Best Games on Game Pass Right Now: May 2026

They cut the price. They removed Call of Duty from day one. So the question every subscriber is asking right now is simple.

Is Game Pass still worth it?

After the pricing chaos of the last year, where Microsoft jacked rates up 50% and then walked them back while quietly pulling the single biggest reason most people subscribed, the trust is thin. I covered the full breakdown of that mess in the console crisis piece. The short version is that you're paying less, but you're also getting less. The math changed.

But here's the thing. The May 2026 lineup is the strongest month Game Pass has had in a long time. Whether that's enough to justify the subscription depends on what's actually on there and whether any of it matters to you. So instead of listing every game alphabetically like every other outlet, here are the 10 games on Game Pass right now that are actually worth your time. New additions and library staples. Honest takes on each.

The New Additions

1. Forza Horizon 6 (May 19, Day One, Ultimate and PC)

Japan. Over 550 cars. The largest and most dense map in franchise history. Tokyo's urban core is reportedly five times bigger than any previous city zone. Mountain passes. Coastal routes. Snow. Rice fields.

Look, if you have Game Pass and you don't play this, you're paying for a gym membership and never going. This is the single strongest argument for the subscription right now. A full-price $70 racing game, day one, included. The AE86 is in the car list. You already know what you're doing with it.

2. Subnautica 2 (May 14, Day One Game Preview, Ultimate and PC)

The underwater survival game from the studio that survived the most insane corporate drama in recent gaming history. Krafton's CEO used ChatGPT to dodge a $250 million bonus payout. The founders got fired and reinstated by a judge. And somehow the game still exists.

Four-player co-op for the first time. New alien planet. Unreal Engine 5. If the original Subnautica is any indication, this will consume your life. It's in Early Access, so expect rough edges. But the foundation is one of the strongest in survival gaming, and day one on Game Pass means you're not paying $30 to find out if the Early Access build is ready.

3. Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era (Available Now, Day One, Ultimate and PC)

I covered this launch last week. It hit #1 on Steam within hours. 91% Very Positive. Being called the best entry since Heroes III. Built by Unfrozen, a team that grew up on the franchise, co-published by Hooded Horse.

If you've ever played a Heroes game, this is the one you've been waiting for. If you haven't, this is the best entry point in decades. And it's on Game Pass right now. No excuse not to try it.

4. DOOM: The Dark Ages (May 14, Premium Tier)

The Doom Slayer goes medieval. id Software's prequel to Doom 2016 takes the franchise's combat to a fantasy setting with mounted combat, a mech suit, and the most aggressive soundtrack in gaming history.

The catch here is that it's on the Premium tier, not Ultimate. So you're either already paying for Premium or you're upgrading for this. At $22.99 for Ultimate, it's worth considering whether the Premium bump makes sense for one game. But if you're already there, this is a no-brainer.

5. Mixtape (May 7, Day One, Ultimate and PC)

Annapurna Interactive published. A narrative road trip about two best friends on the night before everything changes. Built around mixtapes you create from a licensed 2000s soundtrack.

This isn't for everyone. If you need combat and progression systems, skip it. But if you've ever made someone a playlist that meant something, or if you remember being seventeen and feeling like one night could last forever, this game is going to hit different. Annapurna rarely misses when it comes to emotional storytelling.

The Library Staples

These have been on Game Pass for a while. If you haven't played them yet, now is the time.

6. Resident Evil Requiem

89 on Metacritic. 6 million copies sold. Fastest-selling Resident Evil ever. Switch between first and third person freely. Leon Kennedy is back. If you haven't played this yet and you have Game Pass, I genuinely don't understand what you're waiting for.

7. Crimson Desert

Pearl Abyss went from a microtransaction-heavy MMO studio to shipping a fully premium open-world action RPG with zero cash shop. No battle pass. No cosmetic store. The combat is some of the best in the genre. The world is massive. And it's sitting on Game Pass right now waiting for you.

8. Slay the Spire 2

The deckbuilder that outsold Crimson Desert on the Steam charts. 574,000 peak concurrent players. If you've never played a deckbuilder, this is the one that converts people. If you have, this is the sequel that justifies the genre's existence.

9. Pragmata

Capcom's new IP that sold a million copies in 48 hours. 86 on Metacritic. 97% Positive on Steam. A brand new franchise from the studio having the best year in gaming. If the $70 price tag kept you away, Game Pass just removed that barrier.

10. Wuchang: Fallen Feathers (May 6, Now on Premium)

A Soulslike action RPG set in the final days of the Ming Dynasty. This one flew under the radar for a lot of people but it's been getting quietly strong reviews. If you've burned through Elden Ring and are looking for the next Soulslike to sink into, Wuchang is worth the download.

So Is It Worth It?

Here's my honest take.

If you look at this list and count the number of games you'd actually buy at full price, the math gets obvious fast. Forza Horizon 6 alone is $70. Resident Evil Requiem is $60. Crimson Desert is $50. Pragmata is $70. That's $250 in games for $23 a month.

The value is there. It's always been there. The issue was never whether Game Pass has good games. The issue is whether Microsoft can be trusted to keep it that way after the pricing games they played last year. Raising rates 50%, then walking it back while stripping out Call of Duty. That erodes confidence even when the library is strong.

My recommendation? If you're already subscribed, May is a month where the value is undeniable. Forza and Subnautica alone justify the cost.

If you're not subscribed and you're thinking about it, wait until May 14 or May 19 when the heaviest hitters land. Subscribe for one month. Play Forza, Subnautica, DOOM, and whatever else catches your eye. Cancel before the second month if nothing else holds you. That's the smart play.

Game Pass is still the best deal in gaming when the library is firing. The question is whether it stays that way. And after everything Microsoft has done in the last year, I don't blame anyone for watching instead of trusting.

But right now? In May 2026? Yeah. It's worth it.