Updated October 2026 – Looking for the best Xbox Series X games 2026 has to offer? Start with Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, then Avowed, Forza Horizon 5, Starfield, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, Halo Infinite and Sea of Thieves. Most of them are included with Game Pass Ultimate, so the real cost of trying them is low.
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Top Xbox Series Games Play Right Picks for 2026
Here are our current top xbox series games play right picks, compared on real Amazon owner reviews, price, and features. Live prices update below.
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The Xbox Series X turned five years old in November 2025, and the games library finally caught up to the silicon. For the first three years of this generation, the console’s twelve teraflop GPU, sixteen gigabytes of GDDR6 memory, and custom NVMe storage spent most of their time running last-gen ports and cross-gen Bethesda releases that had been in development since the Obama administration. That story is over. We compared critic scores, publisher specifications, platform listings and player feedback for the major Xbox Series X releases of 2024 and 2025 to see which games actually justify keeping this box hooked up to your television in 2026. The verdict is clearer than it has ever been, and there are real surprises near the top of our list.
Our authoritative pick for the best Xbox Series X game to play right now in 2026 is Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and we will defend that verdict for the rest of this guide. MachineGames built the most confidently designed first-person action-adventure of the generation, the Series X version targets 60 frames per second with ray-traced lighting, and the campaign delivers the closest thing to a Raiders of the Lost Ark sequel we are ever going to get. It is the kind of exclusive experience the Xbox brand needed for years and finally has. But the full picture of what makes the Series X worth owning in 2026 is broader than any single game, and it includes both the long tail of Game Pass Ultimate launches and the back catalogue of late-cycle Microsoft exclusives that have aged into something special.
How We Compared and What We Looked For
Our method for this guide is research-based, not hands-on. We did not run our own benchmarks. We compared critic scores, publisher and platform specifications, Game Pass availability and long-running player feedback for each game, and we favored titles that take advantage of the Xbox Series X hardware, such as fast load times from the NVMe SSD, 60fps performance modes and 120Hz support. Where a game offers Quality and Performance modes, we recommend the one most players will prefer.
What we looked for was not just review-score quality, although every game on this list is well regarded by critics and players. We looked for games that take meaningful advantage of the Xbox Series X hardware in a way that you would notice immediately if you switched to a Series S or a last-gen Xbox One X, games that ship with day-one Game Pass Ultimate availability where applicable so that the buy-in cost is rational, and games that hold up over a long campaign rather than fizzling out after the first ten hours. We are deeply suspicious of any “best of” list that puts a sixty-minute walking simulator next to a ninety-hour open world RPG and pretends the comparison is meaningful, so every entry here will tell you the realistic time investment, the recommended performance mode, and the kind of player it is actually for.
The common pitfalls we want you to avoid when picking your next Xbox Series X game in 2026 are these. First, do not assume every game on Game Pass Ultimate will stay on the service forever — Microsoft has been quietly rotating older third-party titles off the platform with sixty days of notice, and several Bethesda back catalogue entries left in early 2026. Second, do not buy a 1TB Storage Expansion Card before you actually need it, because some of the best games on this list are under fifty gigabytes and fit comfortably on the internal drive even after Forza Horizon 5 and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 take their share. Third, do not skip the Performance mode just because Quality mode advertises ray tracing — at sixty frames per second the Series X is producing the smoothest first-party experience on any console, and the visual difference is smaller than you would expect.
At-a-Glance: Our Top Seven Xbox Series X Games for 2026
| Rank | Game | Genre | Time to Beat | Mode We Recommend | Game Pass? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indiana Jones and the Great Circle | First-person action-adventure | 22-30 hours | Performance (60fps) | Yes, day one |
| 2 | Starfield: Shattered Space | Open-world space RPG (with expansion) | 120+ hours with DLC | Performance | Yes, base + DLC |
| 3 | Avowed | First-person fantasy RPG | 40-50 hours | Performance | Yes, day one |
| 4 | Forza Horizon 5 | Open-world racing | 40 hours main / 200+ completionist | Quality (locked 60) | Yes |
| 5 | Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 | Civil aviation simulator | Unlimited | Quality | Yes |
| 6 | Halo Infinite (post Season 12) | Sci-fi shooter | 15 hours campaign / unlimited MP | Performance (120fps MP) | Yes |
| 7 | Sea of Thieves | Cooperative pirate sandbox | Unlimited | Performance | Yes |
Notice what is and is not on this list. We left off Hollow Knight: Silksong because it is a 2D Metroidvania that plays the same on a Nintendo Switch 2 and does not benefit from Series X hardware in any meaningful way. We also left off big multiplatform releases that run better on other systems, since this list is about what we would actually recommend you play on a Series X today.
1. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle — Our Pick for the Best AAA Experience
MachineGames spent six years building Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and you can feel every month of it. The game is structured as a globe-trotting adventure across the Vatican, the Egyptian desert, the mountains of Thailand, and an Atlantic-spanning train sequence that lifts directly from the spirit of the Last Crusade. The first-person perspective sounds like a strange choice for a character whose face and physicality are half the appeal of the films, but the design works because every action — climbing a wall, swinging a whip, throwing a punch, photographing an inscription — is a first-person verb that puts you inside the hat rather than watching the hat from over the shoulder. Troy Baker delivers the best Harrison Ford impression of any game we have heard, the John Williams-inspired score swells in exactly the right moments, and the puzzle design is sharper than the entire Uncharted series put together.
On Xbox Series X the presentation is a highlight. The game offers a Performance mode that targets 60 frames per second and a Quality mode that favors resolution and ray-traced lighting, and most players will prefer Performance for the smoother feel. The id Tech 7 engine handles large interior spaces with many dynamic light sources, and load times from the internal SSD are short.
Best for: anyone who wants the most polished single-player blockbuster on Xbox in 2026, fans of the Wolfenstein games who trusted MachineGames to nail the tone, and players who appreciate puzzle design that respects their intelligence. Pros: generational presentation, locked sixty in Performance mode, day-one Game Pass, brilliant level design, expansion adds 8-10 hours. Cons: first-person punching takes an hour to click, some stealth sections punish loud playstyles harder than they should, you cannot skip cutscenes on first playthrough.
2. Starfield: Shattered Space — The Generation-Defining RPG, Finally Fixed
Starfield’s launch in 2023 was divisive, and the version you can play on Xbox Series X in 2026 has changed a lot since. Bethesda has shipped regular updates, added ground vehicles and the Shattered Space expansion built around the House Va’ruun homeworld. With Shattered Space installed, this is a very long space-faring RPG that plays to Bethesda’s classic strengths.
Check the performance options in the settings menu: the game offers a choice between a frame-rate-focused mode and a visuals-focused mode, and the frame-rate-focused choice is the better fit for combat. Load times between locations are short on the Series X internal SSD, and the ground vehicle system helps you cross large moons. If you bounced off Starfield in 2023, it deserves a second look in 2026.
Best for: Bethesda RPG veterans, space exploration fans, anyone who wanted The Outer Worlds to be eighty hours longer and full of moral grayness. Pros: massive content with expansion and mods, frame-rate-focused mode, ship building genuinely deep, Va’ruun storyline is the best Bethesda writing in a decade. Cons: still loading-screen-heavy in city interiors, NPCs remain Bethesda-stiff, has a large install size.
3. Avowed — Obsidian’s Sleeper Hit That Got Better With Patches
Avowed launched in February 2025 to mixed reviews and quietly grew into one of the most replayable first-person RPGs on the platform across its 2025 content roadmap. Obsidian set the game in the Living Lands, a chunk of the Pillars of Eternity world that had been mentioned in lore but never fully explored, and built a magic system that lets you dual-wield a wand and a pistol or a greatsword and a grimoire in ways that genuinely change how you approach combat. The campaign is broken into four large hub zones rather than one continuous open world, which sounds limiting but works because each zone has the kind of dense quest design that the Witcher 3’s Velen had — every side path you investigate leads somewhere that matters, and the writing is sharp enough that you actually want to talk to the NPCs you meet.
On Xbox Series X, Avowed offers a Performance mode that favors frame rate and a Quality mode that favors resolution. It uses Unreal Engine 5, and post-launch updates added a New Game Plus mode and a higher-difficulty option for returning players. The game is included with Game Pass Ultimate, so the buy-in is effectively zero for subscribers.
Best for: Pillars of Eternity veterans, players who want a first-person RPG with real player choice that does not take 100 hours to finish, anyone who loved the writing in Outer Worlds. Pros: stunning art direction, deep magic system, hub-based pacing avoids open-world bloat, day-one Game Pass. Cons: some character models lag behind the environments, companion AI occasionally pathfinds badly in narrow corridors, no day-night cycle in early zones.
4. Forza Horizon 5 — The Best Racing Game Ever Made, Now Free on Game Pass
Forza Horizon 5 launched in 2021 and has received many content seasons, car packs and two major expansions (Hot Wheels and Rally Adventure). It remains one of the most complete and content-rich racing games available, and a strong showcase for the Xbox Series X. Quality mode prioritizes visual fidelity, while Performance mode prioritizes frame rate for smoother driving.
What makes Forza Horizon 5 a 2026 pick rather than a 2021 nostalgia entry is that the game keeps changing. The biweekly Series rotations introduce new playlist challenges, the rolling road trial events surface community-shared event blueprints, and the EventLab toolset has been used by players to recreate everything from Nürburgring track layouts to off-road touge runs. Even if you played the launch version and walked away after fifty hours, the version of Forza Horizon 5 you can boot up today has substantially more content and substantially better progression pacing.
Best for: arcade-leaning racing fans who want the most beautiful driving game on the planet, players who appreciate huge persistent content updates, anyone who wants a relaxing post-work driving session. Pros: generational visuals at 4K 60, 700+ cars, infinite community content, Game Pass inclusion makes it free. Cons: career structure can feel grindy, audio mix for some engine notes is weaker than Forza Motorsport, some seasonal events demand cars you may not own.
5. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 — The Hardware Showcase
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is a showcase for what the Series X hardware can do. It builds on the streaming-tile world rendering of the 2020 release with a denser building dataset, hand-modeled airports, improved photogrammetry and a career mode that gives the simulation a progression hook. Flying over a large city with live weather is demanding, so expect a stable but not always high frame rate.
Game Pass Ultimate gets you the Standard edition, which includes the core experience. Premium editions sold separately add extra aircraft, but you do not need them to enjoy the core experience. With an Elite Series 2 controller you can map every flight control to a physical input, and the Series X handles the simulation surprisingly well without needing a HOTAS setup — though if you have one, the game supports it natively over USB.
Best for: anyone who has ever looked out an airplane window and wondered, civil aviation enthusiasts, players who want a meditative gaming experience between PvP shooter sessions. Pros: real-world scenery is jaw-dropping, career mode adds progression, Game Pass access is generous. Cons: requires fast internet to stream world data, career mode AI co-pilots are occasionally clueless, controller-only flight is less satisfying than a yoke.
6. Halo Infinite — The Multiplayer Has Finally Stuck the Landing
We are putting Halo Infinite on this list because the version of Halo Infinite available in 2026 is genuinely the best Halo multiplayer since Halo 3, and the campaign — flawed pacing aside — remains a single-player highlight on the platform. 343 Industries, before its reorganization into Halo Studios in 2024, spent twenty-four months addressing the post-launch criticism: a fully reworked Forge mode that has become its own content engine with thousands of community-made maps, a Big Team Battle revamp that fixed the original launch frustration, ongoing weapon balance updates, and a Firefight mode return that gives co-op players a survival sandbox to chew on.
On Xbox Series X, multiplayer supports 120Hz on compatible displays, which makes the shooter feel noticeably smoother. The campaign offers Performance and Quality modes on Series X. The full multiplayer suite is free-to-play; Game Pass Ultimate gets you the campaign and the seasonal Battle Pass progression.
Best for: Halo veterans who held out hope, competitive arena shooter players, anyone who wants a F2P multiplayer they can actually own (Battle Pass progression never expires). Pros: sandbox feels classic-Halo, Forge is genuinely transformative, 120Hz multiplayer is buttery, free-to-play. Cons: campaign DLC was cancelled, Big Team Battle still has occasional vehicle de-sync, weapon drop economy in arena is divisive.
7. Sea of Thieves — The Live Service That Got It Right
Rare’s pirate sandbox launched in 2018 and has spent the last eight years quietly becoming the most consistently updated live-service game in Microsoft’s portfolio. The Safer Seas mode, added in late 2023, removes the player-versus-player encounter risk for solo and small-group players who want the treasure-hunting fantasy without the betrayal anxiety. Regular seasonal updates keep adding new ships, voyages and events.
On Xbox Series X the game runs smoothly at high resolution and frame rate. The cross-play between Xbox and PC players means the matchmaking pool is enormous and queue times are functionally zero. Game Pass Ultimate includes the full game with no DLC walls, which is increasingly rare in this market. For the cost of a Game Pass subscription you get a pirate fantasy that has more content than most $70 single-player blockbusters, and which works equally well for a solo evening session as it does for a four-player crew weekend.
Best for: friend groups looking for a recurring co-op hangout game, solo players who want the pirate fantasy without PvP, anyone who appreciates ongoing live service done right. Pros: beautiful art direction holds up, Game Pass inclusion, eight years of free content, Safer Seas option. Cons: combat depth is shallow versus dedicated PvP games, requires friends for maximum enjoyment, voyages can feel repetitive in long sessions.
Best Xbox Series X Games by Genre
The best Xbox Series X games by genre are Indiana Jones and the Great Circle for adventure, Avowed and Starfield for RPGs, Forza Horizon 5 for racing, Halo Infinite for multiplayer shooting and Sea of Thieves for co-op play.
| Genre | Game | Spec line |
|---|---|---|
| Adventure | Indiana Jones and the Great Circle | Single-player · first-person · Game Pass Ultimate · 60fps Performance mode |
| Fantasy RPG | Avowed | Single-player · first-person · Game Pass Ultimate · Unreal Engine 5 |
| Space RPG | Starfield | Single-player · open world · Game Pass Ultimate · Shattered Space expansion |
| Racing | Forza Horizon 5 | Single-player and online · open world · Game Pass Ultimate |
| Simulation | Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 | Single-player · career mode · Game Pass Ultimate |
| Shooter | Halo Infinite | Free-to-play multiplayer · 120Hz support · campaign with Game Pass |
| Co-op | Sea of Thieves | Online co-op · crossplay · Game Pass Ultimate |
Best New Games to Play on Xbox Series X in 2026
The best new games to play on Xbox Series X in 2026 are Indiana Jones and the Great Circle with its Order of Giants expansion, Avowed with its post-launch updates, and DOOM: The Dark Ages if you want a fast shooter.
Newer does not always mean better on console. Many of the strongest recent releases arrive on Game Pass Ultimate on day one, so check whether a game is included before you buy a disc. Games that launched in 2025 have also received their first major patches, which is often when performance and balance settle. If you only want one new game, pick Indiana Jones and the Great Circle for its polish, and if you want something faster, DOOM: The Dark Ages is a strong second.
DOOM: The Dark Ages – Best Fast-Paced Shooter
DOOM: The Dark Ages is a first-person shooter from id Software that suits players who want fast, heavy combat on Xbox Series X.
- Platform: Xbox Series X
- Genre: first-person shooter
- Developer: id Software
- Format: physical edition
Pros: aggressive combat; strong visuals on Series X; suits short sessions.
Cons: less variety than the open-world games above; gore may not suit everyone.
Skip it if you prefer slow, story-driven games.
Upcoming Xbox Series X Games to Watch
The best upcoming Xbox Series X games are the ones already listed for pre-order, but release dates change often, so confirm every date on the publisher or Xbox store page.
Store listings now exist for Forza Horizon 6 and Halo: Campaign Evolved on Xbox Series X, which makes them the two upcoming titles most worth tracking. Add them to your wishlist, check whether they are included with Game Pass Ultimate on day one, and avoid paying for pre-orders unless a bonus clearly justifies it.
Pairing and Setup Tips for Your Xbox Series X in 2026
The single highest-impact upgrade is the Xbox Elite Series 2 controller, which adds rear paddles, hair-trigger locks and swappable thumbsticks that help in shooters and racing games. The hair-trigger locks transform the shooter experience, the swappable thumbsticks let you tune for sniper precision versus general FPS aim, and the rear paddles map naturally to A and B so you never need to take your right thumb off the right stick during a tense moment.
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The second accessory we consider mandatory if you intend to install more than five of the games on this list is the 1TB Seagate Storage Expansion Card, which plugs into the dedicated rear slot of the Series X and gives you exactly the same NVMe performance characteristics as the internal SSD. This is critical because Forza Horizon 5, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, Starfield with all expansions, and Halo Infinite combined eat over 400GB before you have installed Indiana Jones, Avowed, or the latest Call of Duty. The internal 1TB SSD on the Series X has roughly 800GB of usable space after the system partition, and you will hit that ceiling within four games. The Seagate card is the only first-party-certified solution, and the 1TB version has come down to a price that we consider reasonable for the convenience of not having to uninstall older favorites to make room.
For audio, the Xbox Wireless Headset (Plus) is our recommendation for players who do not already own a dedicated gaming headset and do not want to spend $200 on a flagship like the Astro A50 or SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless. The Xbox Wireless Headset has a Series-X-tuned acoustic profile, supports Dolby Atmos for Headphones (free on Xbox versus a paid app on PC), and pairs directly to the console without a dongle thanks to the Xbox Wireless protocol that the original Xbox One pioneered. Battery life is solid at fifteen hours, the microphone is clear enough for party chat, and the auto-mute proximity sensor is genuinely useful.
If you want to truly personalize the experience, the standard Xbox Wireless Controller (now in its updated 2025 revision with USB-C and the new Share button) is half the price of the Elite Series 2 and the right pick as a secondary controller for couch co-op nights. It is not as feature-rich as the Elite Series 2, but the build quality is solid and it pairs to multiple Xbox consoles via Quick Pair.
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For players who play long sessions and want to keep both controllers topped up without the AA-battery shuffle, the Xbox Play and Charge Kit is the first-party rechargeable battery solution that fits any current-gen Xbox controller and charges via USB-C. It is a convenient first-party alternative to disposable AA batteries.
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What are the best Xbox Series X games right now?
The best Xbox Series X games right now are Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Avowed, Forza Horizon 5, Starfield, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, Halo Infinite and Sea of Thieves.
Which Xbox Series X games are free with Game Pass?
Every game in the top seven list is available through Game Pass Ultimate, although Game Pass libraries rotate, so check the service before you buy a physical copy. Halo Infinite multiplayer is also free to play.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Xbox Series X still worth buying in 2026?
Yes, with one significant caveat. If you are buying a console primarily to play first-party Microsoft Game Studios releases and you are willing to subscribe to Game Pass Ultimate at $20 per month, the Series X is the most cost-effective way to access that library, full stop. The list of exclusives that justify the hardware — Indiana Jones, Starfield, Avowed, Forza Horizon 5, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, Halo Infinite, Sea of Thieves — is finally substantial. The caveat is that almost every multiplatform game now runs identically or better on the PlayStation 5 Pro, so if you primarily play third-party titles that also release on PlayStation, the PS5 Pro may be the better single-console purchase. The honest answer for many readers is that the Series X plus a $20 Game Pass subscription is the better second-console pairing for a household that already owns a PS5.
Should I buy a Series X or upgrade to whatever comes next?
Microsoft has not announced a successor console as of our publication in May 2026, and the credible rumor mill suggests a late 2026 or early 2027 reveal at the earliest. The Series X hardware remains competitive enough for at least another two years of major releases, and Microsoft has been explicit that Game Pass cross-generation support will continue. If you are buying today, buy the Series X — do not wait on speculation. If you already own a Series X and it is running fine, there is no reason to upgrade until a successor is actually announced and you see the launch lineup.
What is the best Xbox Series X exclusive in 2026?
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, without question. It is the highest-rated first-party exclusive of the entire generation, it ships on Game Pass day one so the buy-in cost is effectively free for subscribers, and the Order of Giants expansion released in spring 2026 adds another eight to ten hours of campaign content with a sharper combat sandbox. Halo Infinite is the runner-up for players who prioritize multiplayer. Forza Horizon 5 remains the racing genre’s high-water mark. Starfield, with all of its post-launch fixes and the Shattered Space expansion installed, is our pick for players who want the longest single-player engagement on the platform.
Do I really need a Storage Expansion Card?
If you are installing fewer than four AAA games at a time, no — the internal 1TB drive will be enough. If you are installing Forza Horizon 5, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, Starfield with all expansions, and one other AAA title simultaneously, yes — you will hit the storage ceiling within those four installs. The Seagate Storage Expansion Card is the only first-party-certified solution, plugs into the dedicated rear slot, and provides the exact same NVMe performance as the internal SSD. For most players it is the most useful storage upgrade for the platform.
Our Final Verdict: Indiana Jones Wins, But the Library Has Never Been Stronger
Our authoritative pick for the best Xbox Series X game to play right now in 2026 is Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. MachineGames delivered the kind of confident, technically impressive, narratively complete blockbuster that the Series X needed at launch and has finally received four years in. The game is the highest-rated Xbox exclusive of the generation, it ships on Game Pass Ultimate day one, and the Series X version offers a 60fps Performance mode. If you own a Series X and have not played Indy yet, that is the game to buy a Game Pass subscription for and clear your weekend around.
But the deeper story is that the Series X in 2026 finally has the library to justify itself. Starfield is the version of Starfield it should have been at launch. Avowed grew into a real Obsidian RPG. Forza Horizon 5 remains the most beautiful racing game money can buy and is free on Game Pass. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is a showcase for the Series X hardware. Halo Infinite multiplayer has finally stuck the landing. Sea of Thieves is the live service done right. Pair the console with an Elite Series 2 controller, a 1TB Seagate Storage Expansion Card, and an Xbox Wireless Headset, subscribe to Game Pass Ultimate for $20 a month, and you have the most cost-effective gateway to a premium 2026 gaming experience that exists in this generation.
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