Next up is Lightyear Frontier (available in Game Preview), My Time at Sandrock, Rolling Hills and Robin Hood – Sherwood Builders, all playable on January 8th for Game Pass Standard subscribers. Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can experience EA Sports UFC 5 on January 14th for Xbox Series X/S and the cloud.

The original Diablo is also playable on PC for Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers on the same. It’s an eclectic range of titles across various genres and platforms.

Of course, as is the case every month, several titles will leave Game Pass on January 15th. Members can purchase them at up to 20 percent off for permanent ownership. Check out all the games leaving next week:

• Common’Hood (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Escape Academy (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Exoprimal (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Figment (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Insurgency Sandstorm (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Those Who Remain (Cloud, Console, and PC)

On December 5th, Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers can look forward to EA Sports WRC on cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X/S via EA Play. Overthrown also enters early access via Game Preview for the same platforms. December 9th sees the arrival of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, followed by Wildfrost on December 10th.

The second wave of titles for the month is unknown, but Microsoft already has the first week of 2025 outlined. It starts with Carrion for consoles, cloud, and PC across all Game Pass tiers on January 2nd, followed by Road 96 on January 7th for the same.

As for the titles leaving the service, there’s a double whammy of departures. The following titles will be gone on December 15th:

• Amnesia: The Bunker (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Forager (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Forza Horizon 4 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Rise of the Tomb Raider (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Tin Hearts (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• The Quarry (Cloud and Console)

Then on December 31st, another batch of titles will no longer be available for subscribers:

• BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Close to the Sun (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Humankind (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Lego 2K Drive (Cloud and Console)
• McPixel 3 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Party Animals (Cloud and Console)

Based on the choices one makes, new avenues and routes open up. You’ll encounter different characters, some friendly and others hostile; uncover a bunch of secrets and learn more about the authoritarian forces governing the nation; and much more. Perhaps you’ll even change the world.

The title boasts a “thousand” different roads to travel, though some familiar characters may pop up from time to time. Also, regardless of your decisions, the story will continue and who knows what could happen next? Along with digital releases, physical editions for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One will be distributed by Merge Games. Stay tuned for more details on the same in the coming months.

Then there’s Ghost Ship Games which is known for the co-op first person shooter Deep Rock Galactic. It will remain autonomous though Embracer and Coffee Stain will support it with “new game development projects.” DigixArt is known for 11-11 Memories Retold and the upcoming Road 96 – it will remain independent under Koch Media.

3D Realms and Slipgate Ironworks are interesting though. The former will with Saber Interactive going forward and has six new titles in the works, though CEO Mike Nielsen is setting down in favor of Frederik Schreiber. Slipgate (which is working on Graven) has been acquired for its “proven expertise in development, co-development and porting.” It’s been acquired under Saber Interactive, which means it should be working with the team going forward.

As for what Road 96 has to offer, it sees the player embarking on a road-trip. However, because of the game’s procedural nature and the choices made, every adventure is a completely different experience. You can meet different characters in different scenarios, become involved with them, run up against the Regime and much, much more.

For example, you’ll run into a taxi driver named Jarod who, depending on how much he’s angered, will try to kill you. This isn’t the end of the adventure, though it remains to be seen just how many unique experiences Road 96 has to offer. Stay tuned for more details on the game when it releases next month.

Unfortunately, saying you don’t like dinosaurs can anger Jarod. Somehow, this all leads to him assuming you’re a Brigade member and threatening to shoot you. Even if the player manages to escape, the adventure keeps going, no doubt awaiting any further bad decisions you may choose to make.

This interaction with Jarod is one of many that can take place when venturing all the different roads. You’ll meet other characters, each with their back-stories and motivations. Depending on the decisions made, you could also potentially change the country. Road 96 is out later this Summer for Nintendo Switch and PC with a demo currently available as part of the Steam Next Fest.

DigixArts’ Road 96 opened up Nintendo’s Indie World Showcase. Announced last year, it’s an adventure title with procedural paths with different decisions opening up varying routes and branching paths. Check out the intriguing reveal trailer below.

The story focuses on two teens who are hitch-hiking on the open roads. There are all kinds of choices that one could make, from taking a truck to venturing to the wilderness. Different objectives also crop up, from seeking some one named Jarod (who seemingly serves as a boss fight on one occasion) to halting some kind of brigade. It seems that depending on one’s decisions, their traveling companion will be influenced as well.

Road 96 promises thousands of different routes for players and has quite the replay value. It’s out later this year for the Nintendo Switch and PC so expect more details in the coming months. Stay tuned for other announcements and news from the Indie World Showcase in the meantime.