Update: It's official. Xbox has announced Outriders will land in Xbox Game Pass for console and cloud (read: not Game Pass PC) on day one, April 1. The move marks a significant milestone for Game Pass, as this is the first third-party AAA game to arrive in the service library on its launch day. It could be a sign of exciting things to come for Game Pass subscribers. The game also supports full cross-play, so Game Pass subscribers will be able to play with players no matter which other platform they're on.
Original Story: Xbox Game Pass has been home to many launch day releases, but they've usually been limited to first-party games or indies. Now the always silly Game Pass Twitter folks seem to be teasing what could be the subscription's biggest third-party launch day game yet. It may be that Outriders is coming to Game Pass on launch day, April 1.
The folks who run the account routinely post jokes, memes, and the sort of weird, subversive millennial and Gen Z humor that you'd expect is too weird for such an official source, but it's worked very well for the team to date. Now, they're using fake boss and email aficionado "Melissa McGamePass" to hint at what's to come, and onlookers are speculating that it's Square Enix's forthcoming loot shooter.
"There's probably a hint about a game in here somewhere honestly we can't even keep up with all the announcements lately," said a tweet which included another fake email from the in-universe McGamePass. In the image, the fake boss asked, "Has anyone else noticed a mysterious signal appearing in the distance or am I the anomaly in this situation?" The phrasing appears to relate to the story of Outriders, which is focused on a superstorm called The Anomaly the players encounter while chasing a strange signal in the 22nd century.
The fake email also refers to the game as unrelated to the other recent news, meaning it's not a Bethesda title, and even calls it a "new game," which could mean new to the service or brand new. Its's tough to say. With so much speculation, one might expect Square Enix to clarify the matter if Outriders isn't coming to Game Pass, if nothing else just to protect pre-orders. But the publisher hasn't done that, which may in fact mean it's hoping to secure a few more pre-orders before the news is revealed.
If Outriders is launching into Game Pass, it may be a huge boon for the loot shooter, which is built on the premise of having a robust community of players but maybe would've struggled out of the gate as a new IP in a crowded genre. We should find out soon whether it's coming to Game Pass or not, as Outriders arrives on PlayStation, Xbox, Stadia, and PC on April 1.
