Xbox Game Pass is adding 12 new titles to its December catalogue, including two day-one releases. The standout here has to be the Remnant franchise — both From the Ashes and its newly launched sequel Remnant II, celebrated for its souls-like shooter experience that pits players against tough-as-nails fantastical monsters, across procedurally-generated levels. Its challenges can also be tackled in co-op, so it’s best advised that you check out the sequel because it will have a larger active player base. Another major addition this month is Far Cry 6, setting you against the vibrant tropical island of Yara to topple its ruthless dictator Antón Castillo (Giancarlo Esposito), who is hellbent on using the Viviro, an unstable form of cancer treatment, to restore his land to former glory. It arrives December 14 on Xbox Game Pass.
The December lineup feels too good to be true, but makes sense given the Christmas season, as a means for Xbox to get more people to subscribe to Game Pass. Rise of the Tomb Raider is another major entry, putting you in the shoes of lone adventurer Lara Croft, who is thrust into a sprawling mystery surrounding The Order of Trinity looking to acquire ancient artefacts that would grant them the power to change the fate of humanity. Taking players to the Lost City of Kitezh in Siberia, this is the second story in a three-part reboot trilogy from Crystal Dynamics, borrowing a range of mechanics from Naughty Dogs Uncharted games in terms of ammo pick-up and a robust close-quarters combat system. Rise of the Tomb Raider will be out December 5 across PC, console, and the cloud.
Let your creativity run wild as you construct a mining town punctuated by cutesy little roads and settlements, with enough power water, and resources to ensure your steampunk civilians are well-equipped to excavate long-lost space technology — the kind that might help save the barren, dying planet. SteamWorld Build is a day-one launch on Xbox Game Pass and is now available to download for free on PC and console. Experience the life of a village blacksmith in While the Iron’s Hot, a pixelated RPG set on the enigmatic island of Ellian, which drew countless craftsmen together in order to perfect their craft. Explore every tunnel, forge new machinery to get past puzzles, and interact with its colourful cast to unveil the mystery surrounding a recent disaster. The game is now available on cloud, console, and PC.
Or you could engage in some co-op zombie-killing action in World War Z: Aftermath, as thousands of undead hordes leap across rooftops to deliver high-tension challenges, as you stock up on ammunition and makeshift weapons to blast skulls, all the while being granted the responsibility of escorting civilians to safety. While it is based on the Brad Pitt-led Paramount Pictures film, the game was well-received at launch and promises to be a jolly good time when it comes to Game Pass on December 5. After all that gory beatdown, one might need to relax a little. So why not turn into an annoying farm animal, and wreak havoc on a sandbox town in Goat Simulator 3, as you headbutt, lick, and triple-jump your way through?
December 1 (now available)
Remnant: From the Ashes — PC, cloud, and console
Remnant II — PC, cloud, and Xbox Series S/X
Spirit of the North — PC, cloud, and console
SteamWorld Build — PC, cloud, and console
December 5
Clone Drone in the Danger Zone — PC, cloud, and console
Rise of the Tomb Raider — PC, cloud, and console
While the Iron’s Hot — PC, cloud, and console
World War Z: Aftermath — PC, cloud, and console
December 7
Goat Simulator 3 — PC, cloud, and Xbox Series S/X
December 8
Against the Storm — PC
December 12
Tin Hearts — PC, cloud, and console
December 14
Far Cry 6 — PC, cloud, and console
Additionally, Microsoft has confirmed some titles to be leaving the service. On December 15, you can say goodbye to Chained Echoes, Opus Magnum, Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator, and Rubber Bandits.
And as usual, before they disappear from the service, you can choose to buy them at a 20 percent discount.