Happy Xbox Developer_Direct Day!
In 2021, Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty made a statement that Microsoft wanted to see Xbox release a triple-A title every quarter. That was roughly around the same time Microsoft was going on a buying spree, scooping up publishers and studios like Bethesda, Ninja Theory, and Compulsion Games. The Developer_Direct emerged shortly after, serving as a mini showcase for those freshly acquired studios to show off their work closer to launch without having to wait for the busy Summer showcase season. While an Xbox title typically headlines the show, it is not unusual for Xbox to highlight partner games coming to the console, as well.
Xbox previously teased Doom: The Dark Ages, South of Midnight, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 for today’s show, but there were also a few surprises thrown in to keep things interesting. Xbox has announced that every title included in the Developer Direct today supports Xbox Play Anywhere and is all headed to Xbox Game Pass on Day One with support for Cloud Gaming. Here is everything shown today during the January 2025 Xbox Developer_Direct.
Ninja Gaiden 4
Team Ninja and Platinum Games kick off the showcase with Ninja Gaiden 4, a new mainline entry in the classic franchise. The story for Ninja Gaiden 4 takes place in a dystopian take on Tokyo, complete with neon lights. The city is overrun with dangerous fiends, ripe for fast-paced, dramatic hack-and-slash gameplay. A new protagonist, Yakumo, will need to parkour his way around Tokyo along with Ryu, offering new combat movesets and combinations for players to master.
Ninja Gaiden 4 is confirmed for a Fall 2025 release.
But wait! That’s not all! Team Ninja also announced Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, a definitive edition of the game remade in Unreal Engine 5 and coming to Xbox Game Pass today.
South of Midnight
South of Midnight is the upcoming title from Xbox-owned Compulsion Games, the developer behind We Happy Few. Xbox and Compulsion Games have ramped up marketing for South of Midnight as of late, even releasing a short documentary in November detailing the game’s development.
Doom: The Dark Ages
Officially revealed during the 2024 Xbox Summer Showcase, id Software’s DOOM: The Dark Ages is the anticipated follow-up to 2020’s DOOM Eternal. While marketing for South of Midnight has been ramping up, DOOM: The Dark Ages has been kept relatively in the shadows until no. With the recent release of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Bethesda has a little more wiggle room in the marketing schedule to show off DOOM.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Like DOOM: The Dark Ages, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was originally revealed during the 2024 Summer Showcase season. Unlike DOOM and South of Midnight, though, Clair Obscur is not developed and published by Xbox. The upcoming JRPG is developed by Sandfall Interactive and published by Kepler Interactive.
