Xbox Game Pass subscribers can now dip into Ancient Greek RPG Assassin’s Creed Odyssey.
Microsoft announced it had swooped up Assassin's Creed Odyssey for its subscription service during the Xbox Tokyo Game Show livestream. And it's live on Xbox Game Pass right now.
The second game to release in the series’ mythology trilogy – and the follow-up to Assassin’s Creed Origins – Odyssey continued the trend of its predecessor. Steering clear of the stealth-focused gameplay that hallmarked early Assassin’s Creed titles, it's an expansive RPG that places greater emphasis on combat and character stat progression.
We gave it second place in our ranking of the best Assassin's Creed games, praising its gorgeous open world, loving take on Greek mythology, and gripping multiple endings. It also received a welcome update last year that added 60fps support for Xbox Series X|S and PS5 consoles.
Lots of Ubisoft, all of the time
It’s the latest Ubisoft game to hit Xbox Game Pass after the publisher announced a new partnership with Microsoft earlier this year. Ubisoft said it would bring more of its games to the subscription service, and has so far added Assassin’s Creed Origins, Watch Dogs 2, and Ghost Recon: Wildlands.
Given both Odyssey and Origins are now on the platform, it’s likely Assassin’s Creed Valhalla will eventually join them. But don’t count on seeing the Viking RPG on Game Pass anytime soon. Valhalla only just received a new roguelike expansion, and its final free update is planned to release later this year. Ubisoft might hold it back from Game Pass until after Assassin’s Creed Mirage hit shelves in 2023.
PlayStation owners have better luck. Valhalla is already on Sony’s revamped PS Plus subscription service, and five other Assassin’s Creed games were put on the platform back in July. Between Game Pass and PS Plus, it's never been easier to pick up the Assassin's Creed series.
That's doubly handy because the franchise is only getting bigger. Ubisoft recently announced it's working on two other titles besides Mirage, codenamed Red and Hexe. Red will take the series to Feudal Japan, while Hexe looks tinged with folk horror. They’ll build into Assassin’s Creed Infinity – an upcoming platform that will act as a central hub for the entire series.
It might be wishful thinking to expect all of them to hit Game Pass or PS Plus. But the release of Rainbow Six Extraction earlier this year has already shown Ubisoft is willing to put big, triple-A games on third-party platforms at launch. Fingers crossed.
