Welcome to 2022! We’ve got some awesome games coming soon — and even some available today — so let’s kick off the new year and find that next great game to add to your download queue or to play via the cloud!
Gorogoa (Cloud, Console, and PC) [email protected]
Winner of Debut Game at the BAFTA Games Awards, Gorogoa is an elegant evolution of the puzzle genre, told through a beautifully hand-drawn story designed and illustrated by Jason Roberts.
Olija (Cloud, Console, and PC) [email protected]
Olija is a game about Faraday’s quest, a man shipwrecked then trapped in the mysterious country of Terraphage. Armed with a legendary harpoon, he and other castaways try to leave this hostile country to return to their homelands.
The Pedestrian (Cloud, Console, and PC) [email protected]
The Pedestrian is a 2.5D side-scrolling puzzle platformer set in a dynamic world with stunning graphics and challenging puzzles, where you will rearrange and reconnect public signs to explore and advance through each engaging environment.
Embr (Cloud, Console, and PC) [email protected] – January 6
Fight fires with friends for profit in this unpredictable and frantic multiplayer game. Team up with friends, take on daily challenges and climb to the top of the corporate firefighting ladder. More than one way to become a hero!
Mass Effect Legendary Edition (Console and PC) EA Play – January 6
The Mass Effect Legendary Edition is coming to PC Game Pass and Ultimate with EA Play! The Legendary Edition includes single-player base content and over 40 DLC from the highly acclaimed Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, and Mass Effect 3 games, including promo weapons, armors, and packs – remastered and optimized for 4K Ultra HD.
Outer Wilds (Cloud, Console, and PC) [email protected] – January 6
Explore for the sake of your curiosity with a hand-crafted solar system filled with secrets to discover and perils to avoid while exploring space. Players are given a variety of tools to aid in space-backpacking, including their own spaceship and jetpack; a surveyor probe for scouting and taking pictures; and a signalscope to track down audio signals and view landmarks from afar.
Spelunky 2 (Console and PC) [email protected] – January 13
This challenging roguelike platformer offers you immense freedom to carve your own path through its randomly-generated caves and ruins. Exercise your creativity and through your actions, tell a unique story each time you play. Uncover the secrets alone or with friends!
The Anacrusis (Game Preview)(Console and PC) [email protected] – January 13
Available on day one with Xbox Game Pass: The Anacrusis is a four-player, cooperative first-person shooter set aboard a massive starship stranded at the edge of explored space. Team up with your friends in an infinitely-replayable fight against alien hordes to unlock perks, weapons, and new ways to play that you can share with your team!
Minecraft New Year’s Celebration – Through January 17
Join the New Year’s celebration! Until January 17, Minecraft Marketplace will be filled with giveaways, a free YouTube Creator Skin Pack, and weekly free maps including the Caves & Cliffs Explorers map from Spark Universe and Mithey’s Howl of the Wild map. Let the blocky festivities begin!
Apex Legends: RIG Helmet Weapon Charm – January 5
Show the competition what you’re made of with your new RIG Helmet Weapon Charm, brought to you by EA Play! Equip this to your favorite weapon and battle for glory, fame, and fortune in style.
Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis: January Member Monthly Bonus – January 5
Jump into the all new PSO2 New Genesis with some items to give you a hand! N-Half Scape Dolls (x5) to help revive you during intense battles, and Photon Chunks (x50) to strengthen weapons and units.
This is also your last chance to claim the Back 4 Blood Battle-Hardened Bundle, and the Halo Infinite Pass Tense MA40 AR Bundle before they leave! Go claim them now in the Perks gallery on your Xbox console, the Xbox App on your Windows PC, or the Xbox Game Pass mobile app.
The following games are leaving the Game Pass library soon, so be sure to jump back in and tie up any loose ends before they leave! Remember you can save up to 20% off your purchase of these games using your member discount.
Desperados III (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Mount & Blade: Warband (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Lastly, PUBG: Battlegrounds will be leaving the Xbox Game Pass library on January 10 and will become free-to-play starting January 12. Learn more here!
Before I run away and start spending my time in the character creator for FemShep in my Mass Effect playthrough, be sure to follow us on Twitter @XboxGamePassPC and @XboxGamePass for updates when these games are available (and of course stick around for the memes). Catch you next time!
Zafatta on January 4th, 2022 at 15:05 UTC »
Games + trailer + Gamepass date and platform:
Gorogoa - Today - Cloud, Console, and PC
Olija - Today - Cloud, Console, and PC
The Pedestrian - Today - Cloud, Console, and PC
Embr - January 6th 2022 - Cloud, Console, and PC
Mass Effect Legendary Edition - January 6th - Console and PC
Outer Wilds - January 6th - Cloud, Console, and PC
Spelunky 2 - January 13th - Console and PC
The Anacrusis (Game Preview) - January 13th - Console and PC
fonster_mox on January 4th, 2022 at 15:04 UTC »
Outer Wilds is so very good, if you haven't played it and this is your first opportunity to do so, please do.
I've been playing video games for over 30 years and it's maybe my favourite one, ever. It's definitely way up there.
Also don't read anything about it, the less you know the better. I mean it's free if you have Game Pass, what do you have to lose? Give it a shot.
The Mass Effect remaster is also great, though the first is still quite clunky even with the improvements they made.
yinzers3 on January 4th, 2022 at 14:29 UTC »
I was so close to buying the ME: Legendary Edition when it was on sale!