All articles tagged with #xbox game pass
Xbox Game Pass adds 10 new titles in October 2026, including Battlefield 6 and Valor Mortis on day one, while nine games exit the service on October 15. Gears of War: E-Day is already available and holds an 86% Metacritic score.
Xbox Game Pass subscribers have until October 15, 2026, to play nine titles before they are removed from the service. The most notable departure is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the 2025 Game of the Year winner, which leaves after over a year on the platform. Other exiting titles include A Plague Tale: Requiem, Pacific Drive, and The Casting of Frank Stone. Members can purchase these games at a 20-25% discount before the removal date to retain permanent access.
Xbox Game Pass subscribers have until October 15 to play nine titles, including 2025 Game of the Year winner Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, before they are removed from the service. The departures also include A Plague Tale: Requiem, Pacific Drive, and The Casting of Frank Stone. Members can purchase these games at a 20-25% discount before the removal date to retain access permanently.
Microsoft’s Xbox platform launches a diverse slate of 20+ titles between October 5 and 9, headlined by the prequel Gears of War: E-Day and the new Star Wars: Galactic Racer. The week includes day-one Game Pass additions like Echo Weaver and Neon Abyss 2, alongside horror titles such as Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival. While Xbox focuses on these new releases, the broader industry sees the launch of The Witcher 3 Remastered and Minecraft Dungeons II in late September, with some outlets criticizing Square Enix’s pricing for Switch 2 ports.
Microsoft has released Microsoft Jewel, its first new mobile game in seven years, available on iOS and Android. The match-3 title integrates with the Xbox ecosystem, allowing players to earn Xbox Achievements on mobile and sync progress across PC and mobile devices. Xbox Game Pass members receive premium benefits, including an ad-free experience, on both platforms.
Gears of War: E-Day launches on Xbox Game Pass on October 6, 2026, but analyst Rhys Elliott argues the service will absorb most of the game's revenue. While the title has sold over 120,000 copies on Steam, generating $7 million, Elliott predicts it will not reach 1 million sales on the platform. Microsoft is shifting away from day-one Game Pass releases for major titles to protect direct sales, a strategy that may impact the long-term viability of Xbox exclusives.
Minecraft Dungeons II launched on September 29, 2026, introducing a seamless, interconnected world and a new dimension called The Sift. While the game offers improved visuals and exploration, critics note a short campaign and repetitive endgame content.
Xbox Game Pass Premium subscribers can now play Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, while Essential members gain access to the football title Rematch. Black Ops 6 features a 44-achievement campaign and multiplayer modes, whereas Rematch offers a skill-based football experience with a 40-50 hour completion estimate. These additions join a broader wave of September releases, including Dune: Awakening and EA SPORTS FC 27, as detailed by Xbox Wire and ixbt.games.
Ahead of Minecraft Dungeons II's September 29 launch, a limited-time event (Sept 21–26, 2026) lets fans unlock a Corrupted Creeper Cape by watching Minecraft streams: 15 minutes on Twitch Partner/Affiliate streams or 3 minutes on Game Reward-enabled TikTok streams to receive a code, redeemable at launch; the game will be available on Xbox Game Pass at release.
During the Tokyo Game Show broadcast, Shape of Dreams: The Starless Path—Neowiz's roguelite action game—shadow-dropped onto Xbox Game Pass for Ultimate, Premium, and PC Game Pass. The game supports up to four-player co-op, features nine Travelers (including the new Cetus), and uses MOBA-inspired combat; it was originally released on Steam in 2025 and now launches on Xbox Series X|S and PC with Play Anywhere.
This weekend (Sept 17–21), Free Play Days lets Xbox players try two games: Hell Let Loose: Vietnam is free for Game Pass subscribers (Ultimate, Premium, and Essential) until Sept 21, while Sea of Thieves is free to all Xbox users through Sept 21; Sea of Thieves Season 21 launches meanwhile and the game has 11 discontinued achievements, so expect some limitations.
Microsoft confirms the second September wave for Xbox Game Pass, led by Gears of War: E-Day, Dune Awakening (which is also coming to PS5), and Minecraft Dungeons 2, plus Premium additions like Marvel Cosmic Invasion and Planet of Lana 2; a batch of games depart on September 30 (e.g., Sifu, Little Nightmares 2), while a wider slate joins through the month including RuneScape: Dragonwilds, Ninja Gaiden 4, Keeper, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
A ResetEra leak claims Xbox Game Pass will undergo a major 2027 overhaul that would remove day-one releases and cloud streaming, introduce three tiers (including an ad-supported option) with new pricing, and leave online multiplayer and family-plan specifics to be announced, though Microsoft says no changes are planned today and a rollout could occur between February and April 2027.
Microsoft responded to a ResetEra rumor about a sweeping 2027 Game Pass overhaul (ads vs. no-ads tiers, price shifts, removal of day-one releases, cloud streaming changes, and new subscription options) by saying there are no changes to announce. The piece notes that CEO Asha Sharma has signaled Game Pass evolution toward more flexible, sustainable economics, with prior price cuts and experiments like ad-supported cloud gaming. The article also references ongoing shifts such as Call of Duty not arriving on day one and potential windowing or bundling ideas, but nothing is confirmed and the rumor should be viewed skeptically until an official announcement.
Eight more games are leaving Xbox Game Pass on September 30, bringing September’s total removals to 18; exiting titles include Atomfall, Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, Little Nightmares 2 Enhanced Edition, Little Rocket Lab, Sifu, SOPA Tale of the Stolen Potato, Sworn, and Terminull Brigade, while new day-one arrivals such as Minecraft Dungeons II, Gears of War: E-Day, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 are incoming.