Xbox Game Pass continues to grow, as Microsoft has revealed the addition of four more games to be released over the next week. Two games will be launched in Game Pass starting Thursday, January 17, followed by the second pair on Thursday, January 24. That makes for a total of 11 games released for Game Pass across all of January, which may not even be the end of it.

Two great AAA open world classics are joining January's already great Xbox Game Pass titles. One game is from one of Microsoft's recently acquired studios, and another is one of the latest releases in the popular Lego franchise:

  • We Happy Few (Jan. 17)
  • The Lego Movie Videogame (Jan. 17)
  • Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (Jan. 24)
  • Saints Row: The Third (Jan. 24)

For those interested in playing these games on the cheap, as well as the ever-growing current library of Game Pass titles, Microsoft's currently offering the first month of the subscription service for just $1. Beyond the first month, the service costs $9.99 a month, though it can routinely be found at a discount of 25% or even 50% off if bought in three or six-month blocks.

we happy few key art

Xbox fans will likely already be familiar with Compulsion Games' We Happy Few. After all, Compulsion Games was acquired by Microsoft, as announced at E3 2018. The first-person action adventure game features three unique story arcs revolving around an authoritarian society and the required use of a mood-controlling drug named Joy. We Happy Few slipped by a lot of game players in 2018, so Game Pass will hopefully give it a second life.

Most should probably be aware of the remaining three January Game Pass games. The Lego Movie Videogame features the same great Lego franchise third-person action-adventure format, this time bundled with the story of the ever-popular Lego Movie. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor was many people's Game of the Year in 2014, letting players take on a hierarchy of orcs in an effort to take on the Black Hand of Sauron himself. And the third, and perhaps best, Saints Row game is defined by its zany story and inventive action. The contrasting tones of Shadow of Mordor and Saints Row: The Third should proffer a great choice for new Game Pass subscribers.

This marks a great start to Game Pass in 2019, as four new games join in the second half of January, coming hot on the heels of other new additions like Just Cause 3, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, and others, with potentially more games to come. Stay tuned for more games, including February's Xbox Game Pass additions, in the weeks ahead.

Source: Xbox