Xbox published the first Game Pass wave for September 2026 on September 1, with seven catalog movements dated through September 15. The most urgent part of the schedule, however, is the leaving list: ten games are set to depart on September 15. If your goal is to make the most of the subscription, the practical order is to check the departing titles first and then fit in the additions that are expected to remain available. The official post describes this as the list “for now,” so additional waves may still be announced later in the month. See Wave 1 on Xbox Wire.
Wave 1 schedule: what arrives and which plan includes it
The table below separates date, platform and subscription tier. It also avoids an important misunderstanding: Dice a Million is not a simultaneous new release for every plan on September 4; on that date it is added to Game Pass Premium, while it was already available with Ultimate and PC Game Pass.
| Date | Game | Listed platforms | Plans listed by Xbox | How to read it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep. 1 | Shelldiver | Cloud, console and PC | Ultimate, Premium and PC Game Pass | Wave 1 addition, available from September 1. |
| Sep. 3 | Speedrunners 2: King of Speed | Cloud, Xbox Series X|S and PC | Ultimate and PC Game Pass | Launches into Game Pass on day one; Premium and Essential are not listed for this addition. |
| Sep. 4 | Dice a Million | Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, handheld and PC | Premium; already available with Ultimate and PC Game Pass | The September 4 change is its expansion to the Premium tier. |
| Sep. 8 | Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War | Cloud, console and PC | Ultimate, Premium and PC Game Pass | Added across the three listed plans. |
| Sep. 10 | The Royal Writ | Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, handheld and PC | Ultimate, Premium and PC Game Pass | Added to those plans on the same date. |
| Sep. 10 | Virtual Fighter 5 R.E.V.O World Stage | Cloud, Xbox Series X|S and PC | Ultimate, Premium and PC Game Pass | Added to those plans on the same date. |
| Sep. 15 | RuneScape: Dragonwilds | Cloud, Xbox Series X|S and PC | Ultimate, Premium and PC Game Pass | The last catalog addition dated in Wave 1. |
Which games change depending on your plan
In the September 1 list, the clearest tier difference is this: Ultimate and PC Game Pass appear on all seven catalog movements shown in Wave 1. Premium appears on six of them; it is not listed for Speedrunners 2: King of Speed, but it gains Dice a Million on September 4. Essential does not appear on any of the seven Wave 1 catalog additions.
That matches the service's current tier structure. Xbox's official plan page says Ultimate includes day-one releases, while Premium does not include the general day-one benefit; PC Game Pass also includes day-one titles on PC. Essential has a smaller library and does not include games on release day. Actual availability can still vary by region, plan and platform. Check the official Game Pass plan descriptions.
Quick summary by subscription
- Ultimate: listed on all seven Wave 1 catalog movements.
- Premium: listed on six; it is not listed for Speedrunners 2 on September 3 and gains Dice a Million on September 4.
- PC Game Pass: listed on all seven movements, with PC included among the platforms every time.
- Essential: not listed on the seven Wave 1 catalog additions; it appears in the post only for Aniimo's in-game benefit dated September 16.
What leaves Game Pass on September 15
Every title below has the same departure date in Xbox's post: September 15. The leaving section does not break availability down by plan; it lists platforms instead. It would therefore be inaccurate to assume from this post alone that every departing title is included with every tier. For a specific subscription, confirm the library attached to your account.
| Leaving September 15 | Listed platforms | Priority before the deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Commandos: Origins | Cloud, console and PC | High if you want to play through the subscription: the listed window ends September 15. |
| Cricket 24 | Cloud, console and PC | High if you want to play through the subscription: the listed window ends September 15. |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | Cloud and console | High if you want to play through the subscription: the listed window ends September 15. |
| Dead Cells | Cloud, console and PC | High if you want to play through the subscription: the listed window ends September 15. |
| Deep Rock Galactic Survivor | Cloud, console and PC | High if you want to play through the subscription: the listed window ends September 15. |
| Frostpunk 2 | PC | High if you want to play through the subscription: the listed window ends September 15. |
| Mullet Madjack | Cloud, console and PC | High if you want to play through the subscription: the listed window ends September 15. |
| Spiritfarer | Cloud, console and PC | High if you want to play through the subscription: the listed window ends September 15. |
| Superliminal | Cloud, console and PC | High if you want to play through the subscription: the listed window ends September 15. |
| Train Sim World 5 | Cloud, console and PC | High if you want to play through the subscription: the listed window ends September 15. |
How to decide what to play first before September 15
Because all ten departing games share the same date, the official post does not establish a “most urgent” title among them. Priority has to come from your own usage. A simple sequence reduces the chance of losing access mid-play:
- Continue anything you have already started among the games leaving on September 15.
- Try the games you are curious about now instead of postponing them until the final days.
- Leave additions with no announced removal date for later, unless you are specifically waiting for a launch such as Speedrunners 2.
- If you want to continue after removal, consider buying the game. Xbox notes that subscribers may find offers on games leaving the catalog, although discounts and availability vary.
“Claiming” a Game Pass title does not mean you keep it after it leaves
Game Pass is access to a rotating library, not a monthly collection of permanent licenses. The official service page says access to library games lasts while your subscription remains active and the title stays in the catalog. If a game leaves, having it installed does not guarantee continued access through Game Pass. You need another valid license, such as a purchase, to keep playing. See the official access rule in the Game Pass FAQ.
The 1.0 update, EA Play trial and in-game perk are not new catalog additions
Wave 1 also includes three items that should stay outside the main “new games” table because they are different kinds of updates. On September 4, EA Sports NHL 27 gets a 10-hour early-access trial through EA Play on console. On September 15, TCG Card Shop Simulator leaves Game Preview and reaches version 1.0 in Game Pass. On September 16, Aniimo gets a monthly in-game reward package for Ultimate, Premium, Essential and PC Game Pass. None of these three should be mistaken for a new catalog addition on the stated date.
September's picture can still change
For planning purposes, the reliable snapshot on September 1 is this: seven catalog movements in Wave 1 through September 15, ten departures on that date, and tier differences that are especially visible with Speedrunners 2 and Dice a Million. Because Xbox itself closes the post by saying this is the list “for now,” treat the schedule as a first-wave snapshot rather than a promise that the full month is already final. Follow the official Wave 1 source.
