We've got a release date and details on South of Midnight, an upcoming release from Compulsion Games, from today's Xbox Developer Direct. Let's dive right into all the juicy details.

Release Date and Early Access

April 8, 2025, marks the day players can dive into South of Midnight. Early access begins on April 3, and pre-orders are now open. Those who opt for the Premium Edition can jump in early and explore the flood-ravaged world of Prospero. If you have Game Pass, there will be an option to upgrade to the Premium Edition.

Hazel’s Hurricane Journey

The story trailer shows Hazel and her mother facing an enormous storm. Their home is washed downriver with her mother inside. With the town in ruins, Hazel sets off to find her mom, only to discover she has magical abilities as a “Weaver.” This power lets her control threads that shape everything around her.

Friends and Foes in the Deep South

Along Hazel’s path, unusual characters and creatures pop up, including Catfish, a talking beast stuck in a tree, and Huggin’ Molly, a towering woman-spider with a patchwork dress. There’s also Two-Toed Tom, a massive gator with a name that almost certainly has a good backstory. The game’s emphasis on folklore is something that is sure to connect with a lot of players, and it looks like it plays a key part in shaping every corner of Prospero.

Magic in Combat and Puzzle-Solving

Compulsion Games highlighted Push, Pull, and Weave spells during the Developer Direct. These moves provide advantages in battle - pull enemies close for combos or push them away when things get heated. Hazel can also conjure items from the past to unlock new ways forward, whether that’s clearing a path or outsmarting a tough foe.

Special Editions and Extras

Anyone can pick up the Premium Edition to receive digital goodies. These range from an artbook and original soundtrack to a digital comic and an extended documentary about how the team put everything together. The music seems especially intriguing, featuring Southern-style tunes blended with otherworldly flair.

Quote From Xbox Wire

  • South of Midnight Artbook: Compulsion Games presents The Art of South of Midnight. Organized by the game’s story chapters, this abundant visual gallery includes never-before-seen character art, environmental art, iconography, artist commentary, and more from Compulsion’s modern Southern Gothic folktale.
  • Original Soundtrack: Inspired by the haunting allure of the Southern gothic Deep South, the South of Midnight original soundtrack blends traditional Southern-style music with a dark, otherworldly essence. With visionary composer Olivier Deriviere at its helm, the dynamic soundtrack features performances by Southern artists and incorporates traditional instruments to create a diegetic musical narrative that evolves in response to the player’s actions and environment. From soulful blues to lively honky-tonk, each song invokes the region’s rich cultural history, immersing players in an eerie, otherworldly atmosphere where reality and myth collide.
  • The Boo-Hag Digital Comic Book: Compulsion Games has teamed up with award-winning comic book artist and writer Rob Guillory to create The Boo Hag, a digital comic book set in the South of Midnight universe. Presented in full color, The Boo Hag explores protagonist Hazel’s encounter with an infamous mythical creature from Deep South mythos, giving readers the chance to dive even deeper into the game’s fantastical and folkloric world.
  • Music Video: Songs & Tales of South of Midnight: Feel the magic of South of Midnight’s lyrically driven narrative music with Songs & Tales From South of Midnight, a visual compilation featuring three selected songs from the South of Midnight OST. This field recording-style music video showcases and celebrates the diverse range of Southern musical genres that define South of Midnight’s soundtrack, all while telling a cohesive story through delightfully haunting visuals.
  • Documentary: Weaving Hazel’s Journey, Director’s Cut: Weaving Hazel’s Journey: A South of Midnight Documentary (Director’s Cut) offers fans an extended look at the development of Compulsion Games’ third-person action-adventure South of Midnight. This director’s cut explores in even greater detail the team’s world-building process and inspirations drawn from Deep South folktales, featuring exclusive interviews and commentary from various Compulsion Games developers across multiple disciplines, including gameplay, narrative, art, music, and more.

Ready for April 2025

It won’t be long before we get to explore Prospero and step into Hazel’s shoes. Whether you love tales of spirits or just want a fresh third-person adventure, South of Midnight aims to deliver a world influenced by real-life lore and family bonds. I’m looking forward to seeing how they're going to bring these stories to life and would love to know what your thoughts on the game are. Let me know in the comments below!