Xbox Game Pass bags viral Steam horror game as latest must-play freebie

Xbox has swooped in to claim a viral horror game coming to PC this month, making a must-play addition to Xbox Game Pass.

Xbox Game Pass has been on a bit of a roll recently if we do say so ourselves. The latest additions have been stellar, and while free-to-play AAAs are always appreciated, it’s indie games that have shined the brightest on Xbox’s subscription service.

From Russian Roulette games that you’ll definitely play more than once, to Jet Set Radio-inspired platformers perfect for a weekend playthrough, you’ll almost always find something to play.

Now Xbox has its sights set on another exceptional indie. This time a horror that’s garnered a lot of attention.

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Shift At Midnight is an Xbox Game Pass title you should play in the dark

Horror games have taken on a new form over the last couple of years. The term ‘friend slop” has been coined for anything that’s meant to make you laugh, while simultaneously scaring the socks off you.

Shift At Midnight is one such game, as this three-player co-op title tasks you and friends with defending your gas station store from things that go bump in the night.

As reported by WindowsCentral, Shift At Midnight was originally set to launch on just PC via Steam, where a free demo can be played right now.

When the game’s developer Bun Muen shared the game’s release date however, it came with the surprise announcement that it’ll also be coming to Xbox consoles and be featured on Xbox Game Pass.

It’ll slot right next to inKONBINI: One Store. Many Stories as a game that tasks players with running a small business. That said, inKONBINI is a much cosier game, and doesn’t feature anything that wants to bite your face off.

The goal of Shift At Midnight is simple; run the store but pay close attention to the customers walking through the door.

Some of these late-night visitors aren’t what they seem, and you may need to take drastic action to remove them from the premises before they wreak havoc.

Best laid plans always tend to go awry though, and should the store be compromised you’ll need to “board up, set traps, and hide” as the game’s description puts it.

When Shift At Midnight launches it will support crossplay, but in a limited variety. Those playing on Steam will only be able to play with other Steam users, whereas those on Xbox will only be able to play with Xbox PC users.

This is good to know in advance, as our playthrough of another recent Game Pass addition called RV There Yet? was halted before it began thanks to this limitation.

Friend slop games get a lot of flack these days for being unoriginal, uninspired or altogether unfun. Shift At Midnight looks like an easy exception to this rule however, and we’re excited to give it a go when it launches on PC and Xbox on July 22. A free demo is available on Steam right now.