Microsoft has announced the second wave of August additions for Xbox Game Pass, and there’s a lot going on this time: Between August 18 and September 1, 2026, ten new games will be added to the catalog, three of them on their release date. Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers will even get a true day-one title with *Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy *. On the other hand, anyone who’s hooked on *The Witcher 3* should hurry, because it’s leaving the service at the end of August.
We’ve compiled a list of all the new Xbox Game Pass games from Wave 2 in August 2026, including release dates, tiers, and the titles that will be leaving the catalog.
All New Xbox Game Pass Games in August 2026 at a Glance
The second wave kicks off on August 18 with *Egging On* and continues into September. Most titles will be available on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass, with some also available on Game Pass Premium (the successor to Game Pass Console). Here’s the complete list:
| Date | Game | Available for |
|---|---|---|
| August 18, 2026 | Egging On | Ultimate, PC, Premium |
| August 19, 2026 | Vapor World: Over the Mind (Day One, Game Preview) | Ultimate, PC |
| August 19, 2026 | BlazBlue Entropy Effect X | Ultimate, PC, Premium |
| August 19, 2026 | Relooted | Ultimate, PC, Premium |
| August 20, 2026 | Starsand Island | Ultimate, PC, Premium |
| August 25, 2026 | Aerial_Knight’s DropShot | Ultimate, PC, Premium |
| August 25, 2026 | Blood Dungeon (Day One) | Ultimate, PC |
| August 27, 2026 | Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy (Day One) | Ultimate, PC, Premium |
| August 31, 2026 | Young Suns | Ultimate, PC, Premium |
| September 1, 2026 | Shelldiver | Ultimate, Premium, PC |
The Three Day-One Releases in Detail
Vapor World: Over the Mind kicks things off on August 19 and launches directly as a Game Preview, meaning it’s available before the actual full release. The game describes itself as a narrative-driven Souls-like platformer where dodging and parrying are more important than just swinging wildly. It remains to be seen whether this approach will work, but the idea sounds like more than just another Souls clone.
For many, Blood Dungeon —which launches on August 25—is likely to be even more exciting. Behind it is Mark Essen, the creator of the cult-favorite fencing game Nidhogg. His new project is being described by the press as a sort of Pac-Man roguelike with a Nidhogg twist, which piques curiosity, especially given how unconventional Essen’s games usually are.
The biggest title in this wave, however, is *Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy*, which launches on August 27. Asobo Studio, known for the two main *Plague Tale* games, is taking a noticeably different approach with this title than with its predecessors. Anyone who loved the Amicia-and-Hugo saga should still check it out, if only because a bona fide AAA game is coming to the subscription service on launch day.
These games are leaving Xbox Game Pass at the end of August
New games on Game Pass almost always mean some are leaving. On August 31, five titles will be removed from the catalog:
| Date | Game leaving the catalog |
|---|---|
| August 31, 2026 | The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt (Remastered Edition) |
| August 31, 2026 | Another Crab’s Treasure |
| August 31, 2026 | I Am Your Beast |
| August 31, 2026 | Neon Abyss |
| August 31, 2026 | One Lonely Outpost |
| September 6, 2026 | NBA 2K26 |
The Witcher 3, in particular, is likely to be a blow to some. CD Projekt Red’s role-playing game has been one of the titles recommended to new subscribers for years, and anyone who hasn’t yet managed to play through the over 100 hours it takes to reach the end credits should get started now or plan to buy it.
What the new wave means for Game Pass subscribers
One thing that stands out about Wave 2 in August 2026: Most of the new additions are available on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass, while Game Pass Premium (formerly Game Pass Console) only includes six of the ten titles. So if you play exclusively on console and have the more affordable Premium plan, you won’t automatically get everything listed in this overview. This has become standard practice at Microsoft, but things used to be different back when the classic Games with Gold program was still around.
Good news for handheld fans: Both Egging On and Aerial_Knight’s DropShot explicitly run on handheld devices as well, in addition to cloud and console. This continues the trend of Microsoft increasingly viewing Game Pass as a cross-platform service rather than a purely console-based subscription. Incidentally, our article on the Steam Deck 2—which Valve is currently working on—also shows just how seriously Valve now takes the topic of handheld gaming.
Conclusion: Is the second wave of August releases on Xbox Game Pass worth it?
Ten new games in just over two weeks is a solid pace, even if most of the new additions are smaller indie and niche titles. For most subscribers, the standout is likely *Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy* as a true day-one release, complemented by Mark Essen’s quirky creation *Blood Dungeon*. On the other hand, anyone who hasn’t finished playing The Witcher 3 yet should make the most of the remaining days until August 31. As usual, you can find the complete, continuously updated list of all Xbox Game Pass games directly on Microsoft’s website.
Sources: Xbox Wire
