New Day One Game Pass Game Gets Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and PS5 Release Date

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It often takes a while for PC games to be released on consoles—or vice versa—particularly for games made by smaller, independent studios. However, that wasn’t the case with Death Howl. This new Soulslike game recently launched on PC, and console versions for Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 5 are coming out very soon.

Okay, so I just heard that Death Howl is finally hitting consoles – PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch – on February 19th, 2026! The Outer Zone, the devs, announced it. And the best part? It’s launching straight onto PC Game Pass on PC, and it’ll be on the console version of Game Pass too! That means if you’re already paying for Game Pass on Xbox or PC, you can play it day one on either platform without buying it separately. No word yet on a Switch 2 version though, which is a little disappointing.

Fans have known for a while that Death Howl was heading to Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox, but the release date was uncertain until now. Previously, the game was only expected to launch sometime in 2026. The Outer Zone also announced that physical copies would be available for Switch and PS5, but not Xbox. These physical editions will be released at the same time as the digital versions, though the specific date depends on where you are. UK stores currently list the release date as February 20th, while stores in the US say it will be March 31st. The physical version will cost $34.99, almost twice the price of the $19.99 digital version.

What Is Death Howl?

Death Howl is a challenging deck-building game inspired by the Soulslike genre. It features a simple, dark aesthetic with pixelated art. You play as Ro, a mother mourning a loss who ventures into a dangerous spirit world full of both allies and enemies. Gameplay revolves around strategic card battles where you’ll need to carefully choose your cards and use the environment to your advantage to succeed.

The Outer Zone describes Death Howl as a game that doesn’t fit neatly into one category, and that’s accurate. Its gameplay blends strategic, grid-based combat with the exploration of action RPGs. Carefully moving around the grid is key to staying alive, and players can take on side quests to earn more cards. The game features a large world with four realms, 13 regions, over 30 different enemy types, and more than 160 cards that can cause various effects. The developers estimate a full playthrough will take over 25 hours. Recent reviews of the PC version have been positive, with an average score of 84.

Malte Burup, the game’s director, artist, and writer, explained in a recent statement that the game offers more than just fighting; it explores deeper themes as well.

Everyone experiences loss, it’s a natural part of life,” explained Burup. “We designed our game to connect with a wide range of players through storytelling. We’ve put a new spin on the deck-building style of game, blending it with the challenging exploration of ‘soulslike’ games and a rich story that we hope will stay with players long after they finish Ro’s adventure.

I’m a big fan of The Outer Zone, and their game Mind Scanners is seriously unique! It’s hard to pin down to one genre, but you play as someone diagnosing these really bizarre creatures, and it reminded me a lot of Papers, Please. It originally came out on PC in May 2021, and thankfully, they brought it to Xbox One and Switch a few months later in November. I was so glad they did!

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2025-12-09 12:10