27 December 2025

The 15 Best Day One Xbox Game Pass Games of 2025

By newsgame

Generally speaking, it’s been a great year for Xbox Game Pass. Of course, the hefty price increase of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate back in January was undoubtedly terrible news for subscribers, especially if they’re not particularly fussed about the added benefits of Fortnite Crew and the Ubisoft+ Classics collection. That said, 2025 has been one of the best years for day-one Xbox Game Pass releases.

Over 160 games came to Xbox Game Pass in 2025 across its various tiers, encompassing a vast range of genres that run the gamut from AAA to indie games. These are just 15 of the very best games that launched day-and-date on Xbox Game Pass in 2025, all listed in alphabetical order.

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The 10 Best RPGs of 2025

With many impressive games under the RPG banner in 2025, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, The Outer Worlds 2, and more offer outstanding experiences.

Avowed

Check Out Game Rant’s Avowed Review

Announced all the way back in July 2020, Avowed finally hit Xbox Game Pass in February of this year. Set in the same universe as Obsidian Entertainment’s Pillars of Eternity series, Avowed is an action-RPG that emphasizes fluid and creative combat scenarios, with players being able to swap freely between melee, ranged, and magic weapons. Though its story was considered a tad lackluster overall, Avowed is currently sitting at an 80% Top Critic Average on OpenCritic, and its place on Xbox Game Pass certainly makes it worth playing.

Systems

Released: February 18, 2025
ESRB: Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Violence
Publisher(s): Xbox Game Studios

Ball x Pit

Check Out Ball x Pit on OpenCritic

One of the biggest indie surprises of 2025, Ball x Pit launched onto Xbox Game Pass back in October. A wonderfully innovative blend of Atari classic Breakout and Vampire Survivors, Ball x Pit has players bouncing balls off walls to clear an approaching wave of enemies. Along with a satisfying sense of progression delivered through its level-up system, Ball x Pit sees players gradually unlocking new characters, new special balls, unique ball evolutions, and new town buildings that all significantly impact how the game is played. Ball x Pit is rewarding, addictive, and undoubtedly one of Xbox Game Pass’ best games of 2025.

Released: October 15, 2025
ESRB: Teen / Violence, Blood
Developer(s): Kenny Sun
Engine: Unity

Blue Prince

Check Out Game Rant’s Blue Prince Review

Another 2025 indie hit, Blue Prince found its way to Xbox Game Pass in April. Created over the course of eight years, primarily by a solo developer, Blue Prince is a first-person puzzle game with roguelike elements in which players explore a mansion that restructures its rooms every in-game day. Due to its engrossing puzzles, slowly unfolding narrative, and unique spin on the roguelike formula, Blue Prince has gone down as one of the highest-rated games of 2025, coming just below Hades 2 and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 in Metacritic’s “Best Games This Year” list.

Released: April 10, 2025
ESRB: Everyone 10+ / Alcohol Reference, Simulated Gambling
Developer(s): Dogubomb

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7

Check Out Game Rant’s Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Review

It may not have been quite as much of a colossal hit as last year’s entry, but Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 was still a solid showing for the 22-year-old franchise, albeit one with a few clear issues. While its multiplayer and Zombies components were praised by most, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7‘s campaign was widely considered to be a severe letdown due to its inconsistent tone and various oddities. Regardless, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is still more than deserving of its place in this list of Xbox Game Pass best 2025 games due to the sheer amount of production value it brings to the subscription service.

Released: November 14, 2025
ESRB: Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs

Citizen Sleeper 2

Check Out Citizen Sleeper 2 on OpenCritic

Arguably one of 2025’s most overlooked indie games, Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector is the long-awaited sequel to 2022’s Citizen Sleeper, an acclaimed title in its own right that also went under the radar somewhat. Following the events of the first game, Citizen Sleeper 2 sees players control a “Sleeper,” an android that galaxy-spanning corporations use for manual labor. As a Sleeper, players must venture out into the titular Starward Vector asteroid belt, where they’ll need to make key choices, converse with allies and foes, and engage in a variety of other classic RPG gameplay elements. In a year filled with so many great RPGs, Citizen Sleeper 2 stands out for its distinct sense of style and strong writing.

Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector Tag Page Cover Art

Released: January 31, 2025
ESRB: T For Teen Due To Violent References, Use of Alcohol And Tobacco, Drug Reference, Language
Developer(s): Jump Over the Age
Publisher(s): Fellow Traveller

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Check Out Game Rant’s Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Review

The Game Awards 2025’s Game of the Year winner and a personal favorite of so many this year, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is undeniably one of the best 2025 Xbox Game Pass games. As the eponymous group of brave warriors, players attempt to take down The Paintress, a mysterious entity that’s slowly wiping out humanity one year at a time. Along with a deeply compelling story that’s packed with shocking twists and turns and first-class character dialogue and performances, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 features an active turn-based combat system that only gets more rewarding the longer players engage with it.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Tag Page Cover Art

Released: April 24, 2025
ESRB: Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
Developer(s): Sandfall Interactive
Publisher(s): Kepler Interactive

Doom: The Dark Ages

Check Out Game Rant’s Doom: The Dark Ages Review

Much like Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Doom: The Dark Ages may not have made as much of an impact as its predecessors, but it’s still a great action game that deserves a spot on this list of the best games on Xbox Game Pass in 2025. Though it may not carry forward the speed of Doom 2016 or the verticality of Doom Eternal, Doom: The Dark Ages forges a new, refreshing Doom experience by offering new parrying mechanics and weapons that encourage a more methodical playstyle. As its name implies, Doom: The Dark Ages also stands out for its medieval-inspired aesthetic, which goes far beyond just the game’s art style and environments.

Released: May 15, 2025
ESRB: M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence
Publisher(s): Bethesda Softworks

Gears of War: Reloaded

Check Out Game Rant’s Gears of War: Reloaded Review

It may technically be the second remake of Gears of War (2006) that we’ve had in a decade, but Gears of War: Reloaded quickly proves its worth, delivering stunning 4K visuals, HDR support, and 120 frames per second in its multiplayer mode. Of course, the real draw of Gears of War: Reloaded was that it marked the very first time the Gears of War franchise had come to PlayStation, but that doesn’t make the product itself any less enjoyable or valuable when playing via Xbox Game Pass.

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Released: August 26, 2025
ESRB: Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
Publisher(s): Xbox Game Studios
Multiplayer: Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op, Online Multiplayer

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Check Out Hollow Knight: Silksong on OpenCritic

One of the most anticipated indie games of all time, Hollow Knight: Silksong was first announced in February 2019 and first confirmed to be a day-one Xbox Game Pass title in June 2022. At long last, Hollow Knight: Silksong finally launched on Xbox Game Pass back in September, where it was met with critical and fan acclaim. Just as fans had hoped, Silksong feels like a true successor to the 2017 original, with developer Team Cherry delivering even more refined Metroidvania gameplay mechanics, an even richer world, and even more spectacular hand-drawn environments and character models. Though Silksong retails for a shockingly reasonable price, its place on Xbox Game Pass has likely allowed even more players to be captivated by the world of Pharloom and its colorful inhabitants, and that’s great.

Hollow Knight: Silksong Tag Page Cover Art

Released: September 4, 2025
ESRB: Everyone 10+ / Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood
Developer(s): Team Cherry
Publisher(s): Team Cherry

Marvel Cosmic Invasion

Check Out Game Rant’s Marvel Cosmic Invasion Review

Yet another win for Marvel video game fans and a welcome win for Xbox Game Pass subscribers, Marvel Cosmic Invasion is a side-scrolling beat-em-up that’s bursting at the seams with 90s nostalgia. With a roster of 15 characters that runs the gamut from household names to virtual unknowns, Marvel Cosmic Invasion offers a great deal of variety in its combat, and its fluid animations and vibrant visual effects give the entire game an electrifying energy. With Marvel Cosmic Invasion, developer Tribute Games has proven that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge was no fluke, and it has established itself as a new leading name in the beat-em-up genre.

Marvel Cosmic Invasion Tag Page Cover Art-1

Released: December 1, 2025
ESRB: E10+ For Everyone 10+ // Animated Blood, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language
Developer(s): Tribute Games Inc.