Everything Announced At The October 2024 Xbox Partner Preview

Xbox has been on something of a roll when it comes to these online presentations. Even outside of its big first-party announcements, the last Partner Preview back in March offered up a few bangers, like The Sinking City 2, Creatures of Ava and The Alters. Announced early this week, this morning’s Partner Preview ran for just shy of 30 minutes, with only a handful of games announced before the showcase airing. With 15 games shown off in total, I’d say October’s entry is another winner, but who am I to say? Take a look for yourself.

Here are all of the announcements made during the October 2024 Xbox Partner Preview:

Alan Wake II – The Lake House

If you’ve read my Alan Wake II review (spoilers, I gave it a 9.5) or listened to me gush about it on the WellPlayed DLC podcast, you’ll already know that I’m excited for the game’s second expansion. Titled The Lake House, this expansion looks to be darker and more horror-leaning than the main game, putting you in the shady shoes of an agent from the Federal Bureau of Control sent to investigate what’s happening at the titular lakeside abode. We get a few glimpses of gameplay during this new trailer, with the new locations and enemies being very promising. This one launches on October 22 for those who own the deluxe version of the game.

Cronos: The New Dawn

Off the back of the well-received remake of Silent Hill 2, developer Bloober Team has announced its next project, Cronos: The New Dawn. A survival horror experience set in both communist Poland and a “futuristic wasteland,” its reveal trailer set an awesome tone, with a creepy, suited protagonist playing chess in one scene and blasting away at an abomination in the other. We know that it’s coming in 2025, but we have very little else in the way of details just yet, so keep your eyes peeled.

Blindfire

We’ve got plenty of arena shooters to choose from currently, but Blindfire has an interesting twist on offer. Developed by Double Eleven, this FPS is team-based, encourages cooperation and strategy and, oh yeah, is set in the dark. The trailer is more of a proof of concept than anything, but you can jump in and find out if the concept works for yourself because this one is in early access on Xbox Series X|S and PC right now through the Xbox Game Preview program.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii

I never know where to start with this game. Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is as batshit crazy as its title, and this new trailer continues to prove that fact. We see more from the naval combat and get to see Samoa Joe’s character in action before being introduced to Madlantis, a hive of pirates and the mafia. Because why not? Best of all, the game’s release date has been moved forward, now launching on February 21, 2025.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire

While we’ve seen Mouse: P.I. For Hire a few times before, the rubber hose visuals and slick animations never get old. This new trailer once again showed off the game’s first-person gameplay, with the playable mouse detective blasting away at animated foes with various weapons. We still don’t have a firm release date, but it’s coming in 2025.

Subnautica 2

This next reveal has been a long-awaited one. Subnautica 2 looks to expand on the scope of the beloved original, with the addition of a highly request feature: co-op. Yep, once the sequel releases in early access in 2025, you and up to three friends will be able to dive into the horrific depths of Subnautica 2.

Animal Well

The well-received platformer Animal Well is finally heading to Xbox; well, it’s already on Xbox because it landed on the green box today. Dunkey, the creative behind the game’s publisher, narrated over the mysterious trailer, completely ruining any intrigue that may have been present. Nah, he’s an entertaining dude, and this is an interesting little game with more under the surface than you might think, so give it a whirl.

Edens Zero

My anime knowledge only goes as far as One Piece, but this is apparently an adaptation of Hiro Mashima manga and anime of the same name. A brawler that will feature plenty of recognisable faces, both playable and otherwise, from across the series. This one is on its way in 2025.

Eternal Strands

The debut game from developer Yellow Brick Games, Eternal Strands, is an action-adventure title with a focus on melee combat and spellcasting. The reveal trailer gives us a look at the player character climbing on bosses, freezing limbs to immobilise enemies and flinging themself around to execute ground pound attacks. The combat and bright colour pallette caught my eye, so I’ll be watching this with great interest. Hitting early access in 2025.

Mistfall Hunter

Another new reveal, this time in the Soulslike genre. The twist is that Misfall Hunter crosses that style of combat with extraction gameplay, which sounds…interesting. The aesthetic is cool and the action looks pretty crisp, but we’ll need to see more from this one. You can apply for access to the closed beta now, but there’s no info on a release date just yet.

Wheel World

Formerly known as Ghost Bike, the renamed Wheel World continues to look awesome, even if I prefer the old title. Bike across both the land of the living and the land of the dead, you’re on a mission to fix up the last of the Ghost Bikes, but exploring and racing on two wheels. The visuals and calming soundtrack have me pumped for the game’s release sometime in 2025. Oh, and if you’re a subscriber, you’ll get this on day one with Game Pass.

Phasmophobia

The ghost-hunting game Phasmophobia will be released on consoles on October 29, just in time for Halloween. The trailer gives you the rundown, but if you haven’t played it already, you can expect to team up with friends to use a bunch of equipment to hunt for ghosts and apparitions across different locations. It’s spooky and fun, so get keen.

The Legend of Baboo

Phew, another new reveal, aren’t we lucky? The Legend of Baboo is an action-adventure title set in a magical world filled with plenty of dangers and obstacles. But, none of that matters because the game also features a ridable chou. This one is coming in 2025.

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers

We got our first look at Wuchang: Fallen Feathers during the most recent Xbox Games Showcase, and this new trailer continues the trend of it looking pretty sweet. It’s hard to say if this falls into the Soulslike category, but the action looks fast-paced and challenging, so I wouldn’t be surprised. The character designs and locations all look unique, so hopefully, the gameplay can impress just as much. You can add this to the list of games coming in 2025.

FBC: Firebreak

Unexpectedly, Remedy Entertainment came back to close the show moments after opening it. A departure from the team’s usual output, FDC: Firebreak is a three-player co-op first-person shooter set within the Remedy universe (Alan Wake, Control and Quantum Break). A completely PvE experience, players will team up to battle through the Oldest House, using various pieces of bureau equipment and weaponry to cleanse the ever-changing building of the horrors within. This isn’t where I saw the series going next, but it’s a very welcome addition to the growing franchise in my eyes. This is yet another one dropping in 2025.

If my wrap up hasn’t satiated your desire for third-party release and you want the full fat experience, you can watch the entire showcase here:

There we have it, 15 games in 30 minutes. Some new, some returning, all looking pretty good.

What did you think of the Partner Preview? Did anything stand out to you? Let us know in the comments or on our social media.