The gaming world is buzzing as The Alters makes its grand entrance into the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate library. This highly anticipated title marks the seventh new addition to Microsoft's subscription service in June 2025 and stands as the 68th major release for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate this year.

Developed by Poland's renowned 11 Bit Studios, The Alters represents a bold new direction in narrative-driven survival games. The Warsaw-based team first gained international recognition with their groundbreaking 2014 release This War of Mine, which earned over 100 industry awards. Their subsequent successes with the Frostpunk series (2018 and 2024) further cemented their reputation for creating emotionally impactful, mechanically rich gaming experiences. Notably, Frostpunk 2 claimed the prestigious Best Sim/Strategy Game award at The Game Awards 2024.

After experiencing multiple delays in its development cycle, The Alters finally launched across PC, consoles, and Xbox Game Pass on June 13, 2025. Early reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, with the game currently holding an impressive 86 average score on OpenCritic and a 93% recommendation rate from critics. This makes it the highest-rated day-one addition to Microsoft's subscription service in recent months, surpassing even Blue Prince's notable 89 rating from April.

The game introduces players to Jan Dolski, a space miner stranded on a deadly alien world. The innovative core mechanic revolves around using Rapidium to create alternate versions of himself - specialized clones with different skills and personalities based on hypothetical life choices. These 'Alters' (botanists, technicians, scientists, etc.) must be carefully managed as they don't always cooperate, adding complex interpersonal dynamics to the survival gameplay. The experience combines this with base-building elements inspired by classics like XCOM and Fallout Shelter, all presented through a distinctive 2D perspective.

Currently, The Alters is exclusively available to PC Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers. Following Microsoft's typical release patterns, the game will likely join the XGP Standard catalog between December 2025 and June 2026. The exact timing depends on the licensing agreement duration, with one-year contracts being standard for third-party titles on the platform.