Best Xbox Series X Games (2026)

TL;DR

• Best overall: Baldur's Gate 3 — $149.99 (as of 11/06/2026 14:10 UTC - Details) · Check price on Amazon
• Best value: Hades II — see xbox.com

Baldur's Gate 3 is the best Xbox Series X game on the evidence we read. It is first on GamesRadar+'s ranked list of 29 Xbox Series X games and second on IGN's top 25, and its Xbox Series X Metascore of 99 is the highest on Metacritic. Elden Ring is first on IGN's list and second on GamesRadar+'s, and it is the only game on all four of the lists we read. [src1, src3, src5, src2, src4]

The four lists differ in age. GamesRadar+ last updated its ranking on 2026-07-21 and TechRadar its unranked list of 24 on 2026-10-14. IGN's top 25, last updated on 2025-06-10, considered only games released by the end of September 2024, and Tom's Guide last updated its top 20 on 2025-07-31. [src1, src2, src3, src4] TechRadar's current top three are Gears of War: E-Day, Forza Horizon 6 and Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve; Tom's Guide ranks Forza Horizon 5 first. [src2, src4]

Hades II reached Xbox Series X|S on April 14, 2026 and is the value pick: the Xbox Store listed it at $29.99 when we checked on 2026-10-15, and its Xbox Series X Metascore of 95 is the highest of any 2026 Xbox release, from seven critic reviews. [src12, src6, src9] TheXboxHub, Xbox Tavern and MondoXbox reviewed the Xbox Series X|S version and scored it 5/5, 9.8/10 and 9.7/10; IGN's 10/10, from September 2025, came before the Xbox release, and its reviewer played on PC and Switch 2. [src51, src52, src53, src10] It is on none of the four Xbox lists, although GamesRadar+ and TechRadar have updated theirs since its Xbox release; IGN ranks it fifth and GamesRadar+ 20th on their lists of the best PS5 games. [src1, src2, src3, src4, src13, src14] Forza Horizon 6 is the best exclusive: GamesRadar+ ranks it third, behind only Baldur's Gate 3 and Elden Ring, TechRadar names it in its top three, and IGN scored it 10/10. It is on Xbox and PC until January 26, 2027, the date PlayStation gives for its PS5 release. [src1, src2, src15, src17, src18]

Of the games first released in 2026, Resident Evil Requiem has the highest Xbox Series X Metascore (93) and is GamesRadar+'s best game of 2026 so far, across all platforms. Mixtape (92), Forza Horizon 6 (90), Gears of War: E-Day (88) and Pragmata (87) follow among the games compared here. [src6, src21] Gears of War: E-Day, released on October 6, 2026, is new to this card: IGN scored it 9/10 on Xbox Series X and Windows Central 4.5 out of 5, and its Metascore of 88 rests on 74 critic reviews. [src24, src25, src26] It came out after GamesRadar+ last updated its list; Hades II and Mixtape are on none of the four Xbox lists, and Starfield is on Tom's Guide's alone. [src1, src2, src3, src4]

Game Pass has three tiers, Essential, Premium and Ultimate. When we checked each game's Xbox Store page on 2026-10-15, Forza Horizon 6, Gears of War: E-Day and Mixtape were included with Ultimate but not Premium; Hades II, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Forza Horizon 5, Halo Infinite, Hi-Fi Rush, Doom: The Dark Ages and Starfield were included with both; and Baldur's Gate 3, Elden Ring, Cyberpunk 2077, Resident Evil Requiem, Pragmata and Monster Hunter Wilds with neither. [src8, src17, src27, src40, src12, src54, src56, src28, src36, src30, src33, src46, src48, src19, src60, src23, src34, src43]

Three games new to this card are on three of the four lists: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II are on GamesRadar+'s, TechRadar's and Tom's Guide's, and Cyberpunk 2077 is on GamesRadar+'s and IGN's, with Tom's Guide ranking it together with its Phantom Liberty expansion. Tom's Guide ranks Indiana Jones second and Cyberpunk 2077 fourth. [src1, src2, src3, src4] The alternatives are ordered by how many of the four lists include them, then by their highest rank on those lists: Elden Ring, the only game on all four, comes first, and Mixtape, on none, comes last.

Still to come: Grand Theft Auto VI on November 19, 2026, and Fable on February 23, 2027, both dated on the Xbox Store. [src49, src50]

Top Pick: Baldur's Gate 3 — Check price

GamesRadar+ ranks Larian Studios' RPG first of all Xbox Series X games, calling it "a masterpiece of storytelling, worldbuilding, and game design" and the closest thing to a real Dungeons & Dragons session; its reviewer warns that "its complexity and size might be daunting for novices", but calls the game "a once-in-a-generation achievement". [src1] IGN ranks it second, behind Elden Ring, and calls it "easily the best computer RPG of any generation thanks to its robust storytelling and nearly limitless player freedom", praising its party of companions. [src3] Its Xbox Series X Metascore of 99 is the platform's highest, from 10 critic reviews. [src5, src7] The Xbox Store lists online co-op for two to four players and local co-op for two; it is not included with Game Pass. [src8] The Amazon listing we link is the physical Deluxe Edition, which adds stickers and the soundtrack. The Xbox Store listed the standard digital edition at $69.99 when we checked on 2026-10-15. [src8]

Best Value: Hades II — Check price

Supergiant Games' roguelike sequel reached Xbox Series X|S on April 14, 2026, and its Xbox Series X Metascore of 95 is the highest of any 2026 Xbox release, from seven critic reviews. [src6, src9, src12] TheXboxHub, which reviewed it on Xbox Series X|S, scored it 5/5: "It's a game that's so easy to love that I can't imagine someone disliking it." [src51] Xbox Tavern, which reviewed Xbox Series X|S code on an Xbox Series X|S console, scored it 9.8/10 and calls it "a stellar example of the roguelike genre", whose "roguelike loop is masterfully crafted". [src52] MondoXbox reviewed the Xbox Series X|S version and scored it 9.7 out of 10. [src53] IGN scored it 10/10 in September 2025, before it came to Xbox, after playing it on PC and Switch 2, calling it "some of this team's best work on nearly every level", with combat that is "fast, fun, endlessly varied, and tactical". [src10] GamesRadar+'s reviewer, whose review GamesRadar+ files under PC and Nintendo Switch 2, scored it 4.5 out of 5: "a hugely ambitious sequel that occasionally stretches itself too thin", but "intricately crafted in every facet of its existence". [src11] It is on none of the four Xbox lists, although GamesRadar+ and TechRadar have updated theirs since its Xbox release; IGN ranks it fifth and GamesRadar+ 20th on their lists of the best PS5 games. [src1, src2, src3, src4, src13, src14] The Xbox Store listed it at $29.99, and included it with Game Pass Premium and Ultimate, when we checked on 2026-10-15. We link that digital version. [src12]

Best Exclusive: Forza Horizon 6 — Check price

GamesRadar+ ranks Playground Games' open-world racer third, behind only Baldur's Gate 3 and Elden Ring: it moves the Horizon festival to Japan, "with the biggest map in the series so far", and its reviewer calls it "the best Forza Horizon game yet". [src1] TechRadar names it in its top three and calls it "the win that Xbox desperately needed", saying Playground looked at the previous game's shortcomings, among them an uninteresting map and samey events, and improved on almost all of them. [src2] IGN scored it 10/10: "The new standard in open-world racing is here". [src15] Its Xbox Series X Metascore is 90. [src5, src16] It came out in May 2026 on Xbox Series X|S and PC, and PlayStation dates the PS5 version for January 26, 2027. [src6, src17, src18] When we checked on 2026-10-15, the Xbox Store listed the Standard Edition at $69.99 and included it with Game Pass Ultimate, but not Premium. [src17]

Alternative (IGN's No. 1): Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Edition — Check price

IGN ranks FromSoftware's open-world action RPG first of all Xbox Series X|S games, calling it "a fantastic starting point for seeing what the soulsborne genre is all about", and says it has "since been kicked up a notch" by the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. [src3] GamesRadar+ ranks it second, and its reviewer calls it "both a refinement and evolution of the Dark Souls formula". [src1] TechRadar includes it, Tom's Guide ranks it fifth, and it is the only game on all four lists. [src2, src4, src1, src3] Its Xbox Series X Metascore is 96, and Metacritic scores the expansion 95. [src5] The listing we link is the Shadow of the Erdtree Edition, which includes the game and the expansion. The Xbox Store listed that edition at $79.99 and the base game at $59.99 when we checked on 2026-10-15; neither is included with Game Pass. [src20, src19]

Alternative (Tom's Guide's No. 2): Indiana Jones and the Great Circle — Check price

Tom's Guide ranks MachineGames' first-person adventure second of all Xbox Series X games: it "offers a fun, action-packed adventure that stays true to the spirit of the franchise while delivering a fresh experience", though "some clunky climbing and tricky navigation can interrupt the flow at times". [src4] GamesRadar+ ranks it 17th, and its reviewer calls it "the best adventure this character has embarked on in over 30 years". [src1] TechRadar includes it: "Its global locations are intricately detailed and a joy to explore". [src2] It came out on December 9, 2024, after the cut-off for IGN's list. [src54, src3] Its Xbox Series X Metascore is 86, from 81 critic reviews. [src55] When we checked on 2026-10-15, the Xbox Store listed it at $69.99 and included it with Game Pass Premium and Ultimate. We link that digital version. [src54]

Alternative (open-world RPG): Cyberpunk 2077 — Check price

GamesRadar+ ranks CD Projekt Red's RPG 10th: after "multiple patches and then the major Update 2.0 overhaul along with the Phantom Liberty DLC, the game is an absolute stunner that runs just as beautifully". [src1] IGN ranks it sixth: it "stumbled out of the gate at launch on consoles specifically", but it and its Phantom Liberty expansion now "finally shine bright on Xbox". [src3] Tom's Guide ranks it fourth, as Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, and says "you won't see a better advert for ray tracing on Xbox Series X anytime soon". [src4] Its Xbox Series X Metascore is 87, from five critic reviews. [src59] When we checked on 2026-10-15, the Xbox Store listed Cyberpunk 2077 at $59.99, optimized for Xbox Series X|S and not included with Game Pass; we link that digital version. Its Ultimate Edition, which adds the Phantom Liberty expansion, was $79.99. [src60]

Alternative (turn-based RPG): Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 — Check price

GamesRadar+ ranks Sandfall Interactive's debut 23rd and praises its "mix of turn-based and real-time combat"; its reviewer calls it "an outstanding visionary debut". [src1] TechRadar calls it "an absolutely belting game" with "wonderfully stylish and multifaceted combat". [src2] Tom's Guide ranks it 19th: a turn-based RPG whose "parrying system masterfully injects some action elements". [src4] Its Xbox Series X Metascore is 91. [src5] The Xbox Store listed it at $49.99, and included it with Game Pass Premium and Ultimate, when we checked on 2026-10-15. [src28]

Alternative (medieval RPG): Kingdom Come: Deliverance II — Check price

GamesRadar+ ranks Warhorse Studios' RPG 24th, and its reviewer calls it "an absorbing RPG that fully immerses you in medieval life". [src1] TechRadar calls it "a triumph" whose "challenging combat is a blast to master, making for one of the best RPGs in years", despite "some iffy voice acting". [src2] Tom's Guide ranks it 20th and warns that its "deliberate and realism-focused approach might prove to be a barrier for players seeking immediate gratification or streamlined gameplay", but praises its "unparalleled level of medieval immersion". [src4] Its Xbox Series X Metascore is 88, from 14 critic reviews. [src57] When we checked on 2026-10-15, the Xbox Store listed it at $69.99 and included it with Game Pass Premium and Ultimate. We link that digital version. [src56]

Alternative (Tom's Guide's No. 1): Forza Horizon 5 — Check price

Tom's Guide ranks Playground Games' Mexico-set racer first of all Xbox Series X games: it "has pretty much perfected the open-world driving and racing formula of the series". [src4] IGN ranks it 13th and calls it "the best car game, period, of at least the last decade", as well as IGN's 2021 Game of the Year. [src3] Both rankings of Forza Horizon 5 predate Forza Horizon 6's release in May 2026. [src4, src3, src6] Its Xbox Series X Metascore of 92 is two points above Forza Horizon 6's. [src5] Metacritic also lists a PS5 version of it. [src35] The Xbox Store listed it at $59.99, and included it with Game Pass Premium and Ultimate, when we checked on 2026-10-15. [src36]

Alternative (free-to-play multiplayer): Halo Infinite — Check price

GamesRadar+ ranks 343 Industries' Halo 11th, calling it "the best shape the series has been in for quite some time", with a campaign that celebrates the series' legacy and multiplayer that launched as free-to-play. [src1] Tom's Guide ranks it eighth and would like more variety in its environments and a tighter story, but calls the semi-open-world game "a storming success and a must-have for anyone who wants an excellent first-person shooter on the Xbox Series X". [src4] Its Xbox Series X Metascore is 87, and Metacritic lists it on Xbox and PC only. [src29] When we checked on 2026-10-15, the Xbox Store listed the campaign at $59.99, included it with Game Pass Premium and Ultimate, and listed the multiplayer as free. [src30, src31]

Alternative (sci-fi shooter): Pragmata — Check price

GamesRadar+ ranks Capcom's 2026 game 28th: Hugh and the android Diana escape an AI-controlled base on the moon, and its "innovative take on third-person shooter mechanics" has you hack enemies while you shoot them. GamesRadar+ finds a few pacing issues in the story. [src1] TechRadar calls it "full of satisfying combat encounters and puzzles in some exceptionally cool environments, with only a few wrinkles". [src2] Its Xbox Series X Metascore is 87. [src6] It came out in April 2026 and is not included with Game Pass. [src6, src34]

Alternative (one of TechRadar's top three): Gears of War: E-Day — Check price

The Coalition's prequel came out on October 6, 2026, and TechRadar names it in its top three: "a beautiful game that delivers enjoyable old-school third-person shooting action across its campaign and multiplayer modes". [src2, src26, src27] IGN, which reviewed it on Xbox Series X, scored it 9/10: the campaign, which you can play in co-op, "stands up to the best in the series with heavy doses of both heart and horror", and IGN calls its Versus mode razor-sharp. IGN also saw "infrequent but noticeable framerate hitches" even in Performance Mode, and cannot recommend the 30fps Quality Mode until the game is patched. [src24] Windows Central scored it 4.5 out of 5 and calls the package "undeniably fantastic", though it says the campaign "could've used more innovation and iteration". [src25] Its Xbox Series X Metascore is 88, from 74 critic reviews, and Metacritic lists it on Xbox Series X and PC only. [src26] When we checked on 2026-10-15, the Xbox Store listed it at $69.99 and included it with Game Pass Ultimate, but not Premium. [src27]

Alternative (space RPG): Starfield — Check price

Tom's Guide ranks Bethesda's space RPG sixth and calls it "a game of near peerless ambition", though "its repetitive gameplay loop may sag at times". [src4] Its Xbox Series X Metascore of 83 is the lowest of the 18 games in the comparison table, and Metacritic also lists a PS5 version. [src47] The Xbox Store listed it at $49.99, and included it with Game Pass Premium and Ultimate, when we checked on 2026-10-15. [src48]

Alternative (GamesRadar+'s best game of 2026): Resident Evil Requiem — Check price

Capcom's 2026 Resident Evil is first on GamesRadar+'s list of the best games of 2026 so far, across all platforms, and 13th on its Xbox Series X list, which says it gives you "both forms of adrenaline": Leon's sections play like an action movie and Grace's are survival horror. Its reviewer calls it "the most cinematic, bloody, surprisingly emotional moment for the franchise to-date". [src21, src1] Windows Central's Xbox and PC review scores it 4.5 out of 5: the contrasting styles "don't always work, but when they do, Requiem truly sings", and it is "another fantastic entry that horror fans cannot miss". [src22] Its Xbox Series X Metascore is 93, second on Metacritic's list of 2026 Xbox releases behind Hades II. [src6] It came out on February 27, 2026 and is not included with Game Pass. [src6, src23] The listing we link is Amazon's exclusive edition of the game.

Alternative (rhythm action): Hi-Fi Rush — Check price

GamesRadar+ ranks Tango Gameworks' action game 18th: you attack and build combos by moving to the beat, and its reviewer calls it "an undeniably wild ride that shouldn't be ignored". [src1] Its Xbox Series X Metascore is 87, and Metacritic also lists a PS5 version. [src32] When we checked on 2026-10-15, the Xbox Store listed Krafton as its publisher, priced it at $29.99 and included it with Game Pass Premium and Ultimate. [src33]

Alternative (Tom's Guide's most brutal shooter): Doom: The Dark Ages — Check price

Tom's Guide ranks id Software's medieval Doom 18th and calls it "the most brutal first-person shooter you can play on Xbox", with more grounded combat, larger levels and a new shield. [src4] Windows Central scored it 5 out of 5: "It's still just as fun to rip and tear as it always has been", though its soundtrack doesn't quite measure up to the earlier games'. [src44] Its Xbox Series X Metascore is 85, and Metacritic also lists a PS5 version. [src45] The Xbox Store listed it at $49.99, and included it with Game Pass Premium and Ultimate, when we checked on 2026-10-15. [src46]

Alternative (co-op hunting): Monster Hunter Wilds — Check price

TechRadar includes Capcom's hunting game as "a bold and bustling continuation of its predecessor's approach to streamlining the once-niche series". [src2] Windows Central scored it 3.5 out of 5: "Wilds is simply far too easy", so you rarely need to upgrade gear or change tactics. [src41] Its Xbox Series X Metascore is 90. [src42] The Xbox Store lists online play for two to four players and cross-platform co-op; it listed the game at $39.99, not included with Game Pass, when we checked on 2026-10-15. [src43]

Alternative (narrative adventure): Mixtape — Check price

Beethoven & Dinosaur's coming-of-age game follows three friends through their last night of high school, set to a curated playlist; Annapurna Interactive publishes it. [src6, src40] IGN scored it 10/10: "a musical delight from start to finish" that "sets a new standard for coming-of-age stories in video games". [src37] GamesRadar+'s reviewer scored it 4 out of 5 and calls it "a short, meaningful game that's relatively light on mechanics", and GamesRadar+ ranks it 31st of the best games of 2026. [src38, src21] Its Xbox Series X Metascore is 92, from 10 critic reviews. [src39] When we checked on 2026-10-15, the Xbox Store listed it at $19.99 and included it with Game Pass Ultimate, but not Premium. [src40]

Head-to-Head Comparisons

Baldur's Gate 3 vs Elden Ring

The two top the ranked lists: GamesRadar+ puts Baldur's Gate 3 first and Elden Ring second, and IGN puts them the other way round. [src1, src3] On Xbox Series X, Baldur's Gate 3 scores 99 and Elden Ring 96. [src5] Baldur's Gate 3 is a party-based RPG whose complexity GamesRadar+ warns might be daunting for novices; Elden Ring is real-time action in an open world, which IGN says spares you the "brick wall" of being stuck on a difficult boss. [src1, src3]

Pick Baldur's Gate 3 if: you want a story your choices shape, a party of companions and co-op with friends.
Pick Elden Ring if: you want real-time combat and an open world you can explore at your own pace.

Forza Horizon 6 vs Forza Horizon 5

Forza Horizon 6 is set in Japan, on what GamesRadar+ calls the biggest map in the series, and TechRadar says it improves on almost all of the previous game's shortcomings. Forza Horizon 5, set in Mexico, still scores two points higher on Xbox Series X (92 against 90), but GamesRadar+ and TechRadar, the two lists updated since Forza Horizon 6 came out, include Forza Horizon 6 and not Forza Horizon 5. [src1, src2, src5] On Game Pass the difference is the tier: when we checked on 2026-10-15, Forza Horizon 5 was in Premium and Ultimate, and Forza Horizon 6 in Ultimate only. [src36, src17]

Pick Forza Horizon 6 if: you want the newest Horizon, and you have Game Pass Ultimate or will buy the game.
Pick Forza Horizon 5 if: you have Game Pass Premium, or you want the Mexico map.

Gears of War: E-Day vs Halo Infinite

Both are Xbox Game Studios shooters that Metacritic lists on Xbox and PC only. [src27, src30, src26, src29] Gears of War: E-Day (88) is the newest in a cover-shooter series: IGN says its campaign, playable in co-op, mixes heart and horror, and it adds Versus and Horde Siege modes. [src24, src26] Halo Infinite (87) is a semi-open-world first-person shooter whose multiplayer is free to play. [src4, src29, src31]

Pick Gears of War: E-Day if: you want a new story campaign to play in co-op.
Pick Halo Infinite if: you want free multiplayer, or a cheaper campaign.

Doom: The Dark Ages vs Halo Infinite

Two first-person shooters, both in Game Pass Premium and Ultimate when we checked on 2026-10-15. [src46, src30] Doom: The Dark Ages (85) is a single-player game that Tom's Guide calls the most brutal first-person shooter on Xbox; Halo Infinite (87) pairs a semi-open-world campaign with free-to-play multiplayer. [src4, src45, src46, src29, src1]

Pick Doom: The Dark Ages if: you want a single-player shooter.
Pick Halo Infinite if: you want a campaign and free multiplayer.

Hades II vs Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Both were in Game Pass Premium and Ultimate when we checked on 2026-10-15. [src12, src28] Hades II (95) is a roguelike in which every run through the Underworld is different, and IGN calls its combat "fast, fun, endlessly varied, and tactical". [src6, src12, src10] Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (91) is a story-led RPG whose turn-based battles add real-time parries. [src5, src4]

Pick Hades II if: you want replayable runs of fast action.
Pick Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 if: you want a story-driven RPG whose turn-based combat tests your timing.

Resident Evil Requiem vs Pragmata

Both are Capcom's 2026 releases, and neither was in Game Pass when we checked on 2026-10-15. [src6, src23, src34] Resident Evil Requiem (93) splits horror and action between two playable characters; Pragmata (87) is a sci-fi shooter built around hacking. GamesRadar+ ranks them 13th and 28th. [src1, src6]

Pick Resident Evil Requiem if: you want horror.
Pick Pragmata if: you want a sci-fi shooter without the horror.

Decision Logic

If user wants the single best Xbox Series X game regardless of genre

→ Baldur's Gate 3: GamesRadar+'s No. 1 and the highest Xbox Series X Metascore (99). For real-time action instead, Elden Ring, IGN's No. 1. [src1, src5, src3]

If user has Game Pass Ultimate

→ Forza Horizon 6, Gears of War: E-Day and Mixtape were included with Ultimate but not Premium when we checked on 2026-10-15, on top of the Premium games below. [src17, src27, src40]

If user has Game Pass Premium

→ Hades II, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Forza Horizon 5, Halo Infinite, Hi-Fi Rush, Doom: The Dark Ages and Starfield were included when we checked on 2026-10-15. [src12, src54, src56, src28, src36, src30, src33, src46, src48]

If user wants the best 2026 releases only

→ Resident Evil Requiem (93), then Mixtape (92), Forza Horizon 6 (90), Gears of War: E-Day (88) and Pragmata (87). Hades II (95) is new to Xbox this year. [src6]

If user wants a racing game

→ Forza Horizon 6: GamesRadar+'s No. 3 and a 10/10 from IGN. On Game Pass Premium, which does not include it, Forza Horizon 5. [src1, src15, src17, src36]

If budget is under $30 per game

→ Hades II and Hi-Fi Rush ($29.99 each) or Mixtape, at the Xbox Store's prices when we checked on 2026-10-15. For the disc games, the picks table at the top has today's prices. [src12, src33, src40]

If user prefers multiplayer or co-op

→ Halo Infinite for free-to-play multiplayer, Gears of War: E-Day for a co-op campaign and Horde Siege, Monster Hunter Wilds for online hunts of two to four players, or Baldur's Gate 3, which the Xbox Store lists with online co-op for two to four. [src31, src24, src43, src8]

Default recommendation

→ Baldur's Gate 3. If the user has Game Pass and wants a game it includes, Hades II (Premium) or Forza Horizon 6 (Ultimate). [src1, src12, src17]

• 2026's games near the top: Forza Horizon 6, at No. 3, is GamesRadar+'s highest-ranked 2026 game, and TechRadar's current top three are all 2026 releases: Gears of War: E-Day, Forza Horizon 6 and Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve. [src1, src2, src6]
• The Game Pass tier matters: Forza Horizon 6, Gears of War: E-Day and Mixtape were included with Ultimate but not Premium when we checked on 2026-10-15, while Hades II, Forza Horizon 5 and Halo Infinite were in both. [src17, src27, src40, src12, src36, src30]
• Xbox Game Studios' games and PS5: of the four Xbox Game Studios games here, Forza Horizon 5 already has a PS5 version on Metacritic and PlayStation dates Forza Horizon 6's for January 26, 2027, while Metacritic lists Halo Infinite and Gears of War: E-Day on Xbox and PC only. [src36, src17, src30, src27, src35, src18, src29, src26]
• Small review pools for some Xbox versions: Baldur's Gate 3's Xbox Series X Metascore rests on 10 critic reviews, Hades II's on 7, Mixtape's on 10 and Cyberpunk 2077's on 5, against 83 for Forza Horizon 6. [src7, src9, src39, src59, src16]
• Still to come: Grand Theft Auto VI on November 19, 2026, and Fable on February 23, 2027, both dated on the Xbox Store. [src49, src50]

• Prices are US prices. Amazon prices come from our daily checks of the listings we link, and the picks table at the top has the live figures. Xbox Store prices are the standard digital prices it listed when we checked on 2026-10-15, and they change.
• Three links go to a particular edition: Baldur's Gate 3 to the physical Deluxe Edition, Elden Ring to the Shadow of the Erdtree Edition, which the Xbox Store says includes the game and its expansion, and Resident Evil Requiem to Amazon's exclusive edition. Each contains the game the outlets reviewed. [src20]
• The lists differ in age and rules. IGN's considered only games released by the end of September 2024, Tom's Guide's was last updated in July 2025, and TechRadar's is unranked apart from its top three, so the newest games here are judged by GamesRadar+'s and TechRadar's lists and by individual reviews. [src3, src4, src2, src1]
• Metascores are Xbox Series X scores and move as reviews arrive; those of Baldur's Gate 3, Hades II, Mixtape and Cyberpunk 2077 rest on 10 or fewer critic reviews. [src7, src9, src39, src59]
• Game Pass inclusion changes; the tiers on this card are those the Xbox Store listed on 2026-10-15.
• Grand Theft Auto VI and Fable are not out yet and are not ranked. [src49, src50]