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Everywhere you go, commentators persist in tolling the funeral bells for Microsoft's gaming division. Microsoft's console just got outsold by a lesser-known competitor. Platform-specific outlets are now publishing content on PS5 topics for the first time. Last year proved to be an era of significant turmoil for the tech giant's gaming arm. But if we're going solely off the upcoming Game Pass lineup in 2026, it is apparent that Microsoft remains determined to attract subscribers with compelling titles on its key platform.

The Available Now Titles

The duo of games that are immediately available at this moment, Brews & Bastards and Little Nightmares Enhanced Edition, don't represent the biggest draws. Instead, the excitement lies in what's arriving to Game Pass soon that's deserving of attention.

Significant Forthcoming Releases

On Jan. 13, Game Pass will add the underappreciated Star Wars Outlaws, a vast exploration title that deviates from conventional open-world tropes with an intergalactic heist adventure. An additional significant inclusion is Resident Evil Village featuring the towering Lady Dimitrescu, previously described as "an ideal blend of frights and fights."

Noteworthy Smaller Games

But even the smaller games arriving shortly on the service are quite compelling. Lost In Random: The Eternal Die, a fantastic but under-the-radar dungeon crawler offering thrilling gameplay, drops on Jan. 7th — and it's worth experiencing even if you missed out on the first Lost in Random game.

This UK-developed survival title from last year may draw you in within just a quarter of an hour.

Atomfall, a game blending infiltration and resource management by the makers of Sniper Elite, is another one to watch. Those with the top-tier subscription also have Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine – Master Crafted Edition to anticipate.

A Robust Selection of Games

All in all, these titles aren't industry-shaking releases to Game Pass, nor are they tentpole Microsoft studios games that are the sole reason for the service in the first place. However, this batch of games are exceptionally strong. There's a good mixture of past releases that passed you by and new-ish games that didn't get the attention they were due initially — which makes them ideal prospects to find a new audience on Game Pass.

Hope you're ready to bid farewell to The Grinch Christmas Adventures, though.