Microsoft held its March Xbox Partner Preview on March 26, revealing console launches for Hades 2 and several other titles alongside new details for upcoming games. Highlights included a release date for Supergiant Games' Hades 2 on Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 next month, plus fresh looks at Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio's Stranger Than Heaven. Many announced games will join Xbox Game Pass.
Microsoft's Xbox Partner Preview event on March 26 showcased updates on 19 games heading to Xbox Series X/S, with many also coming to PlayStation 5, PC, and Game Pass. Supergiant Games announced Hades 2, the sequel to its 2020 hit, will launch on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Game Pass on April 14. The roguelike action game, starring Melinoë as she battles titan Chronos, had previously been available on PC and Nintendo Switch platforms since its early access debut in 2024 and full Switch release in September 2025. It skips older consoles like PS4 and Xbox One despite running on the original Switch hardware. Dom reviewed Hades 2 positively for Eurogamer, praising its action and narrative as drawing down the moon with Herculean effort. Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, known for the Like a Dragon series, provided new details on Stranger Than Heaven, a violent RPG set in Japan's crime underworld across five eras—1915, 1929, 1943, 1951, and 1965—and five cities. Executive producer Masayoshi Yokoyama told Xbox Wire, 'As you can imagine, five cities and five eras is a massive undertaking. We're putting a tremendous amount of care into bringing to life these times and places we feel are rarely explored in games.' The trailer highlighted real-time combat with weapons, grappling, and environmental interactions, hinting at familiar faces in an all-star cast. A dedicated Xbox Direct airs May 6 (PDT 4pm) or May 7 depending on timezone. Other key reveals included Teyon's Hunter: The Reckoning – Deathwish, an action-RPG in the World of Darkness setting due summer 2027, inspired by Supernatural and Baldur’s Gate 3. Team Meat's Super Meat Boy 3D platformer launches March 31 on multiple platforms including Game Pass. Annapurna Interactive unveiled Forever Ago, a heartfelt road trip adventure by Third Shift with Slay the Spire composer Clark Aboud, set for fall. GSC Game World announced Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl's Cost of Hope expansion for summer 2026, adding regions like the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Additional titles like Serious Sam: Shatterverse by Behavior Interactive, Grave Seasons from Blumhouse, and co-op Frog Sqwad round out the diverse lineup, emphasizing Microsoft's multi-platform push.
