Xbox Game Pass goes full March Madness with sports game additions

Xbox Game Pass subscribers will be able to play sports... and Star Wars: Squadrons.

What you need to know

• Xbox Game Pass is a subscription service that gives users access to hundreds of games on PC and Xbox consoles for a monthly fee.
• This March, Xbox is adding several sports games to Game Pass, including Madden, NBA 2K, and NHL titles.
• The major, non-sports addition is Star Wars: Squadrons.

Xbox today announced its first wave of games coming to Xbox Game Pass this March. It's a very sports-heavy month, with most of the additions being sports titles. If you're not a huge sports fan, don't worry, you can play Star Wars: Squadrons. Several of the games are coming to the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles, as well as PC.

If none of the games here are up your alley, don't worry. Check out our list of the best Xbox Game Pass games so you can see the best of what the service has to offer.

Coming soon

Here are the games that are coming to Game Pass this month.

Madden NFL 21 (Xbox) - Available now on EA Play/Game Pass Ultimate

Packed with fresh new features and innovative gameplay enhancements, Madden NFL 21 delivers new levels of ingenuity and control developed to inspire creativity on and off the field. Active members can play as much as they want, whenever they want, plus score 3 Gold Team Fantasy MUT Packs every month!

Football Manager 2021 (PC) - March 4

Manage the club you love and compete for the biggest prizes in the game as you cement your legacy as one of the managerial greats. Dropped into a living and breathing footballing world, you'll sign wonderkids and develop them to their full potential by crafting a tactical strategy designed to play to their strengths. With more than 2,000 clubs waiting for you to lead them to glory, where will you take your first step towards managerial greatness?

Football Manager 2021 Xbox Edition (Xbox & PC) - March 4

Experience the drama and excitement of the world's most popular football management simulation as it returns to the biggest stage. Take in the spectacle of matchdays in the 3D match engine or use the "Instant Result" option to skip straight to the full-time whistle and speed up your progress through the season. Alternatively, go head-to-head against your mates for the ultimate bragging rights in one of several online modes.

NBA 2K21 (Xbox & Cloud) -- March 4

NBA 2K21 continues to push the boundaries as the most authentic, realistic basketball video game experience. Enjoy best-in-class gameplay and one-of-a-kind immersion into all facets of NBA basketball and basketball culture. Ascend from high school to college ball on your way to the League in MyCareer, or build your greatest collection of the latest NBA stars and legendary ballers in MyTeam to compete against other ferocious collectors around the world. Jump in now and find out why in NBA 2K21, everything is game.

Star Wars: Squadrons (Xbox) - Coming to EA Play in March

Master the art of starfighter combat in the authentic piloting experience Star Wars: Squadrons. Feel the adrenaline of first-person multiplayer space dogfights alongside your squadron and buckle up in a thrilling Star Wars story.

NHL 21 (Xbox) - Coming to EA Play in April

Carve your path to superstardom in an expanded Be A Pro mode and go down as one of the league's greatest. On the ice, change up your attack with all new moves, dekes, dangles and evasive maneuvers, inspired by the league's most groundbreaking innovators.

Leaving Soon

These are the titles that are leaving Xbox Game Pass this month.

March 15

• Alvastia Chronicles (Xbox & PC)
• Astrologaster (PC)
• Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night (Xbox & PC)
• Kona (Xbox)
• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (Xbox)

A catalog of games

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate

From $1/month at Microsoft $45 at Amazon (3-month subscription) $15 at Amazon (1-month subscription)

All your gaming needs, in one subscription.

Is the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate the best value in all of gaming? It's possible. Ultimate bundles your Xbox Live Gold subscription, an Xbox Game Pass subscription for both Xbox consoles and Windows PCs, and Xbox Cloud Gaming for on-the-go. That means access to hundreds of games, with more added all the time, for a single monthly subscription cost.