Xbox Game Pass Users Surprised With New Exclusive Day One Game

Xbox Game Pass has a new day one game that is apparently quite good.

July 19, 2025, 1:16pm

Xbox Game Pass users have a new day one game that is also a console exclusive to the Xbox Series X, which means it is not available on PS5 nor Nintendo Switch nor Nintendo Switch 2. The only platforms it is available on, at least right now, is PC and Xbox Series X. Whether this will change in the future, remains to be seen, but it appears Microsoft has done a double deal to not only get this game on Xbox Game Pass at the day one of its release, but to get it exclusivity for it, or at least timed exclusivity.

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Better yet, the game is apparently quite good as evident by its 86 on Metacritic, which puts it in the top 20 highest-rated games of 2025. Coupling this, it has high user review scores. For example, on Steam, it has a 92 percent approval rating after 4,713 user reviews.

The new Xbox Game Pass day one game in question is Back to the Dawn from developer Metal Head Games and publisher Spiral Up Games. The new RPG is a debut for the former, and it is proving to be a great debut. How well the game is selling, and how many Xbox Game Pass subscribers are checking it out, we do not know, but it is at least earning high remarks.

“A gripping prison escape RPG woven with crime, corruption, and hidden agendas,” reads an official description of the game, for those unfamiliar with it. “Step into a maximum-security facility where every inmate has a past—and a plan. You’ll have to fight to survive, investigate, and ultimately break free before the time runs out. Uncover a scheme that threatens more than just your life—it could bring down the entire city. In this thrilling adventure, choices matter, and escape is your only salvation!”

How long Back to the Dawn will be available on Xbox Game Pas, we do not know. This information, per usual, has not been divulged by Microsoft. However, right now its inclusion is saving Xbox Game Pass subscribers $20. Meanwhile, those on Xbox Game Pass who want to purchase it outright to keep it beyond its stay in the subscription service can save $4 on it with an exclusive 20% discount only available to Xbox Game Pass subscribers.

It is worth noting though that this new addition is limited to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Those subscribed to the premium tier of the Microsoft subscription service can expect an RPG that, on average, ranges from 20 to 30 hours long. However, completionists will need closer to 60 hours with the Xbox Game Pass game.