Xbox Game Pass Gets Even Better in January: Death Stranding and Space Marine 2 Highlight the Lineup

Xbox Game Pass is capping off the month with a wave of high-profile additions that you won't want to miss; from Hideo Kojima's atmospheric masterpiece Death Stranding Director's Cut to the gore-soaked chaos of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II. Beyond these heavy hitters are plenty of other great additions to the service to keep you busy through the upcoming snow. Let's take a look at what is heading our way.

January Highlights

Xbox's latest wave, announced via the official Xbox Wire, delivers a stacked roster hitting from January 20 onward. Highlights include AAA ports, day-one indies, and genre-defining sequels. Here's the breakdown:

• Death Stranding Director’s Cut (January 21, Cloud, Handheld, PC, Xbox Series X|S): Kojima's genre-bending trek returns with nice quality of life upgrades, new missions, and racetrack-building. Traverse a haunting post-apocalyptic America as Sam Porter Bridges, reconnecting a fractured society.

• Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound (January 21, Cloud, PC, Xbox Series X|S): A brutal side-scrolling revival from the Blasphemous team. Master lightning-fast combat in this ninja platformer. Get ready for pixel-perfect parries and boss rushes that test your reflexes.

• Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II (January 29, Cloud, PC, Xbox Series X|S): Dive into grimdark co-op carnage as Ultramarine Demetrian Titus. Shred Tyranid hordes in the campaign or tackle PvE ops, or PvP modes with six classes. One of 2024's best action games now available on Game Pass.

• MIO: Memories in Orbit (Available now, Cloud, Handheld, PC, Xbox Series X|S; Day One): A hand-drawn metroidvania starring android Mio. Explore robot-overrun ruins, battle machines, and unravel memories in atmospheric 2D action that is already being hailed as a 2026 standout.

• The Talos Principle 2 (January 27, PC, Xbox Series X|S): Philosophical puzzles in a robot utopia. Mind-bending challenges expand on the original's legacy.

• Resident Evil Village (Available now, Cloud, Console, PC): Ethan Winters' nightmarish sequel arrives just in time to binge before Requiem. Lady Dimitrescu is waiting for you.

• RoadCraft (January 21, PC): Post-disaster sim with 40+ vehicles. Rebuild infrastructure in co-op physics sandbox.

• Anno: Mutationem (January 28, Cloud, PC, Console): Cyberpunk action-RPG in a neon metropolis. Hack, shoot, and uncover conspiracies.

• Drop Duchy (January 28, Cloud, PC, Console): Rogue-lite base-builder with Tetris-style drops. Shape your kingdom block by block.

• MySims: Cozy Bundle (January 29, PC): Retro charm with town-building and magical quests.

GameMinr Recommendations

Space Marine II was one of my favorite games from 2024, so if you haven't played that yet don't miss it now. Resident Evil Village and Death Stranding are also great adds, and they are both games I have been meaning to try so the timing is perfect. For deeper cuts, I'm excited to try Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound and MIO for some side-scrolling action, and Drop Duchy is a game I've been interested in for awhile but haven't had the chance to try. Basically anything that can work Tetris into its gameplay will get my attention.

Which Game Pass title are you trying first? Let us know over on Facebook and Twitter (X) and keep checking in with us at GameMinr.com for all the latest game news and releases.