Xbox Game Pass just dropped two massive additions that make the subscription's value proposition feel absurd.

Death Stranding Director's Cut lands on Game Pass January 21st. Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II follows on January 29th. Both are coming to Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S for Ultimate and Premium subscribers.

Let's talk about Space Marine II first, because this one is wild. The game launched in September 2025. That's barely six months ago. It's still selling at full price on Steam. It's still getting regular updates and seasonal content.

And now it's on Game Pass.

This is the kind of move that makes me wonder how third-party publishers justify selling games at $70 when they're going to be "free" on a subscription service before most people finish their first playthrough.

For players? This is great. Space Marine II is a love letter to the grimdark absurdity of Warhammer 40K. You play as Demetrian Titus, a genetically-engineered super-soldier who weighs approximately one metric ton and solves problems by chainsawing through endless waves of Tyranids.

The campaign is solid. The three-player co-op is where it shines. And if you're into the 40K universe, this is probably the best game adaptation since Dawn of War.

The announcement confirms it's the full game, not some stripped-down version.

Then there's Death Stranding Director's Cut, which is... look, I get that Hideo Kojima's "walking simulator with Norman Reedus and existential dread" isn't for everyone. Some people think it's a masterpiece. Some people think it's a $60 FedEx delivery job.

I'm in the first camp.

Death Stranding is a game about connection in a broken world. It's about the small, deliberate act of helping strangers by leaving equipment and building roads. It's about carrying the weight of responsibility - literally, because the inventory management system will destroy your back if you're not careful.

The Director's Cut adds new weapons, missions, and quality-of-life improvements. If you bounced off the base game, the DC smooths out some of the rougher edges.

But here's the real question: is Game Pass too good?

I'm not asking if it's good value - obviously it is. For the price of one full-price game every couple months, you get access to hundreds of titles, including day-one releases from Microsoft studios and now major third-party games mere months after launch.

I'm asking if it's sustainable.

Because someone, somewhere, is doing the math on whether Space Marine II's Game Pass payout is worth more than the sales they're losing by putting it on the service. And if that math stops working, either Game Pass prices go up or the quality of additions goes down.

For now, though? Take the win.

Space Marine II is excellent, bombastic fun. Death Stranding is a brilliant, divisive art piece that's absolutely worth trying if you've been curious.

Both are "free" this month if you're already subscribed.

Would I speedrun these? Space Marine II co-op has routing potential. Death Stranding already has a dedicated speedrun community, and honestly, optimizing delivery routes is deeply satisfying.

Game Pass continues to be the best deal in gaming. Until it isn't.