"Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Expands with Games 27 Years Apart"

Summary

• Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is adding EA Sports UFC 5 and Diablo today.
• Released 27 years apart, these two titles conclude the XGP Wave 1 lineup for January 2025.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members can dive into the thrilling worlds of EA Sports UFC 5 and Diablo starting today. These additions mark the third and fourth titles to join Xbox Game Pass Ultimate in January 2025.

Diablo, the iconic hack-and-slash RPG that revolutionized the genre upon its release in late 1996, needs no introduction. On the other hand, EA Sports UFC 5, the latest installment in the popular mixed martial arts series, was released in October 2023 and brings cutting-edge fighting action to the service.

Despite being released nearly 27 years apart, these two games are now united on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, available as of January 14. While Microsoft typically aims to include multi-platform games, these new additions stand out; Diablo is exclusively playable on PC, and EA Sports UFC 5 requires an Xbox Series X/S for local play. However, subscribers with robust internet connections can also stream EA Sports UFC 5 through Xbox Cloud Gaming.

Xbox Game Pass Now Offers Over a Dozen Activision Blizzard Titles

With Diablo now available, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate boasts a total of 13 Activision Blizzard titles, including Spyro Reignited Trilogy and Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, each counted as three games. This reflects an impressive pace of nearly one new Activision Blizzard game added per month since Microsoft's acquisition of the company in late 2023. While more titles from the Activision Blizzard catalog are expected, the addition rate is clearly accelerating.

Upcoming Xbox Game Pass Games

EA Sports UFC 5 and Diablo complete the first wave of January 2025 additions to Xbox Game Pass. The second wave for this month is anticipated to be announced soon, possibly on January 21, following Microsoft's tradition of revealing new XGP releases on Tuesdays.

Further news about upcoming Xbox Game Pass titles might be unveiled before the month ends, especially with the Xbox Developer Direct scheduled for January 23. Microsoft has already confirmed that the event will showcase Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, South of Midnight, and Doom: The Dark Ages, all set to launch in 2025 and available on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate from day one. Before the next Xbox Developer Direct, six games will depart from the service on January 15, including Insurgency: Sandstorm and Those Who Remain.

$42 at Amazon, $17 at Xbox