Xbox is using May’s Mental Health Awareness Month in the United States to promote games on Xbox Game Pass that explore mental health and accessibility, spotlighting titles intended to spark conversation and provide supportive virtual connections.
The company said the campaign recognizes how the Covid-19 pandemic and extended periods of physical distancing increased the role of online interactions in maintaining contact with friends and family. Xbox is presenting a curated selection of games through the month that address mental health themes, the company’s community lead for Games and Disability, Tara Voelker, explained.
Key titles on Game Pass
One major title highlighted is Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, developed by Ninja Theory with consultation from neuroscientists, mental health professionals and people living with mental illness. Set in a Viking-era inspired world, the game follows Senua, a Celtic warrior on a harrowing journey into Hel to fight for the soul of her deceased lover.
Dominic Matthews, studio head at Ninja Theory, said the team prioritized research-based development and worked closely with scientific and lived-experience communities during production.
Also featured is Sea of Solitude, created by Jo-Mei GmbH and published by Electronic Arts. The game’s premise imagines loneliness transforming humans into monsters; players control a young protagonist navigating an evolving world where appearances conceal deeper emotional truths. The game’s synopsis encourages players to “look beneath the surface” to confront darkness and light and to explore what it means to be human.
Other notable inclusions
Celeste, from Matt Makes Games and one of 2018’s most awarded indie titles, is part of the selection. In this platformer, players help Madeline confront internal demons as she climbs the mountain Celeste, combining challenging gameplay with a narrative about personal struggle.
Research linking games and wellbeing
Xbox points to existing uses of games beyond entertainment—such as supporting veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder—and as platforms for presenting and discussing mental health topics. Data from the Xbox Research Accessibility Community Feedback Program found that 84% of respondents agreed games had an overall positive effect on their mental health during the pandemic.
Voelker summarized additional findings from the study: 82.9% of participants said games provided a strong distraction from stress, 63.5% reported relief from emotional stress, 38.6% noted reduced physical pain, and 54.1% felt gaming gave them a greater sense of control than their real lives. The research also showed 71.7% of respondents felt less isolated during the pandemic because of online games.
Related content and links
For more video content connected to these titles, see the Xbox channel on YouTube.
