Xbox Game Pass tiers have gotten way more confusing than necessary

When Microsoft announced a revamped tier system for Xbox Game Pass in October 2025, it unleashed a whole lot of grumbling about what was once fondly regarded as “the best deal in games.” The service’s first batch of games for January features some heavy hitters, including Resident Evil Village and the underrated Star Wars Outlaws. But distinguishing between what’s actually “new” to the service and what’s simply being made available to another tier is far more confusing than it needs to be.