You know, it's really hard making those big Nintendo Direct lists on Pure Xbox - Nintendo obviously doesn't announce for any platforms other than the Switch, so I have to go searching for each game individually and waiting until Xbox is revealed for them. That can take many hours sometimes!
Witchbrook was on the Nintendo list very early, but I had no idea it was coming to Xbox Game Pass until I saw a very small line at the end of a long press release - "Witchbrook will also be available on Xbox Game Pass from day one." As it turns out, I just needed to look at the description for the official trailer which subtly mentions Game Pass as well!
So, let's talk about this one. Witchbrook is a "witch life-sim" in which you'll attend Witchbrook College as an aspiring witch (try and say that five times quickly). You'll attend classes to master magical arts, make friends and romantic relationships, take part in extra-curricular activities, renovate your own cottage and so much more.
The best bit? It supports up to four players in online co-op multiplayer. That sounds like a game-changer!
Up to 4 players can experience this spellbinding adventure in online co-op. Whether you’re racing on brooms through the park, honing your spellcrafting know-how or just enjoying hanging out in idyllic Mossport, there’s always more fun to be had with friends!
So, yeah... I can't wait for this. It looks like a mixture of Stardew Valley, Harry Potter, and perhaps even a bit of Habbo Hotel? Can I say that? I guess I just did - it's just what the graphical style reminds me of.
Witchbrook is set to release in Winter 2025 on Xbox Game Pass, and we'll get a nailed-down release date at some point later this year. You'll find more details on the game along with some screenshots below.
Discover magic and mystery inWitchbrook, a spellbinding witch life-sim for up to 4-players. Start your life as the newest resident witch in the bustling seaside city of Mossport. Make friends, find love, and discover a world filled with wonder and charm on the road to graduation and beyond!
- Enrol as a witch-in-training at Witchbrook College
- Immerse yourself in the bustling seaside city of Mossport
- Learn new magical abilities to support yourself, local businesses, and the community
- Make friends and find romance amidst a colourful cast of datable characters
- Spend time between classes however you choose; from foraging in the deep woodland, selling crafts at the Sunday Market, taking part in seasonal events, and much much more!
- Renovate and customise your cozy woodland cottage and transform the surrounding garden
- Express your unique aesthetic with customisable clothing, hair and accessories
- Adventure with friends! Up to 4 players can experience Witchbrook together in online co-op
Excited for Witchbrook on Xbox Game Pass? Come and let us know down in the comments below.
Comments 7
@FraserG You know, it's really hard making those big Nintendo Direct lists on Pure Xbox - Nintendo obviously doesn't announce for any platforms other than the Switch, so I have to go searching for each game individually and waiting until Xbox is revealed for them. That can take many hours sometimes!
I don't miss those days 🤣 That used to take me hours too and even after, I would no doubt miss one.
Habbo Hotel 😳 13 year old me spent a long time looking for an online date on that 😅
On topic - this game looks gorgeous. Right up my street. I'll be keeping an eye on this.
@Kaloudz To be fair. All three do the same thing at least 99.99% of the time
Microsoft has also paid for timed exclusivity when it comes to platform announcements lol.
My only irritation is when these websites don't report the different platforms and act like they're exclusives. Push Square has been particularly bad about this.
Looks interesting and glad to hear I can check it out on GamePass.
It's pretty standard marketing, so while it's annoying for us as consumers I get it. It's Nintendo's self funded (AFAIK) direct meant to get people excited for upcoming games on their platform, so they choose to only say those games are coming to their platform. Pretty standard.
What surprises me, or what I'd expect, is that Xbox would repost all the trailers for games coming to Xbox on their YouTube channel. Or heck, they could do a graphic on their social media platforms. I guess maybe that would take a day or two? But I'd expect a day one game pass drop to take precedent. So far on their YouTube channel I only see Raidou and Marvel Cosmic Invasion. Like is it behind the scene marketing exclusivity stuff? Did Microsoft secure a day one GP deal, but somehow let Nintendo get the exclusive marketing rights? Are they just being kinda inconsistent as usual... probably the third one I guess.
Speaking of inconsistency, you'd think they'd put Xbox Play Anywhere or Xbox Series X|S & PC on these trailers and Xbox Wire posts now that that's the public push. Like when I watched the Raidou trailer (and read the description) and even read the Xbox Wire post it only said it's launching on Xbox Series X|S. I think Xbox marketing is just kinda bad 😅. Like they definitely need more consistency in their messaging and to be more on top of this sort of stuff. Heck, was this the first reveal of Witchbrook? Was it at the indie showcase? I mean it's fine if the first reveal is at a Nintendo show, but again you'd really think Xbox would prioritize saying "hey, this is a day one game pass game" especially after it was shown off at a Nintendo show where it could very well have been exclusive. And if the official trailer from the team can say day one game pass, they probably don't have a crazy exclusive marketing deal with Nintendo.
@acmiguens Having been a gaming journo previously, I can wholeheartedly say that Nintendo do it a lot more with their press releases. Sure, Xbox and PS do it too with their public announcements, but it's usually always on the press releases at the least.
Is it coming to GP? Cool, it caught my eye during the Direct.
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