Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Adds Day-One Open-World Game With Comic Book Look

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As an enthusiastic gamer, I’m thrilled to share that “Wheel World” has just rolled onto my Xbox Game Pass Ultimate! It’s an exciting day-one release, making it the 15th title added to Microsoft’s subscription service in July 2025. Moreover, it’s also the 93rd game added since the start of the year, a testament to the diverse and growing collection available on Xbox Game Pass!

Title number six produced by U.S. studio Messhof, named Wheel World, presents an exceptional bike-themed journey where players take on the role of Kat, an athlete selected by ancient spirits to prevent cosmic catastrophe. Achieving success in this high-risk assignment involves a great deal of cycling, as races and exploration provide the stolen legendary components essential for executing “the Great Shift ritual,” which will prevent impending doom. Furthermore, players can customize their bike extensively, along with graphical styles that mimic comic book aesthetics, featuring low-contrast, cel-shaded visuals.

In October 2024, Messhof and publisher Annapurna Interactive changed the name of Ghost Bike to Wheel World, and finally launched the game on July 23. As previously stated, this open-world biking adventure also debuted on Xbox Game Pass on the same day at 9am PT / 12pm ET. This means that Wheel World is now accessible to PC Game Pass and XGP Ultimate subscribers. Although it’s a game for current generation systems, Xbox One users can technically play it through Xbox Cloud Gaming, but only with an Ultimate-tier subscription.

New and Upcoming Xbox Game Pass Games

Game Game Pass Tier(s) Platform(s) Date Notes
Wheel World Ultimate, PC Cloud, PC, Series X/S Jul 23 Day-one release.
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers Ultimate, PC Cloud, PC, Series X/S Jul 24 Day-one release.
Grounded 2 Ultimate, PC Cloud, PC, Series X/S Jul 29 Day-one release.
Farming Simulator 25 Standard, PC, Ultimate Cloud, Console, PC Aug 1
Gears of War: Reloaded Ultimate, PC Cloud, PC, Series X/S Aug 26 Day-one release.
Keeper Ultimate, PC Cloud, PC, Series X/S Oct 17 Day-one release.
Ninja Gaiden 4 Ultimate, PC Cloud, PC, Series X/S Oct 21 Day-one release.
The Outer Worlds 2 Ultimate, PC Cloud, PC, Series X/S Oct 29 Day-one release.

In the spirit of today’s expansive open-world games, I found myself drawn to the colossal map of Wheel World, which owes its structure to procedural generation. Messhof had the liberty to tweak and shift roads, and the landscape would adapt on the fly, fostering a creative environment that encouraged exploration and experimentation. This allowed the team to swiftly evaluate an array of race routes and tasks, from delivery missions to hill climbs.

As the game evolved, the developer transitioned from reliance on procedural systems towards manual design, meticulously refining key areas and incorporating subtle enhancements. A crucial aspect of this process was the careful placement of visual landmarks to serve as compass points during exploration, ensuring the world felt connected, captivating, and user-friendly to navigate.

When Will Wheel World Come to Xbox Game Pass Standard?

Due to being a brand new game, “Wheel World” isn’t currently included in Xbox Game Pass Standard. Given Microsoft’s recent trends, it’s expected that Messhof’s open-world cycling experience will probably become accessible on the budget-friendly tier of the service somewhere between January 2026 and July 2026.

As a gamer, I’m excited to share that by the end of July 2025, two new games are joining Xbox Game Pass! First up is “Wuchang: Fallen Feathers”, arriving on the 24th, followed by “Grounded 2” on the 29th. However, it’s not all good news. Three games will be leaving the service on July 31st: “Turnip Boy Robs a Bank”, “Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess”, and “Gigantic”. So, make sure to play them before they vanish!

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2025-07-23 19:05