Xbox Game Pass February 2023: bizarro shooter Atomic Heart leads a varied lineup

09 February 2023 , 12:41

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The soviet shooter Atomic Heart launches day one on game pass

Microsoft has announced the latest games joining Xbox Game Pass and it’s a varied mix, to say the least.

Arguably the most exciting title joining the Xbox Game Pass lineup this month is the Soviet-era shooter Atomic Heart, which will join the service on Tuesday, February 21, the day the game releases. If you’re anything like me, Atomic Heart has been on your radar since the Xbox E3 2021 presentation. It showed off a trailer that immediately caught me with its bizarre presentation and clear Bioshock inspirations – and that absolutely banging eurobeat tune.

The Xbox Game Pass February 2023 titles were revealed on the Xbox Wire blog, and there's a bit of something for everyone – so if the weird and wonderful Atomic Heart doesn't do it for you, there's something else that almost certainly will.

First up to the plate is the latest EA handegg simulator Madden NFL 23, which launches today, February 9 – just in time for the Super Bowl this Sunday, February 12. If American football doesn’t tickle your fancy, the anime RPG SD Gundam Battle Alliance blasts onto Xbox Game Pass the same day. This multiplayer title lets you blast your pals away as 'Super Deformed' versions of classic Gundam mechs from the franchise's 43-year history.

For those who like their RPGs with far less of an anime flair, five days after SD Gundam lands on Xbox Game Pass, Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord makes an appearance on Tuesday, February 14. This acclaimed migration-period game blends strategy and RPG elements to create a potent mix.

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There's a strategy on the battlefield, then there's a strategy in managing a city. On Wednesday, February 15 Cities: Skylines – Remastered joins Game Pass. This spiritual successor to SimCity first launched back in 2015, and the new remaster increases graphical performance and includes a bump in the size of cities players can build.

Finally on Thursday, February 16, Shadow Warrior 3: Definitive Edition drops, which is a solid enough time if you play without the dialogue on. It’s a high-paced shooter that blends melee combat with a large arsenal of guns. What makes Shadow Warrior 3 interesting compared to the prior entries is the new movement options like a grappling hook and air dash.

Xbox Game Pass February 2023 free games

Here's the Xbox Game Pass February 2023 lineup in full:

Madden NFL 23 – February 9 (console and PC via EA Play)
SD Gundam Battle Alliance – February 9 (console, PC and cloud)
Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord – February 14 (console, PC and cloud)
Cities: Skylines – Remastered – February 15 (Xbox Series X|S and cloud)
Shadow Warrior 3: Definitive Edition – February 16 (console, PC and cloud)
Atomic Heart – February 21 (console, PC and cloud)

Leaving Xbox Game Pass February 2023

As always, when we say hello to a new wave of games, we say goodbye to another bunch. If you're particularly sore about any of these titles leaving Xbox Game Pass this month, you can use your member discount to pick them up for 20% and they'll be in your library forever! The six games below are leaving Game Pass on Wednesday, February 15: