When it comes to the various gaming subscription services, clear patterns have been established. PS Plus subscribers know that they can typically expect to learn about the next free PS Plus games on the last Wednesday of every month, while Xbox Live Gold subscribers can safely expect the free Games with Gold games to consist of two Xbox 360 games and two Xbox One titles. Xbox Game Pass is no different in that it too has established its own pattern, but it broke from that pattern in March 2022.
The Xbox Game Pass pattern is a simple one. Near the beginning of every month (usually on the first unless it falls on a weekend), Microsoft announces the new Xbox Game Pass games that are coming out in the next couple of weeks, along with the titles that will be getting removed on the 15th that month. Then, when the 15th rolls around (again unless it falls on a weekend), Microsoft announces the new Xbox Game Pass games coming in the next two weeks, as well as the titles that are getting the boot at the end of the month.
Microsoft has broken this pattern before when it comes to the games leaving Xbox Game Pass, like when it's an especially high-profile title, to give fans a bit more warning before they lose access to the game. For example, Microsoft announced Destiny 2 was leaving Xbox Game Pass well in advance of when it actually happened, and it has done the same thing with the PC version of Bungie's popular looter-shooter as well.
The pattern that Xbox Game Pass broke in March 2022 has to do with the new games coming to Xbox Game Pass, however. Because not only did Microsoft announce the next batches of games coming to Xbox Game Pass at the beginning and middle of March, it also surprised subscribers by releasing day one Xbox Game Pass games with no prior announcements in addition to confirming other games for later in the month and beyond.
New Xbox Game Pass Games for March 2022 Full List
- Far: Changing Tides - March 1
- Microsoft Flight Simulator (Cloud) - March 1
- Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13 - March 3
- Kentucky Route Zero - March 10
- Lawn Mowing Simulator - March 10
- Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy - March 10
- Young Souls - March 10
- Paradise Killer - March 16
- Tunic - March 16
- Shredders - March 17
- The Dungeon of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet of Chaos - March 17
- Kraken Academy - March 22
- Tainted Grail: Conquest - March 22
- Zero Escape: The Nonary Games - March 22
- A Memoir Blue - March 24
- Norco (PC Game Pass only) - March 24
- F1 2021 (Xbox Game Pass Ultimate only) - March 24
- Crusader Kings 3 - March 29
- Weird West - March 31
This is the full list of every new game that has already been released for Xbox Game Pass in March 2022 or will be coming to the service in the weeks ahead. The vast majority of these games were announced at the usual times, but some of them came as a surprise. For example, both Paradise Killer and Tunic were surprise-launched for Xbox Game Pass on March 16, which is especially notable since they are both day one games.
And not only that, but they are both well-reviewed, popular games. Paradise Killer may have just made its Xbox debut on March 16 as a day one game, but it had previously been available for other platforms. Tunic, meanwhile, was a highly-anticipated game prior to its launch, and it earned rave reviews upon release. Tunic is a challenging game that takes inspiration from titles like Dark Souls and The Legend of Zelda, and it has been turning heads since its reveal thanks to its appealing, colorful art style. If the Tunic reviews are any indication, it seems that it lived up to the hype, making it a big "get" for Xbox Game Pass.
Tunic being a day one Xbox Game Pass game is a big deal for the service, especially since it was a surprise-launch that subscribers had no idea was coming. In fact, it was outright stated by the game's developer that Tunic was not going to be a day one Xbox Game Pass game, which made it even more surprising when it was indeed surprise-launched for Microsoft's subscription service.
Since Microsoft almost always announces the new Xbox Game Pass games in advance, Paradise Killer and Tunic represent a big break from that established pattern. However, they aren't the only new Xbox Game Pass games for March 2022 that broke the pattern. So too did Kraken Academy, which is scheduled to join the Xbox Game Pass lineup come Tuesday, March 22. Kraken Academy is another day one Xbox Game Pass game, having previously been available for PC but just now making its console debut.
Kraken Academy wasn't surprise-launched like Paradise Killer and Tunic, but it was still announced to be coming to Xbox Game Pass outside the normal parameters of how new games are announced for the service.
Fans shouldn't expect this to become the norm for Xbox Game Pass, however. It's almost certain that Microsoft will get back to its usual pattern of revealing new Xbox Game Pass games once April rolls around.