The 26 best Xbox Game Pass games in 2026: all tested, reviewed and recommended by our expert team

The best Xbox Game Pass games in 2026 offer some gaming experiences you might not necessarily purchase for yourself, all for one monthly cost. Admittedly, it has been a rocky period for the subscription service, with a number of price hikes and gating certain games behind higher tiers that make it arguably less desirable than it was in its heyday.

That said, Xbox Game Pass is still a high-quality service, delivering everything from indie gems to day-one Xbox Game Studios titles on a frequent basis. Below, we've listed the best of the best with the intent of getting you the best bang for your monthly subscription buck.

Furthermore, we have tested and reviewed every single game in this list. Our recommendations come from hours of playing these games through to completion. We've boiled it down to 26 must-play games across a variety of genres, so we're confident that you'll be able to find at least one or two titles that fit your preferences.

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Best Xbox Game Pass games in 2026

Frostpunk 2 is a truly brutal post-apocalyptic city builder, but one that's well worth exploring on Xbox Game Pass. You'll have to manage your settlement, send out supply teams, all the while staving off hunger, frostbite, and frequent death. The game is impeccably well written, and no two playthroughs feel the same. Survive a volcanic winter using your initiative, and with the help of your allies.

While it won't be for everyone, Frostpunk 2 really excels at teaching its many systems early on. The first few hours are gripping, and peppered with difficult decisions that teach you the consequences associated with making overly risky choices. Variable difficulty settings make Frostpunk 2 easier to recommend, and I'd definitely play around with certain sliders, especially early on. Eventually, you'll learn all about how to survive in the brutal winter environments, and once you get the hang of things, Frostpunk 2 is extremely rewarding.

The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered updates Bethesda's very best RPG for modern players. This includes an overhaul to leveling and combat, but with much of the game's systems left as they were at launch. In short, it's the best way to re-experience one of the greatest games ever made, and the perfect way to jump in if you missed it first time around.

While Oblivion tends to get overshadowed by its successors, it's secretly the best one in the series. Side quests are real highlights, with Guilds like the Dark Brotherhood well worth seeking out. The map is vast, but beautiful, even by today's standards. The ability to fast travel to a location before even visiting really helps too. Make sure you take your time, speak to NPCs, and truly bathe in the world around you. There's few RPGs better than this one.

Hang on, why are we still recommending Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 over the latest entry; Black Ops 7? Well, to put it bluntly, the latest CoD game is a pretty atrocious mess, with a misguided always-online co-op campaign and rather listless, tired-feeling multiplayer.

Black Ops 6 was a real return to form for the franchise, featuring a brand new slate of maps and the exciting Omnimovement combat system. This system lets you sprint and dive in any direction, leading to some truly awesome moments in matches. You can fire while diving, and certain maps featuring specially-designed areas where you can dive off tall structures and into pools, ponds, or onto train boxcars.

There's a whole new Zombies Mode to enjoy as well. This takes the mode back to its roots, simplifying systems and focusing on team-based play. There's now multiple maps to fight your way through, and several new weapons that include throwbacks to old Zombies campaigns. Speaking of Campaigns, the Black Ops 6 single player Campaign is a spy-thriller mixed with a classic Call of Duty adventure. It's the best one in years.

Doom: The Dark Ages is a brilliant twist on the modern Doom formula, and better yet, it launched on Xbox Game Pass. Now, the Doom Slayer finds himself in a Medieval hellscape, though he's got a new set of toys to play with. One is a chainsaw shield, adding a parry to proceedings. It can be thrown too, bouncing between enemies before returning back covered in demon blood. In terms of gameplay, this one slows things down significantly, focusing on methodical combat and chaining together abilities and attacks.

While things have been slowed down when compared to the last entry, Doom: The Dark Ages continues to push next-gen visuals to the limit. Performance on the Xbox Series X is fantastic, with a solid 60fps maintained across the board. Oh, and you can now ride a dragon across the map, blasting enemies from the skies.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was one of the surprise hits of last year, pleasing both critics and fans with its inventive twists on classic JRPG gameplay. For starters, it's absolutely gorgeous, with a distinct art-style bolstered by bold character design and stylish combat effects. There's great performances across the board too, from Charlie Cox, Ben Starr, Jennifer English, and Andy Serkis to name but a few.

If you're a fan of sprawling RPG epics, then you'll get plenty out of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. It's got one of the best stories in recent memory, with plenty of heartbreak, betrayal, and sacrifice.

It's all clearly inspired by classic JRPG series like Final Fantasy, Suikoden, and Dragon Quest, but manages to carve out its own path by making smart changes to the tried and tested turn-based formula. Parries and dodges can be weaved in between attacks, adding an extra layer of interactivity to battles. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is the best Game Pass game added to the platform in a long time.

South of Midnight is immediately striking, with some of the most gorgeous art direction this generation. Everything from the music to the character designs is inspired by the Deep South, weaving folklore with original ideas expertly to create something truly unique. You'll follow Hazel as she makes her way across the country following a hurricane, in the hopes of uncovering her family’s legacy. The allies she meets along the way are mighty, the landscape tinged with a magical sense of whimsy and all underscored by an absolute ear worm of a score.

While South of Midnight's bold art-style might not be for everyone, it'll certainly benefit from being free with Game Pass. It's well worth checking out, especially if you like weird action adventure games with an unwavering commitment to what they're trying to achieve. There's also a talking catfish, so well worth a look, in our opinion.

Avowed comes from the developer of Grounded, Pentiment and Fallout: New Vegas. It's a fantasy RPG through and through, with colorful followers to recruit, and some excellent spell-based combat. As you explore the Living Lands, you'll battle foes with sword, shield and bow, customizing your own character to suit your preferred playstyle. There's plenty of choice during missions too, and it'll be up to you whether you want to help certain characters, or manipulate them to your advantage.

Obsidian has crafted an excellent open world, one which manages to not feel too big when compared to some of its competitors. It's also full of great side quests to take on as well. Thanks to Xbox Game Pass, you can jump in and try it out for yourself. We were hooked from the very start, making it easy to recommend Avowed as one of the best games on the platform.

Sniper Elite: Resistance puts you into the shoes of Harry Hawker, in a story that runs parallel to that of Sniper Elite 5. In many ways, this is an expansion, one that fine-tunes systems, and gives players a fresh hero to play as. You see, as an agent of the Special Operations Executive (SOE), you'll work to foil a Nazi plan involving a very powerful weapon indeed. How you do this is largely up to you, though expect the same stealth/sniper gameplay the series is known for.

Infiltrate enemy camps, disrupt communications and then complete your objectives, as you work with the French Resistance. The whole campaign can be played in co-op, and there's even a multiplayer invasion mode that can really spice up missions. Of course, the slow-mo, X-ray camera shots are still here, as is the series' trademark humor and slapstick combat.

Starfield is the perfect Game Pass game, given that it offers up a huge world, with hundreds of hours of fun packed into it. It's similar to Fallout and Skyrim, in that you're largely allowed to tackle the game at your own pace. Do you want to spend your time smuggling contraband? You can. Would you rather play space cop? Well you can do that as well. Really, Starfield's main draw is its open-ended quest design.

While Starfield isn't exactly Bethesda's most accessible game, it being on Game Pass means you can load in and try it out at no extra cost. The first few hours will give you a good idea as to what you'll be doing in the main quest, and hopefully give you a feel for how the combat works. Starfield can be a real blast once it sets you loose in its sprawling Universe.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle arrives at a time when the franchise's stock is perhaps at its lowest ever. After the disappointing Dial of Destiny, fans have been clamouring for a return to the old Indy, the globetrotting love letters to the golden age of film that make the most out of Harrison Ford's iconic archeologist. It's impressive then, that Indiana Jones and the Great Circle manages to nail what made the first three movies so special, with an epic story that's easily the best Indiana Jones tale we've had since Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Without wanting to sound too much like a cliché, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle truly makes you feel like Indiana Jones. It does this by allowing you to pick up pretty much anything and use it as a weapon, adding the series' blend of slapstick and cartoon violence. When paired with a flawless performance by actor Troy Baker and you've got an interesting, faithful and meticulously designed Indiana Jones game that's sure to impress even the most critical of fans.

Here's the elevator pitch for The Alters: you're a scientist named Jan who has to work with several clones of himself to survive on a hostile alien planet. All the clones have different personalities, but share the same voice actor. Interested? If you download it via Xbox Game Pass, you're in for a quirky and endlessly creative sci-fi adventure.

At its core, The Alters is a management sim with survival and combat elements. Each clone has their own specialty, and you'll need to make sure their needs are being met, all while building within a wheel-shaped base that reminds me of that one scene from Prometheus.

It won't be for everyone, combat is a touch basic and some of Jan's alternate personalities may grate on the nerves. But there's a lot of heart to this sci-fi adventure, and some genuinely funny writing kept us playing until credits rolled. If you enjoyed the Frostpunk series, this is from the same studio.

Well into 2026, Balatro remains a stalwart of gamers looking for a quick 'n' cheerful 10 minute burst of dopamine. This poker roguelite has you blending hands like flushes and full houses with run-altering Joker cards that affect your hand and score in a variety of ways.

The real beauty of Balatro is in its synergetic Jokers. You can only hold a small handful of these, but if you strike a winning combination, you'll often see your score shoot through the roof, accompanied by some very pleasing UI feedback.

As you'd expect from a game in its subgenre, Balatro is heavily replayable. No two runs will feel the same, especially as things like bosses and shops will look vastly different from attempt to attempt. Be warned, though, diving into Balatro might well drain you of all productivity.

Diablo 4 is far and away one of the most visually stunning looters ever made. Its unbelievably grim world design hearkens back to the series' original entry, and there's no shortage of blood, guts, and gore to really bring home that dark fantasy horror vibe.

Such visual fidelity doesn't come at the cost of what makes Diablo so special, though. Your chosen character class is still awash with flashy screen-clearing abilities, and several updates and expansions since launch have helped it feel fresh. Even when you're starting from scratch with a brand new character.

Halo Infinite perhaps isn't the best or most-discussed game in the long-running first-person shooter franchise, but it was a welcome return to form after the pretty disastrous Halo 5. Sporting a semi-open campaign map, 343 Industries tried something different with Infinite, and it allowed for a single-player experience that at least felt somewhat fresh.

Of course, the real draw here is the multiplayer, and this again was a massive improvement over Halo 5. Solid map design, great-feeling weapons, and a battle pass system that didn't rely on FOMO (you can revisit old passes and level them up at any time), it remains a fantastic time if you're looking for something a bit slower-paced and thoughtful than the latest Call of Duty.

Hellblade 2 was one of the more highly anticipated Xbox-owned titles to release in the last couple of years. A large part of this fervor was down to just how absolutely gorgeous the game looked in previews, something that developer Ninja Theory managed to nail in the final release. The game is simply stunning to behold, and clearly one of the best examples of next-gen gaming we've seen on the newer suite of consoles.

Gameplay is a little less interesting however, though it's largely on par with the first Hellblade title. Really, you're playing this one for a more cinematic experience, and in that regard Hellblade 2 is a must play for Game Pass subscribers. Senua is once again a very captivating protagonist indeed, propelled by a brilliant performance by actor Melina Juergens. You'll make your way through a dark and menacing world, where nothing is quite as it seems, all the while battling the demons that persist in Senna's mind.

Persona 3 Reload is a very welcome addition indeed for Xbox Game Pass. It's been completely rebuilt, with visuals that top Persona 5 in some ways, making it the best way for newer fans to play what is often cited as the series' best.

You'll play the new kid, who's immediately thrown into a dark alternate reality where schoolmates must summon powerful creatures called Personas to battle foes. In your spare time, you'll live out a full school year, as you build stats and foster Social Links which boost your battle capabilities when it's time to duke it out. It's a careful balancing act between sim-style life systems and excellent turn-based combat.

If you're looking for a new RPG to sink your teeth into, there's few better than Persona 3 Reload, especially as it boasts over 100 hours in its initial playthrough. You can choose whether you want to be the class clown, a straight A student, or a dangerous, demon wielding force of nature. Try it out if you're into games like Final Fantasy, especially if you like your turn-based combat to be oozing with style and flair.

The Ninja Gaiden series had a pretty remarkable return in 2025. Ninja Gaiden 2 Black provided a solid remake of the beloved Xbox 360 classic. Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound offered a sublime 2D action platformer experience from the makers of Blasphemous. And last but not least, Ninja Gaiden 4 continued the long-dormant character-action franchise courtesy of Team Ninja and PlatinumGames.

The focus this time is Yakumo, a young ninja from the Raven Clan who uses an array of devastating weaponry to slice through demons and members of the Divine Dragon Order. Series mainstay Ryu Hayabusa also shows up as a playable character, allowing for two distinct playstyles and weapon sets.

Ninja Gaiden 4 isn't quite as punishingly brutal as the games of old, and environmental design isn't as striking or varied. But in terms of gameplay, this is a fine mix of Team Ninja-style combos and PlatinumGames-flavored pacing and combat speed.

The Outer Worlds 2 is Obsidian doing what it does best. Interesting setting, fantastic premise, huge character build variety, and razor-sharp dialogue that makes its cast of plucky spacefarers so endearing.

If you enjoyed The Outer Worlds but felt it didn't quite live up to its potential, the sequel remedies that and then some. Explorable environments have more detail and are chock-full of optional quest, nooks, and crannies.

And yes, you can expect long-reaching consequences for your moment-to-moment decision-making in dialogue, as well as which factions you choose to align yourself with. It's a wonderfully unpredictable immersive sim and a great fit for Xbox Game Pass.

Coming from the team behind Tom Clancy's The Division, Star Wars Outlaws is, for my money, the most compelling open-world sandbox a Ubisoft studio has put out since perhaps Assassin's Creed Odyssey. Obviously if you love Star Wars, you owe it to yourself to give Outlaws a go.

But what makes it tick? First off, protagonist Kay Vess and her adorable companion Nix are a delight. Chock-full of personality and mightily resourceful, the decision to center the narrative around a barely-scraping-by smuggler is rather ingenious, and suits the criminal underworld setting to a T.

The game's improved a lot since launch, especially in regards to toning down the infamously infuriating stealth sections. Overall, it's an open-world adventure that I think is pretty underrated and flew under the radar for many at launch. Definitely check it out now that it's on Game Pass.

Hades 2 has just recently landed on Xbox Game Pass, and what a wonderfully moreish adventure it is. As Melinoë, a long-forgotten daughter of Hades and a witch of the Silver Sisters, you need to retake the underworld from Chronos, the Titan of Time. Chronos has imprisoned your family and is simultaneously waging war on the Gods of Olympus above. Melinoë certainly has her hands full, then, having to fight a war on two fronts.

That effectively means Hades 2 has two campaigns in one. But helping you out on your journey are a huge variety of weapons and Boons delivered unto you from the Gods. Between hectic runs, you'll also be able to chill out in the Crossroads. There, you can upgrade Melinoë's prowess for future runs, or hang back and chat to the many lovable characters who inhabit it.

Hades 2 will feel familiar to those who've played the previous game, but it all feels like a refinement. Combat, movement, even the user interface, it's all much sharper and more responsive, making for a sequel that's even more fun than its belting predecessor.

I may be a touch biased here, as I adore the Yakuza / Like a Dragon franchise. The latest mainline entry, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, is no exception, returning to the lovable Ichiban Kasuga and his band of well-meaning reprobates for a second outing.

The iconic hub of Kamurocho remains a large focus here, but this eighth mainline entry takes us overseas to Honolulu, an entirely new map for the series. It's still chock-full of activities and minigames, alongside the brilliant story that once again carefully balances madcap humor with more serious, heartfelt moments.

The turn-based combat from Yakuza: Like a Dragon returns here, and it's been greatly improved. You can actively move characters now during their turn, making for much less randomness when it comes to lining up positional attacks. And yes, the soundtrack remains fantastic here.

You might get a bit lost if you haven't been keeping up with the series to this point, but those who dive into this massive RPG adventure will find plenty to love. Especially if you're looking for something a bit different than the usual fantasy or sci-fi affairs that dominate the genre.

Is Dragon Age: The Veilguard the best entry in Bioware's fantasy RPG series? I wouldn't say so, as someone who enjoyed all three of the previous entries. But it's no slouch, either. I really enjoyed the fast-paced combat offered by The Veilguard, and build variety is pretty strong here. Especially if you're a magic user.

Rich character customization and some gorgeous worlds to explore help set The Veilguard apart from other fantasy RPGs, and I recommend checking it out if you're looking for something with a vibrant art style, a fun cast of characters, and a nice balance of combat, puzzles, and dialogue.

Metaphor: ReFantazio is a truly unforgettable turn-based RPGs from the masters of the craft. Atlus, previously responsible for the excellent Persona, Shin Megami Tensei, and Etrian Odyssey franchises, lifted inspiration and gameplay elements from all three to spin up this wonderful fantasy RPG.

There's an exceptional story to delve into here, but what really sets Metaphor apart is its Archetype class system. These are essentially equippable classes, that each come with their own sets of abilities and specailities.

All characters in your party can learn and equip any Archetype, and while their base stats mean that some are better-suited to certain characters than others, it makes for a highly customizable gameplay system that lets you tailor your party to your liking.

Blue Prince was one of TechRadar Gaming's games of the year in 2025, and it really is one-of-a-kind. As a young boy named Simon, you're called to the Mount Holly estate on grounds of inheritance, passed on by your late grandfather.

The catch? You're to find the 46th room of the 45 room estate. How is that possible? Well, the secret of Mount Holly is that its rooms reset each day. So, your task at the start of a day (or run, in roguelite terms, I suppose), is to approach doors and draft floorplans on your way to the Antechamber on the ninth rank.

And therein likes the hook. Getting to the Antechamber is just the start. You'll also need to make sure you're creating a throughline from the entrance to the ninth rank with no dead ends. All the while, you're managing your step count, solving puzzles, and uncovering deep secrets of the manor that slowly unveil a picture much bigger than your inheritance.

Blue Prince is a magical, often brain-busting game that's hiding so much under the surface. More than 80 hours later, I'm still finding little secrets and solving some of the game's more challenging series of puzzles. It can be frustrating when things don't quite line up, but this is very much a slow-burn knowledge accumulation game that's among the most rewarding and satisfying experiences in all of gaming.

Silksong very much lives up to the astronomical hype around its long-awaited launch. It follows up on one of the best games ever made, and somehow manages to stand on its own two feet. Generally, Silksong is a more challenging affair, with a bigger focus on aerial combat, and enemies that hit harder from the very first area. There's a huge map to explore, side quests to complete, and heaps of secrets to find.

I absolutely adored my time with Silksong, especially after I learned that I could explore elsewhere instead of beating my head against the same difficult boss fight over and over. The bosses are a real standout, and I'd say that Silksong has the best offering I've ever seen in a modern game. It demands a lot of time, patience, and bravery from its players, but Silksong rewards that effort in spades.

Coming to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on May 19, 2026, we've reviewed Forza Horizon 6 and found it to be a huge step-up from both Forza Motorsport and Forza Horizon 5. Its new setting of Japan is utterly gorgeous to behold. And with countless events and more than 600 cars to collect, it'll keep you busy for years if you're a petrolhead.

New to Forza Horizon 6 is the aftermarket car system, which we found to be a strong highlight. These are essentially souped-up cars you can find dotted around the map, often near relevant race events. They're almost always great fun to drive, and you can often stumble upon legendary-class cars that offer stunning looks and performance both.

There's just a ton to do here and it's all of a very high quality. Multiplayer has been seriously improved, feeling more seamless than previous entries. And for solo players, there's so much to discover. Even variety really leans into Horizon 6's diverse map, with everything from road and cross-country races to touge battles, hidden cars, and photo opportunities.

Best Xbox Game Pass games: FAQs

How we made our best Xbox Game Pass games list

The team at TechRadar Gaming are avid fans of Game Pass, and as a collective we have spent hundreds of hours exploring which titles it has to offer. As a team of gaming experts, we know exactly what to look for when narrowing down the best of the bunch, and Game Pass is home to loads of titles worth jumping into.

Within our list, our picks tend to cover games available across both console and PC, but if there's a particular stand out exclusive title, we've labelled which subscription it is available on.

To make our testing more in-depth, the team we have cover almost all bases when it comes to genre. Whether you're on the hunt for an FPS game, a more wholesome indie experience, or a horror to keep you up at night, someone on the team will have played it. As a result of our experience, you can trust our opinions and advice on what to play next.