Microsoft has announced the games coming to Xbox Game Pass in December 2024, headlined by Indiana Jones and the Great Circle but also including the likes of Crash Team Racing: Nitro Fueled.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is the highly anticipated release from Wolfenstein developer MachineGames and is Indy’s first proper foray into the video game space. Players are tasked with uncovering one of history’s greatest mysteries in the first person single player adventure, and arrives as a day one title on December 9.
“Generations of gamers both new and old should care [about this game],” IGN said in our preview. “Because as good as the studio’s recent Wolfenstein reboots were, The Great Circle might be even better.”
Crash Team Racing: Nitro Fueled is something quite different as a colorful kart racer akin to Mario Kart. “Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled’s difficulty, memorable track design, and addictive power-slide mechanic make it a kart racer worth playing but it’s not without its frustrations,” IGN said in our 8/10 review.
Xbox Game Pass December 2024 Wave 1 Lineup
Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled (Ultimate, Standard, Core) – December 4DayZ (Now with Core) – December 4Goat Simulator (Now with Core) – December 4Forza Motorsport (Now with Standard) – December 4Hauntii (Now with Standard) – December 4Humanity (Now with Standard) December 4EA Sports WRC (Ultimate, PC) – December 5Overthrown (Ultimate, PC) – December 5Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (Ultimate, PC) – December 9Wildfrost (Ultimate, PC) – December 10Carrion (Ultimate, PC, Standard) – January 2Road 96 (Ultimate, PC, Stnadard) – January 7
Also on the racing front, EA Sports WRC is available December 5 and brings its rally championship action to Game Pass subscribers. It didn’t review as well as previous entries, however. “EA Sports WRC feels like a great racing game trying to fight its way out of an unfinished one,” we said in our 6/10 review.
Overthrown arrives the same day. “Lift and throw anything as you build and manage your kingdom in this chaotic city builder for one to six players,” the synopsis reads. “Harness the power of your soul-stealing crown to defend your citizens from bandits and mutants, farm the land, and gather resources.”
Aptly arrived in the midst of winter, Wildfrost is a tactical roguelike deckbuilder set in the town of Snowdell. The sun has frozen over and its survivors stand as the last bastion against an eternal winter.
Flipping the traditional hero saves the day narrative on its head is the next entry, the side scrolling action game Carrion. “Carrion nails the power fantasy of being a horror movie monster, but makes exploration a chore that pads the adventure,” IGN said in our 7/10 review.
Finally, wrapping up the month is Road 96, the wild and wacky procedurally generated game about taking a road trip. “Road 96 is a fascinating and frequently tense adventure that manages to keep its story on track despite the odd bump in the road,” IGN said in our 8/10 review.
Those not subscribed to Ultimate can look forward to some new titles too, as Xbox Game Pass Standard is getting the likes of Forza Motorsport and Humanity while Xbox Game Pass core is getting DayZ and Goat Simulator.
A handful of games are leaving Xbox Game Pass this month too, though those looking to continue playing afterwards can save 20% on their full price by purchasing them while they’re still available on the subscription service.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.
