A few years after Microsoft first introduced Xbox Game Pass and the subscription service has become the centerpiece for the company's gaming strategy. Microsoft's main goal seems to be getting as many people as possible to sign up for Xbox Game Pass, and it has accomplished this in a number of ways, like releasing its major first-party games on Game Pass on day one, as well as signing huge deals with third-party companies.
Microsoft typically reveals its Xbox Game Pass plans on a month to month basis, detailing the new games that fans can expect to hit the service in the next couple of weeks while also confirming the games leaving Xbox Game Pass in case anyone wants to play them while they're still available. Considering this, it's hard to say what Microsoft may be adding to Xbox Game Pass later this year, but some leaks may have given fans a general idea of what to expect.
Fans should always take gaming "leaks" with a grain of salt until official announcements are made. However, if the leaks are real, then they paint a rather pretty picture for Xbox Game Pass in 2021. Combined with titles that fans already know are releasing on Xbox this year, if the leaks are real then fall 2021 will be huge for Xbox Game Pass and should make it a significantly more appealing service than it already is.
Halo Infinite
Before diving into the games that have been "leaked" for Xbox Game Pass, it's important to touch on what's already confirmed. Halo Infinite does not have a release date at the time of this writing, but the game is expected to launch this fall, serving as the Xbox's tentpole release for the holiday 2021 season. Halo Infinite was originally expected to launch alongside the Xbox Series X console, but it was delayed following some backlash to its reveal trailer.
343 Industries is using this extra development time to polish Halo Infinite, so it should be a superior product compared to what it would have been had it launched alongside the Xbox Series X last year. There's still a lot that hasn't been revealed about the game, but we do know that Halo Infinite will have a semi-open world for the campaign, plus the franchise's popular multiplayer component along with some other innovative features.
Starfield
Starfield is not confirmed to be launching this year, so fans should definitely keep their expectations in check. However, multiple leakers and industry insiders have hinted that Starfield will have a full-blown reveal at Microsoft's E3 2021 press conference, with plans to launch the game at some point this fall. As the latest game from Starfield developer Bethesda Game Studios, expectations for the sci-fi RPG are high, even with virtually nothing known about it at this time.
Out of all the Xbox Game Pass leaks, the Starfield one is perhaps the easiest to believe. After all, Bethesda has a history of revealing games and releasing them shortly after their reveal, plus the game has been in development for years now. One has to imagine that Starfield is nearing the end of its development cycle, and so hopefully the rumors are true and fans get to play it on Xbox Game Pass sooner rather than later.
Tales of Arise
Tales of Arise is the latest installment in the long-running Tales of... JRPG franchise, but it's an especially notable release. Tales of Arise is hoping to revitalize the series, and it's doing this by making major innovations and taking the franchise in bold new directions. Some of the changes have proven to be controversial, like Tales of Arise's lack of multiplayer, but the game is still hotly anticipated by JRPG enthusiasts.
The Xbox brand is not exactly known for its bevy of JRPGs, which is why the rumors of Tales of Arise launching on Xbox Game Pass on day one have piqued some interest. This would potentially be a huge "get" for the Xbox Game Pass service and draw people to Game Pass that wouldn't consider subscribing to it otherwise. After all, why not pay for the relatively low Xbox Game Pass subscription price to play through Tales of Arise instead of paying full price for the game? Tales of Arise has not been confirmed for Xbox Game Pass, but its inclusion would give the service an undeniable boost in value.
Battlefield 6
Arguably the biggest leak about Xbox Game Pass is that the upcoming Battlefield 6 is going to hit the service on the day of its launch. Battlefield 6 hasn't been officially revealed yet, but rumors point to it being a next-gen only game with a huge player count, next-level destructibility, and generally being a massive step forward for the popular first-person shooter franchise. Rumor has it that a Battlefield 6 reveal is going to take place in a matter of days, so it will be interesting to see if there's any talk about it potentially coming to Xbox Game Pass as rumored.