Xbox Game Pass Ignites 2026 with Surprise Day-One Zombie Checkpoint Sim ‘Quarantine Zone: The Last Check’ and Star Wars Outlaws on Deck
Xbox Game Pass is off to a blistering start this year, surprising PC subscribers with the immediate day-one launch of Quarantine Zone: The Last Check, a tense zombie apocalypse management sim from developer Brigada Games and publisher Devolver Digital.
Dropping today exclusively on PC Game Pass (and Steam with a 10% launch discount), the game casts players as the commander of a vital border checkpoint amid a raging undead outbreak. Armed with high-tech scanners, players inspect terrified survivors for infection signs, contraband, and hidden threats—deciding fates via quarantine, lab dissection, safe passage, or elimination. Manage dwindling resources like power, food, and meds; pilot drones to fend off breaches; harvest zombie samples for upgrades; and grapple with moral dilemmas in a Papers, Please-style narrative of survival and tough calls.
The surprise reveal came via a viral X post from @XboxGamePass, following a cheeky “one like” challenge that exploded with engagement.
Quarantine Zone: The Last Check hits PC Game Pass next week …
This unannounced gem joins an already stacked January lineup from Wave 1, headlined by tomorrow’s arrival of Ubisoft’s open-world blockbuster Star Wars Outlaws—the first Star Wars game of its kind, letting players live as scoundrel Kay Vess, pulling off heists and dodging syndicates between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.
Coming to Xbox Game Pass: Star Wars Outlaws, Resident Evil Village …
Here’s the full slate of confirmed January 2026 additions (dates approximate to availability; platforms noted as Cloud/Console/PC where applicable):
| Date | Game | Platforms/Tiers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 6 | Brews & Bastards | Cloud, PC, Series X|S (Ultimate, Premium, PC) | Twin-stick shooter |
| Jan 6 | Little Nightmares Enhanced Edition | Cloud, PC, Series X|S (Ultimate, Premium, PC) | 4K/60FPS upgrade |
| Jan 7 | Atomfall | Cloud, Console, PC (Premium) | Day-one survival-action |
| Jan 7 | Lost in Random: The Eternal Die | Cloud, Series X|S, PC (Premium) | Day-one action-RPG |
| Jan 7 | Rematch | Cloud, PC, Series X|S (Premium) | Day-one 5v5 football |
| Jan 7 | Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine – Master Crafted Edition | Cloud, PC, Series X|S (Premium) | Day-one shooter |
| Jan 8 | Final Fantasy | Cloud, Series X|S, PC (Ultimate, Premium, PC) | Remastered classic |
| Jan 12 | Quarantine Zone: The Last Check | PC (Ultimate, PC) | Day-one surprise! |
| Jan 13 | Star Wars Outlaws | Cloud, PC, Series X|S (Ultimate, PC) | Day-one open-world |
| Jan 15 | My Little Pony: A Zephyr Heights Mystery | Cloud, Console, PC (Ultimate, Premium, PC) | Day-one adventure |
| Jan 20 | Resident Evil Village | Cloud, Console, PC (Ultimate, Premium, PC) | Survival horror |
| Jan 20 | MIO: Memories in Orbit | Cloud, Series X|S, PC (Ultimate, PC) | Day-one metroidvania |
| Jan 22 | Nova Roma | PC (Ultimate, PC) | Upcoming |
A few titles like Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn and Neon White rotate out on January 15, so grab them while you can.
With Xbox Developer_Direct looming on January 22—promising deep dives into Fable, Forza Horizon 6, and Beast of Reincarnation—Game Pass shows no signs of slowing down. Head to the Xbox app or xbox.com/play to dive in.
Editor at SaveGameVault. Passionate about gaming news and mods.
Discussion (0)