Just one week after Nintendo revealed its plans for a new iteration of the Switch coming this year, gaming fans got another round of news from the Xbox Developer Direct event.
Founded in 2023, the yearly Microsoft event hosts game developers with fresh projects to announce for the upcoming year and beyond. This year, Xbox players already knew to expect a more in-depth look at coming 2025 releases “Doom: The Dark Ages,” “South of Midnight” and “Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.”
In typical fashion for this and similar events, however, devs and studios took the opportunity to reveal new, not-yet-announced games or finally confirm release dates for highly anticipated ones.
Here’s what was announced.
Surprise game announcement from Xbox Developer Direct
Ninja Gaiden 4
After more than ten years, there will be a new installation to the mainline Ninja Gaiden action series – Ninja Gaiden 3 hit way back in 2012 – entitled simply Ninja Gaiden 4. Developed by Team Ninja and Platinum Games, the game is set in a devastated, post-apocalyptic Tokyo filled with dark visuals, new enemy types and fresh gameplay that builds on and modernizes the franchise’s classic and familiar functions.
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“Ninja Gaiden 4” has a release date of Fall 2025 for Xbox Series S and X, PC via Steam and Microsoft Store, and PlayStation 5.
A new installment to the series called Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound was already announced for PlayStation in December as a collaboration between Dotemu, Koei Tecmo Games, and Team Ninja set to release in the Summer of 2025.
Microsoft also announced that Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, a graphically improved version of the classic game, is available today on consoles, PC and Game Pass.
Other big announcements out of Xbox Developer Direct
Several release dates for upcoming games were revealed at the event, as well as insight into gameplay and development.
South of Midnight
Developed by Compulsion Games, the same team behind We Happy Few and Contrast, the upcoming third-person action-adventure game South of Midnight will follow protagonist Hazel through a Southern Gothic adventure in which she confronts monsters and figures from Deep South folklore.
South of Midnight is set to release on April 8, 2025 on Xbox Series S and X and Steam.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, developed by Sandfall Interactive, is a turn-based role-playing game with real-time mechanics set in 1933 in a world based on Belle Époque France. Putting a heavy emphasis on roleplaying, story and intercharacter interactions along with a wide array of options for character build and play style, the game will also boast a 3D navigatable world map.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is set to release on April 24 for Xbox Series S and X, PC, and PlayStation 5.
Doom: The Dark Ages
Set in a medical sci-fi fantasy world, “Doom: The Dark Ages” is a prequel to “Doom” 2016 that promises a return to form. The gameplay will be tankier and therefore more in line with the original than the lighter, more agile feel of “Doom: Eternal.”
Described by developer id Software as a “stand and fight” game, Doom: The Dark Ages will feature more powerful guns, more balanced enemies and the chance to finally pilot your own mechs including a giant Atlan and cybernetic dragon.
“Doom: The Dark Ages” release is set for May 15, 2025 for Xbox Series S and X, PC, and PlayStation 5..
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