A new month is here, which means Xbox Game Pass is losing a handful of games, with five confirmed to leave the platform so far. The past year was full of ups and downs for the subscription service, with several massive releases joining the library while a price hike spurred contention across the fanbase. It remains to be seen how 2026 will go for Xbox Game Pass subscribers, but the first round of departing games is now confirmed.
On the last day of 2025, Xbox Game Pass lost two titles, and both of them were heavy hitters. The indie horror Carrion gave players a chance to play as the monster in a reversal of the genre’s tropes, while the FPS Hell Let Loose is regarded by some fans as one of the best WW2 shooters to date. Thankfully, the service added significantly more games than it dropped in 2025, so hopefully it will keep that pattern going as Xbox reveals the first titles to leave in the new year.
History of Xbox Game Pass Price Hikes Explained
To the chagrin of subscribers, Xbox Game Pass is increasing its cost once again, and it’s far from the first time the service has seen a price hike.
So far, Microsoft has confirmed five games are leaving Xbox Game Pass in January 2026, including the FPS-platformer-card game hybrid Neon White, Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn, Road 96, The Ascent, and The Grinch: Christmas Adventures. Neon White‘s departure may sting for some users, as it was one of the best-rated games of 2022, which is no small feat in a year when God of War Ragnarok and Elden Ring also came out. Thankfully, though, anyone who hasn’t tried it out yet can still do so after it leaves Game Pass without shelling out too much, as it retails for just $24.99.
Games Leaving Xbox Game Pass on January 15, 2026
- Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn
- Neon White
- Road 96
- The Ascent
- The Grinch: Christmas Adventures
The Ascent is another departing title worth noting. The action RPG offers both single-player and co-op gameplay and has garnered solid reviews since its 2021 release. It’s also been something of a regular customer for Xbox’s subscription service. Most recently, The Ascent came to Xbox Game Pass in July 2025, but it had already been on the platform once before, initially joining the lineup in 2021 before being removed in 2023. Only time will tell if it makes a third trip to Xbox Game Pass, but for now, fans only have until January 15 to play it.
Users should remember that Xbox Game Pass typically purges games in two waves each month, once in the middle of the month and once at the end. All five of these titles are currently set to depart on the 15th, being the first wave, so there will likely be some more goodbyes around the 31st, though Microsoft has not revealed these yet. The same thing applies to new games on the platform, which subscribers may be more eager to learn about. So far, Xbox Game Pass has only confirmed two games for January 2026, with Mio: Memories in Orbit arriving on the 20th and Nova Roma coming to PC on the 22nd. Hopefully, Xbox will unveil more upcoming titles before long.
While there may not be anything too major in Xbox Game Pass’s lineup for January so far, there could be big news on the horizon. Head of Microsoft Studios Matt Booty has revealed that a new Xbox Developer Direct will take place in January 2026, and it could feature Forza Horizon 6, the much-anticipated Fable reboot, or both. Previous Developer Directs have revealed big Xbox Game Pass release dates, so fans should keep their eyes peeled for an announcement. There are already plenty of confirmed releases to look forward to this year, too, including Halo: Campaign Evolved, High on Life 2, and Gears of War: E-Day. It could be a landmark year for the service, but players will have to wait and see to know for sure.
- Released
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June 16, 2022
- ESRB
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T For Teen Due To Fantasy Violence, Language, Mild Blood, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Tobacco
- Developer(s)
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Angel Matrix
Source: Xbox
