11 bit studios S.A. has signed a licensing agreement with Microsoft to bring three titles, including the upcoming 'Death Howl', to the Game Pass subscription service.
'Death Howl' will launch on Game Pass for PC on December 9, 2025, with a subsequent release scheduled for Xbox consoles.
The agreement covers 'Death Howl' plus two additional titles currently managed by the company’s publishing division.
The financial impact of this deal is expected to materialize primarily in 2026, rather than the current fiscal year.
The partnership is structured to leverage the Microsoft ecosystem to increase audience penetration and extend the lifecycle of the company's internal and published portfolio.
The Management Board of 11 bit studios S.A. has finalized a licensing agreement with Microsoft Corporation to integrate several titles into the Game Pass subscription service. This strategic partnership covers the upcoming release Death Howl as well as two existing titles currently managed by the company’s publishing division. The arrangement ensures that Death Howl will be accessible to Game Pass PC subscribers starting December 9, 2025, with a subsequent rollout for Game Pass Xbox users coinciding with the game’s official console launch.
This disclosure follows regulatory requirements regarding confidential information and market transparency, prompted by Microsoft’s public communication schedule. By securing these licensing rights, the Warsaw-based developer and publisher expands its reach across the global Microsoft ecosystem, targeting both PC and console demographics. The timing of the announcement reflects a coordinated effort to align corporate disclosures with consumer-facing marketing updates from the platform holder.
Financially, the agreement is structured to influence the company’s performance metrics beyond the current fiscal year. While the integration of these titles begins in late 2025, the primary impact on financial results is projected for 2026. This suggests a revenue recognition model or payment structure tied to the long-term availability of the titles within the subscription catalog. The scope of the deal reinforces the company's ongoing strategy of leveraging subscription platforms to maximize the lifecycle and audience penetration of its internal and published portfolio.
The Management Board of 11 bit studios S.A. has officially scheduled the global release of the upcoming title Death Howl, developed by the Copenhagen-based studio The Outer Zone. The initial launch is set for December 9, 2025, specifically targeting the PC market through the Steam and GOG distribution platforms. This announcement serves as a formal update to previous corporate disclosures issued earlier in the fiscal year and fulfills regulatory transparency requirements regarding confidential market information. The release strategy follows a staggered platform rollout common in the contemporary gaming industry. While PC players will gain access in late 2025, the availability of the game on major console hardware—including PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch—is deferred until the first quarter of 2026. This timeline indicates a prioritized focus on the Windows environment for the holiday season, followed by a broader multi-platform expansion in the subsequent quarter. This disclosure is categorized as a current report under European Union market abuse regulations, reflecting the potential impact of product launch timelines on the valuation and investor relations of a publicly traded entity. By confirming these dates, the Warsaw-based publisher provides clarity on its short-term revenue pipeline and the operational progress of its partnership with external development studios. The scope of the announcement is limited to the specific release windows for these identified platforms and does not detail pricing or regional variations.
