Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: Two Games, Two Eras, One Day

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Welcomes EA Sports UFC 5 and Diablo

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers gain access to two highly anticipated titles today: EA Sports UFC 5 and Diablo. These additions mark the conclusion of Wave 1 for January 2025's Game Pass lineup. Released a remarkable 27 years apart, the inclusion of these diverse titles highlights the breadth of the service.

Starting immediately, subscribers can jump into the action-packed world of EA Sports UFC 5, the latest installment in EA's popular MMA franchise (released October 2023), and experience the classic gameplay of Diablo, the seminal hack-and-slash RPG that defined the genre upon its 1996 release.

While Microsoft prioritizes cross-platform availability, these titles present a slight deviation. Diablo is PC-exclusive, while EA Sports UFC 5 requires an Xbox Series X/S for local play. However, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members with sufficient internet speed can stream UFC 5 via Xbox Cloud Gaming.

Activision Blizzard Titles on Game Pass

With the addition of Diablo, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate now boasts 13 Activision Blizzard titles (including the Spyro and Crash Bandicoot trilogies, counted as three games each). This represents a steady influx of approximately one new Activision Blizzard game per month since Microsoft's acquisition in late 2023, signaling an accelerating pace of additions from this extensive catalog.

Upcoming Xbox Game Pass Additions

Game	Date Added	Game Pass Tier(s)	Platform(s)	Notes
EA Sports UFC 5	Jan 14	Ultimate	Cloud, Series X/S
Diablo	Jan 14	Ultimate, PC	PC
Eternal Strands	Jan 28	Ultimate, PC	Cloud, PC, Series X/S	Day-one release.
Sniper Elite: Resistance	Jan 30	Ultimate, PC	Cloud, Console, PC	Day-one release.
Citizen Sleeper 2	Jan 31	Ultimate, PC	Cloud, PC, Series X/S	Day-one release.
Avowed	Feb 18	Ultimate, PC	Cloud, PC, Series X/S	Day-one release.
Atomfall	Mar 27	Ultimate, PC	Cloud, Console, PC	Day-one release.
Football Manager 25	Mar ??	Ultimate, PC	Cloud, Console, PC	Day-one release; exact date TBA.
Commandos: Origins	Mar ??	Ultimate, PC	Cloud, Console, PC	Day-one release; exact date TBA.

EA Sports UFC 5 and Diablo conclude January 2025's Wave 1. Wave 2 announcements are anticipated soon, potentially on January 21, aligning with Microsoft's usual Tuesday release schedule.

Further announcements are expected before month's end, coinciding with the January 23 Xbox Developer Direct, which will showcase Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, South of Midnight, and Doom: The Dark Ages—all confirmed as day-one Xbox Game Pass Ultimate titles slated for 2025 release. Note that six games will be removed from the service on January 15, including Insurgency: Sandstorm and Those Who Remain.

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