Palworld countdown – here's when the dark Pokemon-like releases on Steam, Game Pass, and beyond

Microsoft has confirmed the next batch of games that will be added to Xbox Game Pass this month. The games include the remake of Resident Evil 3, EA Madden NFL 24, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, Train Sim World 4, A Little to the Left, PlateUp!, Return to Grace, and MLB The Show 24. The first game of the February update is out now, and that is Anuchard, which is available on PC, console, and Cloud.

There are eight Pokemon Squishmallows, most of which are notoriously hard to find even though the first wave was released more than a year ago. All four Squishmallows included in that first wave are out of stock at the Pokemon Center right now, although the newer Clefairy and Teddiursa options are available if you've been waiting for them. A good sign for whenever more Pokemon are given the Squishmallow treatment, and the next two creatures joining the collection may have been revealed.

A recent update to Microsoft's website suggests that Square-Enix's upcoming Visions of Mana may be headed to Xbox Game Pass alongside its release. Square-Enix first announced the newest entry in the long-running RPG franchise during the 2023 Game Awards, surprising fans with the reveal of the newest Mana game. The RPG is set to arrive as the first brand-new main-series entry in the franchise in nearly two decades, with Mana's recent releases coming as remakes of older titles. Now, the newest Square-Enix game may be coming to Game Pass as well.

A new update for the PC Game Pass and Xbox versions of Palworld has fixed some of its many, many known issues today, but those hoping for some fixes to its online multiplayer options will sadly have to wait a little longer. Currently, those playing on Game Pass still don't have the ability to join or create dedicated servers for up to 32-player multiplayer like their mates on Steam can. Instead, they remain limited to just 2-4-player co-op via the use of friend codes, meaning that Game Pass players aren't having quite the same experience as their Steam counterparts.

Story modes in sports games have had a long-standing problem. Scripted narratives clash with the “anything can happen” nature of sports, which means what happens in the actual games can be in direct opposition to what happens in the narrative.

The talk of video game subscription services has come from many different places over the last week or so. You might remember an article we wrote yesterday about statements Ubisoft made about gaming subscription services in the wake of their upcoming Ubisoft+ service. But the “king” of such services is easily the Xbox Game Pass. The point of the service is to make scores of games available to players for just $10 a month. Plus, some games will be “day one releases” of significant gaming titles. Microsoft has been quick to tout the success of their service, but how well is it really doing?

The January 18 Xbox Game Pass update will introduce two additional games to the service: F1 23 and Turnip Boy Robs a Bank. These releases mark the second expansion of Microsoft's subscription catalog since the turn of the week, arriving just two days after Xbox Game Pass added two acclaimed horror games in the form of Those Who Remain and the Resident Evil 2 remake.

'Pokémon with guns' certainly grabs your attention, and given how much it has been wishlisted on Steam, it’s clear this hook has worked.

Microsoft announced the second wave of titles coming to Game Pass in January after starting the month with two big additions in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Resident Evil 2. Horror game Those Who Remain is playable now on cloud, consoles and PC, while Turnip Boy Robs a Bank and F1 23 (available via EA Play) arrive on January 18th.

STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl is coming to Xbox Game Pass on Thursday, September 5, 2024 as a day one game. STALKER fans have well over a decade to get their hands on STALKER 2. Unfortunately, the ambitious first-person shooter has been delayed multiple times, with this latest delay seeing it pushed out of its previously-announced Q1 2024 release window.

The Xbox Game Pass additions keep rolling in with the new year, with January 16 seeing Resident Evil 2 and Those Who Remain join Microsoft's subscription service, and even more is on the horizon. Alongside their additions, Microsoft took the time to confirm the next five games coming to Xbox Game Pass in January, as well as the two coming in February.

Xbox Game Pass made quite a splash in the marketplace when it arrived. This offered a wide collection of video games for players. If you’re playing on the latest-generation Xbox Series X/S consoles, chances are you might be participating in this subscription service. With a wide assortment of video games constantly rotating monthly, even if there’s no major release on your radar, you’ll likely have a few games to check out through this service. That said, two waves of game reveal posts typically come to Xbox Game Pass each month. Today, we’re getting word as to what that second wave of games is for this month.