Xbox Game Pass December 2021 Adds Halo Infinite, Stardew Valley, Among Us

Today we kick off the final month of 2021, and with the arrival of December comes news of more additions to Xbox Game Pass. December is shaping up to be a big month for Microsoft's subscription service, thanks in no small part to the arrival of Halo Infinite. The latest game in Microsoft's flagship franchise will be joined by some beloved indie classics as well.

The new additions start with a bang tomorrow, December 2nd, with the arrival of a bunch of games: Anvil (console and PC), Archvale (cloud, console, and PC), Final Fantasy XIII-2 (console and PC), Lawn Mowing Simulator (cloud, console, and PC), Rubber Bandits (cloud, console, and PC), Stardew Valley (cloud, console, and PC), and Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector (cloud, console, and PC). (via Xbox Wire)

There's one clear standout in this initial drop of games, and that's Stardew Valley. We learned that Stardew Valley was destined for Xbox Game Pass earlier this year, and now the big day has finally come. If you've never played Stardew Valley before, it's essentially a love letter to all things Harvest Moon, so if the simple life of small-town farming calls to you, you'll soon have the chance to play it through Xbox Game Pass.

READ MORE: Halo Infinite multiplayer first impressions

The new additions continue on December 7th with Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator (cloud, console, and PC). That game will be followed on December 8th by the month's heavy hitter: Halo Infinite, which will be available across the cloud, console, and PC versions of Xbox Game Pass. Keep in mind that this is the campaign for Halo Infinite, with the multiplayer already available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X, the Microsoft Store, and PC.

Xbox Game Pass wraps up the first half of December with One Piece Pirate Warriors 4 (cloud, console, and PC) on December 9th and then both Aliens: Fireteam Elite (cloud, console, and PC) and Among Us (console) on December 14th.

As always, there are several perks for free-to-play games that Xbox Game Pass subscribers can claim this month. It should come as little surprise that one of the perks is for Halo Infinite, granting a "Pass Tense" coating for the MA40 Assault Rifle, four double XP boosts, and four challenge swaps.

Xbox Game Pass subscribers will also get a New Year's Bundle for Dauntless that includes new cosmetics, a 14-day Slayer's Club membership, and 25 Patrol Keys. In addition, Apex Legends players can snag the RIG Helmet Weapon charm, while World of Warships: Legends players will get the Hero's Companion bundle featuring the Medea – a Tier II British warship – along with boosters and credits.

All of these perks will be available in the Perks gallery on Xbox consoles, the Xbox app on PC, and the Xbox Game Pass app on mobile beginning December 2nd, save for the Halo Infinite perks which will go live alongside the campaign on December 8th.

Finally, we've got another round of departures heading our way. On Wednesday, December 15th, six games will be leaving Xbox Game Pass: Beholder (cloud and console), The Dark Pictures: Man of Medan (console and PC), Guacamelee! 2 (cloud, console, and PC), Wilmot's Warehouse (cloud, console, and PC), Unto The End (cloud, console, and PC), and Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair (cloud, console, and PC). If you're currently playing any of those, you've got exactly two weeks to finish them up, so be sure to earmark some game time in the coming days.