According to Engadget, Microsoft has announced the first wave of Game Pass titles for January 2026. The headliners are Ubisoft’s Star Wars Outlaws and Capcom’s Resident Evil Village. Star Wars Outlaws will be available starting January 13 for Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers, accessible on cloud, PC, and current-gen Xbox consoles. Resident Evil Village follows on January 20 for Ultimate, Premium, and PC tier subscribers, playable on cloud, console, and PC. This marks a significant addition of two major, full-priced titles to the service right at the start of the year.
The Game Pass Value Play Is Obvious
Here’s the thing: this is exactly the kind of move that makes Game Pass compelling. If you were even slightly curious about Star Wars Outlaws but balked at the $70 price tag for what many called a solid-but-unspectacular open-world game, this is a perfect chance. You get to be Kay Vess, do the speeder chases, and have your space dogfights without the buyer’s remorse. Same goes for Resident Evil Village—a critically acclaimed game that’s been out for a few years, making it a prime candidate for a service drop. For Microsoft, it’s a strong opening statement for 2026, signaling they’re still willing to pay for big third-party games to keep the catalog fresh.
But What’s The Ubisoft Angle?
This does make me wonder about Ubisoft’s strategy, though. Putting a major, relatively recent AAA title like Outlaws on a subscription service so soon? It feels like an admission. The game didn’t set the world on fire sales-wise, did it? This is probably a lucrative licensing deal for Ubisoft to get some guaranteed cash and maybe hook players on the upcoming DLC or a potential sequel. It’s a smart salvage operation. For players, it’s a win. But it also subtly confirms that the game’s market performance likely didn’t meet expectations, making the “wait for Game Pass” approach look wiser than ever.
A Solid, If Safe, Start To The Year
Look, neither of these games is a shocking, day-one surprise. One is a 2024 game that had a mixed reception, and the other is a beloved but older title from 2021. But that’s okay. This isn’t about shock and awe; it’s about consistent, high-quality value. It gives action-adventure fans and horror fans something substantial to dive into during the post-holiday slump. The real test will be what comes in the rest of January and into February. Can Microsoft keep this momentum? For now, though, it’s a confident start. If you’ve got Game Pass, your January gaming schedule just got busier.
