Xbox Developer Direct 2025: Everything Announced

Xbox’s big Developer Direct has arrived for 2025 and features some big games headed to Xbox players later this year, including Doom: The Dark Ages, South of Midnight, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and the surprise reveal of Ninja Gaiden 4.

You can check out all the news from the Xbox Developer Direct below, and be sure to let us know which game you are most excited for in the comments below!

Ninja Gaiden 4 Announced From Team Ninja and PlatinumGames for Fall 2025

Team Ninja and PlatinumGames have announced Ninja Gaiden 4, which will be the first entry in the beloved franchise in over a decade.

While Ryu Hayabusa will play an important role in the story and will be playable, Ninja Gaiden 4 will star Yakumo, a new character from the Raven Clan.

“A significant amount of time has passed since NINJA GAIDEN 3, and players will find themselves arriving in a gruesomely transformed Tokyo,” Ninja Gaiden 4 director and producer from PlatinumGames, Yuji Nakao, said to Xbox Wire. “One of the key themes of this story is the return of the Dark Dragon, which has plunged the city into chaos. Within these unsettling conditions, Yakumo will have to face off against his foes, as well as the formidable Master Ninja himself, Ryu Hayabusa.”

Yakumo will not have an easy road through Tokyo, as it has been threatened and changed by the Dark Dragon’s miasma rain. Luckily, he’ll have some new abilities like being able to travel at high speeds via rail and wire-based actions.

Yakumo will also be able to use his “Bloodraven Form,” which is described as a “technique that manipulates the blood of oneself and enemies, transforming it into a massive weapon capable of slicing through multiple foes at once.” When “certain conditions” are met, he will also be able to unleash a move called “Bloodbath Kill” which will “instantly bisect enemies in one strike.”

Ninja Gaiden 4 will be released in Fall 2025.

Ninja Gaiden 2 Black Is Now Available Via a Surprise Shadow Drop

We may have to wait a bit for Ninja Gaiden 4, but fans of Ryu Hayabusa can rest easy knowing they can jump into Ninja Gaiden 2 Black right now via Xbox Game Pass as it has had a surprise shadow drop during the Xbox Developer Direct!

Doom: The Dark Ages Will Rip and Tear Its Way to a May 2025 Release Date

Doom: The Dark Ages will will be released on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC on May 15, 2025, and developer id Software gave fans a gory and delightful new look at the game during the Xbox Developer Direct.

Doom: The Dark Ages will serve as a prequel to 2016’s Doom and Doom Eternal and will put a huge focus on making your Slayer feel as powerful as possible. Where 2016’s Doom was all about run and gunning and Doom Eternal was about making you feel like a “fighter jet,” Doom: The Dark Ages wants players to stand and fight with confidence as an “iron tank.”

To do so, you will be strafing a lot more than in previous games and utilizing a devastating Shield Saw that can both block incoming fire and destroy foes in your path. Players will also have access to a massive flail, an electric gauntlet, and a spiked mace. Oh, and you’ll get to pilot a mech and fly on a giant cybernetic dragon that comes complete with mounted gatling guns.

There will also be many more opportunities for exploration and choosing your path in Doom: The Dark Ages, and your Shield Saw will be very handy in finding hidden paths. id Software also promises the story will leave the codex and will be told in cutscenes.

For more, check out our first preview of Doom: The Dark Ages, who the composers are going to be, and why this entry is ditching multiplayer.

South of Midnight Gets a April 2025 Release Date

We Happy Few developer Compulsion Games not only showed off a new look at South of Midnight during the Xbox Developer Direct, but it also announced that it will be released on April 8, 2025.

In the trailer, Hazel takes center stage and we get to see her impressive powers in action. From weaving with magic to conjuring things to overcoming environmental obstacles, she will have a lot of tools at her disposal to conquer any challenge that heads her way.

Throughout South of Midnight, Hazel will travel to different regions that are run by magical creatures inspired by Southern Gothic history. She’ll need to help heal them by collecting their fragmented memories should she hope to emerge victorious.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Will Bring RPG Goodness to Xbox Players in April 2025

Sandfall Interactive’s RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 will be released on April 24, 2025, and it will bring RPG goodness to Xbox players around the world.

We also got an extended look at the game and its story, and we learned it doesn’t so much focus on good vs. evil, but instead features a bunch of flawed and unique characters that must work together to stop a looming threat despite their differences.

Alongside an extensive skill tree and unique character mechanics, RPG fans will be delighted to know there will be an actual world map that can be accessed between various areas and towns.

Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on TikTok.