Xbox Game Pass has its slow days and busy days, though it rarely has two huge days back-to-back. However, that's exactly what's going to happen later in August, as August 30 and August 31 are set up to be two of the biggest days in the history of Xbox Game Pass, for better and for worse.
On August 30, Xbox Game Pass subscribers will be treated to a whopping three brand-new, day one releases. On that day, Game Pass subscribers will be able to check out Commandos 3: HD Remaster, Tinykin, and Immortality, the latter of which has earned a perfect 10/10 score from Edge magazine. That day will also see the addition of yet another Ubisoft-published game to the Xbox Game Pass lineup in the form of Immortals Fenyx Rising, a well-received action-adventure game that blends The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild inspirations with Greek mythology.
August 30 is going to be a very exciting day for Xbox Game Pass subscribers, as it's rare for the service to get three day one games in a single update, let alone three day one games and a game from a triple-A publisher. In contrast, August 31 is going to be the one of the worst days in Xbox Game Pass history, as a staggering 10 titles are being removed from the service at once, including some of the absolute best games that are currently available to play on Game Pass. On August 31, Xbox Game Pass is losing Elite Dangerous, Hades, Myst, NBA 2K22, Signs of the Sojourner, Spiritfarer, Twelve Minutes, Two Point Hospital, What Remains of Edith Finch, and World War Z.
New Xbox Game Pass Games for August 30
- Commandos 3: HD Remaster - Cloud/Consoles/PC
- Immortality - Cloud/PC/Xbox Series X
- Immortals Fenyx Rising - Cloud/Consoles/PC
- Tinykin - Console/PC
Commandos 3: HD Remaster is a remaster of Commandos 3: Destination Berlin, a real-time tactics game that originally released in 2003. Commandos 3: HD Remaster will be looking to modernize the Commandos 3 experience for modern gamers, improving the graphics, controls, UI, and more. Fans of strategy games should be excited to see how Commandos 3: HD Remaster stacks up to the original when it launches as a day one Game Pass game on August 30.
Immortality is a narrative-driven game where players engage with FMV-style scenes to try to solve the mysterious disappearance of an actress named Marissa Marcel. It's the latest game from Sam Barlow, the game director who also produced the award-winning Her Story. There's some extra hype for Immortality because it is one of the few games in history to get a perfect 10/10 score from Edge magazine. Whether it lives up to the hype or not remains to be seen, but Xbox Game Pass subscribers don't have to wait all that much longer to find out.
Tinykin, the third and final day one Game Pass game coming on August 30, has received mostly positive reviews from critics so far. In it, players take control of protagonist Milo, who finds himself to be incredibly small, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids style. Players have to utilize a group of creatures called the tinykins to navigate the environment, with the game drawing comparisons to Nintendo's Pikmin franchise.
And while it's not a day one release, Immortals Fenyx Rising should still prove to be a significant addition to the Xbox Game Pass lineup come August 30. Immortals Fenyx Rising earned mostly positive reviews at the time of its original release, and it was apparently successful enough to warrant a sequel, though it has yet to be announced in an official capacity. Inspired by The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Immortals Fenyx Rising should make for yet another strong Ubisoft addition to the Xbox Game Pass lineup.
Xbox Game Pass Games Leaving August 31
- Elite Dangerous - Cloud/Consoles
- Hades - Cloud/Consoles/PC
- Myst - Cloud/Consoles/PC
- NBA 2K22 - Cloud/Consoles
- Signs of the Sojourner - Could/Consoles/PC
- Spiritfarer - Cloud/Consoles/PC
- Twelve Minutes - Cloud/Consoles/PC
- Two Point Hospital - Cloud/Consoles/PC
- What Remains of Edith Finch - Cloud/Consoles/PC
- World War Z - Cloud/Consoles/PC
August 30 should be a day of celebration for Xbox Game Pass subscribers, but August 31 will be a sad day for the service. 10 games are leaving Xbox Game Pass on that day, and as previously mentioned, they include some of the best games available for the service. Xbox Game Pass subscribers should try to play them all before they're gone, but there are some titles that they may want to prioritize over others.
One such game that Xbox Game Pass subscribers should definitely try to play before it's removed on August 31 is Hades. Hades is a critically-acclaimed roguelike from Bastion and Transistor studio Supergiant Games. It's generally considered one of the best games in its genre, having won near-universal acclaim from critics and taking home various awards. Hades is one of the most critically-acclaimed games in the entire Game Pass lineup, so it's especially sad to see it being removed.
Emotionally-charged indie hit Spiritfarer is also getting the boot on August 31, and it's another game that Xbox Game Pass subscribers should definitely try before it's gone. In Spiritfarer, players captain a ship that's tasked with delivering souls to the afterlife. The souls in Spiritfarer take the form of anthropomorphic animals, with players free to talk with these characters, learn their likes and dislikes, and learn about how they were in life. It's a remarkable commentary on death and the afterlife, and it has some engrossing life simulation elements as icing on the cake.
What Remains of Edith Finch is another absolute must-play for Game Pass subscribers before it's removed on August 31. Like Hades and Spiritfarer, What Remains of Edith Finch is a critical darling, and for good reason. A first-person adventure game, What Remains of Edith Finch sees players explore the old Finch home, seeing the perspectives of various members of the Finch family at the end of their lives. What Remains of Edith Finch is a genius blend of humor, horror, and heartbreak, and it's short enough that subscribers should be able to complete it before it's gone, even with such a short time until its removal date.
Hades, Spiritfarer, and What Remains of Edith Finch are the three games Xbox Game Pass subscribers will likely want to prioritize when it comes to the games leaving Xbox Game Pass on August 31, but the other titles are certainly worth checking out as well. Elite Dangerous is a flight simulation game that has developed a dedicated fan base over the years, while Myst is one of the industry's classic first-person puzzle games. NBA 2K22 is the latest installment in 2K's basketball sim franchise, whereas Signs of the Sojourner is a narrative-driven card game.
Twelve Minutes is a time loop game starring the likes of Daisy Ridley, James McAvoy, and Willem Dafoe, and Two Point Hospital is a management game where players are tasked with running their own hospital. And finally, World War Z is a co-op shooter game based on the zombie franchise that takes some cues from Left 4 Dead. All the games being removed from Xbox Game Pass on August 31 will be available at a 20% discount while they're still on the service, so even though subscribers may not have the time to play through them all, they can at least try before they buy.