Xbox Game Pass Just Added Its Best Day One Game of 2026

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Xbox Game Pass has added a brand new game that’s already being called the best addition of 2026. It’s available immediately to those with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass subscriptions, but not on the lower-tier Premium or Essential plans. While it’s unclear how long the game will be free with the subscription, Game Pass members can play it without having to pay the full $20 price.

Players with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass can now enjoy the new game, Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf. It’s available on Xbox Series X, PC, and even Xbox One – which is great news for Xbox One Game Pass members, as they haven’t received many games on their release day this year. In fact, Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf is currently the highest-rated day-one game added to Xbox Game Pass in 2026.

The Best Day-One Xbox Game Pass Game So Far This Year

With a score of 82 on Metacritic, Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf is currently the 19th highest-rated game released this year. It’s also the only Xbox Game Pass day one release to achieve a higher score than all but one other game – MIO: Memories in Orbit, which launched on January 20th with a score of 83. However, Planet of Lana II is preferred by players, as its user reviews are stronger than those of MIO: Memories in Orbit, despite the slight difference in critic scores.

Both Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf and MIO: Memories in Orbit have been well-received. Planet of Lana II has a 91% rating on Steam, along with 4 out of 5 stars on both the Xbox and PlayStation stores. MIO scores slightly lower with 85% on Steam and 4.21 out of 5 stars on PlayStation, and 4/5 stars on Xbox. Overall, Planet of Lana II has a very slight advantage when considering reviews from critics and players alike.

If you haven’t played it before, Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf is a puzzle platformer created by Wishfully and published by Thunderful Publishing. It’s the second game in the Planet of Lana series, following the original release in 2023. The first game received positive reviews (an 80 on Metacritic), and this sequel looks even better. But if this game doesn’t appeal to you, don’t worry – there are plenty of other games coming to Xbox Game Pass in March!

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2026-03-07 01:16