The action RPG’s Xbox launch has been penned in for June, though a specific launch date has yet to be confirmed. On Xbox Series X, the game will feature support for 4K and 60 FPS, HDR, and ray tracing. In addition to the two current-gen titles, Zenless Zone Zero will also be available via Xbox Cloud Gaming, which means Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers will be able to play the game without having to download anything (as long as you have a good enough internet connection, that is). 

Alongside its Xbox launch, Zenless Zone Zero will also get its 2.0 update in June, which will bring new story content, a new area called Waifei Peninsula, and more. 

Zenless Zone Zero is currently available for PS5, PC, iOS, and Android.

It’s unlikely that the development team will reveal the next update since Special Program streams are meant for the same. Nevertheless, we should learn more about the hack-and-slash title’s resolution and frame rate on Xbox Series X/S alongside other potential features.

Stay tuned for more details and updates. Zenless Zone Zero is available for PS5, PC, iOS, and Android. Like miHoYo’s other flagship franchises, it’s a gacha game, though the post-apocalyptic setting of New Eridu and combat set it apart.

You can check out our review of the launch version, but it’s received numerous updates and improvements since then. Version 1.7 should launch later this month (adding new characters like Vlad and Vivian, so perhaps the Xbox version will coincide with the same.

New characters like Hugo and Vivian are introduced, but perhaps more importantly, additional content will focus on Anby and her past as Soldier 0. As a new S-Rank Attack Agent, Silver Soldier – Anby can inflict Aftershock as a new Status effect and increase allies’ critical damage against a target.

The other new S-Rank is Trigger, part of Obol Squad (same as Soldier 11) and an Electric Stun Agent. Her gimmick is Purge, which increases the party’s damage against an enemy while also increasing Aftershock damage. If that wasn’t enough, Pulchra Fellini will be available as a new A-Rank Physical Stun character.

Other content includes a new Difficulty 6 in Battlefront Purge, Shadow Operation in Hollow Zero, and a new boss Geppetto. Stay tuned for more details ahead of the update’s release.

Alongside a new story quest focused on New Year and Astra’s performance at Starloop, it adds two new gameplay modes – Endless Tower: The Last Stand and Perpetrator Battle. A new Arcade game, Mach 25, will also be available, and there’s even fishing. As for Astra, she’s an S-Rank Support who deals Ether damage. She can also heal her teammates, a first for the action title.

Other new features include the ability to equip alternate outfits for characters. Astra, Ellen, and Nicole are the first recipients, while a new dress-up mini-game will also be available. Stay tuned for more details when the update goes live in the coming weeks.

Zenless Zone Zero is available for PS5, PC, iOS, and Android. Check out our review.

The newest content coming to the free-to-play action RPG will be showcased. These include new limited five-star characters, Astra Yao and her bodyguard, Eveline Chevalier. The former is an Agent specializing in Ether damage and acting as a Support.

Meanwhile, the latter is an Attack Agent who deals Fire damage. Both are the only two characters revealed from the Stars of Lyra faction. Following the events of Version 1.4, it remains to be seen how their paths will cross with protagonists Belle and Wise.

Stay tuned for more details (and codes for free Polychromes) during the Special Program. Zenless Zone Zero is available for PS5, PC, iOS, and Android. Check out our review of the base game, which we praised for its combat, visual style, and music.

Announcing Version 1.5 “Astra-nomical Moment” Special Program

Dear Proxies, Zenless Zone Zero Version 1.5 “Astra-nomical Moment” Special Program will start on January 10 at 19:30 (UTC+8).

The Special Program will be broadcast live on our official channels. In this livestream,… pic.twitter.com/zMK53Es6M7

— Zenless Zone Zero (@ZZZ_EN) January 8, 2025

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: HEART OF CHORNOBYL

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 made grand promises about its size and scope leading up to launch, and it makes good on those promises without a shadow of doubt. Even seeing the main story alone to completion requires a hefty time investment, but if you’re trying to experience every single thing the game has to offer, you’re easily going to clock in at least a hundred hours, if not more.

MICROSOFT FLIGHT SIMULATOR 2024

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is exactly the sort of game for you if you like pouring endless hours into a single game. Like its 2020 predecessor, it lures you in with the promise of a large, authentically recreated digital twin of our planet and flight simulation mechanics, while this time, there’s an even greater amount of content and attention to detail in general to be impressed with. Chances are, if the game gets its hooks in you, you’re going to keep going back to it for some time to come.

LIKE A DRAGON: INFINITE WEALTH

A long Like a Dragon game? Who’d have thunk, eh? Of course, almost dauntingly long runtimes have been a key characteristic of Yakuza games for a long time now, but even by the series’ standards, Infinite Wealth is particularly beefy. Even the quickest of playthrough of this colossal RPG can easily take between 50-60 hours, but players who want to experience everything in the game are easily looking at over a hundred hours.

FINAL FANTASY 7 REBIRTH

“Epic” doesn’t begin to describe the scope of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Square Enix truly went all out with this game, as illustrated by just how much has been crammed into the experience. This is a massive open world RPG that – if, in addition to the main story, you’re also doing all of the side quests and every single side activity while taking the time to thoroughly explore each map – can keep you glued to your screen for upwards of even 150 hours.

PALWORLD

In its early access form, Palworld isn’t technically a “finished” game, but Pocketpair’s open world survival MMO is still a sizeable game. How sizeable exactly? Well, given its genre, it is designed around being highly replayabe, which gives it an inherent leg up in this area. Though a 30-40 hour playthrough is technically enough to get through the game’s critical path, Palworld has enough meat on its bones to keep you occupied for more than twice as long.

HELLDIVERS 2

The beauty of endlessly playable live service multiplayer games like Helldivers 2 (i.e. the good ones, which is admittedly a bit of a rare breed) is that you can play them almost infinitely. Not literally, maybe, but Arrowhead Game Studios’ co-op shooter is so incredibly well made and boasts such a strong core gameplay loop that many have already clocked an almost unreasonable amount of time into the game since it came out earlier this year.

ONCE HUMAN

Starry Studio’s open world multiplayer survival game Once Human is definitely a flawed piece, with issues such as some tedious mechanics, combat issues, rough storytelling, and more dragging it down. There is, however, plenty to enjoy here as well, and if that stuff does end up grabbing you, the good news for you is that Once Human has no shortage of content to get lost in.

THRONE AND LIBERTY

We’ve mentioned a few multiplayer-centric games here that find different ways to keep players coming back- but that is, of course, baked into the very DNA of an MMORPG. That is admittedly a genre with a historically low hit rate, and though Amazon Games’ Throne and Liberty is far from perfect, it does give players plenty of reasons to keep diving into its fantasy world. Grindiness may be an issue, but at least there’s plenty to do.

TEKKEN 8

A good fighting game has several tricks up its sleeve to keep players glued over a prolonged period of time, and Tekken 8 is one of the very best fighters out there, which means this is the sort of game that you can completely lose yourself to. You can technically see the game through to full completion in under 20 hours, but Tekken 8 delivers one of the most addictive and captivating fighting experiences out there, which means pouring in that amount of time multiple times over is very much conceivable.

DRAGON BALL: SPARKING! ZERO

Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO is a very different kind of fighting game from Tekken 8, but it, too, is not only good enough, but also substantial enough to keep players busy for long stretches. The core mechanics are immaculate, there’s plenty of content on offer, and the roster is stupidly crowded. Dragon Ball fans can spend days upon days just pitting an infinite combination of characters against each other.

RISE OF THE RONIN

Team Ninja’s open world debut did not go as well as many would have hoped, and Rise of the Ronin is certainly nowhere near as good as the Nioh games, but though it’s got its share of rough edges, it’s also undoubtedly a large game. It does suffer from rote and repetitive design, which means not everyone may have the patience for everything that the game encompasses, but given the fact that the combat and traversal mechanics always remain highly enjoyable at their core, spending close to a hundred hours playing Rise of the Ronin might have some appeal.

SATISFACTORY

Over five years in early access had assured many that Satisfactory would be good, and sure enough, it’s good. How good? Well, just its main story alone requires over a hundred hours, while a completionist run is going to take you roughly twice as long. And in spite of those daunting demands, this is still a game that those who’ve played it will heartily will recommend to you. That’s how good Satisfactory is.

DRAGON’S DOGMA 2

Sticking to the critical path to finish the main story will see you putting roughly 25-30 hours into Dragon’s Dogma 2, but honestly, that’s one of the worst possible ways to play this game. Capcom’s open world action RPG constantly begs players to go off the beaten path, mess around with its sandbox systems, follow your curiosity, and be distracted by the abundant optional content on offer. There’s lots to do in Dragon’s Dogma 2, the majority of which is a blast, to the extent that even a comprehensive 100-hour playthrough can pass by in a flash.

ELDEN RING: SHADOW OF THE ERDTREE

From Software has made it a habit of delivering expansive, action RPGs that can keep you busy for long, long stretches, and Elden Ring’s expansion Shadow of the Erdtree doesn’t buck that trend. From a lengthy critical path line to plentiful side content to a number of difficult to find secrets, Shadow of the Erdtree has no shortage of things to do- and thanks to its slick combat, engrossing boss fights, and eye-popping art style, you’re going to have an absolute blast as you’re doing all of it.

GRANBLUE FANTASY: RELINK

Simply playing through its main story is a solid enough way to get a taste of Granblue Fantasy: Relink, but Cygames’ action RPG is at its best when you truly dive into its co-op offerings, optional content, and its sizeable endgame. Repetitive quest design and grindy progression can be grating, but the game’s pros outweigh its cons, which is why so many of its players have happily sunk over a hundred hours into it.

He’ll be available to claim before Version 1.6 drops. Miyabi is available until January 21st, 2025, and serves as an Ice Anomaly Agent who’s deadly with a sword. Check out the latest trailer below, showcasing her mental training with impressive animation. Version 1.4 also brings other new content, including revamped Main Story stages up to Chapter 3, and Chapter 5, where players work together with Section 6.

You can also switch to other available Agents to roam New Eridu and even enable Quality Time to have Belle and Wise hang out with them. Combat has also seen a big change where team members get their own Ultimates instead of having one available at any given time.

Zenless Zone Zero Version 1.4 “A Storm of Falling Stars” is Now Live!#zzzero #zenlesszonezero#AStormofFallingStars pic.twitter.com/pFpyBJIfcd

— Zenless Zone Zero (@ZZZ_EN) December 18, 2024

Based on the teaser image (and leaks thus far), it seems that Hoshimi Miyabi, the chief of Section 6 and the youngest ever “Void Hunter”, will be the next limited 5-star character. She’s allegedly an Anomaly character who deals Ice damage and is one of the most anticipated arrivals in the free-to-play action title.

Asaba Harumasa, another member of Section 6 and an alleged Electric Specialty character, is also reportedly coming with the update. Rumors indicate that he’ll be available for free (with an asset for the same discovered recently), but stay tuned for more details. If that wasn’t enough, Zenless Zone Zero is allegedly coming to Xbox Series X/S alongside Version 1.4 later this month.

Announcing Zenless Zone Zero Version 1.4 “A Storm of Falling Stars” Special Program

Dear Proxies, Zenless Zone Zero Version 1.4 “A Storm of Falling Stars” Special Program will start at 19:30 on December 6 (UTC+8).
Follow our official livestream channels:
YouTube >>… pic.twitter.com/5mzK9unOiK

— Zenless Zone Zero (@ZZZ_EN) December 3, 2024

Flying Flame, who accurately leaks characters arriving in future updates, reported the Xbox Series X/S version allegedly arriving with Patch 1.4. The latter is out on December 18th, and with The Game Awards happening on December 13th, a surprise announcement wouldn’t be too far-fetched.

However, the patch could add support with the Xbox Series X/S version going live in January once the exclusivity period ends. Time will tell, of course, so stay tuned for more details. You can also check out our review of Zenless Zone Zero here. We gave it an 8 out of 10, praising the combat mechanics and visuals.

A new commission from the Hollow Investigate Association sees players working with Section 6 and Deputy Chief Tsukishiro Yanagi. Meanwhile, they can also celebrate Settlement Days with Lighter from the Sons of Calydon. Both characters will have Special Episodes and dedicated banners, with Yanagi acting as an S-level Anomaly character who deals Electric damage.

Lighter is also S-level and specializes in Stun and Fire damage. Two new A-level Bangboo – Baddieboo and Knightboo – will also be available. Other content includes new modes like the roguelike Mystery of Arpeggio Fault and Simulated Battle Trial, a tower with progressively more challenging enemies.

As if that wasn’t enough, new events and decorations for Random Play’s second floor will also be available. Stay tuned for more details when the update arrives next month.