Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass service has been on an absolute roll in 2021, constantly adding new games for subscribers to check out, including a number of critically-acclaimed releases. Some of the most exciting new Xbox Game Pass games are the day one releases, and while they're a tad rarer than the other Xbox Game Pass offerings, this week will see three day one games added to the service.
All of the Xbox-published games are guaranteed to be day one releases, though Microsoft has offered plenty of third-party games as day one Xbox Game Pass titles as well. The three day one Xbox Game Pass games coming this week are interesting because they are all third-party games. Anyone interested in playing them on other platforms will have to pay full price, but those on Xbox can access them for nothing more than the cost of an Xbox Game Pass subscription, which shines a big spotlight on the service's value and how it practically pays for itself.
Here are the three day one games coming to Xbox Game Pass this week.
Day One Xbox Game Pass Games Releasing This Week
- Back 4 Blood - October 12
- The Riftbreaker - October 14
- The Good Life - October 15
The first day one Xbox Game Pass game dropping this week should be available right now for subscribers in the form of Back 4 Blood. Back 4 Blood is the spiritual successor to Left 4 Dead, a co-op zombie game where players have to face off against relentless hordes of the undead. Back 4 Blood early reviews have been somewhat mixed, but its availability through Xbox Game Pass should make it a lot more appealing as players won't be expected to pay anything behind their usual subscription fee.
Plus, Back 4 Blood being available through Xbox Game Pass should make it a lot easier for people to play the game with their friends, which is important as the solo experience is reportedly less than ideal. Back 4 Blood solo players can't unlock new characters or earn any significant progress, which is one of the main complaints levied at the game at launch. Turtle Rock Studios is aware of how fans feel about this, though, so hopefully a fix will be on the way. Like other live service games, Back 4 Blood should only get better with time, though it will need to establish and maintain a dedicated playerbase first.
Following Back 4 Blood's Xbox Game Pass debut is The Riftbreaker on October 14, a rare Xbox Series X console exclusive game. The Riftbreaker is a base-building survival game with a splash of action-RPG elements. Whereas most base-building games have players giving orders and don't let them engage directly with enemy combatants, The Riftbreaker lets players attack their enemies with the aid of a powerful Mecha-Suit. It sounds like it could be a unique twist on the base-building formula, and Xbox Game Pass subscribers will find out how it stacks up when it hits the service on October 13.
The third and final day one Xbox Game Pass game coming this week is a weird one. The Good Life is from the creative mind of Swery, and it's described as a "debt repayment RPG." In the game, players have to explore the small town of Rainy Woods while solving a murder mystery. It sounds like just the kind of bizarre premise that fans have come to expect from Swery, and its status as a day one Xbox Game Pass game should ensure that a lot more people give it a chance than may have otherwise. The official release date for The Good Life is October 15.
Day One Xbox Game Pass Games Coming Later
There are more day one Xbox Game Pass games coming in October, though Microsoft has yet to reveal all of the games that it's adding to the service in the second half of the month. These other day one Xbox Game Pass games include Moonglow Bay, a quirky indie fishing game with a supernatural twist, on October 26, as well as Age of Empires 4, which is exclusive to the PC version of Xbox Game Pass. Those interested in checking out Age of Empires 4 on PC can do so once the game launches on October 28.
Looking ahead, Microsoft has also confirmed some other day one Xbox Game Pass games coming in the nextg couple of months. The Xbox Game Pass November 2021 list is headlined by Forza Horizon 5, which will launch on November 9. It was also recently confirmed that the console version of Evil Genius 2: World Domination will be a day one Xbox Game Pass game as well, releasing on November 29.
And finally, Microsoft is ending its 2021 Xbox Game Pass releases with a bang, as the highly-anticipated Halo Infinite is set to launch on December 8. While these are the titles that Microsoft has announced so far, it's highly likely that there are even more day one Xbox Game Pass games waiting in the wings as well, though subscribers will just have to stay tuned to find out exactly what's in the pipeline.