Last updated: 3 September 2026
The Xbox Game Pass new games list for September 2026 is led by Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, RuneScape: Dragonwilds and a day one launch for SpeedRunners 2: King of Speed. Microsoft confirmed seven titles in Wave 1, covering September 1 to 15. Ten more games leave the service on September 15, including Cyberpunk 2077.
Game Pass adds titles in two waves each month. Wave 1 is now live and confirmed. Wave 2 usually gets announced around the middle of the month. Here is the full list, which tiers each game lands on, and what is disappearing before you get a chance to finish it.
All Xbox Game Pass new games in September 2026 (Wave 1)
| Game | Date | Tiers |
| Shelldiver | September 1 | Ultimate, Premium, PC |
| SpeedRunners 2: King of Speed | September 3 | Ultimate, PC |
| Dice a Million | September 4 | Ultimate, Premium, PC |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War | September 8 | Ultimate, Premium, PC |
| The Royal Writ | September 10 | Ultimate, Premium, PC |
| Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage | September 10 | Ultimate, Premium, PC |
| RuneScape: Dragonwilds | September 15 | Ultimate, Premium, PC |
SpeedRunners 2 is the odd one out. Xbox lists it for Ultimate and PC Game Pass only, not Premium. It is also a day one release, launching straight into the service.
Black Ops Cold War is the biggest name here. It brings its full single-player campaign, and it is available on Xbox One as well as Series X and S.
RuneScape: Dragonwilds is the co-op survival spin on RuneScape, set in Ashenfall after the dragons wake up. It has been in early access for months, so its Game Pass arrival is a 1.0 moment rather than a first look.
One game Xbox left off its own list
Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault landed on Game Pass on September 2, alongside its console debut and 1.0 launch. It was not mentioned in the official Xbox Wire roundup.
That is worth knowing if you are cross-checking lists. Microsoft’s announcements do not always capture everything that actually goes live, so the real September total is eight, not seven.
Extras and perks this month
EA Sports NHL 27 gets a 10-hour early access trial through EA Play on September 4.
TCG Card Shop Simulator leaves Game Preview and gets its full 1.0 release on September 15.
Aniimo arrives on September 16 with an exclusive Game Pass reward pack.
Games leaving Game Pass in September
Eleven titles are on the way out in the first half of the month. NBA 2K26 leaves on September 6. The other ten go on September 15:
- Commandos: Origins
- Cricket 24
- Cyberpunk 2077
- Dead Cells
- Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor
- Frostpunk 2
- Mullet Madjack
- Spiritfarer: Farewell Edition
- Superliminal
- Train Sim World 5
Cyberpunk 2077 is the headline loss. It only joined earlier this year, so it lasted roughly six months on the service. Dead Cells, Frostpunk 2 and Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor are the other notable exits.
Game Pass members get a discount on any of these if you buy before they leave.
What to expect in Wave 2
Microsoft has not confirmed the second half of the month yet. Dune: Awakening and Minecraft Dungeons II have both been tied to September in earlier announcements, including at gamescom.
Xbox Wire usually reveals each wave three to five days before the games go live. Expect the Wave 2 announcement in the middle of the month.
Why games leave Xbox Game Pass
This is the part that catches new subscribers out. Game Pass is not a permanent library. Most third-party titles arrive under a fixed-term licensing deal, often six to twelve months.
When that term ends, the publisher decides whether to renew. Sometimes they want the game back on full price sale. Sometimes Microsoft chooses not to pay again. Either way, the game rotates out.
First-party Xbox titles behave differently. Those tend to stay indefinitely, because Microsoft owns them.
Leaving the service does not delete your saves. If you buy the game later, a supported account can usually pick up right where it left off.
Tips for getting the most out of Game Pass
Check the leaving list before starting anything new. There is no worse feeling than being 20 hours into Cyberpunk 2077 on September 14.
Install games early even if you will not play them straight away. Downloads stay available as long as the game is in the catalog.
Watch the tier labels rather than assuming. Premium and Ultimate do not get identical lineups, as SpeedRunners 2 shows this month.
Buy on the way out if you are invested. The member discount is the cheapest time to keep a game you have already sunk hours into.
Follow our gaming news hub for the Wave 2 list as soon as Microsoft confirms it.
Frequently asked questions
Wave 1 for September 2026 includes Shelldiver, SpeedRunners 2: King of Speed, Dice a Million, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, The Royal Writ, Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage and RuneScape: Dragonwilds. Moonlighter 2 also arrived on September 2.
In two waves per month. Xbox Wire typically posts each wave three to five days before the games go live.
NBA 2K26 on September 6, then ten titles on September 15, including Cyberpunk 2077, Dead Cells, Frostpunk 2 and Spiritfarer.
No. Saves remain intact. If you buy the game later on a supported account, you can continue from where you stopped.
Not always. Most Wave 1 titles cover Ultimate, Premium and PC Game Pass, but SpeedRunners 2 is limited to Ultimate and PC Game Pass.
Yes, and members get a discount if they purchase before the removal date.
Final thoughts
September is a solid month on paper, with a Call of Duty campaign and two day one launches. The catch is the balance. Eleven games leave in the first half of the month against eight arriving, and Cyberpunk 2077 is a heavier loss than anything replacing it.
If there is something on the departure list you have been meaning to play, this is the fortnight to do it. We will update this page when Microsoft confirms Wave 2, and you can always cross-check the current lineup on Xbox Wire.
