Game Pass' September wave is front-loaded and packed: eight games land in the first two weeks of the month, headlined by a Call of Duty campaign finally joining the subscription and a full RuneScape spin-off closing out the wave. Here's everything confirmed for the first half of September, plus what's about to disappear from the library.
Everything added, September 1-15
- Shelldiver — September 1 (Ultimate, Premium, PC)
- Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault — September 2 (Ultimate, PC), also a full retail release the same day
- Speedrunners 2: King of Speed — September 3 (Ultimate, PC)
- Dice a Million — September 4 (Ultimate, PC, Premium)
- Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War — September 8 (Ultimate, PC, Premium)
- The Royal Writ — September 10 (Ultimate, PC, Premium)
- Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage — September 10 (Ultimate, PC, Premium)
- RuneScape: Dragonwilds — September 15 (Ultimate, PC, Premium)
Ultimate members also get a free 10-hour trial of NHL 27 starting September 4, and TCG: Card Shop Simulator hits its full 1.0 release on September 15 for anyone who's been playing the early access build.
The headline addition: Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
Cold War joining Game Pass on September 8 is the biggest single addition of the wave -- it's a full premium Call of Duty campaign and multiplayer suite included at no extra cost for Ultimate, PC, and Premium subscribers, not a trial or a cut-down version. If you've been meaning to play it, this is the moment it stops costing anything on top of the subscription.
What's leaving Game Pass
Eleven games are scheduled to leave the service in early September 2026, including two genuinely big titles: Cyberpunk 2077 and NBA 2K26. Microsoft doesn't always publish exact departure dates for the full list at the same time it confirms additions, so the safest move if you're mid-playthrough on either is to finish up soon or check the storefront for a member discount before they're pulled -- Game Pass removals aren't reversible once they hit.
What if you don't have Ultimate?
Everything above sits behind Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, priced at $22.99/month as of an April 2026 price cut -- which also bundles cloud gaming, so none of these need a console to actually play. That's still a recurring cost and, for cloud play, a stable connection. If you just want something to play for free right now with zero subscription and zero setup, that's a different kind of itch entirely.
RivalPit is a free browser platform with 110+ casual multiplayer games -- classic board and card games, quick arcade challenges, and originals like Real Battle and InkFlow. Nothing to install: open a game, challenge a friend or play solo against the computer, and it works the same on a phone, laptop, or tablet.
Play RivalPit nowFrequently asked questions
What's new on Xbox Game Pass in September 2026?
The first half of September brought Shelldiver, Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault, 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, plus a free 10-hour NHL 27 trial for Ultimate members.
Is Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War on Game Pass now?
Yes — it joined Game Pass on September 8, 2026, available on Ultimate, PC Game Pass, and Premium tiers.
What's leaving Xbox Game Pass this month?
Eleven games are scheduled to leave Game Pass in early September 2026, including Cyberpunk 2077 and NBA 2K26. If you've started either, it's worth finishing or grabbing a discount to buy outright before they're pulled.
How much does Xbox Game Pass Ultimate cost?
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is $22.99/month as of an April 2026 price cut, and includes cloud gaming, PC and console access, current Call of Duty titles, and EA Play.