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Xbox Game Pass gets Mass Effect, Outer Wilds, and more this month

Microsoft’s game streaming service is kicking off 2022 with an explosive list of additions. During January, Xbox Game Pass subscribers will get access to eight new titles in total, including Mass Effect Legendary EditionSpelunky 2, and Outer Wilds.

Starting today, however, Game Pass subscribers will be able to give a few other notable titles a try. Olija and The Pedestrian are now available on Game Pass, along with developer Buried Signal’s hand-drawn puzzle title, Gorogoa.

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On Thursday, January 6, both The Outer Wilds and Mass Effect Legendary Edition will be made available on Game Pass. For anyone who hasn’t played the Mass Effect franchise yet, Legendary Edition is everything they’ll need to get into the series before Bioware releases its mysterious next Mass Effect game.

Similarly, it’s worth noting that the version of Outer Wilds available as part of Game Pass won’t include the game’s Echoes of the Eye expansion. Along with the two games, Embr, which puts players in the shoes of freelance firefighters, will also be available on January 6.

Spelunky 2, the cave-diving roguelike platformer, is set to land on Game Pass on January 13 along with The Anacrusis, a wave-based cooperative shooter.

With the games coming onto Xbox Game Pass this month, some also have to leave. As of January 15, Game Pass subscribers will no longer have access to Desperados 3Ghost of a TaleKingdom Hearts 3Mount & Blade: WarbandPandemic, or Yiik: A Postmodern RPGPUBG: Battlegrounds will also be leaving Game Pass, although for a different reason. The battle royale title, perhaps trying to maintain its space in the genre, is going free-to-play on January 12.

Otto Kratky
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Otto Kratky is a freelance writer with many homes. You can find his work at Digital Trends, GameSpot, and Gamepur. If he's…
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