Reports indicate that Microsoft may have prematurely confirmed the arrival of Tales of Arise on Xbox Game Pass. The early disclosure, swiftly retracted, was part of an announcement detailing the upcoming wave of Xbox Game Pass titles set to launch throughout February.
The announcement also highlighted the addition of the culinary-themed roguelite PlateUp to the subscription catalog. Additionally, Microsoft unveiled several other titles slated for inclusion in February.
Microsoft Accidentally Confirms 'Tales of Arise' for Xbox Game Pass
One notable aspect that caught the attention of fans was the inclusion of Tales of Arise in the announcement's original title, published on Xbox Wire. Although the title was swiftly modified, a cached version of the February 6 post confirms Microsoft's mention of Bandai Namco's action RPG in its upcoming article, as initially observed by Reddit user baiisun.
The most recent installment in the nearly thirty-year-old Tales series was launched for PC and non-Nintendo consoles in September 2021. Tales of Arise garnered widespread critical acclaim, evident from its Metacritic Metascore ranging between 82 and 87 (out of 100), depending on the platform. Moreover, the Steam version of the RPG currently holds 'Very Positive' reviews, based on nearly 24,000 user ratings. Despite some initial uncertainty, Bandai Namco opted to continue supporting the game with DLC, with the latest expansion, Beyond The Dawn, released in November 2023.
Given that Tales of Arise appears to have completed its content, this could be an opportune moment to enhance its visibility and potentially bolster its DLC sales by introducing it to a service like Xbox Game Pass, which reportedly exceeded 33 million subscribers by the end of 2023. Whether this possibility materializes remains uncertain, although Microsoft's oversight strongly suggests that one of the best JRPGs on Xbox consoles may soon join Game Pass.
Coincidentally, this isn't the first indication pointing to Bandai Namco's 2021 RPG potentially joining Microsoft's subscription offering. Prior to the game's release, Australian leaker Nick