2039 (including localized versions in Brazilian Portuguese, French, German, LATAM Spanish, and Japanese). 

Co-streamer and content creator notes for Xbox First Look: Metro 2039: We at Xbox greatly appreciate any co-stream efforts and aim to ensure you have a smooth experience if you choose to do so. However, due to forces beyond our control, we cannot guarantee that glitches or disruptions by bots and other automated software won’t interfere with your co-stream. For those planning to create post-show breakdowns of Xbox First Look: Metro 2039 in the form of Video on Demand (VOD) coverage, we recommend you do not use any audio containing copyrighted music to avoid any action by automated bots, and to also consult the terms of service for your service provider. 

We hope you’ll join us on Thursday for this very special broadcast! 

3on3 Freestyle continues to evolve with the introduction of Career Mode, a new solo experience designed to help players learn the game, build confidence, and grow their skills at their own pace.

Built as a stage-based PvE experience, Career Mode lets players take control of their chosen character and progress through a structured journey, where difficulty gradually increases over time. Through hands-on play, players naturally learn core systems, positioning, and strategy, creating a more approachable experience for both new and returning players.

A Character-Driven Progression System with Scalable Challenge

Career Mode is built around character-focused progression. Each character features their own set of stages, and as players continue to develop their character, higher difficulty stages become available.

With increased difficulty comes more demanding challenges, along with access to Career Mode-exclusive resources that reward progression. In addition to scaling difficulty, players can further customize their experience by applying different conditions — such as strengthening opposing AI, applying limitations to their own character, or modifying match rules.

This flexible system allows players to shape their own challenge while steadily pushing toward higher levels of play.

Strategic Gameplay Built on Player Choice

Career Mode incorporates roguelike-inspired elements to ensure that each run feels fresh and dynamic.

At the start of each stage, players select from a set of randomized buffs that impact gameplay. These buffs persist across all stages within the current difficulty tier, meaning each decision plays a meaningful role in the overall run. Rather than serving as short-term boosts, these choices require players to think strategically about how they approach each stage.

Once all stages are cleared and players move to the next difficulty level, buffs reset, allowing for new combinations and strategies in the next run. This structure naturally encourages experimentation and replayability.

A Progression System That Connects Play, Rewards, and Growth

Career Mode is designed so that gameplay directly feeds into progression.

By clearing stages, players earn Career Mode-exclusive resources, which can be used to invest in progression systems that strengthen their characters. These include both character-specific growth trees and shared progression trees that benefit multiple characters.

Completing all stages within a difficulty tier grants additional rewards, providing further incentives to take on greater challenges. As players develop multiple characters, shared progression becomes more impactful, enhancing overall growth efficiency across their roster.

Built for Growth While Preserving Competitive Balance

Career Mode integrates naturally with existing progression systems, allowing players to bring in characters they’ve already developed through upgrades, ability cards, and P-Buff setups, while continuing to grow them further within the mode.

At the same time, all progression gained in Career Mode is limited to solo play and does not carry over into PvP modes. This ensures players can freely experiment and grow without affecting competitive balance.

Visual enhancements powered by Lumen also bring added depth to the experience, introducing more dynamic lighting and environmental detail that make on-court action feel more natural and readable, while maintaining the fast-paced gameplay players expect.

A Natural Path Toward Competitive Play

Career Mode serves as more than just a standalone experience — it acts as a bridge into the broader 3on3 Freestyle ecosystem.

By learning systems and mechanics in a controlled environment, players can build confidence and transition more smoothly into multiplayer and competitive gameplay, preparing them for higher-level play.

Step Onto the Court

With Career Mode, 3on3 Freestyle introduces a new way to experience the game — from learning the fundamentals to refining strategies and taking on greater challenges. It’s a space to experiment, grow, and prepare for what comes next.

3on3 FreeStyle

JOYCITY Corp.

☆☆☆☆☆ 2880

★★★★★

Get it now

3on3 FreeStyle! Welcome to the world of 3on3 FreeStyle street basketball. Choose from 57 unique characters, each with their own signature skills, and lead your team to victory in intense 3v3 matches. Experience fast-paced, stylish street basketball action. Master each character’s skills and strategic team play to dominate the court. Enjoy both single-player and multiplayer modes: Grow your character in My Career (PVE) or compete in real-time 3v3 matches. Play solo or together—create your own style and become the best. Probability Item Info: http://3on3.fsgames.com/newNews/drawRate/5583/view

Welcome to Next Week on Xbox! In this weekly feature we cover all the games coming soon to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox on PC, and Game Pass! Get more details on these upcoming games below and click their profiles for further info (release dates subject to change). Let’s jump in!

Dosa Divas

Outerloop Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$19.99 $17.99

Get it now

Dosa Divas – April 14
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere

Outerloop Games delivers Dosa Divas – a spicy narrative turn-based RPG. After years apart, sisters Samara and Amani journey with their ancient spirit-mech on a mission to defeat a rotten fast food empire and reconnect communities with their traditions. Platform through vibrant villages, battle corporate goons, reconcile with loved ones, and eat one last meal together before saying goodbye.

Hades II

Supergiant Games LLC

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$29.99 $23.99

Pre-order

Hades II – April 14
Game Pass / Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere

The first-ever sequel from Supergiant Games builds on the best aspects of the original god-like rogue-like dungeon crawler in an all-new, action-packed, endlessly replayable experience rooted in the Underworld of Greek myth and its deep connections to the dawn of witchcraft. As the immortal Princess of the Underworld, you’ll explore a bigger, deeper mythic world, vanquishing the forces of the Titan of Time with the full might of Olympus behind you, in a sweeping story that continually unfolds through your every setback and accomplishment.

REPLACED

Thunderful Publishing

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$19.99

Get it now

PC Game Pass

Xbox Game Pass

Replaced – April 14
Game Pass / Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere

Uncover the sinister secrets of Phoenix Corporation, through the eyes of its own creation, R.E.A.C.H. – an AI trapped in a human body against its will. Replaced is a 2.5D cinematic action platformer wrapped in an intense cyberpunk thriller narrative. Run, climb, and fight through crumbling districts, industrial wastelands, and neon-lit alleys with fluid movement and fast, responsive combat. Chain precise melee strikes with satisfying ranged attacks to take down enemies in high-intensity encounters while keeping the flow of exploration.

PRAGMATA

CAPCOM CO., LTD.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$59.99

Pre-order

Pragmata – April 17
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

An all-new science fiction action-adventure with its own unique hacking twist! It is the near future, and protagonists Hugh and his android companion Diana, must work together as they make their way through the cold lunar research station.

In order to bring the game to you as soon as possible, we’ve moved the release date forward in most regions from April 24 to April 17. Consequently, the pre-order bonus for the digital version of Pragmata will now be an early bird bonus, available until the original release date (Hugh Outfit – Neo Bushido, Diana Outfit – Neo Kunoichi).

MOUSE: P.I. For Hire

PlaySide

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$29.99

Pre-order

Mouse P.I. For Hire – April 16
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere

Mouse: P.I. For Hire is an action-packed first-person shooter that draws inspiration from the classic cartoons of the 1930s. Its black and white rubber hose visuals are drawn by hand, frame by frame, delivering a striking vintage aesthetic. Unravel layers of corruption with a thrilling noir-fueled detective story, lively environments to explore, an original big band jazz soundtrack, and a fully loaded arsenal of cartoon weapons and devastating power-ups.

Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss

Nacon

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$49.99

Pre-order

Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss – April 16 – Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

2053. Across the globe, the occult threat grows ever more blatant, and strange, incomprehensible events multiply. As the Earth’s surface resources dwindle, powerful corporations turn to the uncharted depths of the oceans, unaware of the ancient horror they are about to awaken. In this tense Lovecraftian thriller, you play Noah, tasked with investigating the mysterious disappearance of miners in the depths of the Pacific Ocean. With the help of your AI companion, Key, explore the vast, labyrinthine prison of R’lyeh—an ancient, sunken city of cyclopean proportions—and resist the creeping madness caused by Cthulhu’s influence. At its core lies a secret that could shatter your understanding of reality.

BEFORE I GO

J's Labratory

☆☆☆☆☆ 1

★★★★★

$19.99

Get it now

Before I Go – April 13
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Explore the haunting, dreamlike fantasy world of Before I Go, a punishing Metroidvania where you embody the innocence of an inner child on an allegorical odyssey towards death acceptance. The end is inevitable, but will you brave the journey? The world is old and unwell. An ominous affliction has left every living soul weak, terrified and helpless before despair. But this paralyzing infestation has left the innocence of a young child untainted. Lost in limbo, an otherworldly journey awaits you. Find answers. Face your greatest fear. Confront reality.

Spire Blast

Drageus Games S.A.

☆☆☆☆☆ 1

★★★★★

$9.99

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Spire Blast – April 13
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Embark on a journey full of fun and challenging puzzles with various mechanics and unexpected encounters.

City Transport Simulator 2026

ViewApp

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$39.99

Get it now

City Transport Simulator 2026 – April 14
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Step into the next generation of urban public transport with City Transport Simulator 2026! Experience the most immersive bus and tram simulation yet, with a dynamic city that reacts to your every decision. Manage your fleet, plan routes, and explore a richly detailed European-inspired metropolis like never before. City Transport Simulator 2026 is FREE for all previous CTS owners! Transfer your DLCs at no cost and enjoy them upgraded with all the new features, including dynamic weather, free roam mode, realistic ticketing, and much more.

Claim the Forest: Settling Peace (Xbox Series)

Afil Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$4.99 $3.99

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Claim the Forest: Settling Peace – April 14
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Get ready to relax in Claim the Forest: Settling Peace, a cozy puzzle where your mission is to fill each board with adorable capybara-shaped pieces. They arrive peacefully on little boats along the river, and it’s up to you to pick them up, rotate them, and find the perfect fit to complete every space. Across 30 handcrafted levels, boards vary in size and shape, offering gentle challenges that unfold at a calm and pleasant pace. It’s the perfect experience for puzzle fans, casual players, and anyone who enjoys quiet moments alongside the forest’s cutest capybaras.

Find My Frogs

Silesia Games Sp. z o.o.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Find My Frogs – April 15
Xbox Play Anywhere

Find My Frogs is a cozy hidden object game where you search for frogs and toads in a peaceful, animal village. Explore charming spots, uncover secrets, and help Uncle Froger gather everyone for a family photo!

Pengilo

Eastasiasoft Limited

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Pengilo – April 15
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery / Xbox Play Anywhere

Bounce your penguin with precision as you master brainteasing stages in chill wintry style! A chill world of puzzling challenges awaits in Pengilo, a physics-driven platformer where you fling a bouncy penguin through charming winter landscapes. Across 50 levels, collect stars and grab the key to unlock the exit, mastering precision launches to escape every frosty challenge!

Death By Scrolling

MicroProse Software

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

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Death By Scrolling – April 16
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Welcome to Death By Scrolling, an action game set in the chaotic depths of Purgatory, inc. now under new management! Choose your character—each with unique perks and abilities, and race upward through endless levels. Battle bizarre monsters, dodge death itself, and collect gems to pay the Ferryman’s exorbitant fee! With each screen inching upward, time is never on your side. Outsmart the Reaper, grab power-ups, complete quirky side quests, and shop from vendors mid-run. Stay alive, pay your dues, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll cross that river.

Ereban: Shadow Legacy

SelectaPlay

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$19.99 $17.99

Pre-order

Ereban: Shadow Legacy – April 16
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Ereban: Shadow Legacy is a fast-paced stealth platformer game where you become Ayana, the last descendant of a forgotten race. Harness mystical shadow powers, high-tech gadgets and avoid or kill to uncover the truth about your past and the key to saving a dying, morally grey universe. What will your legacy be?

Ground Zero

Kwalee

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Ground Zero – April 16

Ground Zero is a retro survival horror set in post-apocalyptic South Korea. A devastating meteor impact has wiped out South Korea. 2 months later as the dust and lightning storms settle and the air becomes breathable, an elite Korean operative and her Canadian partner are sent to investigate. What waits for them in the foggy remains is more terrifying than they ever could have imagined…

Magic Sheep (Xbox Series)

Afil Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Magic Sheep – April 16
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Get ready to fluff your brain and relax your heart, because this little sheep in a top hat is about to turn puzzle-solving into the cutest ritual of calm you’ve ever seen. Magic Sheep is a charming, slow-paced puzzle adventure where you push wooden barrels across peaceful gardens until each one rests perfectly on a marble pedestal. No pressure, no timer, only soft music, gentle thinking, and plenty of “oh, that was clever” moments.

Nullstar: Solus

indie.io

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

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Nullstar: Solus – April 16
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

In the distant future, mankind has discovered volatile sources of near-infinite energy, known as Nullstars. These mysterious anomalies can power entire planets, but are ticking time bombs that can wipe out entire worlds if they go critical. To this end, mega-corporations hire teams of archivists to find traces of lost worlds, to scavenge for the valuable remains of their nullstar. You are a scav drone pilot, sent into the orbit of a crippled megastructure to retrieve the treasure buried within.

Smash it Wild: Tactical Volleyball Roguelike

Goblinz Publishing

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

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Smash It Wild: Tactical Volleyball Roguelike – April 16
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Dive into a fantasy world where champions face off in an unforgiving tournament. In Smash it Wild, every match counts, mixing volleyball and dodgeball in tactical turn-based gameplay. Upgrade your players, kit them out with powerful items, discover unique synergies and do your best to survive this roguelike competition where defeat means starting all over again.

星之翼(Starward)

Shengtianyouxi

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

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Starward – April 16

Starward is a 3D fighting game that integrates mecha girls and classic GVG combat gameplay, with 1V1 and 2V2 mode as the core gameplay. In Starward, players can control mecha girls with distinct personalities and different combat styles, and experience three-dimensional combat experiences beyond the ground.

Under Par Golf Architect

Broken Arms Games

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

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Under Par Golf Architect – April 16
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Design world-class golf courses by terraforming rough wasteland into lush fairways for smooth drives and pristine greens to ensure a true roll for every putt. Raise and lower terrain and lay the course for rivers and lakes to craft breathtaking landscapes that will fill your golfers with awe. Every course you create is a masterpiece waiting to be explored!

Without a Dawn

Clickteam LLC USA

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

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Without a Dawn – April 16
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery / Xbox Play Anywhere

Without a Dawn is a dark, psychological, and philosophical visual horror novel featuring hauntingly beautiful pseudo-ASCII art. She seeks refuge from her constant, restless thoughts in a remote cabin. There are no distractions in the profound silence and isolation, but the eerie sound of the cold wind weaving through the trees keeps her awake. In the dark stillness of the night, the silence has begun to take on physical form.

ZPF

Mega Cat Studios

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

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ZPF – April 16
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Inspired by classic horizontal shooters like Lords of Thunder, Elemental Master, and the Thunderforce series, ZPF is a passion project from the designer and developer of Super XYX and Tänzer. Players will dodge and weave through intense bullet patterns, unleashing a barrage of firepower upon hordes of unique and challenging enemies.

Curious Copy Cats

Jolly Lobster Interactive

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

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Curious Copy Cats – April 17
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Get ready to flip your perspective with Curious Copy Cats, the purr-fect puzzle adventure that keeps you on your toes! Each level presents two adorable cat-filled scenes that may look identical at first glance… but there’s a twist, the images are mirrored, turning familiar details into a clever visual challenge. From missing paw prints, different colour yarn balls, and whiskers reversed in surprising spots, every puzzle tests your observation skills in a whole new way.

Decollate Decoration

KEMCO

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$8.99 $8.09

Pre-order

Decollate Decoration – April 17
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery / Xbox Play Anywhere

One day, without warning, you become a ghost. You lived an honest life and committed no wrongs, so your soul should surely find peace… right? But the thought of being separated from the one you love is more terrifying than the abyss itself. If you can no longer stay by his side, then you must bring him with you before your soul passes on. Torn between love and obsession, you struggle against fate in this dark, emotional pixel-art visual novel about devotion, loss, and the desperate choices made in the afterlife.

The Empty Desk

JanduSoft

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$10.49 $8.39

Pre-order

The Empty Desk – April 17
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Xbox Play Anywhere

The Empty Desk is the first chapter of Detective Bennett: Solved Cases, a psychological thriller blending narrative adventure and horror. Follow veteran homicide detective Thomas H. Bennett, just a week from retirement, as he investigates the mysterious death of tycoon Arthur Blackthorn and the disappearance of his daughter Emily. What begins as a routine case soon turns into a surreal descent through the twisting corridors of Blackthorn & Co, where time, space, and sanity collapse.

Inhuman Resources: A Literary Machination

Dolores Entertainment

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

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Inhuman Resources: A Literary Machination – April 17
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S / Smart Delivery

Take part in an expansive choose-your-own-adventure horror story, where you’ll uncover the secrets of an anachronistic corporation reigning over a post-truth world. Solve cryptic riddles, make difficult choices, and escape the depths of Smyrnacorp with your mind intact, no matter the cost. With hundreds of possible story routes, multiple endings, interactive puzzles and RPG elements, Inhuman Resources aims to elevate the traditional reading experience to more immersive, engaging heights, without forgoing the satisfaction of a well-crafted story.

Rail Rescue: Puzzle Lines

QubicGames S.A.

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Rail Rescue: Puzzle Lines – April 17
Xbox Play Anywhere

Your friends are scattered across the city, and the rail network is in pieces! Draw colored tracks, reconnect the railroads, and guide trains back to their stations to find your lost buddies and bring everyone home. With each rescue, your hometown slowly recovers, but the puzzles get trickier. Tunnels, crossroads, and clever obstacles will test your logic and creativity as you invent new routes, solve mind-bending challenges, and restore order to the railways.

Void Blasters

RainForest Game Studio

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Void Blasters – April 17
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S

Void Blasters is an arcade space shooter where you battle waves of enemy ships, collect upgrades during combat, and increase your firepower to face the final bosses, The Hunter and The Crystal, in decisive encounters.

Word Quest Fantasy

Gametry LLC

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

Get it now

Word Quest Fantasy – April 17

Wield enchanted swords, explore ancient castles, and unravel word puzzles charged with mystical power. Each grid hides words that bring you closer to becoming a true hero of the realm. Defeat challenges, unlock secrets, and let your imagination guide you through a storybook world where every word is part of your adventure. Are you ready to prove yourself in the ultimate fantasy word quest?

We’re just a few short weeks away from the launch of Double Fine’s unique pottery brawler, with Kiln rolling ever closer to its April 23, 2026, launch date. If you can’t wait to start playing, Kiln’s Open Beta Throwdown is live starting today, and you can participate on Steam using the “Request Access” button until April 11, playing through a sampling of what the full game has to offer and helping fine tune its multiplayer magic alongside many other players and the team at Double Fine.

If you’re unfamiliar with Kiln, we announced it during our Developer Direct back in January. It’s Double Fine’s first-ever online competitive multiplayer game where you’ll play as spirit that can inhabit clay pots and take them into battle against your friends. What makes it even more unique is you can craft your own pot by using a wealth of shaping tools on the pottery wheel, tapping into a variety of pot sizes and special abilities that complement your unique playstyle.

Pre-orders are now live for both the Standard ($19.99) and Fired Up ($29.99) editions. The Fired Up edition includes the base game as well as premium glazes, stickers, attachments, and custom pots.

Kiln launches on April 23, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, PlayStation 5, Steam, and with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate as an Xbox Play Anywhere title and will be Handheld Optimized.

Double Fine’s Favorite Pots

To help inspire your soon-to-be amazing pottery creations, we enlisted the help of the amazing folks at Double Fine to share with us some of their favorite pots. From tall in thin, short and stout, and somewhere in between, each of these were made using the same in-game tools that will be at your disposal during Kiln’s Open Beta Throwdown!

Kiln launches on April 23, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, PlayStation 5, Steam, and day one with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. It will support Xbox Play Anywhere and Handheld Optimized.

Clear out your weekend plans, we have got plenty to try with Free Play Days! Subnautica is available this weekend for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Premium and Essential members to play from Thursday April 9 until Sunday, April 12.

Project Motor Racing and One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 are free for all Xbox members to try Free Play Days for All from Thursday April 9 until Sunday, April 12.

Graveyard Keeper will be free for all Xbox users to keep from April 9, 9am PT until April 13, 10am PT, so be sure to download while you can!

How To Start Playing

Scroll down and find and install the games on each of the individual game details page on Xbox.com. Clicking through will send you to the Microsoft Store, where you must be signed in to see the option to install with your Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Premium and Essential membership.

To download on console, click on the Subscriptions tab in the Xbox Store and navigate down to the Free Play Days collection on your Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.

Keep The Fun Going

Purchase the game and other editions at a limited time discount and continue playing while keeping your Gamerscore and achievements earned during the event! Please note that discounts, percentages, and title availability may vary by title and region.

Free Play Days (Game Pass Membership Required)

Subnautica

Unknown Worlds Entertainment

☆☆☆☆☆ 14017

★★★★★

$29.99 $14.99

Get it now

Xbox One X Enhanced

Subnautica
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S, Smart Delivery, Xbox Play Anywhere
Explore an alien underwater world filled with wonder and danger in Subnautica during Free Play Days. After crash-landing on an ocean planet, you’ll collect resources, craft equipment, build underwater bases, and uncover the mysteries lurking beneath the surface. From vibrant coral reefs to dark and treacherous depths, every dive is a chance to discover something new… all while trying to survive.

Free Play Days For All

ONE PIECE: PIRATE WARRIORS 4 (Xbox Series X|S & Xbox One)

Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc.

☆☆☆☆☆ 54

★★★★★

$39.99 $9.99

Get it now

One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4
All aboard, pirates! Battle your way through waves of enemies as your favorite One Piece characters in One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4. In search of treasure, play through some of the most extraordinary areas in the One Piece story and take on memorable foes. Experience the latest evolution of Pirate Warriors action and prepare for even more thrilling gameplay with enhanced graphics on Xbox Series X|S and the latest DLC content. Don’t miss your chance to try out the most complete One Piece experience during this Free Play Days Weekend and grab the game while it’s on sale for a limited time to keep the One Piece adventure sailing after the weekend!

Project Motor Racing

GIANTS Software

☆☆☆☆☆ 151

★★★★★

$69.99 $38.49

Get it now

Project Motor Racing
Update 2.0 is the most significant overhaul to Project Motor Racing since launch and introduces a redesigned UI, far improved driving feel, enhanced online systems, and a stronger Career Mode. It’s time to race!

Graveyard Keeper

tinyBuild

☆☆☆☆☆ 909

★★★★★

$19.99

Get it now

Graveyard Keeper
Graveyard Keeper is the most inaccurate medieval cemetery management sim of the year. Build & manage your own graveyard while finding shortcuts to cut costs, expand into entertainment with witch-burning festivals, and scare nearby villagers into attending church. From April 9 at 9am PT until April 13 at 10am PT players will be able to get Graveyard Keeper for free to keep!

Don’t miss out on these exciting Free Play Days for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Premium and Essential members! Learn more about Free Play Days here and stay tuned to Xbox Wire to find out about future Free Play Days and all the latest Xbox gaming news.