Two major free to play games arrive on Xbox in January 2026

Xbox kicks off the year with two powerful free releases and disparate expectations.

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January 2026 not only brings discounts and new games to Xbox Game Pass. It will also be an important month for Xbox’s free-to-play catalog, with the arrival of two high-profile proposals targeting very different audiences. However, while one is backed by a massive community, the other raises some doubts after its presentation.

Both titles have a scheduled release date and, unless there are last-minute changes, will be available this month on Xbox consoles.

2XKO and Highguard, two very different free-to-play bets for Xbox

The first to arrive will be 2XKO, the new free-to-play fighting game from Riot Games, scheduled for January 20th. The game brings together characters from the League of Legends universe and offers 2v2 combat that’s very accessible, with the option to play solo controlling both fighters or co-op with another player. Its competitive focus, combined with Riot’s backing, makes it one of the most anticipated free releases of the month.

The second major release is Highguard, which will arrive on January 26th. It’s a PvP shooter with an incursion structure, developed by former Apex Legends and Titanfall team members. In it, players take on the role of Wardens, arcane gunners competing for control of a fantasy continent, assaulting enemy bases and facing off against other squads.

• Despite its ambition and the team behind it, Highguard hasn’t generated the expected impact since its announcement at The Game Awards. The initial reception has been more lukewarm than expected, which has raised some skepticism about its performance once it’s available.

January will therefore be a good test to see what real weight these proposals carry within Xbox’s free-to-play ecosystem, and if both can establish a stable player base from their launch.