Xbox Game Pass kicks off 2026 with 11 'massive' free games including Star Wars
The inaugural 2026 Xbox Game Pass update has arrived in blockbuster style, headlined by the massive arrival of the latest Star Wars game to the service. Microsoft has confirmed a staggering 11 games will join the subscription platform this month
The centerpiece is undoubtedly Ubisoft's open-world galactic adventure, Star Wars Outlaws. Subscribers won't have to wait long to jump into the cockpit, as the headline titles are set to drop well before February begins. Another big gaming franchise will have its newest entry on the service in January, too.
But Star Wars Outlaws leads the charge, landing on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass on January 13. As the first-ever truly open-world Star Wars experience, the game allows players to explore the outer rim in a high-stakes story set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.
Compatible with Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X/S, this arrival offers the perfect opportunity for fans to experience the life of scoundrel Kay Vess without the premium price tag. However, the Force isn't the only major power making its way to the service this month.
While Outlaws
Joining the service for Ultimate and PC subscribers, Village provides the "thrilling" conclusion to Ethan Winters' story. It serves as the perfect primer for those looking to refresh their memory of the series' lore before the ninth installment arrives in February.
Among the other games joining Game Pass is MIO: Memories in Orbit - a day one release on Ultimate and PC. A 2D remaster of the original Final Fantasy game is also set to arrive on Game Pass Ultimate, Premium and PC on January 8.
Atomfall, an RPG set in an alternate version of northern England in the 1960s, has been accessible for Ultimate subscribers for a while. However, now Premium players will have the opportunity to delve into a game where the Windscale nuclear disaster transformed much of the region into a quarantine zone.
- Brews & Bastards - Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S, available now on Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium and PC Game Pass.
- Little Nightmares Enhanced Edition - Cloud, Handheld, PC, and Xbox Series X|S, Ultimate, Premium and PC.
- Atomfall - Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC, available on Premium on 7 January.
- Lost in Random: The Eternal Die - Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, and PC, arriving on Premium on 7 January.
With 11 games being added to Xbox Game Pass in the first half of the month, nearly half as many are set to leave the service. Gamers have only a few days left to play five titles that will be removed from the platform by 15 January.
Alternatively, subscribers can take advantage of up to 20% off when purchasing a digital version of the departing games. The games leaving the Game Pass include:
- Flintlock The Siege of Dawn (Available on Cloud, Handheld, PC, and Xbox Series X|S).
- Neon White (Available on Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC).
- Road 96 (Available on Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC).
- The Ascent (Available on Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC).
- The Grinch Christmas Adventures (Available on Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC).