Typically, Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass subscription service adds new games throughout the month instead of all on one day, but an exception is being made for December 16. Perhaps because the holidays are right around the corner, Microsoft decided to lump all the new Xbox Game Pass games for the second half of December together on one day, giving subscribers the chance to check out a whopping 10 new games, including two day one titles.
The new day one Xbox Game Pass games for December 16, 2021 are Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth, a Metroidvania game, and The Gunk, a third-person action-adventure/platformer game where players try to rid an alien planet of a toxic substance. Both games are available for Xbox Game Pass subscribers to check out now, with The Gunk even having a native Xbox Series X version to play.
Day one Xbox Game Pass games are often the most exciting new additions whenever a fresh batch of titles are added to the lineup, but there's another eight games for fans to check out as well. This includes some family-friendly games like Ben 10: Power Trip, Paw Patrol: Mighty Pups Save Adventure Bay (which has co-op support), Race With Ryan, and Transformers: Battlegrounds.
Xbox Game Pass New Games for December 16, 2021
- Ben 10: Power Trip (Cloud/Console/PC)
- Broken Age (Cloud/Console/PC)
- Firewatch (Cloud/Console/PC)
- Lake (Cloud/Console/PC)
- Mortal Kombat 11 (Cloud/Console/PC)
- Paw Patrol: Mighty Pups Save Adventure Bay (Cloud/Console/PC)
- Race With Ryan (Cloud/Console/PC)
- Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth (Cloud/Console/PC)
- The Gunk (Cloud/Console/PC)
- Transformers: Battlegrounds (Cloud/Console/PC)
Those looking for a bigger narrative punch with their games have some options to check out as well. The new Xbox Game Pass games added on December 16 include the likes of Broken Age from Double Fine and Firewatch, the latter of which is arguably one of the best indies on Xbox Game Pass. Lake, a relaxing game where players play as a mailman in a small town, may scratch a similar itch.
The headlining new game added to Xbox Game Pass with the December 2021 games is definitely Mortal Kombat 11, though. The latest entry in the long-running fighting game franchise, Mortal Kombat 11 has a robust roster of fighters and numerous game modes to keep fans busy for hours on end. Those that want to spring for Mortal Kombat 11's DLC will have even more to check out, including a set of interesting guest fighters and an expanded story mode.
December 16 will be the last big day for Xbox Game Pass until January 2022. Microsoft has not confirmed the full lineup of new games coming to Xbox Game Pass in January 2022 just yet, but it has been confirmed that titles like Weird West, The Anacrusis, and Windjammers 2 will hit Game Pass at various points next month.