Xbox Game Pass started 2025 with a little doubt. The Game Pass lineup at the beginning of January is mostly made up of titles that were previously available on the higher tiers and then on the lower tier of Xbox Game Pass Standard. There were only two really new additions to Game Pass this year Carrion and Road 96.
But the rest of January looks a lot brighter for Xbox Game Pass. Eternal threads, Sniper Elite: Resistanceand Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector that's all the first day launches for Xbox Game Pass this month. In addition to these upcoming additions, Xbox Game Pass subscribers can also mark January 23rd in their calendars, as Xbox has just confirmed that another Developer Direct is on the way, bringing a new look at some highly anticipated Xbox games.

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Xbox Developer Direct 2025 could mean big things for Xbox Game Pass
Everything is confirmed to be coming to the Xbox Developer Direct in 2025
Similar to the last two Xbox Developer Directs, this year's January demo will focus on four upcoming Xbox titles. Three of those games have already been confirmed Doom: The Dark Ages, South of the Northand Claire Obscure: Expedition 33.
First announced during the June 2024 Xbox Showcase, a little more light will be shed Doom: The Dark Ages January 23. If previous Xbox developer guidelines are any indication, fans can expect id Software to briefly discuss the development experience Doom: The Dark Ageshighlighting its differences and improvements over previous entries. It's likely that this developer commentary will be accompanied by some new gameplay footage.
A similar approach can probably be expected from Compulsion Games' South of the North and Sandfall Interactive Claire Obscure: Expedition 33. South of the NorthAt that time, the developers will likely discuss the unique influence of the American Deep South on the game Claire ObscureThe developers will likely mention the game's impressive cast and the difficulties of a new studio creating its first game.
All three of these games will be coming to Xbox Game Pass on day one, and all three share a common release window of 2025. Fans can see some specific release dates for these games during the Xbox Developer Direct.
The 2025 Xbox Developer Direct will air at 10:00am PT/1:00pm ET on January 23rd.
What the Xbox Developer Direct 2025 Mystery Game Could Be
But there is one more game confirmed for the Xbox 2025 Developer Direct, a mysterious “brand new game” from an unknown studio. The wording used in the official event description means that the game is something that hasn't been announced before, which rules out games like Perfect dark or Gears of War: E-Day. But there are rumors that it could be.
One of the biggest rumors in recent years has been that Bethesda has Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion a remake or remaster in the works. The Xbox Developer Direct could be the perfect opportunity to reveal this long-rumored project. Another possibility is that the recently rebranded Halo Studios could reveal one of its next projects, as it has been confirmed that “several new games” using Unreal Engine 5 are currently in development.
While these potential announcements will be huge for Xbox fans (and Xbox Game Pass subscribers, who will likely get the games on day one), it's more likely that these kinds of high-profile reveals will be saved for Xbox's summer showcase. But regardless of what the mystery game is, the Xbox Developer Direct is sure to be a must-watch for Game Pass subscribers looking to learn more about some of the experiences they'll be playing later this year.

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