Even if Microsoft and Sony have been getting much better at sharing exclusives in recent years, the past decade has still seen plenty of Xbox exclusives worth revisiting. From indie titles that partnered with Microsoft to AAA experiences with all of Microsoft’s support behind them, it’s hard to pick just one great game from each year.
Even without considering the jump in hardware from the Xbox One to the Xbox Series S|X, the direction that Xbox takes with its franchises has changed drastically over the years. Despite the fluctuating focus or failed releases, there’s no shortage of excellent games from just about every genre out there to play through.
2016 – Gears Of War 4
A Strong Start For The Next Generation Of Gears
Even if the original Gears of War trilogy is much more fondly remembered than its eventual successors, Gears of War 4 is still a great addition to the series that improves the formula across several areas.
Even if Gears of War 4 faced some complaints over its storyline, the gameplay more than helped make up for it, especially with its multiplayer modes offering plenty of replayability after the campaign. With great next-generation graphics and an overall experience that helped well despite a change in studio, it’s little surprise that the Gears franchise is getting revitalized through its cross-compatible remake.
2017 – Cuphead
The Cartoonish Nightmare That’s Hard To Put Down
Cuphead is one of those instantly recognizable games that doesn’t need much introduction, easily landing itself on the spot for one of the best hand-drawn games on the market to this very day.
Even though Cuphead eventually made its way to a plethora of other systems, the iconic sidescrolling indie game was originally limited solely to Xbox and Microsoft Windows. Renowned for its fantastic sense of style, innovative mechanics, and offering a refreshingly brutal gameplay experience, Cuphead is easily one of the best Xbox exclusives of the past decade.
2018 – Sea of Thieves
The Live Service Experience That Keeps On Giving
While Sea of Thieves might have started with a rocky release due to a disappointing lack of content, its development team didn’t give up on the ambitious pirate simulator. Adding a plethora of free updates over the years that even include crossovers with the likes of Pirates of the Caribbean, Sea of Thieves more than lived up to its full potential.
Whether taking to the seas to live out your pirate fantasies or simply enjoying a fun journey with your friends, Sea of Thieves has an almost intimidating amount of content to catch up on and enjoy.
Showcasing both Rare’s commitment to the game and the willingness of Xbox to support the live-service endeavor, Sea of Thieves has become a Game Pass staple that is still worth checking out today.
2019 – Gears 5
Upping The Ante With Its Fan-Favorite Game Modes
While the fifth entry in the Gears of War franchise was a controversial topic at the time, when looking back, the gameplay and new storyline hold up surprisingly well. On top of introducing exciting new game modes, Gears 5 also greatly improved upon the foundations of its predecessor’s with the horde mode, creating an even more memorable shooter experience.
Getting an even greater push forward with the next-generation fidelity of the Xbox Series X, Gears 5 was a great treat for anyone who took the risk of diving into it after its initial release.
2020 – Ori And The Will Of The Wisps
An Unforgettable Experience From Start To Finish
Despite the high expectations that came with Ori and the Will of the Wisps after its beloved predecessor, the follow-up delivered an even more emotionally charged experience. Improving upon the original game in practically every way, Will of the Wisps is the definitive experience of the series that offers stunning art, a great storyline, and satisfying platforming all in one neat package.
Even for fans outside the Metroidvania genre, there’s a good reason that Ori and the Will of the Wisps has a staggering amount of overwhelmingly positive reviews that make it an easy recommendation, especially thanks to its availability on Game Pass.
2021 – Halo Infinite
Innovating The Franchise In Exciting New Ways
Even if Halo Infinite failed to recreate the electrifying experience that the original Halo franchise provided, it follows the increasingly common trend of Xbox making up for its underwhelming narratives with excellent gameplay improvements.
Aside from breathing life into the Halo formula, thanks to its surprisingly effective open-world experience, Halo Infinite‘s grappling hook shook up its gameplay while feeling like a perfect addition for the series.
Compared to the innovative campaign, Halo Infinite‘s multiplayer took a more classic approach to the formula, being praised for its incredibly enjoyable core gameplay loop. Although the live service side of things held it back from becoming a long-lived staple for Xbox, it was still a worthwhile addition to Halo that put a new spotlight on the series.
2022 – Grounded
Grounded’s Full Release Lived Up To Its Expectations
Adding a creative spin on the oversaturated survival game genre, Grounded was a welcome change of pace that was praised for its creative presentation and gameplay mechanics. While the early access version had its fair share of challenges, the full release took full advantage of its open-world sandbox potential.
As if the shrunken premise alone wasn’t enough to make it stand out on its own, the plethora of updates and ongoing community support throughout Grounded‘s development was an excellent way to diversify Xbox’s offerings, making for a great addition to Game Pass.
2023 – Hi-Fi Rush
One Of The Best Rhythm Games You’ll Ever Play
Despite being released practically out of the blue by a studio known for mindbending horror games, Tango Gameworks’ Hi-Fi Rush was an overnight success that instantly won the hearts of players. Combining satisfying hack-and-slash combat with rhythm mechanics sounded like a strange concept on paper, but Hi-Fi Rush combines the two mechanics with detailed cell-shaded environments to bring it to life in the best way possible.
Unfortunately, Xbox didn’t seem to have the same plans as Tango Gameworks’ developers, who were thankfully saved by another company after being laid off. Even if Xbox failed to support the developers of Hi-Fi Rush to the full extent they deserve after creating an award-winning masterpiece, that doesn’t stop it from being one of their most iconic timed exclusives in recent years.
2024 – Indiana Jones And The Great Circle
Creating A Whole New Generation Of Indiana Jones Fans
Taking a chance on MechineGames to create a compelling origin story for the iconic action-adventure hero, Indiana Jones And The Great Circle far surpassed its humble concept to create a blockbuster gaming experience.
Being praised for its well-defined narrative-driven gameplay, unique combat mechanics, and classic Indiana Jones-inspired adventures, The Great Circle injected new blood into the series to be enjoyed by long-time fans and new players alike.
Marketed as a major exclusive for Xbox, The Great Circle was the right answer to the growing library of compelling story titles from PlayStation, paving the way for even more fantastic experiences to follow. Even if The Great Circle‘s DLC is getting overshadowed by SIlksong‘s release, the Order of Giants DLC is a welcome addition to the classic gameplay experience that desperately deserves a fully-fledged sequel.
2025 – Avowed
A Return To The Classic RPG Games Of The Past
Being the highly awaited fantasy-focused entry after Obsidian’s Outer Worlds, Avowed felt like a breath of fresh air in the RPG genre, even if some aspects don’t have the same intense level of depth as its predecessors.
Set in the pre-existing Pillars of Eternity universe, Obsidian’s RPG has plenty to love with its mix of classic fantasy gameplay staples and unique mechanics in its strange new world. Being a first-person RPG that imitates some elements of beloved titles like Skyrim, the lush worlds of Avowed, and a variety of combat options still felt like a wholly original experience.
Even if Avowed didn’t click for everyone, it’s hard not to appreciate how authentic the experience feels with its emphasis on choice and player consequences to create 2025’s best Xbox exclusive so far, even beating out the likes of STALKER 2.
- Brand
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Xbox
- Original Release Date
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November 10, 2020
- Original MSRP (USD)
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Series X priced at US$499 and the Series S priced at US$299
- Weight
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9.8 lb
