A viral horror game has shadow‑dropped on Xbox Game Pass, shaking up the week’s lineup

Empty yellow office-like rooms and hallways from the Backrooms creepypasta, lit by fluorescent ceiling lights. — the backrooms (Image credit: Fancy Games)

For those unaware, Escape the Backrooms is based on the hugely viral “Backrooms” creepypasta, centered around a seemingly never-ending maze of empty rooms and unsettling spaces. Over the years, the concept evolved into a full internet horror phenomenon, which eventually inspired the Escape the Backrooms game itself.

The game is a four-player co-op horror experience with proximity chat and a strong focus on psychological horror. Players need to work together to navigate creepy environments, solve puzzles, and avoid the various monsters throughout the Backrooms.

Believe it or not, the Backrooms concept has become so popular that it even spawned its own movie, which released to fairly solid reviews. Now, I personally do not deal well with horror games or horror in general, so I don’t think I’ll be risking my sanity with this one, but it’s still great to see a random shadow drop hit the Game Pass PC, Ultimate, and Premium tiers. It’s also an Xbox Play Anywhere title.

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Other recent additions to Game Pass include Kabuto Park, a rather cute bug-collecting game, alongside Crashout Crew. There was also Echo Generation 2, a sci-fi deck-building RPG. That one is much more up my alley, especially since I’ve been sinking my teeth into Slay the Spire 2 whenever I get the chance.

Since its recent price decrease following changes introduced by new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, Game Pass has suddenly become a lot more appealing to me again. It went from being a service I was almost certain I’d cut from my growing list of subscriptions to one I’m actually quite happy to keep around.

While horror games definitely aren’t for me, I still think it’s exciting that more titles could end up being shadow dropped into the service like this, as it adds more value. That’s just how I feel, though, so let me know your thoughts in the comments, whether you’ll be checking out Escape the Backrooms or not, and as always, be sure to take part in our poll!

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Adam is a Psychology Master’s graduate passionate about gaming, community building, and digital engagement. A lifelong Xbox fan since 2001, he started with Halo: Combat Evolved and remains an avid achievement hunter. Over the years, he has engaged with several Discord communities, helping them get established and grow. Gaming has always been more than a hobby for Adam—it’s where he’s met many friends, taken on new challenges, and connected with communities that share his passion.