Xbox Game Pass subscribers can now immerse themselves in the ancient Greek RPG Assassin's Creed Odyssey.
Microsoft announced that it chose Assassin's Creed Odyssey for its subscription service during the Xbox Tokyo Game Show live stream (opens in a new tab). And it's live on Xbox Game Pass right now.
The second game to be released in the series' mythology trilogy, and the follow-up to Assassin's Creed Origins, Odyssey continued the trend of its predecessor. Eschewing the stealthy gameplay that characterized early Assassin's Creed titles, it's an expansive RPG that places more emphasis on combat and character stat progression.
We gave it second place in our ranking of the best Assassin's Creed games, praising its beautiful open world, its loving take on Greek mythology, and its multiple captivating endings. It also received a welcome update last year that added 60fps support for Xbox Series X | Yes and PS5.
Lots of Ubisoft, all the time
It's the latest Ubisoft game to release on Xbox Game Pass after the publisher announced a new partnership with Microsoft earlier this year. Ubisoft said it will be bringing more of its games to the subscription service and has so far added Assassin's Creed Origins, Watch Dogs 2, and Ghost Recon: Wildlands.
Since Odyssey and Origins are now on the platform, it's likely that Assassin's Creed Valhalla will eventually join them. But don't expect to see RPG Viking on Game Pass anytime soon. Valhalla just got a new roguelike expansion, and its latest free update is set to release later this year. It is possible that Ubisoft will withhold it from Game Pass until Assassin's Creed Mirage is released in 2023.
PlayStation owners are luckier. Valhalla is already on Sony's revamped PS Plus subscription service, and five more Assassin's Creed games hit the platform in July. Between Game Pass and PS Plus, getting the Assassin's Creed series has never been easier.
It is doubly convenient because the franchise is only growing. Ubisoft recently announced that it is working on two other titles besides Mirage, called Red and Hexe. Red will take the series to feudal Japan, while Hexe seems tinged with folk horror. They will be integrated into Assassin's Creed Infinity, an upcoming platform that will serve as the hub of the entire series.
It can be wishful thinking to expect them all to come to Game Pass or PS Plus. But the release of Rainbow Six Extraction earlier this year already showed that Ubisoft is ready to put great triple-A games on third-party platforms at launch. Fingers crossed.