Xbox's South of Midnight looks like the Southern Gothic adventure I've always wanted

What you need to know

• South of Midnight is an upcoming adventure game from Compulsion Games and Xbox Game Studios.
• The teams have shared a documentary for South of Midnight, with members of the cast and different facets of development discussing how it brings Southern Gothic adventures to life.
• South of Midnight is slated to launch at some point in 2025 across Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

We've got plenty of details to dive into for one of the more unique Xbox games launching next year.

Xbox Game Studios and Compulsion Games shared a documentary on Tuesday, diving into the art, music, and story of upcoming third-person adventure game South of Midnight. In order to craft this game, Montreal-based Compulsion Games enlisted help from across the United States and Canada, bringing in experts in Southern Gothic storytelling that could help bring this fantastical world to life.

Ahmed Best, known for his work in Star Wars, joined the team as voice and performance director. Meanwhile, Adriyan Rae lends her voice and performance capture to the game's protagonist Hazel, while Nona Parker Johnson provides capture and stunt support.

You can watch the full documentary below:

Weaving Hazel's Journey - A South of Midnight Documentary - YouTube

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While preorders for the game aren't open yet, there is an art and music bundle for South of Midnight that's now available for preorder. Weighing in at $140, it includes a hardcover art book and the game's soundtrack on vinyl.

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Kicking off 2025 with a southern adventure?

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

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Everything that Compulsion Games and Xbox showed in this documentary speaks volumes to me.

I grew up in the south, spending my childhood exploring parts of the Carolinas, and I've always been drawn to stories of the swamps and the things lurking within them. There's an odd juxtaposition to them, a peaceful eeriness that calls to me. I'm looking forward to hanging out with Hazel, Two-Toed Tom, and everyone else in South of Midnight, human or gator.

I do wonder when we'll be getting a release date, as the gameplay bits shown here and there (as well as earlier this year at the Xbox Games Showcase 2024) certainly seem fairly far along. Hopefully we'll learn exactly when we'll be playing it soon.

South of Midnight is coming to Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC in 2025. Like all Xbox first-party games, it'll be available day one in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.

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