PSA: One of the best roguelike card-battlers lands on Xbox Game Pass next week

Christmas is arriving early this year for fans of the roguelike deck-builder genre—especially if you have an Xbox Game Pass subscription.

Wildfrost, one of the most adorable entries in the genre, will be free for all Game Pass subscription holders beginning Dec. 10, publisher Chucklefish announced today. The game, which was previously on Nintendo Switch, PC, and mobile, will also be available on Xbox alongside its arrival in the subscription service.

In Wildfrost, players embark on a journey across a frozen abyss to take down the Wildfrost. You’ll recruit companions along the way, acquire new weapons, and fight monstrous foes as you climb the summit. There are three main playable classes, each with their own archetypes, and fans of Slay the Spire and Across the Obelisk will love what the game has to offer. The game features a two-lane style of combat that adds another layer of strategy to the base gameplay mechanics. Both lanes, a top and a bottom lane, have three spaces where a card may be positioned, and its location on the field determines its attack order and whether it will receive incoming damage. All of that is packaged in the absolutely delightful art style of Gaziter with an incredible soundtrack from Paul Zimmerman, who also created the OST for the recently released Loco Motive.

As a roguelike, Wildfrost’s difficulty increases with each bell modifier you choose to equip. For example, certain bells will strengthen enemy cards with charms, cause your companions to become temporarily weakened if they’re destroyed in an encounter, or reduce the health of your highest health card after every boss. The more runs you win, the more bells you will be able to equip on your next run.

Wildfrost first released in April 2023 and saw several major developments throughout its lifespan. The game was notoriously difficult on release, but developers Deadpan Studios and Gaziter continued to release content updates, new cards, and balance adjustments that were in line with the community’s feedback. July 22 marked the final update for the game, which introduced mod support. While this means no further updates are planned for the game, members of the game’s very supportive community can continue to design their own new mechanics and cards for others to try out.

The card-battler is currently on PC, mobile, and Nintendo Switch. It will also become available on Xbox Dec. 10 and will be free on the Microsoft console and PC for anyone with the subscription.