One of 2024's Best Games Is Coming to Xbox Game Pass Soon
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, a CNET Editors' Choice award pick, offers hundreds of games you can play on your Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One and PC or mobile device for $20 a month. A subscription gives you access to a large library of games, with new titles like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 added monthly, plus other benefits, such as online multiplayer and deals on non-Game Pass titles.
Read more: Play Classic Games From the '80s and '90s on Xbox Game Pass Now
Here are the games Microsoft is adding to Game Pass soon. You can also check out what games the company added to the service earlier in May, including Doom: The Dark Ages.
Monster Train 2
PC Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can play now.
In the original Monster Train, you were fighting angelic forces to take back your home in hell. In this go-round, former angels and demons have made an unholy alliance to stop powerful creatures known as Titans from destroying the world. The deck-building gameplay that made the original Monster Train is back in this sequel, with new abilities, challenges and more for you to tackle.
Creatures of Ava
Coming to Game Pass Standard on May 22.
Game Pass Ultimate subscribers could play this game full of cute creatures in August, and Game Pass Standard subscribers can try it out soon, too. This action-adventure creature-saver game is all about understanding and taming different creatures from various climates. Though your mission is to stop a life-consuming infection that threatens the world, I won't tell if you just want to cuddle and pet all the cute critters in the game.
Stalker 2
Coming to Game Pass Standard on May 22.
Microsoft
The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone was established in the wake of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. It's one of the most radioactively contaminated areas on Earth, and you get to explore it in this highly anticipated sequel. But you're not alone. Mutated animals, humans and other dangerous creatures roam the zone. So choose your path wisely, and maybe you'll survive. You might even shape the future of humanity. Game Pass Standard subscribers can play this survival horror game a few months after Game Pass Ultimate subscribers could.
Tales of Kenzera: Zau
Coming to PC Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate on May 22.
This side-scrolling Metroidvania-style game was inspired by Bantu myths. In this game, your father has died, and you make a bargain with the God of Death to bring him back. You'll wield cosmic powers, travel through mystical realms and confront three mighty beings who seem pretty familiar to you.
Tom Clancy's The Division 2
Coming to Game Pass Standard, PC Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate on May 27.
Ubsioft
This RPG shooter begins a few months after the events of the original game when chaos has engulfed Washington, DC. Enemy factions have overrun the city's streets, and settlements of citizens are threatened by new enemies. It's up to you to help liberate the city. This game lands on Game Pass just in time for Year 7 Season 1, which brings new gear, weapons and more to the game.
To a T
Coming to PC Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate on May 28.
Being 13 years old is hard, and being 13 years old while standing in a T pose all the time can be even more difficult. This narrative-adventure game comes from Keita Takahashi, the creator of Katamari Damacy, and you'll experience a colorful story, explore your seaside town and hang out with a precious and helpful dog. Takahashi talks about the game with CNET's Sean Booker here.
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Coming to Game Pass Standard, PC Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate on May 29.
Traverse vast lands, explore dungeons and take part in a royal tournament to decide who the next ruler of the kingdom will be in one of the best games of 2024. This turn-based fantasy RPG comes from the creators of Persona 3, 4 and 5, so expect some similar stylistic choices. But CNET's Imad Khan said what really stands out about this game is "its addictive RPG gameplay loop."
Spray Paint Simulator
Coming to PC Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate on May 29.
Bring some color to the world in this simulator, which lands on Game Pass right when it comes out. You'll restore worn-out surfaces, apply fresh coats of paint and make the world a little brighter in this relaxing, precision game.
Crypt Custodian
Coming to Game Pass Standard, PC Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate on June 3.
Cleaning up the afterlife can be hard, but someone's got to do it. And that someone is you! In this top-down Metroidvania-style game, you play as a mischievous cat named Pluto. You die and agree to be janitor of the afterlife forever, but it's not all doom and gloom. You can hang out with other spirits, battle creatures and explore the ghostly landscape.
Symphonia
Coming to Game Pass Standard, PC Game Pass and Game Pass Ultimate on June 3.
Music acts as a source of life and energy in this nonviolent platformer. But when the founders of an orchestra vanish and life goes quiet, it's up to mysterious musician Philemon to find answers. Use your violin and bow to explore the musical world, reactivate the musical machinery scattered throughout the land and bring the orchestra back together.
More games coming to Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta)
Game Pass Ultimate members can access loads of games, as well as Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta). This lets subscribers access games on consoles, PCs, smartphones and more devices without downloading the game to their device. On May 23, Microsoft is adding these games to its cloud gaming service, so subscribers can play them anywhere.
Brütal Legend
Costume Quest 2
Day of the Tentacle Remastered
Full Throttle Remastered
Grim Fandango Remastered
Max: The Curse of Brotherhood
Neon Abyss
Quantum Break
Rare Replay
ScreamRide
State of Decay: Year-One
SteamWorld Dig 2
Sunset Overdrive
Super Lucky's Tale
Zoo Tycoon: Ultimate Animal Collection
Games leaving Game Pass on May 31
Microsoft is adding those games to Game Pass soon, but it's also removing five games from the service on May 31. That means you still have some time to finish your campaign and any side quests before you'll have to buy these games separately.
Cassette Beasts
Firework
Humanity
Remnant 2
Slayers X: Terminal Aftermath: Vengeance of the Slayer
For more on Xbox, discover other games available on Game Pass Ultimate now, read our hands-on review of the gaming service and learn which Game Pass plan is right for you. You can also check out what to know about upcoming Xbox game price hikes.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Why We're Launching The Hobby Awards
This morning Mantel, with support from our friends at Yahoo Sports, announced the formation of The Hobby Awards, and I thought it would be helpful to answer two questions I know people will ask … Why, and Why Mantel? Like many of you reading this, collecting has been an important part of my life since I was a kid. I grew up with two brothers in a sports-obsessed household, and whenever we had a few extra bucks from doing chores, we'd head down the street to a pharmacy-like shop that also sold candy, soda and some cards and pool our money to maximize the haul. I'm reminded of the Andy Bernard quote, 'I wish there was a way to know you're in the good old days before you've actually left them,' though my version might be 'I wish there was a way to know you were in the junk wax era before spending all your cash on Upper Deck Behind the Glass.' (A PSA 8 MJ trades for less than $100 today.) We all have our collecting origin stories, and hopefully we all still feel at least a shred of that childhood joy when participating in this hobby. I know, I know … collecting is a BIG business. There's money at stake. Collectors are at the mercy of corporate decisions, market dynamics, IP deals and manufacturing inconsistencies. Plenty of people try to take advantage of other collectors to make a quick buck. It's not all perfect. But it's still net-positive to our lives, right? The anticipation before ripping a pack, or excitement at a great pull or dollar-box find or big trade is still there, right? ... Right? Look — this hobby could stand to do a bit more celebrating, don't you think? More focusing on the things we love about collecting, the people who make The Hobby more fun, the innovation and cool releases and HOLY S*** moments we all have following our passions. That's what Mantel is all about (...from Day 1 we billed our community and app as a celebration of the objects people are most passionate about and the relationships we build through our hobbies), and that's why we wanted to launch an awards program to highlight the best of our hobby each year. And we wanted to include this great community every step of the way. The categories are still being cemented, but we'll give out awards for things like: Best Auction House Best Hobby Shop Best Marketplace Best Collectible Show Digital Product of the Year Best Custom Art Card Artist Best Breaking Platform Best Live Stream Sellers Creator/Influencer of the Year Collectibles Exec of the Year Grading Company of the Year Innovation of the Year Best Sports Card Product Best Sold Memorabilia Item Best Non-Sports Card Product Best Media Platform (site, newsletter, podcast) The collecting community will be able to vote on all of the categories, with the collector vote making up 70% of the weighted vote total. The remaining 30% will come from votes from our judging panel, and I'm so excited by the crew that agreed to participate, including: Alexis Ohanian (founder, 776; co-founder, Reddit), Brent Montgomery (CEO, Wheelhouse; executive producer, King of Collectibles), Ryan Spoon (president, Yahoo Media Group), Gary Vaynerchuk (CEO/chairman, VaynerX; creator, VeeFriends), Josh Luber (founder, ghostwrite), Darren Rovell (founder, cllct), Scott 'DJ Skee' Keeney (founder, TheRealest), Geoff Wilson (founder, Sports Card Investor, CardsHQ), Michael Osacky (expert sports memorabilia appraiser), Morgan Jon Fox (award-winning director, The Hobby), Alex Giaimo (sports and collectibles host), Annemarie Farrell (journalist and @ Frank Hrelja (creator and co-founder, Trove), Mat Sposta (co-founder, and Trove), investor, creator and collector Buster Scher, Suzy Lulgjuraj (journalist and marketer), Jay Moslehi (founder, MojoSports LLC), Sarina Morales (senior media director, WeTheHobby) and more. The website is live, and we'll be sharing updates about final categories, nominations and the start of voting there, as well as on the Mantel app and on Yahoo Sports. We are ironing out plenty of details, but it was important for us to tell the community about The Hobby Awards before so many of us hit The National this week in Rosemont, so we could talk openly about our plans, solicit feedback, and rally support for the program. If you see me walking the halls at The National, stop me and let me know what you think. And if you aren't going to be there, drop us a line over on Mantel. We want the whole community to feel part of The Hobby Awards from Day 1.
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Mantel Launches 'The Hobby Awards' to Celebrate the Best in the Collectibles Industry
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Mantel, the premier social platform for collectors, is launching The Hobby Awards, a first-of-its-kind digital awards program recognizing the most impactful companies, creators, products, and personalities in the collectibles space. Yahoo Sports, which delivers comprehensive collectibles coverage via a dedicated hub on its website, will serve as the awards' official media partner. Unlike film, sports, or music, the multi-billion dollar collectibles industry has lacked a central celebration of its most influential contributors. The Hobby Awards aims to change that, spotlighting excellence across a range of categories including Best Auction House, Innovation of the Year, and Creator/Influencer of the Year. The awards will feature a dual voting structure, with 70% of the results determined by the collecting community and 30% by an expert judging panel. Voting and nominations will take place online via with nominations and companion content published on the Mantel app and Yahoo Sports. Winners will be announced in November 2025. Confirmed judges include Alexis Ohanian (founder, 776; co-founder, Reddit), Brent Montgomery (CEO, Wheelhouse; executive producer, King of Collectibles), Ryan Spoon (president, Yahoo Media Group), Gary Vaynerchuk (CEO/chairman, VaynerX; creator, VeeFriends), Josh Luber (founder, ghostwrite), Darren Rovell (founder, cllct), Scott 'DJ Skee' Keeney (founder, The Realest), Geoff Wilson (founder, Sports Card Investor, CardsHQ), Michael Osacky (sports memorabilia appraiser), Morgan Jon Fox (award-winning director, The Hobby), Alex Giaimo, (sports and collectibles host), Annemarie Farrell (journalist and @ Frank Hrelja (co-founder, Trove), Mat Sposta (co-founder, and Trove), investor, creator and collector Buster Scher, Suzy Lulgjuraj (journalist and marketer), Jay Moslehi (founder, MojoSports LLC), Sarina Morales (senior media director, WeTheHobby) and more. 'The collectibles industry is full of passion, creativity, and innovation, but we rarely stop and take time to recognize the people and companies driving it forward,' said Evan Parker, CEO of Mantel. 'We created The Hobby Awards to give the community a platform to elevate what they love about collecting, and we're doing it in a way that's fun, inclusive, and built for the digital age.' 'We know how passionate collectors are – not just about the items they collect, but also about the stories behind the collections,' said Ryan Spoon, President of Yahoo Media Group. 'We're proud to partner with Mantel to bring The Hobby Awards to life and celebrate the people, products and moments that make the collecting community so special.' While the awards will be hosted entirely online, Mantel plans to honor winners, nominees, and judges with a special event in New York City this fall. Award recipients will also receive a custom-designed, limited-edition trophy to commemorate their win. Award categories will include: Best Auction House Best Hobby Shop Best Marketplace Best Collectible Show Digital Product of the Year Best Custom Art Card Artist Best Breaking Platform Best Live Stream Sellers Creator/Influencer of the Year Collectibles Exec of the Year Grading Company of the Year Innovation of the Year Best Sports Card Product Best Sold Memorabilia Item Best Non-Sports Card Product Best Media Platform (site, newsletter, podcast) Nominations will open late summer, and voting will begin in early fall. For more information, visit or follow along at @onMantel and @YahooSports.
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
These social media stars conquered the internet. They still wanted more.
From the top of your feed to the top of the charts: Why the biggest social media stars like MrBeast, Addison Rae and Alex Warren still chase mainstream fame. A jumble of young people in trendy athleisure outfits gathered in a living room in Feb. 2020 to watch an internet-famous magician do card tricks. This was a typical day for members of the Hype House, a group of mostly teenage social media-famous stars who lived and worked together to create as much content as possible. Two people in this particular video stand out, though: the scruffy guy shoving his camera into the magician's face, and the woman with the longest, blondest hair and the biggest smile. They're Alex Warren and Addison Rae. You might not have been familiar with them then, but five years later, the two 24-year-olds are among the biggest pop stars in the country. Warren, who has honed his voice and his wife guy persona, is well on his way to having the song of summer with 'Ordinary,' an unavoidable track dominating TikTok posts, charts and radio airwaves. He's about to tour his brand-new album, You'll Be Alright, Kid, which was released July 18. Rae, meanwhile, is the heir apparent to Charli XCX's Brat summer era, embracing both melancholy and party girl aesthetics with her June 2025 album, Addison. People just can't stop talking about the visually stunning 2010s aesthetic Rae, who is also on the cusp of a tour, has cultivated by surrounding herself with the era's pop icons, like Lana Del Rey, and how she has subverted irrelevance after her first single, 2023's 'Obsessed,' flopped. What's so fascinating about Warren and Rae's breakout success is that they were among the most followed people on TikTok in 2020, when people — including their target audience of Gen Z-ers — were spending more time on their phones than ever. TikTok is now less of a phenomenon and more of a staple in the massive creator economy projected to have $500 billion flowing among platforms, influencers and audiences annually by 2027. According to a 2024 survey from Morning Consult, 88% of Gen Z respondents say they follow influencers, and many trust them more than traditional celebrities. If Warren and Rae had remained solely influencers, evolving online in accordance with trends in the usual ways young people do when they grow up, they would be financially successful, profiting from ad revenue on social media and brand deals. We've already seen them recover from their fair share of career missteps, like Warren's participation in the failed Netflix reality show about the Hype House, and Rae's performance in the social media-tinged, gender-swapped reboot of He's All That. They're both resilient and really good at commanding an audience online. They just wanted something more. Making it Getting signed to a major label, landing a TV show on a popular streaming service or getting a movie made by a big Hollywood studio is the 'pinnacle of acceptance,' Paul Telner, head of programming at influencer marketing agency Viral Nation, tells Yahoo. Stars still benefit from having popular social media accounts as their home base, or 'HQ,' but they also want to 'extend their brands' to be seen by audiences beyond TikTok, he says. 'Hollywood is Soho House, and we all want to get into it, see people, shake hands and be seen. That's the cool club!' he says. '[These influencers] want to be big stars and be accepted in that way, but there are levels [to fame] … you don't need to be on TV to make it.' For some creators, making enough money on social media that it becomes a full-time job is the dream. Others see themselves as their own companies with infinite potential, and posting online is just one potential revenue stream. Telner says traditional fame is appealing to some creators because it offers the opportunity to have a bigger production budget to 'help bring big ideas to life.' Since social media is so volatile — algorithms change, platforms rise and fall, even TikTok is still technically on the verge of a U.S. ban — traditional fame offers a 'more structured ecosystem that can sustain careers,' Chimene Mantori, founder of influencer management company Solace Talent, tells Yahoo. 'Building a presence outside of the platform they're known for isn't just smart, it's essential for brand growth and long-term sustainability,' she says. 'When your identity is tied solely to one format, it can limit how people see you and how far you can go.' A handful of stars known for their television, movie and music careers got their start as creatives sharing their craft online, and then jumped at the chance for bigger budgets, more acclaim and wider reach. Quinta Brunson was a BuzzFeed video star who's now the Emmy-winning actress and creator of her own network TV show, Abbott Elementary. Danny and Michael Philippou are YouTubers turned trailblazing horror movie auteurs behind some of the genre's most-praised hits of the decade. Liza Koshy has gone from Vine star to a scene-stealing actress in big-budget studio films like The Naked Gun. Chaotic social media powerhouses Jake and Logan Paul are now athletes. Emma Chamberlain began her career as a quirky YouTuber and became a Vogue mainstay who sits front row during Paris Fashion Week. Justin Bieber wasn't really an influencer, but he was discovered after going viral for his singing videos. The same has happened on YouTube, Tumblr and MySpace for singers like the Weeknd, Halsey and dozens of others. Mainstream fame offers creative validation to creators who have been uploading their own content and crafting their image, Lucy Robertson, head of brand marketing at influencer agency Buttermilk, tells Yahoo. It's the 'ultimate external stamp of success' to be noticed and corralled into Hollywood — especially for influencers who consider themselves artists, she says. It's truly impressive when a star becomes so famous that their internet roots aren't what they're best known for, as the lines between online and traditional fame are more blurred now than ever. Movie stars like Scarlett Johansson are encouraged to maintain social media accounts. On the other hand, MrBeast, host and executive producer of Prime Video's most-watched competition series ever, is arguably the most influential creator in the world with 417 million YouTube subscribers on his main channel. He isn't rushing to leave his online fame behind. He might be driving 50 million views on his streaming series, but that's nowhere near his biggest YouTube video's 857 million views. At the moment, he's got the best of both worlds. Like MrBeast, even mainstream entertainers can't ignore how easy it can be to make money off of an online audience, but that doesn't make them want mainstream stardom any less. Liam Parkinson, cofounder at creator payment company Inflverse, tells Yahoo that he spoke with a successful comedian who said she makes 10 times as much money posting online as she does performing for a crowd, but 'that buzz of being in front of a live audience would never be replaced by numbers online.' 'Creators still crave traditional fame because it offers a different kind of permanence and legitimacy. Online fame can be fast and fleeting. … Traditional media still carries real cultural weight,' Parkinson says. 'It puts you in front of new audiences and embeds you in public consciousness in a way the internet often doesn't. … Creators can earn serious money online, but many still see legacy media as the next level. Even if the paycheck is smaller, it's about reach, credibility and building something that lasts.' Front pages, not followers There are certain measures of success that are still only attainable by the traditionally famous, like in-person performances, prestigious awards and magazine covers. Young creators are driven by those tangible, nostalgic goals, Justine D'Addio, founder and lead publicist at Hyde Park PR, tells Yahoo. 'Some creators may have always fantasized about becoming a pop star when they were younger, so they started filming themselves dancing around in their rooms when a powerful algorithm suddenly catapulted them to online fame,' she says. 'Millions of followers later, they not only want to make their childhood dream a reality, but they're being actively encouraged to do so because they have the resources and a dialed-in audience to make it happen.' As a publicist, D'Addio worked with creators who are more excited about seeing their names in print than getting millions of views on a TikTok post. The rise of social media — which mints droves of influencers that are extremely famous among much smaller audiences than the superstars who came before the digital age — has 'made traditional fame extremely scarce.' 'These days, only a handful of creators can even come close to embodying the level of popularity that Britney Spears or Justin Bieber once did. But they can try,' D'Addio says. Though it's not everyone's motivation, it's worth noting that achieving traditional fame can make creators feel like they truly belong. Not everyone is accepted. Some people are quietly deemed unworthy of prestigious, mainstream spaces, entertainment journalist Tatyana Arrington tells Yahoo. 'It's the same reason that Kylie Jenner got backlash for attending awards season events with Timothée Chalamet — she's not 'supposed to' be there,' she says. Being featured in a Netflix film, touring your critically acclaimed album and helming your own TV show signals credibility to broader audiences. Kendale King, a CPA who works as a business manager for creators and brands, tells Yahoo that older generations and gatekeepers are less likely to value online success as a singular measure of fame. Joke's on them, though, because no matter how people become famous, they've accomplished something amazing. Creative people 'are always seeking platforms where they can engage people,' Nikhil Malik, visiting faculty at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business, tells Yahoo. The fact that so many people do it themselves and find wide audiences without the help of the Hollywood machine is just a testament to their talent and hard work. Malik says it's too soon to tell if elevating influencers to mainstream success is 'financially wise' for the traditional entertainment industry, but he wouldn't be surprised if many of the biggest stars in the next few decades get their start on social media. 'Creators want … institutional validation from people who have been around for decades. At some point, being very successful with your narrow audience isn't satisfying anymore. I think they're trying to break out of their echo chambers,' he says. This sentiment seems to be clearly reflected through Warren, whom I spoke with at the creator economy conference VidCon 2022. He had just reached the peak of his internet fame and had begun trying to figure out his next move. He told me that all he wanted to do was sing. I was surprised — he was so well-known for his prank videos, and his success story was already so moving. At 18, he got kicked out of his house and began living in his car. His social media posts brought him fame, fortune and even introduced him to his now-wife, Kouvr Annon. At the time, he didn't see that success as the end of his story, but the beginning. He channeled the money and connections he made online into voice lessons and writing sessions. Now in July 2025, he's got the No. 1 song in the country. There are many reasons to strive to break out of internet fame to become traditionally famous. It can be financially lucrative, creatively rewarding and personally satisfying. If your dreams are coming true, even on a smaller scale, you might as well swing for the fences like Warren.
