Xbox Game Pass getting a tonne of free games, and you don't need an Ultimate subscription

Usually, when Microsoft announces the new games coming to Xbox Game Pass in the next couple of weeks, they are heavily slated towards its most top tiers – Ultimate and PC Game Pass.

However, it has been revealed that most of the games for the first two weeks of December will be more generally available. That means Xbox Game Pass Premium members will be able to download and play them at no extra cost too. And therefore, you can actually save yourself a bob or two on a cheaper subscription.

One of them has arrived today, in fact – Lost Records: Bloom & Rage. Available to Xbox Game Pass members Premium and above, it is created by the studio behind the Life is Strange titles and is similarly a narrative adventure with a twist.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage - Launch Trailer - YouTube

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It tells the story of a bunch of friends who witness a dark event in the summer of 1995, and group to confront it again 27 years later.

It'll soon be joined by Monster Train 2 and Spray Paint Simulator tomorrow, 3 December, with 33 Immortals, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle arriving a day later.

Xbox Game Pass Premium members and above will also get A Game About Digging A Hole, and Dome Keeper on 9 December, plus Mortal Kombat 1 on 10 December, and finally Bratz: Rhythm & Style on 11 December.

Two day one games are also coming, which will be exclusive to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members for now, with sci-fi horror Routine arriving on 4 December, and Death Howl being added on 9 December.

How much is Xbox Game Pass and what tier is best for me?

There are four Game Pass tiers in total – one dedicated to PC games, while the others offer different levels of included titles and benefits.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate costs £22.99 / $29.99 / €26.99 / AU$35.95 per month and gives you access to more than 400 games, including day one releases, as well as additional memberships to EA Play, Ubisoft+ Classics, and Fortnite Crew (giving monthly freebies for Fortnite players).

It also includes more than 300 PC games, and Xbox Cloud Gaming for supported games in the library and many of your own purchased titles.

Xbox Game Pass Premium is priced at £10.99 / $14.99 / €12.99 / AU$17.95 per month, but has a reduced library of 200+ selected titles. You also don't get day one releases, although new games will appear within a year of launch.

Cloud gaming is available, but restricted to lower quality streams (maximum of 1080p) and slightly longer wait times.

Xbox Game Pass Essential is just £6.99 / $9.99 / €8.99 / AU$12.95 per month for an even more cut back library of 50+ games to play. Xbox Cloud Gaming is much more limited still.

Finally, PC Game Pass is £13.49 / $16.49 / €14.99 / AU$19.95 per month and designed for gaming PC or handheld owners – such as the Xbox Ally and Ally X. It includes access to over 300 PC games, day one releases, and EA Play.