10 Best Survival Games on Xbox Game Pass (August 2025)

Looking for the best survival games on Xbox Game Pass in 2025? Xbox Game Pass has tons of exciting survival titles where players face the wild, build shelter, fight threats, and stay alive through smart choices. There are different types of survival games — some are realistic and gritty, others are creative and full of adventure. Each one brings something fun and challenging. To help you choose what to play next, here’s a list of the top survival games available right now on Xbox Game Pass.

What Defines the Best Survival Games on Game Pass?

The best survival games on Game Pass are the ones that keep you thinking, building, and exploring nonstop. What I usually look for is how the game handles crafting, how deep the survival systems go, and how fun it is to play solo or with friends. Some games throw you into wild open worlds, while others give you a more focused setting with clear goals. I’ve looked at variety, how well the mechanics work, how fun the loop stays over time, and how it feels to return to it again and again. This list isn’t based on review scores or hype. It’s based on how the games actually play, what they offer, and how much fun they bring to survival fans.

List of 10 Best Survival Games on Xbox Game Pass in 2025

These are the survival games players keep coming back to. Let’s dive in and see what makes them great!

10. Frostpunk

Life in Frostpunk is about making the hardest calls you will ever face in a survival game. You manage the last city on Earth, where every decision decides if people survive or collapse. Heat is the most valuable resource, and the city’s generator is the only thing keeping people alive. Survival depends on gathering coal and wood while making tough choices about how people live. Food is always low, so you decide how much to ration and who must work longer hours. Every law you pass shapes the society, whether by strict order or risky experiments. The freezing world never lets you relax. Frostpunk is among the best survival games on Xbox Game Pass because it blends strategy with emotional choices that push you to the edge.

9. Dead by Daylight

Dead by Daylight is a survival horror game where four survivors must work together to escape while a killer hunts them down. The main goal is to repair generators scattered across the map so the exit gates can be powered. While fixing them, survivors have to stay quiet and watch for signs of the killer nearby. Getting caught means being hooked, and teammates must rush in to save before the killer returns. Moreover, the killer is stronger, so survival depends on how well the group distracts and outplays them. Matches are majorly fast and filled with sudden moments that raise the pressure.

8. Vampire Survivors

Vampire Survivors isn’t a game where you rush through big quests or chase storylines. The idea is simple yet addictive, survive as long as possible while waves of enemies keep coming. Every run begins with a small set of attacks, but as time passes you pick upgrades that stack together in crazy ways. The screen soon fills with enemies, and the challenge grows until it feels like the world is closing in. Here, movement is the key, because staying in one place means getting overwhelmed. The fun comes from lasting longer than the last attempt, pushing further with every upgrade you grab. It is one of the best survival games on Game Pass for quick sessions that stay exciting no matter how many times you play.

7. This War of Mine: Final Cut

This War of Mine: Final Cut shows survival from the view of civilians stuck in war. A small group hides inside damaged buildings and must find a way to last through harsh days and long nights. Food is limited, medicine is rare, and every trip outside can risk lives. The focus is not on soldiers but on ordinary people who struggle to keep hope alive while resources keep running out. Scavenging runs are needed to gather supplies, while the shelter must be managed so no one starves or collapses from sickness. Choices matter as you decide who eats, who rests, and who risks stepping outside again. It is included in the best Game Pass survival games list as it focuses on civilians and their struggle to live through war.

6. No Man’s Sky

Imagine a game where the whole universe is open to explore, and that’s what No Man’s Sky offers. You start stranded on a strange planet with only basic gear, and survival depends on gathering resources to repair your ship. Once you lift off, the galaxy opens with countless planets, each with unique weather, creatures, and landscapes to discover. Exploration is endless, and the sense of scale never fades as new systems and worlds keep showing up. Playing with friends makes it even better, as you can explore galaxies together. No Man’s Sky deserves its spot among the best survival games on Xbox Game Pass for how massive and alive it feels.

5. Rain World

Life as a small creature in a huge world is unforgiving. Rain World makes you play as a fragile slugcat trying to find food and safety while avoiding predators. The rain itself is deadly, forcing you to move quickly between shelters. Enemies are stronger, faster, and smarter, making survival about patience and awareness instead of raw strength. The world is beautiful yet terrifying, with creatures that act naturally instead of following simple patterns. Sometimes survival comes down to waiting for the right moment to move, while other times it’s about running for your life.

4. Abiotic Factor

Abiotic Factor is a survival crafting game set inside a huge underground research facility. Up to six players join as scientists who must adapt after a containment failure. The focus is on crafting tools, building bases, and teaming up to survive against unusual threats. Every part of the facility has strange tech, strange threats, and plenty of room to get creative. You craft tools, gear, and traps to stay alive while moving deeper through the complex. Instead of focusing on combat alone, success comes from using brains as much as resources. Plus, the 90’s sci-fi style also gives it a different vibe compared to most survival games.

3. Hunt: Showdown 1896

Hunt: Showdown 1896 is a survival shooter where hunters enter swamps filled with dangers. The match starts with searching for clues that guide you to the monster. Once the target is found, the real fight begins as you battle deadly creatures that protect it. The best Game Pass survival games usually focus on crafting or gathering, but Hunt: Showdown 1896 builds everything around risky hunts. Defeating the monster rewards you with the bounty, yet escaping is just as important since rival hunters want it too. Every round is different because enemies and players react in unpredictable ways.

2. DayZ

Survival doesn’t get more raw than DayZ. Dropped into a huge map with nothing but basic clothes, you must find food, water, and gear while avoiding infected and hostile players. Hunger, thirst, sickness, and weather all matter as much as combat. Furthermore, the world is massive and alive with risk. Sometimes you meet helpful survivors, other times you run into groups who shoot on sight. Crafting, hunting, and building camps are key for long-term survival, yet danger never goes away. The game thrives on tension, and every encounter with another player could end with either teamwork or betrayal.

1. Grounded 2

If you are looking for best Game Pass survival games to play in 2025, Grounded 2 should be on your list. The sequel builds on the backyard adventure with fresh ways to survive and interact with the world. The game shrinks you down to the size of an insect and drops you in a huge backyard. New features make the game more exciting, especially the addition of buggies that you can hatch and ride. These insect companions can help in gathering, carrying, and even fighting by your side. Base building is deeper than before, giving you more freedom to design shelters in your own way. Whether you play solo or with friends, survival in Grounded 2 is always full of adventure.