Is Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess on Xbox Game Pass?

Kunitsu-Gami is coming to Xbox Game Pass

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess - Theme Song Trailer: "Kunitsu-Gami" - YouTube

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Developer and publisher Capcom is best known for massive hits like Resident Evil, Monster Hunter, and Street Fighter, but this summer, it's releasing a brand new IP: Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess. The game is coming to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4 in just a few days on July 18, and it's garnered a ton of hype from gamers captivated by its vibrant, almost painterly art direction, its narrative inspirations rooted in Japanese mythology, and its distinct blend of action combat, real-time strategy, and tower defense gameplay.

With so many folks interested in checking out Kunitsu-Gami, it's not a surprise that many are hopeful it will come to Microsoft's popular buffet-style gaming service Xbox Game Pass. Its monthly payment subscription model offers its members a cost-effective way to enjoy games they'd have to pay full price for otherwise, and Capcom's new title isn't exactly cheap with that $49.99 MSRP.

• DEAL: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate 3-month pre-paid cards are just $31.99 at CDKeys, giving you three months for the price of two before the price increase to $19.99 a month

If you're a Game Pass subscriber and are hoping for Kunitsu-Gami to come to the service, I've got good news: the game is indeed launching on Xbox Game Pass day one, and will be fully playable on all of its tiers. That means Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One players can jump in with its console version, PC gamers can do so on the Microsoft Store with PC Game Pass, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate users can play it on both as well as Xbox Cloud Gaming.

Something worth noting is that currently, it's unclear if the game will be available for new subscribers to the console-specific tier once Xbox Game Pass' major upcoming changes go into effect and Xbox Game Pass for Console is replaced with Xbox Game Pass Standard. Microsoft confirmed to Windows Central that this new version of the service won't include day one games, and while this is thought to only refer to titles from first-party Xbox Game Studios developers, it hasn't been confirmed officially that it doesn't include new games from third-party studios as well. If Microsoft provides clarification, I'll be sure to update this article with the latest.

Kunitsu-Gami combines action and strategy "with great success"

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is coming to Xbox Game Pass, but is it actually worth playing? In their review of the game, my colleague Zachary Boddy notes that while it's "not entirely free of rough spots," it fuses thrilling action and stimulating real-time strategy "with great success." They gave the game a score of four stars out of five, lauding it as one of the best Xbox games of 2024 thus far.

Capcom's new action-strategy title was one of the most visually striking games at the Xbox Games Showcase 2023 presentation it was first revealed at, and immediately piqued my interest with its vivid colors, gorgeous animations, and the premise of its story in which you bravely lead villagers against a spreading darkness that threatens to corrupt their mountain communities. As a result, I was already planning to check it out once it arrives, and our review — as well as many other favorable reviews — has only cemented my decision to download it day one.

It's worth noting that Kunitsu-Gami definitely seems to focus more on action rather than strategy, with elements of the latter being simpler than what hardcore strategy fans are used to. Some will undoubtedly see this as a negative, but as someone who gravitates more towards action titles and enjoys strategy games casually, I like the sound of the balance Capcom struck here.

Preferences vary, of course, but the nice thing about Kunitsu-Gami being on Game Pass is that if you're already a member, you have nothing to lose by checking it out once it releases. With a file size of just 17.1GB, it won't even take up much space on your hard drive, and should be quick to download and install as well.

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is almost here, and will be available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, PS5, and PS4 for $49.99 when it releases on July 18. You'll also be able to play it on Xbox Game Pass.

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Darkness | $49.99 $42.49 at GMG (PC, Steam)

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is one of the best new Xbox and PC games to play if you're a fan of action-strategy titles, and right now, you can pick it up for a cool discount on PC. The game is also launching onto Xbox Game Pass on day one.

Also at: Amazon (Xbox, PC)