Skip to main content

Xbox Game Pass gets one of 2021’s best games today

Iron Mask and Shionne attack in Tales of Arise.
Bandai Namco Entertainment

The next batch of titles coming to Xbox Game Pass this month was just revealed. Leading the pack of games being added to the subscription service today is Tales of Arise, a critically acclaimed RPG from Bandai Namco Entertainment that Xbox previously leaked was coming to the service.

Tales of Arise was released in 2021. The latest entry in a long-running RPG series, it follows a slave and girl inflicted with a curse as they rise up against the kingdom of Rena. It sports real-time RPG combat, and is one of few games to score a five-star rating from Digital Trends.

Recommended Videos

Tales of Arise is a game I would recommend for anyone looking for ‘the future’ of the JRPG genre. This game could easily be Bandai Namco’s Final Fantasy 7,” De’Angelo Epps wrote in our 2021 review. “It feels tailor-made for the era and pushes the barriers for RPGs thanks to complex combat, weighty storytelling, and gorgeous visuals.”

Please enable Javascript to view this content

An expansion titled Beyond the Dawn continued the story last November, but that’s not included in this Xbox Game Pass release.

Microsoft accidently — and briefly — listed this game in the headline of the Xbox Wire post about the previous batch of Xbox Game Pass titles. It didn’t come to the service until today, February 20, though. Here’s the full list of confirmed titles coming to Xbox Game Pass between February 20 and March 5.

  • Tales of Arise — February 20
  • Return to Grace — February 20
  • Bluey: The Videogame — February 22
  • Maneater — February 27
  • Madden NFL 24 for Xbox Cloud Gaming — February 27
  • Indivisible — February 28
  • Space Engineers — February 29
  • Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun — March 5.

As is typically the case, some games are also leaving Microsoft’s game subscription service this month. On February 29, Xbox Game Pass will lose both Soul Hackers 2, a solid sci-fi RPG from Persona-maker Atlus, and Madden NFL 22, an older entry in EA’s long-running football series.

Tomas Franzese
As a Gaming Staff Writer at Digital Trends, Tomas Franzese reports on and reviews the latest releases and exciting…
Game spending is up — and you can thank Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
A soldier shooting a beamshamsher in Black Ops 6.

Most of us knew that Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 would be one of the biggest games of the year, but it's so big that it's doing a lot to boost games sales across the U.S.

This information comes from Circana (formerly NPD Group), which publishes a monthly report on U.S. video game spending. According to analyst Mat Piscatella, spending on hardware, software, and accessories was up 10% in October compared to the same time last year, and the spike was "primarily" driven by the release of Black Ops 6. Non-mobile video game subscription service spending was also up by 16%.

Read more
3 new Xbox Game Pass games to play this weekend (November 22-24)
A cockpit view in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024.

While November has been a quieter month for Xbox Game Pass, this week saw three games launch on Xbox to the benefit of Game Pass subscribers. One is the latest entry in Microsoft's longest-running video game series, another is the long-awaited sequel to a supernatural horror cult classic, and the last one is a popular fantasy MMO that has finally made its way to Xbox Series X/S with bonuses for Xbox Game Pass subscribers. If you have an Xbox Game Pass subscription, but aren't sure what you should be playing this weekend, these are the three most obvious choices.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 – Xbox Games Showcase 2024

Before Microsoft started releasing video game consoles, it made flight simulators. This storied hardcore flying simulation franchise is getting a new entry this year, aptly named Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. The latest entry in the Microsoft Flight Simulator series builds upon the strong foundation of its revival in 2020. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 not only sees improved environmental simulation, visuals, and physics, but lots of new content as well. There are now missions where players can participate in aerial firefighting, search and research, and more. While the appeal of simulators like this one is someone niche, those looking for a new flight simulator will adore this game.

Read more
Xbox is finally letting you cloud stream games you own, with some limits
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty's new character. She's in a security uniform leaning against a railing with a fiery cityscape in the background.

Years after Xbox promised that users could stream games they own through the cloud, the company is finally launching that functionality, albeit with some restrictions.

Starting Wednesday, Game Pass Ultimate subscribers will be able to use Xbox Cloud Gaming to stream games they already own, even if they're not in the Game Pass catalog. However, they can only stream from a list of 50 supported games right now. You can view the full list on Xbox's website, but it's a good mix of titles, ranging from AAA releases like Cyberpunk 2077, Star Wars Outlaws, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 to recent indies like Animal Well, Fear the Spotlight, and Dredge. This applies to any version of the game you own, like if you have Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition.

Read more