Summary
Xbox Game Passmembers can now playSteamWorld DigandSteamWorld Dig 2as part of their subscriptions. With their arrival on the subscription service, the number of June 2024Xbox Game Passadditions has increased to 13.
Image and Form’sSteamWorldis an anthology series of games set in a post-apocalyptic world with a steampunk aesthetic.SteamWorld Digis the second entry in the franchise, released in 2014, whereas its direct sequel debuted in 2017. The latest franchise installment was also the first one to ever make its way to Microsoft’s subscription service, withXbox Game Pass addingSteamWorld Buildas a day-one titleback in December 2023.
That release has now been joined bySteamWorld DigandSteamWorld Dig 2, which reached Xbox Game Pass on June 26. WhileSteamWorld Buildis a management sim, the newly addedSteamWorld Diggames are both side-scrolling metroidvanias that largely play like action platformers. They also happen to be some of thebestSteamWorldgames in existence, based on their critical reception. Specifically,SteamWorldDigboasts an OpenCritic average score of 82 and a 93% recommendation rate, while its sequel is rated at 88 and recommended by 98% of the aggregator’s polled reviewers.
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Day-one release
Returning title that was last available in February 2023
Day-one release (Xbox)
PC Game Pass and UItimate tiers only
🆕SteamWorld Dig
🆕SteamWorld Dig 2
Player impressions of the newly added Xbox Game Pass titles are comparably positive, withSteamWorld DigandSteamWorld Dig 2boasting “Very Positive” and “Overwhelmingly Positive” Steam reviews, respectively, based on thousands of user impressions. As such, both of these releases significantly bolster the selection ofhigh-quality metroidvanias on Xbox Game Pass, joining the likes ofHollow Knight,Monster Sanctuary,Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, and theOriseries, among other celebrated titles.
These arrivals come with a few platform-specific caveats, asSteamWorld Buildisn’t available on PC Game Pass, whereas its sequel doesn’t have Xbox Cloud Gaming support. The first game does, though, so PC gamers with an Ultimate-tier membership can still experienceSteamWorld Digvia their subscription by streaming it. It’s currently unclear why the PC version of the game wasn’t added to the Xbox Game Pass library.
Microsoft’s subscription service is confirmed to be introducing one more game before the end of the month in the form ofRobin Hood – Sherwood Builders, which is scheduled to launch on June 27. Five other titles will then leave the XGP catalog on June 30. Beyond that,Xbox Game Pass already has six confirmed day-one releases for July 2024.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is the highest tier of Microsoft’s flagship game subscription service that offers over 100 game titles that you can play with a single purchase, making it one of the most outstanding value propositions of the Xbox ecosystem to date.
