When Xbox Game Pass launched in 2017, no one could have predicted it would become the selling point for Xbox consoles for the next almost a decade. It has evolved, but the real kicker is that first-party games almost always launch day-and-date for “free” on the subscription service.
10 Masterpiece Xbox Games Turning 10 Years Old In 2026
From Gears of War 4 to Quantum Break, these Xbox games defined a generation and are celebrating their 10th anniversary in 2026.
It’s an incredible value even though the number of new games has dwindled. As many games as there are on the service, there are some strangely missing titles from third-party and first-party studios that are tied to the Xbox family of consoles, from Call of Duty to Jade Empire. Let’s go over how strange it is that these games aren’t on Game Pass, especially after the price hike, and how they’re still worth your time, even if they demand an entry fee.
Fit the 9 games into the grid.
Call Of Duty 2
MIA
When Activision and Blizzard joined the Xbox family, Call of Duty fans were hopeful that the franchise’s games would become available on Game Pass. To the subscription service’s credit, the new games have been on there day-and-date, and fans can get access to the last five major titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.
They can’t, however, download classics like Call of Duty 2, which is a console exclusive from the Xbox 360 era, but it can be purchased. Other notable CoD games that would be fun to jump back into, but aren’t exclusive to Xbox, include Call of Duty: World at War and Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare.
Ninja Gaiden Black
Ryu Returns, Again
Ninja Gaiden Black is an enhanced version of the original 2004 reboot, and both titles were originally Xbox exclusives. Since then, ports and remasters of this game have been released, but they were based on the Ninja Gaiden Sigma edition.
While Ninja Gaiden Black isn’t fully exclusive, it is closely tied to Xbox’s history. There are so many other Ninja Gaiden games on Game Pass, like Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, Ninja Gaiden 4, and Ninja Gaiden: Rebound, that the lack of Ninja Gaiden Black seems odd.
Dead Or Alive 4
Bouncing Battles
Ninja Gaiden Black was developed by Team Ninja at Koei Tecmo, and another great Team Ninja franchise highly tied to Xbox and worth bringing up here is Dead or Alive. Dead or Alive 4 is still fully an Xbox 360 exclusive game, while Dead or Alive Ultimate 1, Dead or Alive Ultimate 2, and Dead or Alive 3 are original Xbox exclusives.
All four games can be purchased on the Xbox Marketplace, but they are not all on Game Pass. It seems like an obvious victory for Microsoft to talk to Koei Tecmo and get any of these games on the service, but at least they are all backwards compatible.
Jade Empire
Crouching Tiger, Hidden RPG
BioWare had a big presence on the original Xbox thanks to Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, which is also on PC and Switch now. One game that doesn’t get brought up often enough is Jade Empire, BioWare’s fantasy martial arts RPG. It isn’t as good as KotOR, but it’s still one of the best RPGs of the 2000s.
Great 30$ Games You Could Buy After Unsubcribing From Game Pass
If you’re miffed about the price increase for Game Pass Ultimate, these $30 games can provide a singular experience for that same $30 price tag.
The game is backwards compatible on Xbox systems, and it can be purchased, plus it’s on Steam. Newer BioWare fans would probably check it out if it were available on Game Pass, but they won’t be disappointed if they spend a bit of cash on it either.
Blue Dragon
The Spiritual Successor To Dragon Quest And Final Fantasy
Microsoft paid the big bucks to acquire some exclusive JRPGs on the Xbox 360, including Blue Dragon from Mistwalker, the development studio founded by Hironobu Sakaguchi, the father of Final Fantasy. The game can still be purchased, but it has never left the Xbox system.
It doesn’t have the same clout as Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest, but it’s still fun in its own right. The quirky characters, turn-based battle system, and music all make it one of the most underrated JRPGs of its era, which is why it should be on Game Pass. Even if it’s not, though, Blue Dragon is still worth checking out.
Lost Odyssey
Immortal Kombat
Lost Odyssey is another Xbox 360 exclusive from Mistwalker, and among all of the devs’ titles, this is probably their masterpiece. The story follows a group of immortals who are thrown into a war when a fellow immortal tries to grab supreme power despite going against the order of things.
It’s a challenging game. The turn-based combat system is a bit quirky, and the story has a surprising amount of maturity, akin to something like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. It would be in Microsoft’s best interest to remind JRPG fans that this gem is still available on current Xbox systems by putting it on Game Pass, but a small spike in sales could spur things in that direction.
Infinite Undiscovery
The Wind Waker
Infinite Undiscovery
- Released
-
September 2, 2008
Infinite Undiscovery is another exclusive of the Xbox 360 era, but this one was developed by tri-Ace in collaboration with Square Enix. It is an action RPG starring Capell, a young warrior gifted with a flute that can reveal hidden passages.
Like other tri-Ace games, including Star Ocean: The Second Story, the action is satisfying, albeit a bit simple. It’s not as good as Lost Odyssey, but Game Pass definitely needs more JRPGs on the service, and these exclusives just make the most sense to include.
Enslaved: Odyssey To The West
Dragon Ball Apocalypse
Enslaved: Odyssey to the West was developed by Ninja Theory, a company Microsoft purchased in 2018. It was published under Bandai Namco’s umbrella, which may be why Microsoft cannot freely put it on Game Pass without making a deal, but they have done so with past games, so it begs the question if that’s a real factor.
10 Forgotten RPGs That Deserve To Be Rediscovered On Game Pass
These RPGs may not be 10/10 experiences, but they are worth your time on Game Pass.
For example, most of Double Fine’s games were published under different companies, and many of them are on Game Pass despite that. Psychonauts and The Cave are some examples, meaning that Microsoft should try and get Bandai Namco to play ball regarding Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, too, as it is a highly underrated post-apocalyptic action-adventure game. That said, its sales weren’t spectacular when it launched in 2010, so maybe signs of renewed player interest would encourage Microsoft to open that discussion.
Crash Team Rumble
Team-Based Platforming
Crash Team Rumble is the latest title in the Crash Bandicoot series, even though it’s more of a spin-off. This license falls under Activision’s umbrella, which Microsoft now owns, making it odd why it isn’t on Game Pass while other Crash Bandicoot games are, like Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy and Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled.
Even though it’s not a must-play compared to those other examples, the collection of mini-games and multiplayer antics makes Crash Team Rumble worth checking out, even for a price. Checking out games like this is the beauty of having a service like Game Pass in the first place.
Prey (2006)
Before Arkane, There Was…
The original 2006 version of Prey followed a Native American named Tommy, who got tangled up with alien invaders. It was almost like a spiritual successor to the Turok series, except with fewer dinosaurs.
Arkane Studios made the 2017 reboot of the same name, a studio that Microsoft now owns. While Microsoft doesn’t technically own this original game, it is available to buy on modern Xbox systems, and it would be interesting to have both versions on Game Pass for players to compare. Still, Prey is one of the most underrated first-person shooters of the Xbox 360 era, and it deserves more attention from modern gamers.
8 Best Xbox Games Like Nioh
From Ninja games to other Soulslikes, fans of Nioh will have a definite blast with these similar Xbox games.
