Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Expands with Two 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 EA Sports UFC 5 and Diablo as part of their subscription starting today. These titles mark the third and fourth additions to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate in January 2025.

Diablo, the iconic game that set the standard for hack-and-slash RPGs, was originally released in late 1996. On the other hand, EA Sports UFC 5, the latest installment in EA's renowned mixed martial arts series, made its debut in October 2023.

Despite being released nearly 27 years apart, these two games are now united under the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate banner, available starting January 14, 2025. While Microsoft typically aims to include multi-platform games, both Diablo and EA Sports UFC 5 are platform-specific. Diablo is exclusively available on PC, while EA Sports UFC 5 can be played on Xbox Series X/S. However, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers with robust internet connections can also stream EA Sports UFC 5 via Xbox Cloud Gaming.

Xbox Game Pass Now Offers Over a Dozen Activision Blizzard Titles

With the addition of Diablo to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, the service now boasts a total of 13 Activision Blizzard titles. This count includes both the Spyro Reignited Trilogy and Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy as three games each. Since Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard in late 2023, the service has been adding nearly one new title from their catalog each month. While many more games from Activision Blizzard are yet to be included, the pace of additions is accelerating.

Upcoming Xbox Game Pass Games

EA Sports UFC 5 and Diablo wrap up the first wave of January 2025 additions to Xbox Game Pass. Anticipation builds for the announcement of Wave 2, which might occur as early as January 21, given Microsoft's tradition of unveiling new XGP releases on Tuesdays.

Further excitement looms with the Xbox Developer Direct scheduled for January 23. Microsoft has confirmed that the event will spotlight Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, South of Midnight, and Doom: The Dark Ages. All three titles are slated for day-one Xbox Game Pass Ultimate releases in 2025, though specific release dates remain pending. Before the next Xbox Developer Direct, six games, including Insurgency: Sandstorm and Those Who Remain, will exit the service on January 15.

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