Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves (Xbox Series X|S)

The first new Fatal Fury in 26 years? We are all the way in.

SNK return to the story of 1999's Garou: Mark of the Wolves with this sequel that continues to serve up punishing pugilism on a 2D plane.

Returning mechanics include the T.O.P system and Just Defense, and there's also a new Rev Arts system thrown in for good measure. We're properly excited for this one, as one of the most uniquely stylish fighters out there, this return is long overdue. Let's hope it plays as good as it looks!

  • Release Date: 24th April 2025
  • Xbox Game Pass? No

Borderlands 4 (Xbox Series X|S)

We don't know anything much of note about it just yet, but Borderlands 4 is on its way, that much is for certain.

Online sleuths are suggesting it'll likely drop sometime later in the year whilst avoiding GTA 6, so perhaps a summer date, but that's all pie in the sky. What we do know is that you've got a brand new grappling mechanic to toy with, and the tone seems to be a fresh start of sorts, with very little from previous entries making it into the game's announcement trailer. This one's got a big seamless world to traverse, too, so all things point to the biggest Borderlands yet, in terms of size at least.

  • Release Date: TBD 2025
  • Xbox Game Pass? No

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Xbox Series X|S)

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has been on our radar ever since we first clapped eyes on its stunning Belle-Epoque stylings. This dark fantasy RPG sees players engage in turn-based combat as they attempt to stop The Paintress from killing people by drawing in the sky. Listen. It's been a long holiday and that's what the description says.

Anyway, Andy Serkis is in it. And Ben Starr. Oh, and it draws inspiration from the Persona series, which can only be a good thing.

  • Release Date: TBD 2025
  • Xbox Game Pass? Yes

Crimson Desert (Xbox Series X|S)

Crimson Desert is one of those big huge RPG type deals that follows the adventures of a big square-faced guy called Kliff. With a kicking K.

Now you may be wondering why the protagonist has a name already, given that this is the follow-up to Black Desert Online, which had a character creator. The reason for this is that this spinoff has decided to ditch online (good) for a wholly single-player adventure (even gooder). We've always admired Black Desert's sumptuous style from afar, and giving us a solo adventure set in its rich world is a surefire way to get us itching to be involved going forward.

  • Release Date: TBD 2025
  • Xbox Game Pass? No

DOOM: The Dark Ages (Xbox Series X|S)

DOOM: The Dark Ages has the unenviable task of, somehow, topping the phenomenal DOOM Eternal, but with the devs deciding to set this one in a techno-medieval setting, we reckon the franchise is in good hands.

Yes, this third outing in the modern DOOM franchise has a lot to live up to, but the setting, and all of the footage we've seen so far, suggests this will be the most far-out, deranged, explosive nu-DOOM thus far. Just don't mention any platforming sections or things might kick off in the comments.

  • Release Date: TBD 2025
  • Xbox Game Pass? Yes

Elden Ring: Nightreign (Xbox Series X|S)

Elden Ring is a "computer game" that many "gamers" consider to be good. In fact we've heard several of them proclaim it's amongst the finest ever conceived.

Elden Ring: Nightreign will, by association, be one of the big gaming events of the year. However, will this curious new blend of Souls and, well, Metal Gear Survive (which this writer enjoyed, thanks) manage to succeed? We have faith, but it's so strikingly different - team up with three other players online in order to prepare for and execute a boss battle - that it's genuinely hard to know which way it's gonna go. Any sort of co-op dungeon-crawling with Souls combat is all good in our books though, so roll on release day!

  • Release Date: TBD 2025
  • Xbox Game Pass? No

Fable (Xbox Series X|S)

It's Fable! Yes, the first one. The one that's already been out. It's coming out again. But it's a new version. You should be used to this by now, FFS.

Fable is so Xbox it hurts, and this new one is carrying quite a lot of weight already, truth be told. We really need it to be good, y'know. So it's a reboot of sorts, one that promises (don't do that, Peter) to make more of the choice-driven aspects that were so ridiculously overblown by the series' creator before the launch of the first version of the game. Let's hope it delivers this time.

  • Release Date: TBD 2025
  • Xbox Game Pass? Yes

Greedfall 2 (Xbox Series X|S)

Greedfall 2 is already out in early access on PC and, after enjoying the first game a whole bunch, we're very excited to see how this one does when it arrives on consoles later in 2025.

This action-RPG prequel sees players assume the role of "a member of an indigenous tribe on the island of Teer Fradee, who is abducted by forces of the mainland who seek to colonize the island." The island, and indeed region, in question, Cacane, is open world and freely explorable from the get-go and, if the devs can hit the same mix they did with the first game, we're in for a right royal RPG romp that focuses on stealth and negotiating through conflicts, as much as it does bombastic action.

  • Release Date: TBD 2025
  • Xbox Game Pass? No

GTA 6 (Xbox Series X|S)

GTA 6, which is surely the most-anticipated game of all time already, takes us to Florida in the shoes of two lovers on the run. And that's seriously pretty much all we know about Rockstar's next effort which, when it finally arrives, will undoubtedly end up being the biggest selling game of the year, and then some.

It's an interesting prospect this time out, however. With all the the time that's passed since V, can Rockstar, in a world changed beyond all recognition really, nail a scathing pastiche of society again? It's no small order. Will the tone and style of the humour have been tinkered with to suit a more modern audience? How is the gameplay going to be tuned to make it interesting to gamers who are so used to enormous and painstakingly detailed open worlds? It's gonna be wild to see how it all goes down, that's for sure.

  • Release Date: TBD 2025
  • Xbox Game Pass? No

Little Nightmares III (Xbox Series X|S)

The first two games are amongst the finest on Xbox, and so the third should be approached with just the right amount of fear/excitement. Little Nightmares 3 acts as a standalone sequel to the first two outings, so you don't need to blast through those before diving into the adventures of Low and Alone.

Guiding these two protagonists through the puzzling trials of "The Nowhere" is the order of the day here, and we expect to be fully put to the test in solving the gauntlet of creepy challenges laid before us by Supermassive Games when this one drops.

  • Release Date: TBD 2025
  • Xbox Game Pass? No