Xbox made it clear that there are a ton of upcoming Xbox Series X games in 2025 that Game Pass subscribers will be itching to play. That lineup starts in earnest right now in February but will continue on with great games like South of Midnight and Doom: The Dark Ages in the coming months. If that wasn’t enough, the third-party games hitting Game Pass are excellent games in their own right. If you need something new to play this weekend, these are the obvious choices on Game Pass.
Avowed
Those who paid a bit extra have already been enjoying Avowed as we did, but now all Game Pass subscribers at the Ultimate or PC tier can get in on the action. Set in the same universe as the Pillars of Eternity series, Avowed is a deep RPG that blows all of Obsidian’s past efforts out of the water. The game is full of dynamic choices, flexible combat, and compelling quests and characters. Rather than attempting to be as wide as something like Skyrim, Avowed keeps its scope more focused but gives much more depth to everything. This is one of the first must-play games of the year, no doubt.
Avowed is available now on Xbox Series X and PC.
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader
If you need something to fill the void left by Balduir’s Gate 3, Rogue Trader should be the next game on your list. The 40K games come in all shapes and sizes nowadays, but this one takes the form of an isometric RPG with turn-based tactical combat and deep conversational elements set within that game’s lore. There’s no need to read all the books or play the other games, although the new Space Marine 2 is a great game either way. It is a bit more complex than BG3, but if you were able to learn those systems then you will have a blast with this game as well.
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is available now on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
EA Sports F1 24
With all these massive RPGs, sometimes you need something with a bit more instant gratification to spice things up. EA Sports F1 24 is the pinnacle of F1 simulation games. It features a complete career mode, challenges, online races, and tons more to satisfy your need for speed. This racer does lean more on the simulation side of things, so it is aimed at the more hardcore crowd than something like a Forza Horizon 5, but is still welcoming to newcomers with tutorials and options to help bring you up to speed.
EA Sports F1 24 is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.