South of Midnight release date and launch times confirmed: Preload now and see when early access is available in your region

South of Midnight, the latest creation of 'We Happy Few' creators Compulsion Games, is a week away from releasing worldwide on April 8, 2025, to the general public and only a few days from releasing on early access on April 3, 2025.

This game has captured the curiosity of gamers across the world for its Southern Gothic folktale setting and aesthetic, dark storyline, fantastical characters, gorgeous stop-motion-inspired animation, and brutal combat. Even our own Samuel Tolbert was mighty impressed by it when he got a hands-on preview with South of Midnight.

With its release date looming close, Compulsion Games has released the launch times for folks who bought the Premium Edition so they can play its early access period.

Here's everything you need to know when these early access times will be available in your home region, preload information, full release date, and more.

South of Midnight release date and early access launch times

South of Midnight is scheduled to launch worldwide on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Game Pass, and PC via Windows and Steam on April 8, 2025, at 9:00 AM (PDT), 12:00 PM (EDT), and 5:00 PM (UTC).

Meanwhile, the early access period for those who bought the Premium Edition will launch between April 3 and April 4, 2025, at various times depending on your home region's timezone.

These dates are the following:

What is South of Midnight?

South of Midnight - Story Trailer | Developer_Direct 2025 - YouTube

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South of Midnight is an upcoming third-person action-adventure game set in the American Deep South. You play as Hazel the Weaver, a woman who possesses the mystical power to communicate and mend broken bonds between spirits.

After a disastrous hurricane rips through her hometown, Hazel must embark on a perilous journey to master her newfound powers, protect what's left of her home, and rescue her mother, who has been abducted by evil forces.

Gameplay-wise, you will be exploring jaw-dropping, awe-inspiring locales of Prospero, conversing with strange, bizarre, mythical beings inspired by Deep South fairy tales, using your powers to heal broken creatures, and battling horrifying monsters called Haints.

South of Midnight

Take a trip to the Deep South and embark on a modern-day, fairy tale adventure where you must master powers to bend broken bonds, rescue your kidnapped mother, and encounter supernatural beings beyond your wildest dreams in South of Midnight.

Buy: Xbox | CDKeys (Steam)

South of Midnight full launch time countdown

The countdown timer below will tick until South of Midnight's full release on April 8, 2025, in the US Eastern Daylight Time, New York City, at which point the game will launch worldwide.

Is South of Midnight available to preload?

Yes, South of Midnight is available to preload as Compulsion Games made it so on March 24, 2025, a few days after the game went gold. With this feature, you will be able to download and install the game ahead of its release date and early access period so you can start playing it immediately.

South of Midnight's download size: How much space will it take on your console or PC?

South of Midnight - Gameplay Reveal - Xbox Games Showcase 2024 - YouTube

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South of Midnight won't take up a huge chunk of space on your Xbox or PC hard drive's storage space, but it is still fairly sizeable to the point where you may want to make room for it.

On Xbox Series X|S, South of Midnight will be 42.50 GB at first, then it grows in size to 58 GB once it is unpacked. Meanwhile, on PC, South of Midnight's download size will be 61.1 GB total.

According to South of Midnight's PC requirements, the game's performance "scales with higher-end systems," so it may be a good idea to upgrade your rig so you can experience this game's visuals to their maximum potential.

South of Midnight is slated to launch on April 8, 2025 on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and Windows PC. Like all Xbox first-party games, it’s included day one in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC. Preordering the Premium Edition grants early access starting on April 3.