Microsoft went live on Jan. 23 with its first Xbox Developer Direct of the year, focusing on four games: Doom: The Dark Ages, South of Midnight, Clair Obsur: Expedition 33, and Ninja Gaiden 4. The broadcast, which was held on Thursday at 1 p.m. EST, was originally available on the Xbox YouTube and Twitch channels, but you can find everything announced right here. The big reveal of the event was Ninja Gaiden 4 from PlatinumGames and Team Ninja — the latest in the mainline Ninja Gaiden franchise sine Ninja Gaiden 3.
Beyond these four games, Microsoft has a busy year ahead of it: Avowed, Fable, and The Outer Worlds 2 are all slated for 2025, too, though they weren’t showcased during the Thursday Xbox Developer Direct. Here’s what was.
Ninja Gaiden
Ninja Gaiden 4 was announced during Thursday’s Xbox Developer Direct. The last mainline game, Ninja Gaiden 3 was released in 2012, but several other games have spun off from the franchise since then. The game is c0-developed by Team Ninja and Platinum Games, and is expected to come to PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series. (Xbox Game Pass, too.)
Ninja Gaiden 2: Black
Ninja Gaiden 2: Black is a re-release of Ninja Gaiden 2, and it’s available to play Thursday. The game is remade in Unreal Engine 5, according to the presentation, and is on Xbox Game Pass. Ninja Gaiden 2 was originally released in 2008.
South of Midnight
Compulsion Games gave a detailed overview of South of Midnight, its southern gothic adventure from that’s expected out in 2025. The main character, Hazel, travels the haunted, fictionalized Deep South looking for her mother and healing doomed creatures. Thursday’s update focused heavily on the game’s mechanics and fighting — including big ol’ bosses, like a giant croc —but also included details on the game’s story and stop motion-esque animation and art style. South of Midnight will be released April 8.
Clair Obsur: Expedition 33
In a new look at Clair Obsur: Expedition 33, developer Sandfall Interactive showed off its “reactive” turn-based roleplaying game — a new, quicker turn-based sort of thing. There’s both risk and strategy, Sandfall Interactive said. It also dove into the game’s story, set in a French fantasy world, and player customization. Clair Obsur: Expedition 33 will be released on April 24.
Doom: The Dark Ages
Medieval war against hell? Yes, that sounds about right. Doom: The Dark Ages is a prequel to Doom (2016), and a great entry point for new players, according to the developer. Instead of the acrobatic speed of Doom Eternal, Doom: The Dark Ages is more about power and tank-like force — still, with a lot of fun, chaotic mechanics like a shield that’s a big saw. From Doom’s “run-and-gun” to Doom Eternal’s “jump-and-shoot,” Doom: The Dark Ages’ motto is “stand and shoot.”
There’s also a mech that’s really big and punches. And a cybernetic dragon. Doom: The Dark Ages will be released on May 15.