The Altershas joined theXbox Game Pass Ultimatecontent catalog. This day-one title is the seventh new addition to Microsoft’s subscription service in June 2025 and the 68thXbox Game Pass Ultimaterelease since the start of the year.
The Altersis a sci-fi survival game made by 11 Bit Studios, a Polish developer with several highly acclaimed titles to its name. The Warsaw-based company made a name for itself withThis War of Mine, a 2014 survival strategy game that won over 100 awards. Since then, the studio launched the Victorian city builderFrostpunkand its sequel in 2018 and 2024, respectively. Both were met with a highly favorable response from fans and critics alike, withFrostpunk 2evenwinning the Best Sim / Strategy Game honor at The Game Awards 2024.
FollowingseveralThe Altersdelays, the latest title from the award-winning studio has at last launched for PC, consoles, and Xbox Game Pass this Friday, June 13. Looking at its early critical reception,The Altersis the highest-rated day-one addition to Microsoft’s content catalog in several months. It presently holds a “Mighty” rating on OpenCritic, with an average score of 86 and a 93% reviewer recommendation rate. The last day-one Xbox Game Pass release that scored better wasBlue Prince, which debuted on April 10 with an 89 average rating on OpenCritic.
Console
Jun 26
Day-one (console) release. Available on PC Game Pass since October 2021.
Oct 29
Day-one release.
The Alterscasts players as Jan Dolski, a space miner who finds himself on a highly inhospitable planet. On a constant run from the sunrise and its lethal radiation, Dolski uses a material known as Rapidium to create alternate versions of himself by looking at his past and envisioning different choices he might have made. In doing so, he can effectively enlist the help of a botanist, technician, scientist, and many other cloned experts. These titular “Alters” won’t necessarily get along with one another, making managing their wants and needs an important part of the gameplay loop, which alsoinfluencesThe Alters' storytelling. On top of that, the game features base building, presented from a 2D perspective in a manner reminiscent ofXCOMandFallout Shelter.
