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All 41 Xbox Game Pass Core games

Now that Xbox Games With Gold has disappeared, here are all the Xbox Game Pass Core games you can play on the lowest tier of the subscription service.

What are the Xbox Game Pass Core games? After 11 years of service, Microsoft retired the Xbox Live Gold subscription service and replaced it with a new tier for Xbox Game Pass. Despite it being the most affordable tier, it still provides subscribers with dozens of excellent Xbox Game Pass Core games to enjoy at no extra cost.

Including some of the best Xbox Game Pass games available, the selection that Xbox has curated for Game Pass Core is stellar – even if it is much smaller than the 400+ Xbox Game Pass games you get access to with the more expensive tiers. So, grab your best Xbox controller, and get ready to dive into some of the best Xbox games around as part of your Core sub.

Xbox Game Pass Core games

The 41 Xbox Game Pass Core Games are:

  • Among Us
  • Astroneer
  • Celeste
  • Chivalry 2
  • Dead Cells
  • Deep Rock Galactic (new!)
  • Descenders
  • Dishonored 2
  • Doom Eternal
  • Fable Anniversary
  • Fallout 4
  • Fallout 76
  • Firewatch
  • Forza Horizon 4
  • Gang Beasts
  • Gears 5
  • Golf With Your Friends
  • Grounded
  • Halo 5 Guardians
  • Halo Wars 2
  • Hellblade Senua’s Sacrifice
  • Human Fall Flat
  • Inside
  • Limbo
  • Ori and The Will of the Wisps
  • Overcooked! 2
  • Payday 2 Crimewave Edition
  • PowerWash Simulator
  • Psychonauts 2
  • Slay The Spire
  • Spiritfarer: Farewell Edition
  • Stardew Valley
  • State of Decay 2 Juggernaut Edition
  • Superhot: Mind Control Delete (new!)
  • Superliminal
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge
  • The Elder Scrolls Online
  • Totally Reliable Delivery Service
  • Unpacking
  • Vampire Survivors
  • Wreckfest (new!)

Below you can find our top recommendations for which of these games to play first, as well as some of the biggest inclusions into Game Pass Core. However, all of the above games are excellent to play.

Thankfully, more games are being added to Xbox Game Pass Core over time, too, so this library is only going to grow. Most recently in April 2024, the trio of Deep Rock Galactic, Superhot: Mind Control Delete, and Wreckfest joined the service to the total number of Core games to 41.

Xbox Game Pass Core games: Among Us keyart

Among Us

What could we possibly say about the viral hit Among Us that no one else has said? This social deception game tasks you with either being a crewmate or an impostor, with the former trying to save the ship and the impostor trying to kill everyone and cause chaos.

It spawned plenty of memes that you’ve likely seen since 2020, but regardless, Among Us is a simple and fun title that you can play with friends. In fact, we’d say it’s one of the best co-op games right now and will be for quite some time.

Xbox Game Pass Core games: An Astroneer running through a brightly colored woodland on an alien planet.

Astroneer

Astroneer might look a lot like No Man’s Sky on the surface, but a much more contained experience. Set in the 25th century, you play as an Astroneer with the task of exploring the frontiers of outer space. Naturally, this involves surviving harsh environments as you unlock the secrets of the universe.

Whether alone or with friends, you’ll build bases, harvest materials, and use vehicles to explore the planet and flex your creativity before shooting off to another planet. With a great terrain manipulating tool and rich crafting, it’s more like a hybrid of Minecraft and No Man’s Sky, with a little bit of Satisfactory thrown into the mix. It’s incredibly captivating and charming right the way through, whether you’re playing by yourself or with your mates.

Xbox Game Pass Core games: Madeline from Celeste in the bottom right corner, walking through a cave with flags and a setting sun in the background, all rendered in a pixel art style.

Celeste

Celeste is a critically acclaimed platformer by indie studio Maddy Makes Games that’s all about climbing a mountain. It’s much more than that under the surface though, as you’ll be roped into a heart-warming and touching narrative around its main character, Madeline, a young woman with anxiety and depression.

Along the way, you’ll encounter hundreds of great challenges, uncover secrets, and learn more about Madeline and Celeste Mountain as you brave the journey. It’s also got an incredible original soundtrack by Lena Raine, who has made similarly great music for the likes of Minecraft, Chicory, Deltarune, and even Guild Wars 2.

If you’re a fan of platformers or up for giving one a go, Celeste is easily one of the best you could choose to play, so don’t miss out.

Xbox Game Pass Core games: A horde of knights charging towards a clash in a medieval village.

Chivalry 2

Chivalry 2 is a unique first-person multiplayer slasher offering up sword-swinging action that you can’t get anywhere else. From the clashing of swords to arrows raining from the sky, you’ll be immersed in epic medieval action.

What makes Chivalry 2 so special, however, is its combat system. With swords, polearms, axes, and other martial weapons being your main form of attack, Chivalry 2 goes all-in and provides a unique camera-based system. Swinging your camera changes the direction of your attack, even letting you faint an attack or pull off special tricks to outsmart your opponent. As the saying goes, it’s easy to get into but hard to master.

Thankfully, Chivalry 2 doesn’t take itself all too seriously. It’s certainly gruesome, but there’s plenty of humor in its action and characterization. If you’re in the mood for an action-packed multiplayer fighter like no other, then Chivarly 2 is a great choice and it’s all yours through Xbox Game Pass Core.

Xbox Game Pass Core games: The Prisoner aiming a bow at an enemy atop a building in Dead Cells.

Dead Cells

Dead Cells is an eye-catching pixel art Roguelike Metroidvania that sees you try to fight your way out of a castle, though there’s a lot more under the surface. With slick action and platforming, you will explore the sprawling and ever-changing castle to find a way out. There are so many secrets to find if you can get past the tough, almost Soulslike combat with bosses and normal enemies demanding you master their moveset to take them down. This is crucial with how progression works in Dead Cells – there are no checkpoints. When you die, you’ll have to start again, though the castle is always changing, remember? There will be new paths and levels for you to take with each death.

If you can brave its challenging gameplay, you’ll find captivating action that deserves a place among the best Soulslike games, especially with how masterfully it weaves in its Rogue and Metroid influences. And the best news? It’s included at no extra cost in the Xbox Game Pass Core games list, so you have no excuse to not give it a try.

Xbox Game Pass Core games: A first-person view of someone holding a shotgun while exploring a cave. Three other players wearing heavily-armored suits are seen heading into a small entrance

Deep Rock Galactic

Did we hear a Rock and Stone? While there’s no shortage of superb co-op experiences on Xbox Game Pass Core, Deep Rock Galactic takes the cake if you ask us. At the behest of rather indifferent middle management, you (and your fellow dwarves if you’re playing co-op) are shot towards one of the many dangerous but beautiful environments of Hoxxes IV. Here, you’ll have to complete a variety of unique objectives, from mining for specific minerals to building grind-able pipelines, all while facing down the hordes of gross Glyphid bugs.

Best of all though, Deep Rock Galactic is surprisingly bursting with character. From the incredibly diverse and creative arsenal of weapons to the four crass dwarves that you can choose between, it’s hard not to fall in love with its cosy, hilarious, and often chaotic gameplay. New content is added routinely – for free – and never leaves, so there’s never any FOMO. Plus, it’s got amazing music that will have you Rocking out… Deeply… see what we did there?

Xbox Game Pass Core games: A mountain biker dressed in black and blue racing down a wooded mountain in Descenders.

Descenders

Descenders is the ultimate extreme downhill mountain biking game. You’ll race against the competition to avoid obstacles and pull off epic jumps as you barrel through canyons and dense forests, making each and every movement a thrill. Best of all though, tracks are procedurally generated. This means you’ll take on different jumps, slopes, and other obstacles every time you play. With several different settings, you’re never quite sure what you’re in for next besides an intense downhill bike race.

Xbox Game Pass Core games: Emily using powers in Dishonored 2

Dishonored 2

One of Arkane’s best games, Dishonored 2 is an action-adventure game with a focus on stealth and quick-thinking. While it’s a sequel to the beloved Dishonored game, it isn’t required to play the first before diving into this one. In Dishonored 2, you’ll need to take on a variety of missions using your own set of powers and weapons, with numerous ways of handling each and every quest.

You can play as either Corvo, the assassin from the first game, or Emily, the kidnapped pseudo-daughter of Corvo from the first game. You will work with allies to bring down an oppressive regime and discover secrets on your journey.

Xbox Game Pass Core games: Doom Eternal key art

Doom Eternal

A game so good that it finds itself on our best games of all time list, Doom Eternal is the culmination of everything that the long-running franchise has been building towards for decades. Becoming the Doom Guy once again, you’ll rip and tear through all of the demons you possibly can in an attempt to stop the Icon of Sin from destroying mankind.

Armed with a variety of exciting and dangerous weapons, a bunch of great abilities, and one of the best videogame soundtracks out there, Doom Eternal is easily one of the greatest FPS games available right now. And we’d argue that you should put it at the top of your ‘play next’ list.

Xbox Game Pass Core games: Character in Fable Anniversary near a portal

Fable Anniversary

A remaster of the first game from the incredible Fable series, Fable Anniversary is one of the best Xbox RPG games, and if you have yet to play an entry in the series, then it’s a great time ahead of the new Fable release date coming up.

In Fable Anniversary, you are a hero of your own creation, asked to help characters around the world in a variety of quests. However, if you prefer to take things a bit too far, you can choose to align with the good or evil within yourself. The power is in your hands.

Xbox Game Pass Core games: Survivor and Dogmeat in Fallout 4 image

Fallout 4

Fallout 4 is typically considered one of the best RPG games, and it’s easy to see why. The latest single-player entry into the long-running series offers a huge world to explore, choices to make, and both creatures or survivors to defeat as you try to deal with the consequences of a desolated world

If the vanilla game isn’t enough for you, there’s also a range of mods to make it even more interesting (yes, even on Xbox consoles), as well as ample DLC to keep you occupied.

If you’ve played Starfield, then you’ll also notice the groundwork of lots of the best features. For example, the Starfield outposts and Starfield ships systems are more advanced versions of Fallout 4’s ingenious settlement-building mechanics. Likewise, Fallout 4’s great weapon and armor system informed the basis of the Starfield weapons upgrade mechanics and more. So, alongside a fun story and rich world to explore, you can also see glimpses of how Starfield came to be.

Xbox Game Pass Core games: Three survivors wearing power armor in Fallout 76

Fallout 76

Fallout 76 is a prequel to the series, and instead of being a single-player game like the rest of the series, it’s a multiplayer, shared-world RPG. This means that, since launch, it has had a range of events and new content added to it to make it an expansive game whether you are playing with friends or on your own.

While the game has had its issues since launch Bethesda has put in the work to try and make amends and it is now a solid live-service experience for fans of the franchise. It still has its fair share of jank, but there is a lot to do and keep you occupied from quests, to crafting builds, to competing against others.

Xbox Game Pass Core games: A person holding a map and compass up in a forested environment in Firewatch.

Firewatch

Chances are you’ve heard of Firewatch already. This first-person atmospheric game blew up around 2016 due to its narrative charged with mystery. Set in the Wyoming wilderness in 1989, the only company you have is the person on the other end of your handheld radio, the heart of the mystery as you explore the forest and keep the wilderness safe.

It’s an ambitious story full of intrigue that will have you questioning what’s really going on, resulting in an experience that will have you floored by the end by its meaning, though we’re not going to spoil it for you. You’ll definitely want to go in as unprepared as possible.

Xbox Game Pass Core games: Cars racing in Forza Horizon 4

Forza Horizon 4

While it isn’t the best Xbox racing game anymore, thanks to its successor taking the top spot, Forza Horizon 4 is still an excellent open-world racing game offering some of the best-in-class driving, gameplay, and visuals around.

Taking you to the not-so-sunny environments of Great Britain, Forza Horizon 4 offers a wide range of content for you to experience. And since you’re hitting the finish line later than most, you’ll have all of the updates and changes on offer, as well as two exciting DLC packs to sink your teeth into.

Xbox Game Pass Core Games: Gang Beasts

Gang Beasts

If you’re looking for the perfect Party Animals alternative, then let us introduce you to the gelatinous beat ’em up party game Gang Beasts. Boasting the ability to brawl it out with your pals on top of moving trains, rapidly ascending elevators, and much more, Gang Beasts has an incredible amount of variety that’ll keep you and your gang entertained for hours.

While you won’t quite get to enjoy punching up the food chain as an otter here, the customization options will give you a similar experience. Whether you’re a tiger, a magician, or a Viking, you’ll be sure to find your perfect chaotic cosplay.

Xbox Game Pass Core games: Gears 5 Hivebusters key art

Gears 5

With Gears 5 being the fifth mainline installment in the series, it’s hard to summarize the events of five games, but, a quick catch-up online will prepare you for jumping into this entry. It is one of the most polished and content-rich games in the series.

Offering a story with some emotional beats, the biggest strength Gears 5 has is its excellent third-person shooter gameplay with some killer boss fights.

Xbox Game Pass Core games: A golf ball flying over a gap in a golf course track leading into a dinosaur skull in Golf With Your Friends.

Golf With Your Friends

Golf With Your Friends might not look like much on the surface, but it’s one of the most popular co-op games for a reason. You’d be surprised just how much this golf game blew up on YouTube and Twitch if you’ve never heard of it before. But why, you ask? Well, it’s the absurd levels on offer!

Supporting up to 12 players, you’ll be able to golf it out across a variety of wacky courses, echoing the simple joys of mini-golf yet taking it to the extremes. From a battlefield packed with explosives to a factory conveyor belt with moving parts, ancient ruins, and even space courses. It’s hard to not be having a blast when you’re playing Golf With Your Friends… with your friends. If you and your crew have Xbox Game Pass Core or above, you should certainly give it a go.

Xbox Game Pass Core games: Character in a hole near an ant in Grounded

Grounded

Easily one of the best Xbox survival games, and one of Obsidian’s most interesting additions to its portfolio of games, Grounded takes you into the big world of the little creatures, offering a ‘Honey, I Shrunk the Kids’-like experience with the survival genre.

You’ll need to survive against ants, mites, and worst of all, spiders, who are now much bigger than you. On your journey, you will also experience a unique story and a variety of interesting mechanics when playing alone or with your friends.

Xbox Game Pass Core games: Two Spartans from Halo 5 in a Warthog, one driving while the other fires the mounted machine gun.

Halo 5: Guardians

Halo 5: Guardians might not have got the warmest reception at launch, largely thanks to its rather brief and nonsensical campaign, but it’s still an enjoyable Halo game. After all, Halo always has best-in-class gunplay, music, and environments.

Featuring a full four-player co-op campaign, the story mode can still be an absolute blast even if the narrative doesn’t always hit the right notes. Outside of the story, there are superb multiplayer modes, even if it is a departure from tradition. With tons of great modes, maps, and a diverse weapon sandbox, there’s a lot of fun to be had, especially with how much faster Halo 5 plays compared to its predecessors.

With that said, if you’re looking for the best multiplayer games, we’d suggest Halo Infinite rather than Halo 5. While it’s not one of the Xbox Game Pass Core games, Halo Infinite multiplayer is free-to-play anyhow.

Xbox Game Pass Core games: A group of units in Halo Wars 2 fighting on a beach.

Halo Wars 2

As a real-time strategy game, Halo Wars 2 won’t be for everyone, not even long-time fans of the universe. With that said, it’s a stellar strategy game that’s designed to be more approachable to newcomers without sacrificing depth.

This is because matches are fast and much smaller in scale than most real-time strategy games, and takes full advantage of the rich Halo universe to spice things up.

With a strong campaign mode that can even be played in co-op, there’s a great opportunity to get into the genre while also experiencing a fun story. Once you’re done there, you can head into the multiplayer for some competitive play. There’s nothing else quite like coming up with a winning strategy and outsmarting your foes.

Xbox Game Pass Core games: Senua fighting a warrior in Hellblade Senuas Sacrifice

Hellblade Senua’s Sacrifice

One of the most unique action-adventure games in recent memory, Hellblade Senua’s Sacrifice tasks players with becoming the titular Senua, a warrior, who wants to save the soul of her dead lover, Dillion, from the goddess Hela.

It’s an uncomfortable experience, offering little-to-no HUD, methodical combat, and a look into the mind of someone suffering from psychosis thanks to immersive 3D Audio. It’s dark, grim, and a piece of art worth experiencing. It’s also a great time to give it a try, with the Hellblade 2 release date coming up in 2024.

Xbox Game Pass Core Games: Human Fall Flat

Human Fall Flat

Human Fall Flat is the ultimate physics-based puzzler, requiring you (and up to seven friends online if you wish) to meticulously, and sometimes painfully, navigate your way through various levels of varying difficulty. To succeed you’ll need to make use of every piece of the surrounding environment you can, while also remembering which button moves your left arm, and which one operates your right…

With couch co-op support and a sequel on the way, now is the perfect time for you and a loved one to curl up on the sofa and lovingly hurl lighthearted insults at each other as you attempt to coordinate your efforts.

Xbox Game Pass Core games: Ori and the Will of the Wisps forest level

Ori and The Will of the Wisps

With universal critical acclaim and with some of the best visuals in Xbox’s portfolio, Ori and The Will of the Wisps is a 2D Metroidvania with equal heart and passion poured into it, offering one of the most beautiful and engaging games on the market today. That’s why it more than earned a place in our list of the best Metroidvania games.

Similar to most Metroidvania games, you’ll play through a portion of the world, upgrade, and return to enter previously inaccessible areas. But, the game’s heartfelt story and immense boss fights are what will stick in your head as you fight your way through the gorgeous world.

Xbox Game Pass Core Games: Overcooked! 2

Overcooked! 2

One pizza, two pasta, three paella – YES CHEF! If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to work in a busy kitchen, then Overcooked! 2 will give you a good sense of the sort of organized chaos that goes on behind the scenes. Team up with a pal in couch co-op, or up to three other players online, pop your chef hat on, and get plating.

Of course, you won’t just be working in any old kitchen. Overcooked 2! will see you launching tomatoes across moats, floating islands, and more. And if you think that’s tricky enough, wait until the kitchens themselves start darting about mid-level! Wild, truly.

Xbox Game Pass Core games: A player holding a gun at the ready, aiming at heavily armed police inside a bank in Payday 2.

Payday 2: Crimewave Edition

Payday 2 is one of the best FPS games in the eyes of many, mainly because it’s one of the few games that truly lets you live out a heist fantasy. From robbing large banks and escaping with bags of cash against all odds to disrupting drug rings, Payday 2 has it all.

Over the years it’s received so many new missions for you to enjoy, and gear for you to use, bolstering its already enthralling heist action. Even after all these years, its avid fanbase still supports it.

Sure, it’s not the latest game in the series, Payday 3, which brought with it several improvements to the action (as well as some pesky downsides as our Payday 3 review notes) it’s hard to argue with just how exciting Payday 2 can be.

Xbox Game Pass Core games: A player holding a power washer overlooking a dirty skate part, half cleaned, in Powerwash Simulator.

PowerWash Simulator

You would never have expected PowerWash Simulator to be the hit that it is. After all, you’re just power-washing objects for an hour or two, and few people want to do that in real life, let alone when there are games that take you to the far reaches of space or some engrossing magical land. And yet, PowerWash Simulator is captivating – at least if you’re a certain type of person.

We love nothing more than kicking back and power washing a truck, a dirty back garden, or even the Mars Rover. Try it for yourself and you’ll realize just how satisfying it is to turn a dingy steam train into a sparkling piece of machinery.

Xbox Game Pass Core games: Raz looking at the moon in Psychonauts 2 level

Psychonauts 2

The sequel to the cult classic Psychonauts, and one that improves on its predecessor in almost every way, Psychonauts 2 is the best example of how to make an exciting successor with ideas of its own.

In Psychonauts 2, you play as Raz, a young acrobat who is training alongside the Psychonauts, a group of individuals with psychic powers to stop others who want to use their powers for nefarious purposes. It offers excellent platforming, levels, visuals, and more to top off some great gameplay. You can read our full thoughts on the excellent game in our Psychonauts 2 review.

Xbox Game Pass Core games: A combat encounter in Slay the Spire, with a deck of cards at the bottom and two characters on either side, with the one of the right being stuck by lightning.

Slay the Spire

Do you love card games? Do you love Roguelikes? Slay the Spire is for you! Slay the Spire fuses elements of both these genres to create one of the best Roguelike games out there. By crafting a deck of cards, Slay the Spire challenges you to bizarre combat encounters that are unique every run as you hunt down powerful relics to make it to the top.

Given the deck-building card game mechanics, Slay the Spire is an incredibly deep and gratifying experience, though it’s easy enough to get into. With the immense replay value, you could play Slay the Spire forever and still be having fun.

Xbox Game Pass Core games: The player talking to a large racoon merchant with a deer standing next to them in a wooden environment from Spiritfarer Farewell Edition.

Spiritfarer: Farewell Edition

Spiritfarer may look rather unassuming at first glance, being a cozy management game involving building a town on a boat with a cute art style. However, it’s much more than that under the surface. Spiritfarer is all about death. As a ferry master to the deceased, you’ll learn how to say goodbye while building a home for spirits before releasing them into the afterlife. It’s fun yet surprisingly evocative.

With the Farewell Edition, you’re getting the base Spiritfarer game and its three major content updates, including all the characters, new locations, upgrades, recipes, events, and more. In other words, it’s the complete Spiritfarer experience.

Xbox Game Pass Core Games: Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley may initially appear to be a simple crunchy, pixel-based farming simulator, but the reality couldn’t be more different. After inheriting your grandad’s run-down farm in the titular location, it quickly becomes clear that you’ve got your work cut out for you. Fortunately, the people of the valley are around to help, and your new life begins.

Indeed, Stardew Valley isn’t just a farming sim, it’s a farming life sim. As you continue to pour hour after hour into it, its true depths begin to be plumbed as you develop complex relationships with its cast, and even date a member of the community or two. With cave-based exploration also involved, you’ll have the opportunity to chop down way more than just trees and overgrown plants.

Xbox Game Pass Core games: Two characters in the distance looking at a large billboard sign next to the road, will a sunset behind it in State of Decay 2.

State of Decay 2: Juggernaut Edition

State of Decay 2 is a follow-up to the hit Xbox survival game that expands on nearly all of its predecessor’s strengths and weaknesses. In this open-world zombie game, you’ll have to scavenge for supplies to improve your home base so you don’t end up as one of the walking dead. We mean that quite literally, as when you die, you’ll lose that character and their loot before switching to another one of your survivors.

This makes for some truly intense moments as you’re up against a horde or mutant zombie with little resources left and all your gear on the line. This also plays into the story, as you’ll have to complete missions to progress, sending you back out into the harsh wilds.

If you’re worried about this being too intense for you, then you can also play in four-player co-op mode in the main campaign, and in the Daybreak and Heartland DLCs.

As for the Juggernaut Edition in particular, which is the version included in the Xbox Game Pass Core games list, this is an updated version of the game with new content, including the base game and all three DLCs. With all this content and a great gameplay loop, it’s arguably one of the best survival games, and you can play it with Xbox Game Pass Core!

Xbox Game Pass Core games: A first-person perspective of red mannequin-like enemies being hit my bullets with red tracers

Superhot: Mind Control Delete

While there’s a disappointing lack of official Xbox VR gear and support, that doesn’t stop a game as good as Superhot: Mind Control Delete making its way onto Game Pass Core. This slick FPS might look a bit basic at first glance, but you’ll soon be hooked by its mesmerizing and satisfying slow-motion moments. Even though it was built for virtual reality, it still slaps on consoles.

While the gameplay is addictive enough, the visuals will also get under your skin. We love the minimalist, black and white environments that are spliced with gorgeous bright red enemies, bullet tracers, and blood spatter.

With a main story run lasting around seven hours, and a full 100%-completion playthrough lasting 15 hours at most, it’s also a compact shooter that doesn’t demand too much of your time.

Xbox Game Pass Core games: A checked-box pattern covering various objects in a room in Superliminal.

Superliminal

Are you in the mood to have your mind blown by optical illusions? Boy have we got the game for you. Superliminal is an exceptionally creative first-person puzzle game all about forced perspective and optical illusions.

Every puzzle has a remarkably creative solution that messes with your brain in the best way possible, encouraging you to think outside the box. The satisfaction of solving its mind-bending puzzles will pull you through the well-paced experience, ending just before its gimmick gets old.

Xbox Game Pass Core games: Character in front of a green portal in Elder Scrolls Online Necrom

The Elder Scrolls Online

One of the best MMORPGs in the Xbox lineup, and a great title to spend time with ahead of The Elder Scrolls 6 release date, The Elder Scrolls Online has a lot of content after almost 10 years of existence, and you can play most of it with your Game Pass Core subscription.

With an open world to explore and complete freedom to become the worthy adventurer you want to be, The Elder Scrolls Online offers you a new way into the long-running Elder Scrolls series, allowing you to finally play with friends in the world of Tamriel. And unlike how it was at launch, Elder Scrolls Online no longer requires a subscription to the game.

It’s even featured in PCGamesN’s best PC MMOs to play right now, so it’s great to get free access to this rich MMORPG.

Xbox Game Pass Core games: Two people in the back of a delivery truck to deliver a parcel to a nearby stall.

Totally Reliable Delivery Service

Another late addition to the service, Totally Reliable Delivery Service is a wacky co-op game all about delivering parcels. That’s easier said than done, however, as you’ll have to contend with the haphazard environment along the way. With absurd ragdoll physics, you and your friends will bumble around trying to deliver parcels in one piece. You can even pilot vehicles, use ramps, handy gadgets, and more to get your parcel to the destination as best you can.

Xbox Game Pass Core games: A screenshot of Unpacking, showing a pile of cardboard boxes in a bedroom, rendered in a pixel art style.

Unpacking

Unpacking is much, much more than it looks at first glance. Ostensibly, it’s a game about, you guessed it, unpacking boxes of odds and ends to put on shelves in a cute but basic pixel art style. However, keep playing and you’ll find a fun and relaxing puzzle game with a surprisingly deep narrative.

You really don’t want to spoil this intimate narrative for you, but as you unpack these unassuming boxes, you’ll slowly discover more about the character’s life as you do. Seriously, don’t overlook this indie gem, especially as it takes just a few hours to beat it.

Xbox Game Pass Core Games: Vampire Survivors

Vampire Survivors

What could a vampire possibly be scared of? Well, apart from garlic, silver bullets, and stakes? As it transpires, the creatures of Hell are also pretty terrifying to the bloodsuckers, and now you must survive their merciless onslaught. Vampire Survivors will require you (and a friend if using couch co-op) to work your way through various stages that are jam-packed with the underworld’s most vicious beasties.

Fortunately, you won’t have to bear your fangs, as you’ll have access to a broad variety of powers, as well as a progression system that will allow you to build up passive strength over time. With a complex combat system in place, tweaking your build and ensuring you’re dealing ungodly amounts of damage at all times will deliver on your wildest power fantasies and more.

Xbox Game Pass Core games: Several beaten up cars are crashing into each other and flinging debris into the air on a racetrack

Wreckfest

If you’re after a racing game with a twist, look no further than Wreckfest. Forget open-world cruising or super-realistic track driving, Wreckfest throws you into chaotic and brutal demolition derby action.

While you’ll certainly need supreme driving skills, being first across the finish line isn’t the only route to victory in Wreckfest. Being the final car standing is often just as important, as you can ram into your fellow competitors to gradually destroy their vehicles. Most matches and races end with some severely crumpled cars that certainly wouldn’t pass as showroom models.

Despite launching in the Xbox One generation, Wreckfest still impresses with its visuals. There’s also a generous (and bonkers) vehicle list that ranges from hot rods, to ice cream vans, to combine harvesters.

Is Xbox Game Pass Core worth getting?

With Xbox Game Pass Core replacing Xbox Live Gold, you’ll need it to play online in the vast majority of multiplayer games. However, as a standard subscription, Game Pass Core offers many exciting games that showcase the best of the best of the Game Pass library, and as such, is definitely worth getting.

That being said, if you can afford to pay a bit extra each month for Game Pass Ultimate, it’s definitely a more lucrative option as it grants you access to the full library of over 400 games. This includes day-one releases of major Xbox exclusives. There are also some additional perks that come with Game Pass Ultimate that you don’t get with Core.

So, that’s the full line-up of Xbox Game Pass Core games available right now. We’ll be sure to update this article when any games leave or join the Core library, but for now, you can also check out the best free Xbox games if you’re on a budget but want something new to play on your Xbox Series X|S console. Game Pass is an unbelievable bargain when you think about it, and if you’re looking to save a few bucks on your gaming setup elsewhere, then be sure to consult our best Xbox deals page.

Meanwhile, if you’re looking to the future, then be sure to keep an eye on the new Xbox games that launching soon. While they won’t be hitting Core straight away when they release, there’s a good chance some of them will arrive down the line. And if you’re looking to improve your gaming experience beyond the games in your library, we recommend checking out all the best Xbox Series X accessories and best Xbox One accessories – you won’t regret it.