Two critically acclaimed 2025 titles expanded their availability on March 18, moving from Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to the more accessible Premium tier. South of Midnight and The Alters now reach subscribers who previously couldn't access Microsoft's top subscription level.
South of Midnight, developed by Microsoft-owned Compulsion Games, earned a "Strong" rating on OpenCritic with an average score of 77 and 68% recommendation rate. The action-adventure title draws from Southern Gothic folklore as players hunt dangerous creatures in a supernatural American South setting.
The Alters arrives with even stronger critical reception, holding an average score of 86 and 95% recommendation rate on OpenCritic. Developed by 11 Bit Studios, creators of This War of Mine and Frostpunk, the game centers on a stranded worker who creates alternate versions of himself with different skills to survive on a hostile planet.
The Alters launched as a day-one title in June 2025, while South of Midnight released in April 2025. Both maintained "Very Positive" user reviews throughout their initial release period.
Their addition to Game Pass Premium marks the ninth and tenth titles added to the service in March 2026, bringing this year's total Premium additions to 36 games.
Microsoft's mid-tier subscription received 165 titles throughout 2025 after rebranding from Xbox Game Pass Standard last October. The company continues expanding Premium's library while maintaining Ultimate as its highest offering with additional perks like EA Play membership.
With typical third-party Game Pass stints lasting around 12 months, The Alters could potentially leave the service as early as June 2026 based on its original release timeline. Meanwhile, other titles like Absolum will join Game Pass Premium on March 25, with The Long Dark and Resident Evil 7: Biohazard arriving later in the month.
South of Midnight, which earned a "Strong" OpenCritic rating with a 77 average score when it launched in April 2025, may remain available longer under different licensing terms as a first-party Microsoft title.
