Xbox Game Pass subscribers have plenty to look forward to this coming week, with a fresh mix of atmospheric simulations, family-friendly adventures, and a major Star Wars headline act landing across Cloud, PC and console.
The mid-January refresh brings new worlds to explore, tough decisions to make, and a few fond farewells as several well-loved titles prepare to leave the service.
Whether you are surviving a zombie outbreak on PC, living the outlaw fantasy in a galaxy far, far away, or solving mysteries in Zephyr Heights on your Xbox, Game Pass continues to offer something for every type of player.
New Games Coming To Xbox Game Pass
We have a few new games arriving on the service this coming week, covering a host of bases and genres. In fact, we’d be surprised if you didn’t find the latest additions to Game Pass highly appealing…
Quarantine Zone: The Last Check
Arrives January 12th on PC Game Pass.
Quarantine Zone: The Last Check drops players into the bleak heart of a zombie apocalypse, not as a survivor, but as the person deciding who gets to live another day.
Taking on the role of a government agent stationed at a critical checkpoint, your job is to screen incoming survivors, assess threats, and make decisions that could shape the future of humanity.
Every interaction presents a moral dilemma. Do you let someone through despite suspicious symptoms, or turn them away to protect the many at the cost of the few? Beyond the human element, base management plays a crucial role. Supplies, defences, fuel and accommodation must all be carefully balanced as the crisis escalates.
Blending tense decision-making with strategic management, Quarantine Zone: The Last Check looks set to deliver a slow-burn, pressure-filled experience that thrives on consequence and player responsibility.
It lands on PC Game Pass and Steam.
Star Wars Outlaws
Arrives January 13th on Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S – Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass
Star Wars Outlaws is the headline addition this week, bringing the first fully open-world Star Wars action-adventure to Game Pass.
Set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, players step into the boots of Kay Vess, a scoundrel navigating the galaxy’s criminal underworld in search of freedom and fortune.
From bustling cities and cantinas to vast open landscapes best explored on a speeder, the galaxy feels alive and packed with opportunity. Missions can be tackled through stealth, gadgets, blaster combat, or clever distractions, with Kay’s companion Nix playing a vital role in turning the tide.
Our review of Star Wars Outlaws: 4/5 – ‘If you are looking for a completely different Star Wars experience, one that plays with a very good open-world, then Star Wars Outlaws should be taken in. I’ve liked playing as a thief and scoundrel, taking in and exploring the different worlds and enjoying the sheer amount of different things on offer. Perhaps it is focused a bit too much on stealth, and there are certainly a few bugs, but Star Wars Outlaws certainly makes a run for being the best of all the Star Wars games, helped by the visuals, story, and sheer fun it allows.‘
My Little Pony: A Zephyr Heights Mystery
Arrives January 15th on Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC – Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
Aimed squarely at younger players and fans of the franchise, My Little Pony: A Zephyr Heights Mystery offers a light-hearted adventure filled with charm, colour and gentle problem-solving. Set in the flying city of Zephyr Heights, players join familiar faces as they unravel a mysterious story packed with exploration, mini-games and magical moments.
A Zephyr Heights Mystery focuses on accessibility and imagination, delivering a welcoming world that encourages curiosity rather than challenge. A steady stream of new ideas keeps the adventure moving, even if some mini-games feel a little repetitive over time.
Still, for its intended audience, A Zephyr Heights Mystery delivers a cosy, engaging journey that captures the spirit of My Little Pony while offering a fun introduction to interactive storytelling.
We gave My Little Pony a 4/5 in review: ‘On the whole, it’s clear that My Little Pony: A Zephyr Heights Mystery delivers an enjoyable and magical adventure suitable for the young fandom it’s catering to. For a few hours, they’ll be engaged by a fun little story, a fantastical environment, and a regular influx of fresh ideas. The mini-games are a tad boring however, and it seems like poor Misty’s ability was a bit of an afterthought.‘
Games Leaving Xbox Game Pass On January 15th
The following games will be departing the service soon thanks to the usual mid-month Game Pass cull. This is your chance to jump back in or finish them before they go.
- Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn (Cloud, Handheld, PC, Xbox Series X|S) – 4/5 – ‘Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn has a lot of heart, and is more than capable of providing an enjoyable playthrough. There is a challenge there, and a good story, but it could have done with that final bit of polish to make it a classic must play game.‘
- Neon White (Cloud, Console, Handheld, PC) – 4.5/5 – ‘Neon White feels like a breath of fresh air, thanks to its brilliant design and wickedly paced gameplay. For thrills, spills and occasionally chills, this one should not be missed.‘
- Road 96 (Cloud, Console, Handheld, PC) – 4/5 – ‘At a time when refugees and authoritarian regimes are very much in the headlines, Road 96 may feel a bit toothless. But ignore the politics and you have a story-rich journey into the desert that will give you an opportunity to escape, in more ways than one.‘
- The Ascent (Cloud, Console, Handheld, PC) – 4/5 – ‘Find three friends and take your time with The Ascent, refuse to play in long sessions, and you and your partners will find worlds and gunplay that blow your augments clear off.‘
- The Grinch: Christmas Adventures (Cloud, Console, Handheld, PC) – 2.5/5 – ‘By the midway point, we felt a bit ‘bah humbug’ about having to play more. Perhaps The Grinch: Christmas Adventures was true to the source material, after all: we had become the Grinch.‘
Coming Soon To Game Pass
Looking slightly further ahead, Game Pass subscribers have even more to look forward to next week, especially on January 20th when Resident Evil Village and Mio: Memories in Orbit both hit the subscription service.
Xbox Game Pass Update Summary
- Quarantine Zone: The Last Check launches January 12th on PC Game Pass
- Star Wars Outlaws arrives January 13th on Cloud, PC and Xbox Series X|S
- My Little Pony: A Zephyr Heights Mystery joins on January 15th across all platforms
- Five games leave the service on January 15th
With a major Star Wars release leading the charge and a varied mix of genres filling out the lineup, this week’s Game Pass update continues to show just how broad and ambitious the service has become.
Get into the comments and let us know what you’ll be playing.
