The second September 2026 wave of Xbox Game Pass additions was published on September 15 and extends the calendar through October 6. For anyone deciding what to download without mixing up a catalog addition with a brand-new game release, the key point is straightforward: four games launch into Game Pass on day one — Kernel Hearts, Well Dweller, Minecraft Dungeons II, and Gears of War: E-Day.
The full list needs a little more context. From September 15 through October 6, there are 15 catalog movements when the games highlighted in the main Wave 2 section are combined with Rematch joining Game Pass Essential. Not all of them are first-time arrivals across the entire service: several titles are simply expanding to Premium, while Rematch is expanding to Essential. RuneScape: Dragonwilds, meanwhile, had already been announced in Wave 1 for September 15 and appears again in Wave 2 as available on that date.
Game Pass September 2026 Wave 2: full schedule
| Date | Game | Listed platforms | Plan(s) affected in this wave | Type of arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep. 15 | RuneScape: Dragonwilds | Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, and PC | Ultimate, Premium, and PC Game Pass | Previously scheduled in Wave 1 and repeated as available in Wave 2 |
| Sep. 16 | Marvel Cosmic Invasion | Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, handheld, and PC | Premium | Also joins Premium; already available with Ultimate and PC Game Pass |
| Sep. 16 | Planet of Lana II | Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, handheld, and PC | Premium | Also joins Premium; already available with Ultimate and PC Game Pass |
| Sep. 16 | Routine | Cloud, console, handheld, and PC | Premium | Also joins Premium; already available with Ultimate and PC Game Pass |
| Sep. 16 | Ultimate Sheep Raccoon | Cloud, console, and PC | Premium | Also joins Premium; already available with Ultimate and PC Game Pass |
| Sep. 17 | Kernel Hearts | Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, and PC | Ultimate and PC Game Pass | Day one |
| Sep. 17 | Ninja Gaiden 4 | Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, handheld, and PC | Premium | Also joins Premium; already available with Ultimate and PC Game Pass |
| Sep. 22 | Dune: Awakening | Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, handheld, and PC | Ultimate, Premium, and PC Game Pass | Catalog addition for the listed plans |
| Sep. 22 | Well Dweller | Cloud, console, handheld, and PC | Ultimate and PC Game Pass | Day one |
| Sep. 23 | Mad King Redemption | Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, handheld, and PC | Ultimate, Premium, and PC Game Pass | Catalog addition for the listed plans |
| Sep. 25 | Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 | Cloud, console, handheld, and PC | Premium | Also joins Premium; already available with Ultimate and PC Game Pass |
| Sep. 25 | Rematch | Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, and PC | Essential | Joins Essential; already available with Ultimate, Premium, and PC Game Pass |
| Sep. 29 | Minecraft Dungeons II | Cloud, console, handheld, and PC | Ultimate and PC Game Pass | Day one |
| Oct. 2 | Keeper | Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, and PC | Premium | Also joins Premium; already available with Ultimate and PC Game Pass |
| Oct. 6 | Gears of War: E-Day | Xbox Series X|S, handheld, PC, and cloud | Ultimate and PC Game Pass | Day one |
Microsoft notes that the “handheld” label identifies games optimized for handheld play; it is not a separate Game Pass plan.
Which Wave 2 games are day-one releases?
- Kernel Hearts — September 17: an action RPG with roguelike elements and optional co-op, included at launch with Ultimate and PC Game Pass.
- Well Dweller — September 22: a dark fairy-tale metroidvania, also included on its first day with Ultimate and PC Game Pass.
- Minecraft Dungeons II — September 29: the sequel to the Minecraft dungeon crawler, available at launch with Ultimate and PC Game Pass.
- Gears of War: E-Day — October 6: an origin-story campaign set 14 years before the first Gears of War, launching day one with Ultimate and PC Game Pass.
In other words, “day one” is only a subset of Wave 2. Games such as Dune: Awakening and Mad King Redemption join the catalog on the listed dates, but the official announcement does not label them as day-one releases. Likewise, Premium additions are access expansions for games that were already available through other plans.
What changes for each plan
Ultimate and PC Game Pass
All four day-one releases in this wave are listed for Ultimate and PC Game Pass. Those plans also receive or retain access to the other additions according to the dates above, including RuneScape: Dragonwilds, Dune: Awakening, and Mad King Redemption.
Game Pass Premium
Premium gets the largest set of catalog expansions in Wave 2. On September 16, Marvel Cosmic Invasion, Planet of Lana II, Routine, and Ultimate Sheep Raccoon join the plan; Ninja Gaiden 4 follows on September 17, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 on September 25, and Keeper on October 2. Premium is also among the plans listed for RuneScape: Dragonwilds, Dune: Awakening, and Mad King Redemption.
Game Pass Essential
Rematch joins Essential on September 25. The Brazilian Portuguese Xbox Wire page contains a wording inconsistency: the section is titled “Coming Soon to Xbox Game Pass Essential,” while the line below Rematch mentions Premium. The official English version clarifies that Rematch is joining Essential and was already available with Ultimate, Premium, and PC Game Pass. The table above follows that wording.
How Wave 2 connects to September's Wave 1
Wave 1, published on September 1, covered the first half of the month and had already listed RuneScape: Dragonwilds for September 15. Wave 2 starts on that same date and repeats the game as “available today.” In practice, the second post continues the calendar rather than presenting a completely separate, non-overlapping list.
To see the transition, compare the official Wave 1 post with the official Wave 2 post. The first runs through September 15, while the second extends the schedule to October 6.
What should not be counted among the 15 entries
The same announcement includes other useful items, but they belong to different sections. Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault appears under “In Case You Missed It” with a September 2 date; the EA Sports FC 27 early access trial is an EA Play benefit on September 18; Sea of Thieves: Season 21 is a game update; and Brawlhalla gets an in-game benefits pack. Those items are not part of the 15 catalog movements from September 15 through October 6 counted in this guide.
Games leaving Game Pass on September 30
For players deciding what to prioritize before the new arrivals, Wave 2 also confirms eight departures on September 30:
- Atomfall
- Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light
- Little Nightmares 2 Enhanced Edition
- Little Rocket Lab
- Sifu
- SOPA Tale of the Stolen Potato
- Sworn
- Terminull Brigade
How to organize your download queue
If your priority is brand-new releases included with the subscription, the key dates are September 17, September 22, September 29, and October 6, corresponding to the four day-one games. For Premium subscribers, September 16 brings the biggest single-day expansion, with four games joining the plan. Essential subscribers should watch September 25, when Rematch is added to that tier.
The full schedule, plan availability, and game descriptions are confirmed by the Portuguese Xbox Wire post. The Rematch detail was also checked against the official English announcement.
