Dominik Bošnjak is a freelance writer from Croatia. He has been writing about games for as long as he can remember and started doing it professionally around 2010. If he was forced to choose a favorite genre, he'd go with RPGs, but he didn't, so he didn't.
Death Stranding Director's Cut Available now at Xbox Game PassLaunched on January 21 in most of its tiers. Two more titles also joined the subscription service today, bringing the total number of January Xbox Game Pass releases to 11.
Designed by metal gear Producer Hideo Kojima, Death Stranding One of the most unusual big-budget games in recent memory, it offers a gameplay loop that largely focuses on making deliveries in a harsh post-apocalyptic wasteland. It was originally released in November 2019 as a timed PlayStation exclusive before reaching PC the following July. While somewhat polarizing at launch, its premise resonated with many critics, as underscored by the game's “strong” rating on OpenCritic, based on a 79% recommendation rate and 83 average score. The original version of Death Stranding Xbox Game Pass was previously offered to subscribers for a year-long period starting in August 2022, but only on PC.
Xbox Game Pass adds AAA horror games and artsy Day-One titles
Xbox Game Pass adds a big-budget survival horror game and an artistic day-one indie title that couldn't be more different from each other.
Xbox Game Pass marks the first triple release date of 2026
Kojima's post-apocalyptic title returns in a new and improved form on January 21st on Xbox Game Pass. It is no longer limited to PC Game Pass and can instead be played through Xbox Series X/S and Xbox Cloud Gaming. Death Stranding Director's Cut Xbox Game Pass has joined together Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound And another version Roadcraft2026 marks the platform's first triple release date. Roadcraft Technically available on Xbox Game Pass from September 2025, but only on Cloud and Series X/S consoles. Now, like an inversion Death StrandingIt has also joined the PC Game Pass content list.
OpenCritic ratings of January 21 Xbox Game Pass arrival
- Death Stranding Director's Cut: 83 points, 79% recommendation rate
- Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound: 86 points, 93% recommended
- Roadcraft:81 score, 78% recommended
All of the January 21 arrivals have received high marks from players and critics. Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound OpenCritic has the highest rating of the group, with an average score of 86. 2025 is the only title among the three to receive a “Mighty” rating from the retro action platformer aggregator. It ranks in the top 4% of highest-rated games in OpenCritic's database, dating back to 2015. angry has reached Microsoft's subscription service just two days after its first anniversary Ninja Gaiden 2 Black Joining Xbox Game Pass.
Upcoming Xbox Game Pass titles with confirmed release dates
|
the date |
the game |
Game Pass Tier(s) |
Platform(s) |
notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
January 21 |
Death Stranding Director's Cut |
Ultimate, Premium, PC |
Cloud, Handheld, PC, Series X/S |
The Standard Edition was available on PC Game Pass from August 2022–August 2023. |
|
January 21 |
Roadcraft |
Ultimate, Premium, PC |
pc |
Console and cloud versions available from September 2025. |
|
January 21 |
Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound |
Ultimate, Premium, PC |
Cloud, PC, Series X/S |
|
|
January 22 |
Nova Roma |
Param, PC |
pc |
First day release. |
|
January 27 |
The Talos Principle 2 |
Ultimate, Premium, PC |
PC, Series X/S |
|
|
January 28 |
Anno: Mutation |
Ultimate, Premium, PC |
Cloud, Console, PC |
|
|
January 28 |
Leave the duchy |
Ultimate, Premium, PC |
Cloud, Console, PC |
|
|
January 29 |
MySims: The Cozy Bundle |
Param, PC |
pc |
|
|
January 29 |
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marines II |
Ultimate, Premium, PC |
Cloud, PC, Series X/S |
|
|
February 2nd |
indica |
Ultimate, Premium, PC |
Cloud, PC, Series X/S |
|
|
February 3 |
final fantasy 2 |
Ultimate, Premium, PC |
Cloud, PC, Series X/S |
|
|
February 5 |
danger |
Param, PC |
pc |
game preview; One day release. |
|
February 13 |
High in life 2 |
Param, PC |
Cloud, PC, Series X/S |
First day release. |
|
February 26 |
Towerborne |
premium |
Cloud, PC, Series X/S |
First day 1.0 release. Available from April 2025 in game preview on XGP Ultimate and PC GP. |
|
March 12 |
was replaced |
Param, PC |
Cloud, PC, Series X/S |
First day release. |
At least six more titles are set to join Xbox Game Pass in the last ten days of January 2026. Included in the lineup Nova Roma 22 January and The Talos Principle 2 Five days later. Additional Shadow drops are possible on the 22nd, as Microsoft's annual Xbox Developer Direct is scheduled to take place. Looking ahead, January 28 is scheduled to see a dual release, with deck-building Roguelite. Leave the duchy and a cyberpunk side-scrolling RPG Anno: Mutation Both arrive at the service.
- issued
-
November 8, 2019
- ESRB
-
M for Mature: Blood, intense violence, partial nudity, strong language
