Control heads up a new batch of Xbox Game Pass games for January

We find ourselves in the middle of January, and that means Microsoft has detailed a new batch of games that will be heading to Xbox Game Pass throughout the rest of the month. There are a lot of big-name titles hitting the service in the next couple of weeks, and most people with a Game Pass subscription will probably want to check out at least one of them.

The new additions kick off on January 21st with the arrivals of Control (PC), Desperados III (Android, console, and PC), Donut Country (Android, console, and PC), and Outer Wilds (Android). All four of those titles have received some degree of recognition in the last year, but the additions of Control and Outer Wilds will no doubt get some attention from those who are subscribed.

On January 26th, we'll see the addition of a lone game: The Medium on Xbox Series X|S and PC. Then, on January 28th, another head turner arrives with the Yakuza Remastered Collection. This includes Yakuza 3 Remastered, Yakuza 4 Remastered, and Yakuza 5 Remastered, all of which will be available on console, Android, and PC. If you're a Yakuza newcomer who has been hearing about the latest game, Like a Dragon, at every turn, this could be a good opportunity to dive into the series.

Between this batch and the collection of games Microsoft added in the first half of the month, it's been a very solid January for Xbox Game Pass. January is usually a quiet month for the games industry as a whole, so no doubt there are a number of Xbox Game Pass subscribers who are excited to see such a strong slate of additions for this month.

Of course, with each passing month comes a list of games that are leaving the service. On January 29th, we'll see Death Squared, Death's Gambit, Final Fantasy XV, Fishing Sim World: Pro Tour, Gris, Indivisible, Reigns: Game of Thrones, and Sea Salt all vanish from Xbox Game Pass, so if you're currently progressing through one of those titles, you've got just over a week to finish up.