What you need to know
- The January 2022 games for Xbox Game Pass have been revealed.
- One of the standout games is Mass Effect Legendary Edition, which is being added to EA Play.
- EA Play is included in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.
A new year means new games for Xbox Game Pass. Kicking things off in January 2022, the big highlight per Xbox Wire is that Mass Effect Legendary Edition is being added to EA Play. Since EA's subscription service is bundled in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass, this means any subscribers for those tiers will be able to access the full remastered trilogy.
There's some other standout games though, such as the return of indie darling and space loop adventure Outer Wilds and the arrival of platformer Spelunky 2. Regardless of whether or not you managed to snag a new console like an Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S over the holidays, there's something for everyone.
Coming soon
You can check out all the games coming to Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Cloud Gaming below.
Gorogoa (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC & Xbox Cloud Gaming) - Jan. 4
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 (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC & Xbox Cloud Gaming) - Jan. 4
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 (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC & Xbox Cloud Gaming) - Jan. 4
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 (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC & Xbox Cloud Gaming) - Jan. 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 (Xbox Series X|S Optimized, Xbox One & PC) - Jan. 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 (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC & Xbox Cloud Gaming) - Jan. 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 (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One & PC) - Jan. 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 (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One & PC) - Jan. 13
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!
Leaving soon
You can check out all the titles leaving Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Cloud Gaming below.
Jan. 15
- Desperados III (Cloud, Console, and PC)
- Ghost of a Tale (PC)
- Kingdom Hearts III (Console)
- Mount & Blade: Warband (Cloud, Console, and PC)
- Pandemic (Console and PC)
- Yiik: A Postmodern RPG (PC)
This is also the last opportunity to grab the Pass Tense bundle for Halo Infinite, a Perk being offered for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers.
Everything you need
Xbox Game Pass gives you access to over 200 games for one monthly fee. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate also adds Xbox Live Gold to the package so you can play online with your friends. You also get access to EA Play.
