Xbox Game Pass has become an integral part of Xbox's approach to the industry moving forward and has already had massive effects on the industry. The service is often referred to as the Netflix of gaming and offers subscribers access to hundreds of games across Xbox consoles and PC for a monthly subscription cost. Even better is that Xbox Game Pass allows subscribers to download the games on the service so that it doesn't eat up any more data than if players purchased the games themselves.
One of the biggest tells of Xbox's investment in the service was when it began acquiring studios to bolster the services offered titles. The acquisitions took the industry by storm with Xbox acquiring more niche developers like Double Fine and eventually purchasing behemoth studios like Bethesda as well. The service got even better within the last year when it was announced that Xbox Game Pass subscriptions would include EA Play, which added even more massive franchises like Mass Effect, Dead Space, and Battlefield to the service. Xbox also focused on adding games to the service the day they release, making it an even more enticing deal for players.
First-Party Day One Releases on Xbox Game Pass
- Grounded
- Gears 5
- Gears Tactics
- Sea of Thieves
- Age of Empires 3: Definitive Edition
- Battletoads
- New Super Lucky's Tale
- Ori and the Will of the Wisps
- Grim Fandango Remastered
- Full Throttle Remastered
- Day of the Tentacle Remastered
- The Outer Worlds
- Bleeding Edge
- Crackdown 3
- Wasteland Remastered
- Wasteland 2: Director's Cut
- Wasteland 3
- State of Decay 2
- Forza Horizon 4
- Minecraft Dungeons
- Microsoft Flight Simulator
One of the earliest tells of Xbox's commitment to Xbox Game Pass was the announcement that all first-party Xbox titles would appear on the service day one on both Xbox consoles and PC. The service has already had a big number of first-party titles premiere on the service, with even more waiting in the future. Some of the day one releases have been massive AAA titles such as Microsoft Flight Simulator, Forza Horizon 4, and Gears 5. Other AAA first-party titles like the pirate MMO Sea of Thieves have been able to grow and evolve since their release thanks to the service encouraging more players to check them out.
Xbox Game Pass has also allowed more niche first-party games to find a bigger audience or even secure funding through Xbox. These include games like Wasteland 3, Age of Empires 3: Definitive Edition, and even Gears Tactics. The service has proven to be so friendly for those niche experiences that Wasteland 3 is even getting multiple expansions with its second planned for this summer.
Third-Party Day One Releases on Xbox Game Pass
- Morkredd
- The Bard's Tale Trilogy
- Neon Abyss
- Hypnospace Outlaw
- Five Nights At Freddy's 1
- Five Nights At Freddy's 2
- Five Nights At Freddy's 3
- Five Nights At Freddy's 4
- Two Point Hospital
- Star Renegades
- Undertale
- Pathway
- SupraLand
- Outriders
- Hotshot Racing
- Solasta
- Golf With Your Friends
- Crosscode
- Genesis Noir
- Drake Hollow
- It Lurks Below
- Carto
- Disagea 4 Complete
- Dragon Quest Builders 2
- Dragon Quest 11
- Totally Accurate Battle Simulator
- Monster Sanctuary
- Monster Train
- Unto The End
- Lonely Mountains Downhill
- Forager
- Carrion
- Pandemic
- Mech Warrior 5: Mercenaries
- Second Extinction
- Ikenfell
- MLB The Show 21
- Secret Neighbor
- Phogs!
- The Touryst
- Octopath Traveler
- The Ascent
- Pikuniku
- Worms rumble
- Killer Queen Black
- Streets of Rage 4
- Slay The Spire
- Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance
- Knights and Bikes
- The Messenger
- Gonner 2
- Project Winter
- Crusader Kings 3
- Undermine
- Neoverse
- Tetris Effect Connected
- Call of the Sea
- Wilmot's Warehouse
- Double Kick Heroes
- Planet Coaster
- Nowhere Prophet
- Haven
- Totally Reliable Delivery Service
- Scourge Bringer
- Katana Zero
- Cyber Shadow
- Blair Witch
- Spiritfarer
- The Medium
- Tell Me Why
- Backbone
- The Wild of Heart
- Snow Runner
- Luna Nights
- Narita Boy
- Rain On Your Parade
Games That Left Xbox Game Pass After Launching On It Day One
- West of Dead
- Night Call
- Void Bastards
- Moving Out
- Mutant: Year Zero Road To Eden
- Munchkin
- Afterparty
- Felix the Reaper
- Creature In The Well
- Blazing Chrome
- Riverbond
- Supermarket Shriek
- Operencia
- Wandersong
- SINNER: Sacrifice For Redemption
- My Friend Pedro
- Pumped BMX Pro
- Ashen
- Kingdom Two Crowns
- Below
- Graveyard Keeper
- Aftercharge
- Laser League
Xbox Game Pass has also thrived on bringing third-party titles to the service on day one as well. These titles also boast a large range from small indie titles like Genesis Noir to bigger AAA titles like Outriders. The service has proven to be a big boon for these titles, with Outriders publisher Square Enix even expressing its surprise at how successful the service was for its looter shooter.
This is in part because Xbox Game Pass subscribers also get a discount on any games on the service, which Xbox has revealed encourages subscribers to purchase and play more games than they ever did before. Getting big titles on Xbox Game Pass seems to be becoming a growing desire for publishers with even the Sony published MLB The Show 21 releasing on the service day one.
Upcoming Confirmed Day One Releases on Xbox Game Pass
- Psychonauts 2
- Age of Empires 4
- Forza Horizon 5
- Halo Infinite
- Back 4 Blood
- Sable
- The Gunk
- Scorn
- Hello Neighbor 2
- Aragami 2
- Hades
- Twelve Minutes
- Lemnis Gate
- Shredders
- Party Animals
- A Plague Tale: Requiem
- Fable
- Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2
- Eiyuden Chronicle
- Replaced
- Redfall
- Atomic Heart
- Starfield
- The Elder Scrolls 6
- Somerville
- S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl
- Slime Rancher 2
- The Outer Worlds 2
- Contraband
- Avowed
- Recompile
One of the most impressive aspects of Xbox Game Pass, however, is that the service shows no signs of slowing down. This August is already stacked with day one releases like Hades and Psychonauts 2, and there are plenty more games that players have to look forward to coming to Xbox Game Pass. Of course, this includes big announced first-party games like Halo Infinite and Starfield, but it also includes all of the unannounced projects by massive studios like Bethesda, Arkane, and Obsidian.
The service also has some high-profile third-party games coming its way in the future. These include titles like Contraband and the highly anticipated zombie survival game Back 4 Blood. There are undoubtedly more third-party games that will be announced to be heading to the service, and it seems that Xbox doesn't plan on letting the service lose steam anytime soon. With all of the studios that Xbox has acquired it will be very interesting to see what sort of experiences come to the service.