Xbox Game Pass Free Surprise Day 1 Launch is Starfield Meets Animal Crossing

Xbox Game Pass has just added a new surprise Day One game, and it seems perfect for co-op shenanigans with your mates.

The new co-operative game Young Suns has just been added to Xbox Game Pass as a surprise shadow drop, and it might be the perfect mix of Starfield and Animal Crossing.

Young Suns is developed by KO_OP, the Canadian indie studio behind titles like Goodbye Volcano High and GNOG.

KO_OP’s intention here is to make “a cosy space game about making things better, intended for one to two hours of daily play, alone or with friends”.

Set in the far future, Young Suns takes place in Jupiter’s orbit following a people’s revolution. However, don’t think of the story as having dark themes, as KO_OP wants the game to present a “optimistic alternative future”.

Instead, think of it as like Animal Crossing in space, where there isn’t necessarily an epic storyline to follow, but it’s more about making your own fun.

KO_OP

Young Suns Is All About Making Your Own Fun

It’s a game where you use your spaceship to explore different planets, gather resources, take on quests, and ultimately just have a good time.

There is still a core objective though, just to keep you on track, where you’ll need to venture to various space stations located within the planet’s orbit with the goal of restoring them.

You can customise your character and your ship, with a lot of variety in how you want to represent yourself. Character customisation extends beyond simply choosing what you look like, as you can also change your character’s clothing, alter the ship interior, and ultimately create a cosy nest for you while you explore the stars.

Young Suns is out now via Xbox Game Pass, and is part of the “Xbox Preview” program. That’s essentially Xbox’s way of describing Early Access games, many of which are available to play on Game Pass.

A Steam version is also in development, but hasn’t been made available yet. KO_OP also makes reference to “other platforms”, which could indicate PlayStation and Switch 2 versions are planned too at some point in the future.

KO_OP has a lot of plans to add to Young Suns in the future. Content updates featuring new content, characters, and regions will be released over the course of development. As the game is intended as a co-op experience, it intends to grow a dedicated community over time.