Though controversies around its pricing have certainly brought some negative attention towards it in recent times, Xbox Game Pass is a compelling offering that allows players to access a lot of games without having to buy them outright.
At the same time the fact that it has a catalogue of games available for both Xbox and PC players opens the door for more integration than ever and the opportunity to play with friends who otherwise might not have been able to enjoy games with you on your platform of choice.
2026 is shaping up to be a big year for the service with some major first party titles and day one releases to look out for, so we have decided to pick five that you should definitely have on your radar.
Fable
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The Fable series has been in the wilderness for years now but the second game still sounds as one of my favourite releases of all time.
Though details are pretty thin on the ground for this upcoming release, if the game manages to recapture that same charm, humour and originality, then it has every chance of being one of the very best games of the year.
Gears of War: E-Day
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Set 14 years before the events of the original game, Gears of War: E-Day Gives us a chance to look at the earliest throws of the locust invasion.
With some classic returning characters and the opportunity to explore themes and questions that we've had for two decades now, it could be one of the biggest releases of next year in terms of revenue and overall hype.
Halo: Campaign Evolved
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If you weren’t around for the original release of the first Halo game, I am genuinely sorry that you weren't able to experience that at the time.
Fortunately, you can get a good approximation of what it was like in the release of Halo: Campaign Evolved, an Unreal Engine 5 remake which retains the original story and themes, while at the same time giving us new mechanics and some quality of life features that we would expect in 2026.
Though it hasn’t got multiplayer, it doesn't really need it, as the campaign should give us hours of enjoyment when it does arrive later this year.
Forza Horizon 6
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The premier racing series on the Xbox has been Forza for some time and whether you're into the Motorsport or the Horizon strand of the series, you should be excited for the sixth entry in the latter.
Heading to Japan for the first time, the game looks like it's going to be a stunning step forward, with plenty of new driving mechanics and cars for us fans to get into.
Tropico 7
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Last on our list we have Tropico 7, the latest entry in the storied strategy series where you get to enter the very shiny boots of a Caribbean dictator, as they wrestle with the will of their own people and the machinations of huge empires run by the United States and the Soviet Union. If you've never played them before, they are relaxed city builders with a ton of humour that serve as a great entry point into the genre, and as a remarkably consistent franchise overall.
That's our complete list, but it's certainly not exhaustive, with hundreds of other games set to hit the service in 2026, so make sure to keep an eye out each month for any new arrivals.
Topics: Xbox Game Pass, Xbox, PC, Fable, Gears Of War, Halo