Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass service has had one of its best years yet, as numerous high profile games have made their way to the platform. The last couple of months have been especially solid for Xbox Game Pass, with the likes of Microsoft Flight Simulator and Psychonauts 2 joining Xbox Game Pass recently, among a slew of other games. And while there have already been plenty of new games added to Xbox Game Pass this month, the second half of September is already looking stacked as well.
There have already been new Xbox Game Pass games for September 2021, but Microsoft likes to release new Xbox Game Pass games in batches. Typically, it will use the beginning of the month to highlight the games coming to Xbox Game Pass within the next couple of weeks, and then it will do the same thing in the middle of the month to shine a spotlight on what subscribers can expect next. Microsoft has yet to offer its mid-month update on Xbox Game Pass for September 2021, but even without knowing everything coming to the service, things are already looking stacked.
Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass strategy is two-pronged. One thing it does is adds older games to the service, like it did when Final Fantasy 13 was recently added to Xbox Game Pass. The other key to its Xbox Game Pass strategy is to bolster the lineup with brand new, day one Xbox Game Pass releases. This includes every Xbox published game in the pipeline as well as some third-party titles as well.
So while Xbox Game Pass subscribers can't be sure of some of the older games coming to the service in the second half of September, they do know of five day one titles that will be making their debuts the same day that they launch.
Day One Xbox Game Pass Games Still Coming in September 2021
- Skatebird (September 16)
- Aragami 2 (September 17)
- Sable (September 23)
- Lemnis Gate (September 28)
- Astria Ascending (September 30)
There are five day one Xbox Game Pass games that are still coming for September 2021, starting with Skatebird on September 16. For those who may not have been following Skatebird, it's a quirky indie game that can essentially be described as Tony Hawk with a literal bird as the playable character. Skatebird's unique premise has turned plenty of heads since its reveal, and soon Xbox Game Pass subscribers will get to see if the game has been worth the wait.
A day later, Xbox Game Pass will get the stealth action game Aragami 2. The first Aragami earned somewhat mixed reviews at the time of its release in 2016, but it definitely seems like the sequel is taking things in a more exciting direction. Aragami 2 has co-op, for one, and it will be much easier for Xbox users to try the game's co-op features with their friends since it will be readily available on Game Pass. Whether or not Aragami 2 is able to succeed where the original game failed remains to be seen, but Xbox Game Pass subscribers will find out sooner rather than later.
Then on September 23, Xbox Game Pass subscribers can look forward to the launch of Sable, which will have a native next-gen Xbox Series X release alongside the Xbox One version. Sable is an open world game with a unique art style where players take on the role of the titular Sable as she searches the game world. Sable has been favorably compared to Journey, though it's tough to say if it will live up to the high bar set by that award-winning game.
One of the more unique Xbox Game Pass games coming in the second half of September 2021 is the turn-based first-person shooter Lemnis Gate. Lemnis Gate was originally supposed to be released earlier this summer before its release date was delayed to September 28, and it will definitely be interesting to see if it was worth the wait. Lemnis Gate's mind-bending premise is unique enough to ensure that it stands out among not only the other Xbox Game Pass offerings but the first-person shooter genre as a whole, but it's unclear if it all comes together in a satisfying way. Xbox Game Pass subscribers can try the game out and decide for themselves.
And finally, September 30 will see the release of Astria Ascending as a day one Xbox Game Pass game. Astria Ascending is a classic-style turn-based JRPG with some serious Japanese talent behind it. It should make for a decent addition to the Xbox Game Pass JRPG lineup, and may be especially appreciated by subscribers now that other classic JRPGs have left the serivce, like Final Fantasy 7 and Final Fantasy 9.
Of course, there just the day one Xbox Game Pass games that have already been confirmed to be coming to the service; even more titles will be part of the lineup, and fans will just have to wait for Microsoft to announce them. In the meantime, games leave Xbox Game Pass too, and so subscribers should make sure that they play everything they want before those games get removed.