Xbox Game Pass Expands Its January Lineup With a Family-Friendly Game

Xbox Game Pass subscribers now have a new lighthearted mystery title to jump into, My Little Pony: A Zephyr Heights Mystery. Xbox Game Pass offers players a rotating library of games for a monthly fee, divided into four distinct tiers: Ultimate, Premium, Essential, and PC. Of these, Essential is the least expensive, providing access to a catalog of 50 curated games and online multiplayer. The Ultimate tier, the most expensive, lets subscribers enjoy the entire library of Game Pass titles on offer, including many games on the day they release, cloud streaming at the best quality, and memberships to EA Play and Ubisoft+ Classics.

Recently, prices for Xbox Game Pass subscriptions were increased, with Ultimate experiencing the highest bump at nearly 50 percent. Microsoft has justified the hike by pointing out the subscription service’s extensive library of more than 500 games and perks like Fortnite Crew that were added to the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate tier in October. While some in the community have pushed back against the higher price tag, the tiered structure is designed so that gamers who just want a core library to choose from can opt for a cheaper plan.

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Xbox Game Pass Adds a Title for Fans of Mystery and My Little Pony

Image via Outright Games / Drakhar Studios

On January 15, the Ultimate, Premium, and PC tiers of Xbox Game Pass gained access to Drakhar Studios’ My Little Pony: A Zephyr Heights Mystery, a game with a Very Positive review rating on Steam. Originally released in May 2024, the game invites players to explore the vibrant floating city Zephyr Heights in the kingdom of Equestria, where they will meet fan-favorite characters like Sunny, Hitch, Izzy, Pipp, Zipp, and Misty. Gamers are able to switch between ponies and use their unique abilities to uncover secrets. There are also quests to complete and playful minigames like photography and smoothie delivery to enjoy.

In Zephyr Heights, something is turning phones into pizza and disrupting gravity, an unpleasant occurrence for a city in the sky. Of course, it’s up to the player to figure out what’s going on, but they won’t necessarily have to go it alone. My Little Pony: A Zephyr Heights Mystery also offers co-op gameplay for those who would like to enjoy the adventure with a friend. The game also has customization options so that players can change their appearance, thanks to a closet full of sunglasses, headsets, and other accessories.

A Zephyr Heights Mystery isn’t the first foray into video games for the long-lived franchise. Over the years, My Little Pony has seen a variety of adaptations, from mobile entries like My Little Pony: Magic Princess and Harmony Quest to community-driven content in games like Minecraft and Roblox. In Microsoft’s block-based game, for example, fans have recreated Ponyville and other Equestrian locales, while Roblox hosts a range of role-play experiences based on the franchise. There is even a mod that transforms Skyrim’s first dragon into a giant Fluttershy, and another that replaces all of Stardew Valley’s villagers with ponies.

Image via Outright Games / Drakhar Studios

Looking beyond the My Little Pony addition, Xbox Game Pass continues to add titles from a variety of genres, with a couple of big names already joining the subscription service in January. On the 8th, the first entry in the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series was added to Xbox Game Pass, and, most recently, PC and Ultimate subscribers got access to Star Wars Outlaws. Three more games have been confirmed to be coming to Xbox Game Pass in January as well, giving members plenty to look forward to.

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