Xbox Game Pass is Losing At Least 5 Games in January 2026

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It’s a new month, and that means some games are leaving Xbox Game Pass. So far, five titles have been confirmed to be removed. The past year had its share of changes for the service, with lots of great new games added but also a price increase that upset some players. We’ll have to wait and see what 2026 brings for Game Pass subscribers, but here’s the first list of games that are going away.

At the end of 2025, Xbox Game Pass removed two popular games. Carrion, an indie horror title, flipped the typical horror formula by letting players control the monster. And Hell Let Loose, a first-person shooter, is considered by many to be one of the best World War II games available. Luckily, Game Pass added many more games throughout 2025 than it removed, and fans are hoping this trend continues as Xbox announces which games will be leaving in the new year.

Microsoft has announced that five games will be removed from Xbox Game Pass in January 2026. These include Neon White, a unique blend of first-person shooting, platforming, and card game mechanics, as well as Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn, Road 96, The Ascent, and The Grinch: Christmas Adventures. The removal of Neon White might be disappointing for some, as it was a highly-rated game in 2022—a year that also saw the release of popular titles like God of War Ragnarok and Elden Ring. Fortunately, players who haven’t had a chance to play it can still purchase it for $24.99 after it leaves the Game Pass service.

Games Leaving Xbox Game Pass on January 15, 2026

  • Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn
  • Neon White
  • Road 96
  • The Ascent
  • The Grinch: Christmas Adventures

I’m a little bummed to see The Ascent leaving Xbox Game Pass again! It’s a really cool action RPG – you can play it solo or with a friend – and it got some great reviews when it came out in 2021. It feels like this game and Game Pass have a bit of an on-again, off-again relationship! It was on the service back in 2021, then taken off in 2023, and just recently added in July 2025. Now it’s leaving again, and we only have until January 15th to play it. Hopefully it comes back for a third round someday!

Image via Neon Giant

Xbox Game Pass removes games in two batches each month—around the middle and at the end. The five games leaving now will be gone on the 15th, and we can expect another set of departures around the 31st, though Microsoft hasn’t announced those yet. This also applies to new games joining the service, which subscribers are often excited to hear about. So far, only two games have been confirmed for January 2026: Mio: Memories in Orbit on the 20th and Nova Roma for PC on the 22nd. Hopefully, Xbox will share more information about upcoming games soon.

Image via Annapurna Interactive

Xbox Game Pass doesn’t have a ton of new releases announced for January yet, but exciting news could be coming soon. Matt Booty, head of Microsoft Studios, announced a new Xbox Developer Direct event will happen in January 2026. This event might reveal details about highly anticipated games like Forza Horizon 6, the reboot of Fable, or even both! Past Developer Directs have showcased important release dates for Game Pass, so fans should watch for announcements. We already know several games are coming this year, including Halo: Campaign Evolved, High on Life 2, and Gears of War: E-Day. It could be a huge year for the service, but we’ll have to wait and see what happens.

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2026-01-02 20:04