March is already shaping up to be an interesting-looking month for Xbox Game Pass, with four titles already confirmed.
If you’re unfamiliar with it, Game Pass is Microsoft’s all-you-can-play gaming service for Xbox and Windows PCs. Starting from £7.99 per month, players secure unlimited access to hundreds of games that would normally have to be paid for separately.
These aren’t minor titles, either. Every Microsoft Studios and Bethesda game is in there, including Fallout, Doom, Gears of War and Fable. If you pay for Game Pass Ultimate, a whole heap of EA games are included, too.
So what’s coming to Game Pass in March? While no official announcements have been made, we know of four new games coming out, each of which is promised as being on Game Pass from day one. So what are they, exactly?
Xbox Game Pass highlights for March 2023
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
Good news for fans of hard-as-nails Soulslike games. Wo: Fallen Dynasty is the next release from Team Ninja, creators of the excellent Nioh titles. Set in China’s Three Kingdoms period, the game breaks from real-world history by introducing monsters and demons to conquer.
The action-adventure game won’t be for everyone, appealing to the kind of gamer who doesn’t mind hitting their head against a wall repeatedly for the moment of euphoria when it finally breaks. If that’s you, then you’re likely in for a treat when it arrives on Game Pass on March 3.
Release date: 4/03/2023
Valheim
Already available on PC Game Pass, the Early Access hit Valheim will finally arrive on Xbox next month. It will be available free of charge to Game Pass subscribers.
Valheim took Steam by storm when it first arrived in Early Access back in 2021 — and now Xbox owners get to see what all the fuss is about. It’s a Norse-themed, open-world survival adventure where players must build, craft and fight to survive. But you don’t have to do it alone: co-operative play for up to 10 players is supported — and there will be no shortage of volunteers when the game hits Game Pass on March 14.
Release date: 14/03/2023
MLB The Show 23
Sports haters can stop reading now, given that MLB stands for Major League Baseball. Yes, it’s a baseball game — one published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, which makes its debut on Xbox Game Pass a pleasant surprise.
As a seasonal update, you probably shouldn’t expect anything new and unexpected from the 2023 version, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Past releases have been in the 80 to 85 per cent scoring range on Metacritic, so it would be very surprising if this wasn’t a solid baseball game. And you can’t argue with the price.
Release date: 28/03/2023
Way to the Woods
A post-apocalyptic adventure with a twist. In Way to the Woods, you don’t play humans struggling to cope with the new normal. Instead, you take on the role of two deer trying to navigate a dangerous, abandoned world in an effort to get home.
While no exact release date has been given, a window of March 2023 has been mooted for the charming indie game. Definitely one to watch.
Release date: TBC
Game Pass vs Game Pass Ultimate: What’s the difference?
Three tiers of Game Pass are available. Game Pass for console or PC is £7.99 a month and Game Pass Ultimate is £10.99.
For £3 extra per month, Game Pass Ultimate is a no-brainer if you can afford it. Not only does it include both PC and Xbox games in one subscription, but it also bundles Xbox Live Gold. This allows console multiplayer and opens up cloud gaming, where certain titles can be streamed to any device with a web browser.
Both Game Pass Ultimate and the PC version include access to EA Play, which provides a whole library of extra games from Electronic Arts. This is a studio known for everything from the FIFA and Madden sports series, to Apex Legends and Mass Effect.
Paying for Gold and EA Play separately would cost an additional £10.98 a month and you wouldn’t get cloud streaming. That makes paying for Ultimate sensible if you get any use at all from the extra features, or have a fondness for EA’s games.
