Xbox Game Pass Adds Highest-Rated Game of 2026

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Players can now enjoy Forza Horizon 6 with an Xbox Game Pass membership, available on two different plans. This is the ninth game added to Microsoft’s subscription service in May 2026, and the 81st Xbox Game Pass release so far this year.

As of today, Forza Horizon 6 is the top-rated game of 2026, according to OpenCritic. Based on 106 critic reviews, the game has a perfect recommendation rate and an average score of 91. Reviewers especially love the game’s wide range of content, extensive customization, and graphics that adapt well to different computer systems. The driving itself is praised for being both fun and accessible, while also offering detailed settings for players who want a more realistic experience.

Forza Horizon 6 Now Available on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass

Forza Horizon 6 launched on May 19th for Xbox Series X/S and PC. As with most new games from Microsoft, it’s available to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers right away. While subscribers could access the game as early as May 15th, this required purchasing the more expensive Premium Edition. That upgrade usually costs $60, but players could also get it using Microsoft Rewards points.

When Will Forza Horizon 6 Come to Xbox Game Pass Premium?

Since late 2024, Microsoft has been releasing new games only with its more expensive subscriptions. Because of this, the company hasn’t been clear about when specific games would be available on Xbox Game Pass Premium (previously called XGP Standard). They did promise that their own games would be added to the mid-tier subscription within a year of release. Lately, these major games have usually become available just before their one-year anniversary. For example, Doom: The Dark Ages was added to Game Pass Premium just a few days ago, alongside the release of Subnautica 2‘s highest tier, one day before its first anniversary. If Microsoft continues this trend, Forza Horizon 6 would likely come to Xbox Game Pass Premium around May 2027.

Upcoming Xbox Game Pass Games with Confirmed Release Dates

Date Game Game Pass Tier(s) Platform(s) Notes
May 19 Forza Horizon 6 Ultimate, PC Cloud, PC, Series X/S Day-one release.
May 21 Beastro Ultimate Series X/S Day-one release.
May 27 Echo Generation 2 Ultimate, PC Cloud, PC, Series X/S Day-one release.
May 28 Crashout Crew Ultimate, PC Cloud, PC, Series X/S Day-one release.
Jul 13 Ascend to Zero Ultimate, PC Cloud, PC, Series X/S Day-one release.
Aug 4 Beast of Reincarnation Ultimate, PC Cloud, PC, Series X/S Day-one release.
Aug 14 Grave Seasons Ultimate, PC Cloud, PC, Series X/S Day-one release.

Several new games are coming to Xbox Game Pass soon! The cooking roguelite Beastro launches on May 21st, and the turn-based RPG Echo Generation 2 arrives on May 27th. A few days later, on May 28th, you can look forward to the party racing game Crashout Crew. While that’s all that’s confirmed for May right now, Microsoft is expected to announce the next wave of games for May 2026 later today, May 19th.

Forza Horizon 6 quickly became the most played game on Steam during its limited early access, which was only available to those who purchased the $120 version. A new feature for the series is its cross-platform progression system, letting players continue their game on different devices. For example, you’ll be able to pick up a campaign started on PC Game Pass on PlayStation 5 when the game launches on Sony consoles later this year. However, downloadable content isn’t available on all platforms, except for those using the Xbox Play Anywhere program, which combines the Xbox Series X/S and Microsoft/Xbox Store versions of the game.

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2026-05-19 07:04