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Xbox Game Pass Adds Highly Anticipated Day One Launch Title

By Pam K Ferdinand

Published May 21, 2024, 7:34 AM EDT

Pam's Colecovision was her babysitter, from the age of 4 or 5, but the family only had one game. Over and over, hour after hour, she'd climb and jump through the three levels of Donkey Kong. But the real love affair began with the NES and Dragon Warrior, when she first experienced the depth and immersion possible in video game worlds. She's been hooked ever since and will be playing in the retirement home. In her spare time, Pam also dabbles in foreign languages, watercolor painting, and reads a lot of fantasy, sci-fi, and horror.

Xbox Game Pass has added Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, the highly anticipated follow-up to 2017’s Senua’s Sacrifice, as a day-one launch title. Developed by Ninja Theory, Hellblade 2 continues the physically and psychologically arduous journey of protagonist Senua as she seeks vengeance against the Vikings for their devastating invasion of her homeland. The game is currently an Xbox console exclusive and is accessible for no extra cost to Xbox Game Pass subscribers.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 was first announced during The Game Awards 2019, and it has been one of the most anticipated titles of 2024. It finally launched on May 21 for PC and Xbox Series X/S and is now available for Xbox Game Pass subscribers to enjoy.

Critics have of course already gotten their hands on the new release, and Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is receiving predominantly positive reviews. The third-person action-adventure game is being lauded for its graphics, environments, realistic animations, and sound design. The combat and story are also receiving their share of praise. Alongside this, however, are somewhat simplistic puzzles and gameplay, as well as an experience that many are saying doesn't quite live up to the high bar set by Senua’s Sacrifice.

Some Upcoming Xbox Game Pass Day One Launch Titles

Galacticare – May 23, 2024
Still Wakes the Deep – June 18, 2024
Dungeons of Hinterberg – July 18, 2024
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl – September 5, 2024

This emphasizes one of the strengths of Xbox Game Pass, which allows subscribers to easily try out a new game, and if it’s not a favorite, there’s a huge catalog of others to pick from. Being able to play titles on day one is incredibly appealing, especially for games as highly anticipated as Hellblade 2, Avowed, STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl, and Hollow Knight: Silksong, all of which are launching on Game Pass.

May is over halfway done, but there are still more games coming to Microsoft’s subscription service before the end of the month. Xbox Game Pass members may want to check out Galacticare, Hauntii, Moving Out 2, Humanity, and the 2023 reboot of Soulslike Lords of the Fallen as they are added to the selection of games in the coming days. But to make room for all of these additions, Xbox Game Pass also regularly removes games from the service, and subscribers will be losing access to six on May 31, including JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R, Chicory: A Colorful Tale, and Little Witch in the Woods.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is the highest tier of Microsoft's flagship game subscription service that offers over 100 game titles that you can play with a single purchase, making it one of the most outstanding value propositions of the Xbox ecosystem to date.

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