Sons of the Forest, recently released in early access, earned huge amounts of attention in the run-up to its early access launch, primarily due to the success of its predecessor and the new changes that the title brought about. With that being said, the title has already fallen out of the overarching discourse of the gaming industry only a few months on from its release, and there are many factors of the title that seem like crucial missed opportunities.
Sons of the Forest could easily pick up in terms of attention thanks to the engaging and impactful near-future content updates that it will receive, but there is one factor of the game in particular that could easily earn it much greater popularity. As it currently stands, Sons of the Forest is limited in terms of its list of platforms, and a release for the Xbox Game Pass service could greatly expand the game's potential player base.
The Availability of Sons of the Forest
Sons of the Forest released in early access in February 2023 to heaps on anticipation. Its 2014 predecessor The Forest did well to establish the franchise as a competent and enjoyable addition to the survival horror genre. Like The Forest, Sons of the Forest prided itself on natural exploration through a richly sinister open-world, in which players must scavenge, craft, and kill to defend themselves against cannibalistic tribes of paranormal beings.
To build on its predecessor, Sons of the Forest introduced new mechanics to the IP such as a seasonal weather cycle and AI companions, which has done well to endear the game to new and old fans alike. Both titles crucially foster multiplayer co-operative gameplay, with Sons of the Forest boasting up to eight players in multiplayer co-op. However, as it stands, Sons of the Forest is only available on PC through Microsoft Windows, which may end up being a significant missed opportunity for the game unless developer Endnight Games shifts its plans.
Sons of the Forest and Xbox Game Pass
Given the growing presence of the IP and its affinity for multiplayer experiences, an Xbox Game Pass release of Sons of the Forest could do wonders for the title. The accessible co-op multiplayer in Sons of the Forest is the exact kind of gameplay that thrives under the Game Pass service, since millions of Xbox Game Pass subscribers would have access to the game, thereby opening the title to a much greater multiplayer network.
Since Sons of the Forest is already available on Microsoft Windows, Endnight Games and Newnight have already set themselves up to negotiate a Game Pass release for the title. This could simply be a PC Game Pass release, but an even more ambitious move would be to eventually take the game to consoles to boost the scope of its playership even further.
Sons of the Forest currently has no plans to extend its platform availability beyond PC, yet the early-access nature of the game could easily see this change in the near future. Without something like a Game Pass release, Sons of the Forest runs the risk of being relegated to a much smaller catchment of players across the industry. However, with the game's already established connections with Microsoft and the great focus on multiplayer within the title, a Game Pass release for Sons of the Forest would crucially allow the game to appeal to its strongest mechanics.
Sons of the Forest is available now in early access for PC.