Everything We Saw At Xbox’s Developer Direct 2025

Though Nintendo tin technically state it had nan first ample gaming news arena of nan year, astatine slightest Xbox’s Developer Direct really showed disconnected immoderate games and fto america cognize erstwhile we tin play them. The showcase was anchored by dense dives into nan biggest games coming down nan greenish conduit for illustration Doom: The Dark Ages and Compulsion Games’ South of Midnight, pinch a mates of surprises to tin retired nan astir one-hour-long runtime. Here are nan highlights from nan show.

Ninja Gaiden 4

Xbox kicked disconnected nan Direct pinch nan astonishment uncover of Ninja Gaiden 4. The crippled is being codeveloped by Koei Tecmo’s Team Ninja and Bayonetta workplace PlatinumGames. Ninja Gaiden 4 revives nan series’ bloody, fast-paced combat and high-stakes (but often frustrating) platforming pinch a caller face, nan ninja Yakumo. Yakumo will usage his unsocial fighting styles to conclusion nan Divine Dragon Order that’s turned Tokyo into a dystopian, crumbling mess. Gaiden’s erstwhile protagonist, Ryu Hayabusa, will too make an value arsenic a playable characteristic and Yakumo’s rival.

Ninja Gaiden 4 will motorboat successful nan autumn of this year, but if you don’t want to clasp for your bloody ninja action, you don’t personification to. Xbox stealth dropped Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, a remake of Ninja Gaiden II, and it’s disposable correct now connected Xbox and Game Pass.

South of Midnight

The developers astatine Compulsion Games went into point astir South of Midnight’s gameplay and story. You play arsenic Hazel who must usage her powers arsenic a Weaver, fighting monsters and traversing nan haunted landscape, to rescue her mother who gets swept distant successful a hurricane. With this, everything I’ve seen astir South of Midnight makes it look for illustration it’ll beryllium 1 of my games of nan year. It’s sewage a Black protagonist, features characters and tropes that harken to Southern gothic folklore, and its stop-motion creation style makes it instantly guidelines out. I cannot clasp to get my hands connected this crippled erstwhile it releases connected April 8th.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Sandfall Interactive was founded successful Montpellier, France, successful 2020 pinch a squad led by erstwhile Ubisoft developers. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is nan studio’s first crippled — a turn-based RPG pinch a compelling communicative hook. The world has been ravaged by a being known arsenic nan Paintress. Every year, she writes down a number, and everyone older than that number disappears. Expeditions are sent retired to extremity nan Paintress, and nan crippled will recreation Expedition 33 successful their effort to prevention humanity. In summation to an absorbing Persona 5-style return connected turn-based combat, Expedition 33 features immoderate superior sound acting talent, starring Charlie Cox, Jennifer English, Ben Starr, and Andy Serkis. Can’t clasp to comprehend them execute erstwhile Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 launches connected April 24th.

Doom: The Dark Ages

To adjacent retired nan Direct, Xbox gave america different look astatine Doom: The Dark Ages, nan prequel to id Software’s 2016 Doom reboot and Doom Eternal. It will, of course, characteristic each nan ripping and tearing a Doom enjoyer could want, connected pinch an absorbing attraction connected communicative — point nan bid isn’t really known for. But I fishy folks are acold overmuch consenting successful piloting a 30-story Doomguy-shaped mech suit erstwhile nan crippled releases connected May 15th.