TheXbox Series X/Sis getting ready for yet another great year of video games, with a plethora of exclusives and cross-platform titles ready to launch for it in 2025. Whether it’s enormous triple-A extravaganzas from some of the best developers out there to smaller yet still incredibly ambitious indies, there will be more than enough for fans to enjoy throughout what is set to be a stacked 2025.
10Avowed (Obsidian Entertainment)
Coming July 14, 2025
Avowedis the latest RPG to come from Obsidian Entertainment, the folks behindFallout: New Vegas,The Outer Worlds, and a handful of amazing CRPGs includingPillars of Eternityand its sequel. In fact,Avowedbelongs to the same universe as thePillars of Eternityseries, althoughit’s a first-person adventure akin toSkyrim, rather than an isometric CRPG.
It isn’t necessary to have playedPillars of Eternityor its sequel in order to jump intoAvowed. While they are connected and set within the same universe,Avowedtells a separate standalone story.
Avowedis actually one of the first Xbox exclusives to launch in 2025, coming on February 18. It’s the perfect time, especially for thosedisappointed withDragon Age: Veilguard, as it looks set to offer a truly rewarding fantasy RPG experience. Previews have already dropped forAvowed, and they are extremely glowing. So, it looks like fans should absolutely be getting hyped for Obsidian Entertainment’s next game.
9Fable (Playground Games)
Coming Sometime In 2025
Fablehas been a long time coming, with the latest game in the series being delayed several times. Fortunately, it is set to release sometime in 2025, hopefully giving fans of the original games who have been waiting 15 years sinceFable 3everything they’ve been waiting for. Of course, the newFable’sart direction is different, butit looks like it still retains a lot of the charm that made those iconic games so great in the first place.
Fablewill be perfect for those who want a grand fantasy adventure, especially after finishingAvowed. It will also serve as yet another Xbox exclusive in 2025, making it another great year for Xbox Series X/S users. While its more lighthearted tone may not be for everyone,Fablelooks set to be another great game, especially if it follows in the footsteps of 2025’s other Xbox exclusives.
8South Of Midnight (Compulsion Games)
It Is Planned For Release In 2025
South of Midnightlooks like an extremely unique third-person action-adventure game set in the Deep South. It puts players in the role of Hazel as she explores a world in which folklore has come to life.South of Midnightsports an art direction akin to theSpider-Versefilms, with its cutscenes being the star of the show. With some great art direction and a compelling plot, this could end up being Xbox’s best exclusive for 2025.
It is developed by the folks behind the somewhat controversial yet very uniqueWe Happy Few. However,South of Midnightlooks like it has learned from its developer’s past mistakesand offers a cinematic and gorgeous adventure not unlike the phenomenalKena: Bridge of Spirits. For those who want a more indie experience,South of Midnightis the perfect game to get excited about in 2025.
7The Outer Worlds 2 (Obsidian Entertainment)
It Will Release Sometime In 2025
It’s hard to believe thatThe Outer Worlds 2is finally releasing in 2025, even if it is coming to PS5 as well as Xbox on day one. After a phenomenal first trailer,The Outer Worlds 2has piqued players' interest, especially as there are a lot of areas it can improve upon from the first game. It also offers a great alternative for thosewho didn’t enjoyStarfield, as it is set to be a choice-driven open-world sci-fi extravaganza.
This is Obsidian Entertainment’s second game of the year, which is pretty impressive considering the scale of bothThe Outer Worlds 2andAvowed.
This is Obsidian Entertainment’s second game of the year, which is pretty impressive considering the scale of bothThe Outer Worlds 2andAvowed. With several worlds to explore, characters to meet, and a lot of wit and humor to enjoy,The Outer Worlds 2may not be an Xbox exclusive, but it is going to be a genuinely compelling journey to embark upon.
6DOOM: The Dark Ages (Id Software)
It’s Planned To Release In 2025
DOOM: The Dark Agesis bringing theseries back to its rootsand even back in time. It’s a medieval (sort of) action-packed adventure full of cyborg dragons, buzzsaw shields, and, of course, lots of guns. ForDOOMfans,The Dark Agespromises another gore-filled experience that’s sure to entertain fans and newcomersto the decades-old franchise.
DOOM: The Dark Agesis actually a prequel to 2016’sDOOM, which makes it a great jumping-on point for those who prefer its aesthetic over the previous entries. It’s also the origin of the DOOM Slayer, which will be fun for those who have been following the mythos. Of course, fans can still expect a cinematic and visceral adventure like in the other games.
5Gears of War: E-Day (The Coalition)
It Will Likely Release In Late 2025
Much likeDOOM: The Dark Ages,Gears of War: E-Dayis a prequel to one of the greatest Xbox franchises of all time. It follows Marcus and Dom during the day the Locust Horde broke through the earth and started to wreak havoc. Players will need to survive against all the odds, something that, unlike in the previousGears of Wargames, Marcus and Dom aren’t as prepared for.
Gears Of War: E-Day Goes Back To The Franchise’s Roots By Recruiting The Series' Most Beloved Voice Actors
With Gears of War: E-Day going back to the start of the series' story, fans will be pleased to know that two familiar voices are back in the saddle.
Gears of War: E-Daymay be a prequel, but it is set to fix themistakes of previousGearsgames, offering players who have been waiting a long time, even sinceGears of War 5, another gripping sci-fi game.It could even rival its new competitor which has been dominating the third-person cover shooter genre,Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, when it launches in late 2025.
4Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector (Jump Over The Age)
Releasing On June 02, 2025
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vectoris launching exclusively on Xbox and PC on July 23, 2025. It is the sequel to the indie darlingCitizen Sleeper, which offered a compelling insight into a nightmarish world run by corporations.Citizen Sleeper 2expands upon the gameplay loop of the first game in many ways, such as by running a crew and upgrading a ship.
For indie fans, especially dice-driven RPGs,Citizen Sleeper 2is starting 2025 off with a bang. With gorgeous artwork, incredible writing, and even bigger ambitions,Starward Vectorcould be the indie game of the year. It’s definitely a game worth getting hyped over, and fortunately, Xbox users don’t have to wait long before it drops on Series X/S.
3Atomfall (Rebellion Developments)
It’s Dropping On June 14, 2025
Atomfallis often described asFalloutin Britain, and it’s a fairly apt description. It sees players unravel a mystery across the gorgeous yet extremely dangerous and radioactive English countryside after a nuclear disaster ravages the country. Filled with terrifying robots, raiders, and bizarre factions, players must venture across this dangerous wasteland in search of answers.
Much like inFallout 4, players can craft their own weapons and must scavenge for resources to survive. This is coming from the developer behind theSniper EliteandZombie Armyseries, although it is played from a first-person perspective.Atomfallhas been high on player’s lists for quite a while for good reason, and it is sure to become a critical darling when it launches in March 2025.
233 Immortals (Thunder Lotus Games)
It Was Delayed Into 2025
33 Immortalswas originally meant to launch in 2024 but was delayed by its developer Thunder Lotus Games - the folks behind the wonderfully heartbreakingSpiritfarer- into 2025.It is, as the title suggests, a co-op roguelike in which 33 players band together to take on huge hordes of monstersand terrifying boss fights. It’s a new take on the roguelike genre that is sure to surprise fans.
It joins the pantheon of Xbox indie exclusives launching in 2025, which certainly makes it a packed year. Of course, it’s hard to complain, especially when coming from a developer with such a great reputation.The handcrafted visuals and animations elevate this otherwise incredible-looking roguelike adventurewhich will hopefully deliver when it drops sometime in 2025.
1Ark 2 (Studio Wildcard/Grove Street Games)
It Should Release In Early 2025
Ark 2wassupposed to release in 2024, but seemingly skipped its release date and is moving into 2025. However, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, as it gives players more than enough to get stuck into across the year.Ark 2is changing things up from its predecessor, but it seems in the best ways possible. It’s learned a lot of lessons and is offering players a far grander and more ambitious experience that will be perfect for dino enthusiasts.
Is Ark: Survival Ascended’s Success Helping Or Hurting Ark 2?
While Ark: Survival Ascended has been massively successful since its rocky 2023 launch, could it actually be hurting the future of the franchise?
Of course, all of these games are just the cherry on top of a very stacked cake, as Xbox users have so much more to look forward to across the years. From exciting new indies to surprise triple-A releases and cross-platform games, there will be more than enough games for people to pack into their already jam-packed backlogs.Xbox Series X/Susers should start boarding the hype train for these games, as 2025 is looking ready to be one of the best years in gaming history.
Source:Xbox/YouTube (1),(2)
