One of the main reasons to subscribe to Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass subscription service is to get access to day one game releases. Being able to play a brand-new game without paying anything more than an Xbox Game Pass fee is huge, and if one tends to buy new games regularly, the service could practically pay for itself. Microsoft has already added multiple new day one Xbox Game Pass games in January, but there's even more on the way next week.
Microsoft has yet to reveal all the new Xbox Game Pass games coming in the second half of the month. The announcement will likely come early next week, but in the meantime, fans do know of some games that are coming to Xbox Game Pass in the second half of January 2022. Based on what has already been announced for Xbox Game Pass, it seems subscribers have at least five day one games to look forward to next week.
These new day one Xbox Game Pass games would be joining the previously released day one Xbox Game Pass games that have already been added in January, like The Pedestrian, Spelunky 2, and co-op shooter The Anacrusis. All together, these games really go a long way in justifying an Xbox Game Pass subscription for PC and Xbox users.
New Xbox Game Pass Games for January 2022
- Gorogoa - January 4
- Olija - January 4
- The Pedestrian - January 4
- Embr - January 6
- Mass Effect: Legendary Edition (Xbox Game Pass Ultimate/PC Game Pass) - January 6
- Outer Wilds - January 6
- Spelunky 2 - January 13
- The Anacrusis - January 13
- Nobody Saves the World - January 18
- Hitman Trilogy - January 20
- Pupperazzi - January 20
- Rainbow Six Extraction - January 20
- Windjammers 2 - January 20
The five day one Xbox Game Pass games currently scheduled to release next week will kick off with Nobody Saves the World on January 18. The latest game from Drinkbox Studios, the developer behind the critically-acclaimed Guacamelee games, Nobody Saves the World is an action-RPG with a quirky sense of humor and online co-op support. Drinkbox has a solid track record of regularly delivering high quality games, and so chances are good that Nobody Saves the World will be another feather in the developer's cap. Xbox Game Pass subscribers will find out once it becomes available on January 18.
Then on January 20, Xbox Game Pass is getting four day one release all on one day. This includes the recently revealed Hitman Trilogy, a collection of Hitman 1, 2, and 3 that's launching across multiple platforms next week. The three latest Hitman games have earned positive reviews from critics and fans alike, with particular praise aimed at Hitman 3. Now Xbox Game Pass subscribers will be able to experience the whole thing for the price of their subscription fee.
Hitman Trilogy will be joined by Pupperazzi, a game that is much different in tone, to say the least. Whereas Hitman Trilogy is an incredibly violent and dark game, Pupperazzi is an indie game about snapping photos of dogs. Pupperazzi looks like it will be yet another solid indie game in the Xbox Game Pass lineup and should greatly appeal to those who enjoy relaxing games.
Pupperazzi isn't the only day one indie game coming to Xbox Game Pass on January 20. Windjammers 2 is also set to launch for Xbox Game Pass next week, reviving the classic arcade sports franchise for modern consoles. The original Windjammers has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity lately despite having originally released in the mid-90s, so Windjammers 2 is looking to take advantage of that by delivering an updated version of the concept. The jury is still out on whether or not Windjammers 2 will enjoy the same success as its predecessor, but fans will find out come next week.
And finally, the game that's arguably headlining the next Xbox Game Pass releases for next week is Rainbow Six Extraction. Whereas Rainbow Six Siege is a PvP multiplayer experience, Rainbow Six Extraction is focused on co-op PvE gameplay. Arguably the first major new game release of the year, Rainbow Six Extraction has players working together as Rainbow Six operators to complete objectives and fight back against a deadly alien threat.
All five of these games will be available to Xbox Game Pass subscribers to play on the very day that they launch, so fans have a lot to look forward to next week. January 20 is a particularly big day for Xbox Game Pass, but fans shouldn't sleep on January 18 either, as Nobody Saves the World definitely has a lot of potential. In the meantime, it will be interesting to see if there are even more Xbox Game Pass games coming next week; fans will just have to wait for the official announcement from Microsoft to be sure.