Xbox Game Pass for PC: New games in December 2021

December 17, 2021

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The year 2021 is entering the home stretch – but in December, as usual, there will be a whole series of new games that will be added to the Xbox Game Pass for PC (which is now just called PC Game Pass) and will be available to all subscribers for free. In exchange, however, some titles will have to take down their tents and leave the service.

We list all the new additions and goodbyes below. You can find out what the Game Pass has to offer, how much it costs and more information in our big overview:

Table of Contents

New in the Game Pass in December 2021

The Gunk

(Genre: Action-Adventure – Developer: Thunderful Developement – Release: December 16, 2021 – In Game Pass from: December 16, 2021)

The Gunk is an action-adventure mystery that unleashes you as two space scavengers on an exciting and original alien planet. You have to protect the planet from the Gunk, a slimy parasite that corrupts plant and animal life. With a mixture of action and jump & run, you explore the world and uncover the secret of its civilisation.

Mortal Kombat 11

(Genre: Fighting Game – Developer: NetherRealm Studios – Release: 22 April 2019 – In Game Pass from: 16 December 2021)

The principle of Mortal Kombat 11 should actually be familiar to everyone: You unleash fighters on each other in spectacular arenas, beat the crap out of each other and then finish off your opponents with completely over-the-top brutal attacks. But Mortal Kombat 11 also scores with its two thrillingly written story campaigns, which make more out of it than a mere knockabout fest.

Firewatch

(Genre: Adventure – Developer: Campo Santo – Release: February 9, 2016 – In Game Pass from: December 16, 2021)

The adventure game Firewatch is perfect for a leisurely Sunday at the PC – because the story can be easily played through in one or two days, without any time pressure. Firewatch tells the atmospheric story of a national park employee who is on the lookout for forest fires day in and day out. But he carries a secret inside him and even in the vastness of the park, not everything is as it seems.

Anvil

(Genre: Multiplayer Action Game – Developer: Action Square – Release: December 2, 2021 – In Game Pass from: December 2, 2021)

Are you in the mood for some multiplayer action in a sci-fi setting? Then Anvil could be just the thing for you. Here you play a so-called breaker who sets off to alien planets together with his fellow professionals to recover alien artefacts called vaults.

Of course, this sounds too simple to be true. Not surprisingly, the planetary excursions are not a sightseeing tour. Instead, all kinds of enemies await you, especially extra-heavy boss opponents who are extremely reluctant to part with their valuable possessions.

Archvale

(Genre: RPG – Developer: idoz & phops – Release: December 2, 2021 – In Game Pass from: December 2, 2021)

As a brave adventurer, you face a cruel king and his sinister henchmen. You travel through different regions, kill numerous enemies and can use the valuable loot to craft even better weapons and equipment.

The battles are the central gameplay element in Archvale. They take the form of real bullet hell battles, which means they are fast-paced and emphasise precision and speed.

Final Fantasy XIII-2

(Genre: JRPG – Developer: Square Enix – Release: 11 December 2014 – In Game Pass from: 2 December 2021)

Nothing really needs to be said about Final Fantasy. The franchise of popular JRPGs is popular worldwide and can already boast numerous entries. Those who have not yet had the opportunity to play Final Fantasy XIII-2 can rejoice: From 2 December 2021, you can get started thanks to Game Pass.

Lawn Mowing Simulator

(Genre: Simulation – Developer: Skyhook Games – Release: August 10, 2021 – In Game Pass from: December 2, 2021)

You’ve already saved numerous kingdoms, prevented alien invasions, sent zombies to the afterlife – but there’s one thing left on your list before you can call yourself a true hero: Mowing the lawn!

You can devote yourself to this wonderfully meditative pastime from 2 December 2021. If you want to know which in-depth gameplay systems the Lawn Mowing Simulator has to offer, take a look at the trailer.

Rubber Bandits

(Genre: Multiplayer Party Game – Developer: Flashbulb – Release: December 2, 2021 – In Game Pass from: December 2, 2021)

Don’t let the colourful, child-friendly presentation fool you: Rubber Bandits is a tough test for your friendships. After all, in the best party game style, it’s all about which of you leaves the field victorious at the end.

In three modes, the aim is to reach the finish line first and steal, destroy and loot as much as possible in the process. You can play either in local co-op or in online multiplayer.

Stardew Valley

(Genre: Farming Simulation – Developer: ConcernedApe – Release: 26 February 2016 – In Game Pass from: 2 December 2021)

In case there are actually still gamers who can’t relate to the term Stardew Valley, we’ve pulled out our review video from back in the day for you. But don’t be fooled: Over the years, the peaceful farm simulation has become much bigger, more varied and better.

Stardew Valley doesn’t just make sure you have a great time in the game. It’s also responsible for a cool story or two in the real world:

Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector

(Genre: Turn-based Strategy – Developer: Black Lab Games – Release: July 22, 2021 – In Game Pass from: December 2, 2021)

Games in the popular Warhammer 40k universe abound, and hardly any genre has been spared so far. But that doesn’t matter, after all, fans are happy about every opportunity to indulge their passion virtually. The turn-based strategy game Battlesector is no exception.

Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator

(Genre: SciFi Tycoon Game – Developer: Strange Scaffold – Release: December 7, 2021 – In Game Pass from: December 7, 2021)

Describing this game is a bit tricky. Let’s give it a go anyway: In Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator you work as an organ trader. This doesn’t sound like a desirable career choice at first, but in the game’s sci-fi future, it’s an extremely lucrative way to rake in some serious dough.

You offer the meat parts on the market to indulge in capitalism. Oh, and you’ll have to stop vampire leech organs from destroying your precious wares, but I’m sure you could figure that out for yourself, right?!

Halo Infinite

(Genre: First-person shooter – Developer: 343 Industries – Release: December 8, 2021 – In Game Pass from: December 8, 2021)

Many years Halo fans had to wait, but finally the latest adventure of the Master Chief is in the starting blocks. From 8 December 2021 you can also dive into the story campaign. The biggest innovation is probably the open world, in which you will encounter the usual enemies. This makes the game feel more open, but ultimately the storyline will still be very linear.

Find out what the already released free multiplayer part of Halo Infinite has to offer in our review:

Halo: Infinite in the test: This is how a shooter should play

One Piece Pirate Warriors 4

(Genre: Action – Developer: Koei Tecmo – Release: 27 March 2020 – In Game Pass from: 9 December 2021)

You know one Muso game, you know them all. For those of you who have never heard of this generic term, here is a short, but nevertheless quite complete overview of the gameplay of One Piece Pirate Warriors 4: You slip into the skin of a character from the popular One Piece franchise and knock down countless enemies on extensive battlefields with cleverly used combos – or by randomly pressing buttons.

If you are unsure whether you can do something with the game: Just give it a try! From 9 December 2021, you can download the game for free in the Xbox Game Pass.

Aliens: Fireteam Elite

(Genre: Co-op Survival Shooter – Developer: Cold Iron Studios – Release: August 24, 2021 – In Game Pass from: December 14, 2021)

Aliens fans haven’t had much to smile about for the past few years, but then Fireteam Elite appeared and put a smile on their faces. Because the co-op survival shooter does a lot right and only makes a few mistakes. As a Colonial Marine, you take on the iconic aliens. The story takes place 23 years after the films and should feature some familiar faces.

Aliens: Fireteam Elite in review – The best horde shooter in years

More new PC Game Pass games coming December 16

Broken Age

Ben 10: Power Trip

Lake

PAW Patrol Mighty Pups Save Adventure Bay

Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth

Transformers: Battlegrounds

These games are leaving Game Pass for PC in December 2021

As usual, Microsoft is once again releasing some titles from the subscription into the wild. No longer included as of 15 December are:

The Dark Pictures: Man of Medan

Guacamelee! 2

Wilmot’s Warehouse

Unto The End

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair

What do you think of the games confirmed so far for Game Pass in December 2021? Overall, are you happy with the Xbox Game Pass offering, or do you have any changes you’d like to see Microsoft make?