Let’s start with the big news: Stardew Valley is coming to Xbox Game Pass for PC and Xbox consoles ’this fall’. If you’re on of the few players that hasn’t experienced this chill slice-of-life farming simulation title, you’ll be able to play it at no extra cost via your Xbox Game Pass subscription later this year. It’s good timing, too; Stardew Valley’s big 1.5 update launched for consoles earlier this year, which added “late-game” content to the title and introduced the largest amount of content added to the game since launch (including split-screen and local co-op). Bear that in mind if you’re looking for something cosy to play as winter draws in. Next up, we’re getting Aragami 2 (which launches on the service on September 17). The game, if you’re unfamiliar with the debut title, focuses largely on ninja-inspired fights and has some Tenchu vibes in there, too. Combat has been expanded and refined since the first game, and the team notes that it’s coming to this title more experienced and larger than it was whilst developing the first title. You can take a look at a gameplay trailer below if it’s piqued your interest. Aragami 2 will be arriving on Game Pass for Xbox and PC at launch (but it’s also coming to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, too). Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous was initially announced for a September 2 release for Game Pass, but this has since been retracted as it looks to have been made in error. Next, we saw that Pupperazi is ‘coming soon’ to the service. We think the game’s strapline sells it the most efficiently: “Who will photograph, pet, and tell these dogs they’re good boys and girls if you don’t?? The world NEEDS you in Pupperazzi, the dog photography game!” Think of it as a canine version of Pokemon Snap and you’re probably in the right ballpark. Though the game was announced for Xbox Game Pass during the stream, the Steam page for the title still says the release date is “woof bark bark”, so who knows when it’ll actually arrive. Lastly, there’s Evil Genius 2. On today’s indie-focused Xbox livestream, Rebellion revealed Evil Genius 2 for Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, later confirming the game for PS4 and PS5. The console versions are due for release in Q4 this year and Evil Genius 2 will also be available on Xbox Game Pass at launch. The only thing missing from today’s announcement is Switch news, which is sure to leave fans of the hybrid console hoping to play it on the go disappointed, though maybe a Steam Deck can solve that problem.
