Xbox Drops Over $100 of Freebies, Includes 2 of the Best Open-World Games Ever
So many GOATs!
Xbox has swung for Sony on this sacred February PlayStation Plus launch day with, dare I say, a much better line-up. You can save over $100 worth of freebies with Xbox Game Pass this month, including day-one drops, games that drop today, and a surprise twist to the norm.
Listen, I'm not here to stoke console wars. I just report on the facts. The fact is - a lot of fans have been... Less than positive towards Xbox Games Pass in recent times, given the price hikes, abolishing a popular tier and the stellar PlayStation Plus lineups we've had in recent months.
Here’s what you’ve got coming up in this month’s Xbox Game Pass lineup.
What Drops Today on Xbox Game Pass?
First up, we’ve got a Day One banger. Aerial_Knight’s Dropshot is one for all the kids who loved Radioactive by Imagine Dragons. I’m thinking of one kid from my high school in particular, I hope he’s doing alright with this news.
Dropshot is a high-speed, stylized FPS / Race where you play as a kid who was bitten by a radioactive dragon. If that wasn’t cool enough, it turned his skin purple and gave him the power to fire bullets from his fingertips. Of course, he’s turned this into an awesome racing career and uses it to fight dragons. I’ve never heard of a game that sounds cooler form the description, ever.
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Next up, one I’m surprised wasn’t already there, to be honest. Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora - a really cool first-person, action-adventure game set in Western Frontier of Pandora. I need to get around to watching the latest one. I don't have 3 hour to spend on a film, but I’ll sink 10 hours into this. Make it make sense. Plus, enjoy the new third person update to experience Pandora from a whole new perspective.
Avowed is now on Game Pass Premium! If you tried it out at launch and wasn’t sold, I’d recommend giving it another go - it’s had a year of updates, including new playable races, New Game Plus Mode, Photo Mode, custom game options, new weapons and a bunch of quality of life fixes.
What’s Coming Soon?
Mark your calendars for 19 February! Death Howl is coming to Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, PC Game Pass. The game description reads: “Craft cards and claim powerful totems to defeat the woeful spirits lurking in the mystical lands. Unravel the tale of a grieving mother in her desperate attempt to defy death and bring back her son”. This one’s been on my wishlist for a while now, so I’m buzzing to see it come to Game Pass.
One for the sports fans next! EA Sports College Football 26 is coming to Game Pass Ultimate 19 February. Ultimate subscribers can play now with EA Play, then score a Supercharge Pack from February 19–March 20 and save 10% on EA digital purchases. Touchdown (or whatever they say in this one).
Now for the big one. You know it, you love it, I only played it for the first time a few months ago... It’s The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition! Yes, complete edition. That means DLC is bundled in for free. Another banger dropping 19 February for Game Pass Ultimate and Premium.
I’m well into this next one. It’s only a preview, but TCG Card Shop Simulator drops on 24 February for Game Pass Ultimate, Premium and PC Game Pass. If hunting for chase cards IRL wasn’t enough for you, now you can do it digitally! Open and manage your own local game store. Stock shelves with the latest booster packs or crack them and collect the cards for yourself. Set your own prices, hire staff, host events, and expand your card shop.
Another Day One indie I’m interested in - Dice A Million. 25 February for Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass. Have you ever tried to roll 1,000,000 on a set of dice? No? Build the right bag of die, and you might just pull it off. The luck of the roll is in your capable Hand, decked out in powerful rings, with more than a few tricks up the sleeve.
Towerborne is launching as a complete game from an in-progress preview on February 26 on Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, PC Game Pass. The full release adds more story, areas, enemies, and progression, with updated difficulty and balance for different playstyles. Cosmetic rewards are now earned through gameplay, along with many polish and quality improvements. With launch you’ll also get offline play and optional online co-op. We love a team that listens to its community feedback and takes it on board!
Final Fantasy III comes to Game Pass Ultimate, Premium and PC Game Pass on 3 March. It’s a classic for a reason - I adore the Final Fantasy games. With the power of light nearly eclipsed by the power of darkness, only the crystals’ four chosen adventurers can save the world.
Last, but definitely, definitely not least. Historical Action RPG giant Kingdom Come: Deliverance II drops 3 March, on Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, PC Game Pass. Henry of Skalitz – my beloved. Do yourself a favour and check this one out immediately if you haven’t already.
What’s Leaving Xbox Game Pass This Month?
A certified banger of a month, but there’s always a cloud, if you will. Say goodbye to some classics, leaving the platform on 28 February.
- Monster Train (Cloud, Console, and PC)
- Expeditions: A MudRunner Game (Cloud, Console, and PC)
- Injustice 2 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
- Middle Earth: Shadow of War (Cloud, Console, and PC)
What do you think of this line-up? Could Xbox have beaten this month’s PlayStation Plus, even with Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 dropping? Let me know what you think.
Topics: Xbox Game Pass, Xbox