Since its launch in 2017, Microsoft's subscription service Xbox Game Pass has proved universally popular with gamers. With an impressive catalog of games from a wide range of publishers, the service sees new games added from time to time to freshen up the selection available for players to download. From indie titles like the upcoming Trek to Yomi to larger, more recognizable titles like the Gears of War series, Xbox Game Pass is truly a mixture of genres and playstyles. With Microsoft seemingly attempting to phase out Games with Gold in favor of this more popular service, Xbox Game Pass has received plenty of support from the developer.
Although there will be some games sadly leaving the service this month like the Yakuza series, there are still plenty of titles for players to enjoy. This includes a whole slew of new games that will be added to Xbox Game Pass throughout December, which will cater to a variety of tastes and temperaments. With a balance of newer releases, older overlooked games, or games that might be enjoying a recent renaissance, Xbox Game Pass gives games a chance to reach a wider audience. There are lots of titles to keep gamers occupied throughout the holidays, and Microsoft has ensured that its subscription service is going out of 2021 with a bang.
The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
Although Xbox Game Pass usually spreads the additions to the service out across the whole month, it seems Microsoft wanted to give gamers an early Christmas present by releasing the second batch of new games to the service all in one day. All the new titles for the second half of the month will be added on December 16, just in time for the holidays. With a mixture of Day One releases and older hits, the list of exciting new games coming to Xbox Game Pass should have enough variety to please even the most discerning of gamers. If not, there are still plenty of great games across the entire service as well.
Here are all of the new titles joining Xbox Game Pass in December:
- Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector (Console, PC) – December 2
- ANVIL (Console, PC) – December 2
- Archvale (Console, PC, Cloud) – December 2
- Final Fantasy 13-2 (Console, PC) – December 2
- Lawn Mowing Simulator (Console, PC, Cloud) – December 2
- Rubber Bandits (Console, PC, Cloud) – December 2
- Stardew Valley (Console, PC, Cloud) – December 2
- Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator – December 7
- Serious Sam 4 (Console, PC, Cloud) – December 7
- Halo Infinite (Console, PC, Cloud) – December 8
- One Piece Pirate Warriors (Console, PC, Cloud) – December 9
- Among Us (Console) – December 14
- Aliens: Fireteam Elite (Console, PC) – December 14
- Ben 10: Power Trip (Console, PC, Cloud) – December 16
- Broken Age (Console, PC, Cloud) – December 16
- Firewatch (Console, PC, Cloud) – December 16
- The Gunk (Console, PC, Cloud) – December 16
- Lake (Console, PC, Cloud) – December 16
- Mortal Kombat 11 (Console, PC, Cloud) – December 16
- Paw Patrol: Mighty Pups Save Adventure Bay (Console, PC, Cloud) – December 16
- Race With Ryan (Console, PC, Cloud) – December 16
- Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth (Console, PC, Cloud) – December 16
- Transformers: Battlegrounds (Console, PC, Cloud) – December 16
The Best Games On Offer This Month
From fighting games to sedate walking simulators, the selection of new Xbox Game Pass games should suit all tastes. But among the list, there are some titles that stand out more than others. The latest entry into the beloved Halo franchise, Halo Infinite, was a Day One release for the subscription service and was received well by gamers and fans of the series. With some reviews calling it the "best [Halo's] been in a decade," it's fair to say there was a lot of excitement leading up to the game's December 8 release. Like previous games in the franchise, Halo Infinite is a first-person sci-fi shooter and follows the exploits of the iconic Master Chief as he faces down alien threats. Its campaign offered players a semi-open world to explore, with many of the fan-favorite vehicles and weapons from the franchise making an appearance in Halo Infinite.
For players looking for more of a narrative-focused experience, they could try service newcomers Firewatch or Broken Age. Campo Santo's Firewatch was released back in 2016 and was praised for its charming art design and touching story that centered around the relationship between a fire lookout called Henry and his supervisor Delilah all through the medium of a walkie-talkie. Firewatch's gentle gameplay and intriguing mystery at the heart of the plot provided a pleasant few hours of gaming, and Firewatch is worth any gamer's time if they're looking for an engaging experience. Similarly, Broken Age was a story-focused point-and-click adventure that focused on two main characters and was developed by Double Fine Productions. Players can switch from one character to another as they explore their environments, and the beautifully told and sensitive narrative is both humorous and heartfelt.
If it's a collaborative or online experience that gamers are after, they should check out the infamously hectic and tense Among Us. Innersloth's 2018 hit is an online multiplayer social deduction game where players must work out who the Impostors are before they either kill all the crew or succeed in sabotaging a critical system. A popular game on streaming services like Twitch, it has even attracted celebrity players with shows like The Tonight Show featuring matches of Among Us. The concept may seem simple, but the gameplay is anything but, and its rapidly increased popularity in recent years is more than deserved.
For a multiplayer or a single-player game, players should look no further than Mortal Kombat 11. The iconic game franchise has spawned many iterations and features some of the most recognizable and well-known characters in video game history. Originally released in 2019, the most recent release in the Mortal Kombat series is another classic example of the fighting game genre, with challenging and frenetic combat and plenty of over-the-top violence. With an extended tutorial section that provides one of the best introductions to a fighting game in the history of the genre, gamers new to (or unfamiliar with) this style of game don't need to worry that it will be too inaccessible. The game keeps everything that made the previous Mortal Kombat titles great, while still providing lots of new aspects to keep Mortal Kombat 11 feeling fresh and new. It also serves as a perfect placeholder while fans wait for the upcoming Mortal Kombat movie.