Xbox Game Pass’s Latest Release Becomes a Major Success

Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders has become a sensation, drawing in a whopping 500,000 players since its debut. Garnering mostly positive feedback from critics, it’s quickly established itself as a standout title on Xbox Game Pass for 2025.

Recently added to Xbox Game Pass, Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders has managed to seize the attention of half a million players. The end of January 2025 was a particularly eventful period for the service, which welcomed several day-one releases. Alongside Snow Riders, subscribers also got their hands on new titles like Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector, Eternal Strands, and Sniper Elite: Resistance.

Snow Riders, a sequel to the beloved 2019 game Lonely Mountains: Downhill, immerses players in a skiing adventure with options for single-player and online multiplayer modes. It has not only captured the hearts of fans but has also been well-reviewed by critics, boasting an impressive 81 overall rating on OpenCritic. This places it among the highest-rated releases of the year so far.

The game’s popularity has soared, with the developer proudly announcing the milestone of 500,000 players on Bluesky. Xbox’s own Sarah Bond praised the team for delivering such a spectacular launch. It remains unclear how many of these players come from Xbox Game Pass versus direct purchases on PC and Xbox, but what’s certain is that Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders has struck a chord. Those with a Game Pass subscription should definitely check it out if they haven’t already.

At the end of January 2025, Xbox Game Pass members were treated to tremendous value, thanks to new releases like Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders. Looking ahead to February, the lineup continues to impress with titles like Obsidian Entertainment’s Avowed. Although not an entirely open world, this ambitious RPG within the Pillars of Eternity universe is bound to tantalize fans of games like Skyrim.

Xbox Game Pass subscribers have more exciting releases to look forward to later in the year. April promises massive additions such as South of Midnight and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 from day one, while May will see the arrival of Doom: The Dark Ages. With numerous enticing games currently available, players should make the most of Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders and their Game Pass library as they await more standout titles in the months to come.