The year isn't over yet, and the holiday shopping season hasn't really kicked off in full swing. However, that hasn't stopped Microsoft from revealing which game attracted the most Game Pass users in 2025, based on the number of unique users during the first 30 days.
And as you may have already guessed from the headline, it's the highly acclaimed title Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. ID@Xbox boss Guy Richards explains in a post on Xbox Wire why Microsoft chose to add the game to its subscription service so early (confirmed a year before its release):
"From the start, Sandfall's ambition was clear and we really felt they wanted to create something truly special, something beyond expectations for the team. Once we played early builds, we experienced their gripping story, stunning visuals and the mix of JRPG mechanics with French cultural themes that felt fresh and distinctive. It's the kind of experience we knew Xbox players would love to discover."
Sandfall Interactive's creative director Guillaume Broche is also in good spirits and explains why he thinks Game Pass has been beneficial for the studio's debut title, stating that the collaboration has allowed "a lot of people to try our game when maybe they might not have before. The turn-based RPG genre has a lot of fans, but sometimes it might put people who prefer more real-time action games off, but Game Pass lowered that barrier of entry. They could just try it and see how it feels. So a lot of curious players could start the game, explore Lumière and the early game, and realize there's a lot to enjoy here, even if they weren't expecting it at first."
Next week, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is expected to win several awards at the prestigious The Game Awards after receiving the most nominations ever. We will be covering the event and reporting on the awards ceremony, news, show trailers, and more.
How about you? Has Game Pass helped you discover titles you might not have given a chance otherwise?