Discover the release date and gameplay details for South of Midnight unveiled during Xbox Developer Direct 2025. This captivating adventure draws inspiration from Deep South folklore—here's what you need to know.
Compulsion Games Welcomes You to South of Midnight
Storytelling and Launch Date Revealed
Compulsion Games’ narrative designer Zaire Lanier recently shared insights into this action-adventure title through Xbox Wire, confirming an April 8, 2025 release. Set in Prospero, players will traverse diverse Southern landscapes—flooded plains, treacherous swamps, and Appalachian peaks.
The story trailer introduces Hazel, our protagonist, who witnesses her home destroyed by floodwaters after a dispute with her mother. Her search for her missing parent leads to startling revelations about her heritage, plunging her into a realm teeming with creatures from Southern mythology.
"Hazel encounters Catfish," Lanier explains, "a colossal, sentient creature trapped post-hurricane. He reveals her destiny as a Weaver—a wielder of magic who perceives and manipulates the threads binding reality."
This awakening grants Hazel extraordinary abilities, but danger lurks everywhere. The Haints—corrupted beings spreading decay—threaten her journey. She must harness her Weaving magic to purify them and restore balance.
Embark on Hazel’s odyssey through the Deep South starting April 3, 2025 with the $49.99 Premium Edition on Steam/Xbox Store. The standard edition costs $39.99, and Game Pass subscribers gain day-one access.
Thread-Weaving Combat Mechanics
South of Midnight revolutionizes combat with its Thread-Weaving system. This magical discipline enables tactical spellcasting—players can yank foes closer, repel attacks, or follow up with devastating combinations.
Game director Jasmin Roy explained: "Mastering Push, Pull, and Weave spells creates dynamic battle strategies. Perfectly timed moves interrupt enemy assaults while opening them to counterattacks."
Hazel wields textile-inspired weapons—a spindle, weaving hooks, and distaff—offering versatile combat options to cleanse corrupted Haints.
The Weaving magic extends beyond battles. Hazel reconstructs spectral versions of objects—like ghostly carriages—to solve environmental puzzles and access hidden areas.
Art director Whitney Clayton teased mythical guardians like Two-Toed Tom—an albino alligator armored with weapons and vegetation. To heal these beings, Hazel collects Echoes (fragmented memories) before epic boss encounters.
With varied regions to explore and corrupted legends to redeem, Hazel’s quest to find her mother demands mastery over fate’s threads.
