Xbox has revealed the first Game Pass wave for August 2026. The announcement covers 12 game entries through August 18, early access to the Gears of War: E-Day multiplayer beta, and four games leaving the library on August 15.
The list is useful, but it is easy to read it as 12 completely new games for every subscriber. That is not how this wave works. Some games are joining several plans, some are expanding to Game Pass Premium, and the Gears headline is access to a beta rather than the full game.
The short version: Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members get the broadest selection. Premium members receive ten of the listed games, while the Gears of War: E-Day beta benefit and Beast of Reincarnation are limited to Ultimate and PC Game Pass. Sandustry is also restricted to those two plans and only launches on PC.
Xbox Game Pass August 2026 schedule
Here is the complete first-wave schedule published by Xbox. “Handheld” means the game is optimized for supported handheld devices; it does not describe a separate subscription.
Available August 4
- Heretic + Hexen — Cloud, console, handheld, and PC. Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, and PC Game Pass.
- Beast of Reincarnation — Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, handheld, and PC. Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.
Available August 6
- Gears of War: E-Day Open Beta early access — A benefit for Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members. This is the multiplayer beta, not the full game.
- Monsters are Coming! — Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, handheld, and PC. Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, and PC Game Pass.
- PowerWash Simulator 2 — Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, and PC Game Pass.
Available August 11
- Bounty Star — Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, and PC Game Pass.
- Date Everything! — Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, handheld, and PC. Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, and PC Game Pass.
- Grounded 2 (Game Preview) — Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, handheld, and PC. Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, and PC Game Pass.
Available August 12
- BALL x PIT — Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, handheld, and PC. Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, and PC Game Pass.
Available August 13
- Cricket 26 — Cloud, console, and PC. Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, and PC Game Pass.
- Mio: Memories in Orbit — Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, handheld, and PC. Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, and PC Game Pass.
- Sandustry (Game Preview) — PC only. Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.
Available August 18
- Egging On — Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, handheld, and PC. Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, and PC Game Pass.
What is new, and what is a plan expansion?
Xbox places every August entry in one announcement, but the labels tell you who actually receives each game. Most of the list uses the wording “Now with Game Pass Premium; joining Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.” Other entries have a smaller set of plans or are marked as day-one releases.
For subscribers, the safest way to read the wave is to ignore the total and check the plan shown beside each game. An Ultimate member may see a different value than a Premium member, even when both are looking at the same announcement.
There are also three extras that should not be counted as full game additions. The Gears of War: E-Day offer is beta access. Madden NFL 27 receives a 10-hour EA Play trial on August 6, and Call of Duty: Warzone gets an in-game pack. Those are benefits, not permanent additions of the complete games.
Gears of War: E-Day beta is the headline benefit
The Gears of War: E-Day Early Access Open Beta begins on August 6 for Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members. Players who preorder the game also qualify for this early window.
This beta focuses on multiplayer. Horde Siege turns the familiar wave-survival mode into a 12-player PvE battle across larger maps, while Versus returns with 4v4 competitive matches. The full game does not launch until October 6, so downloading the beta will not unlock the campaign.
Xbox says the beta runs across two weekends. The early access period is expected to run from August 6 through August 10, although dates can vary by platform and subscription. Our Gears of War: E-Day beta guide explains the access windows, supported platforms, and how to download it. Players mainly interested in multiplayer can also read the Horde Siege and Versus breakdown.
The important limitation is simple: Game Pass Premium does not include the early access benefit in Xbox's announcement. Ultimate and PC Game Pass members are the two subscriber groups named for August 6.
Beast of Reincarnation is available now
Beast of Reincarnation is the largest day-one release available at the start of this wave. Game Freak's action RPG follows Emma and her dog Koo through a dangerous post-apocalyptic Japan. Combat mixes real-time movement with slower tactical choices, letting Emma and Koo work as a pair instead of behaving like a normal solo character.
It is available through cloud gaming, Xbox Series X|S, supported handhelds, and PC. Access requires Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass; Premium is not listed.
This is the first game to try if you want a full new release rather than a returning title, plan expansion, or beta. Our Beast of Reincarnation overview covers its story, combat system, platforms, and Game Pass release.
Date Everything! joins on August 11
Date Everything! is exactly as strange as its name sounds. It is a sandbox dating simulator with 100 fully voiced characters, except many of those characters are household objects and ideas. A bed, a smoke alarm, and even existential dread can become part of the story.
The game joins Ultimate, Premium, and PC Game Pass, making it one of the easiest August additions to recommend across plans. It is also available through cloud gaming and on supported handhelds, so subscribers do not need to install it on a console to try a few conversations.
This is a good Game Pass game because it is difficult to judge from a trailer. The subscription gives curious players a low-risk way to see whether the humor and dating structure work for them.
Cricket 26 and Sandustry arrive on August 13
Cricket 26 brings a management career, an expanded Ashes mode, Pro Team roster building, and updated play on the field. It joins Ultimate, Premium, and PC Game Pass across cloud, console, and PC. Cricket fans receive one of the month's clearest full-game additions, while players outside the sport's main markets may treat it as a more specialized pick.
Sandustry is the opposite kind of game. It is a factory-building Game Preview release set in fully destructible worlds. Players mine resources, automate production chains, and dig toward the remains of an ancient civilization. It launches day one through Ultimate and PC Game Pass, but it is PC only and does not appear in the Premium list.
Because Sandustry is in Game Preview, expect development changes and rough edges. It may grow considerably after August 13, but it should not be judged like a finished 1.0 release.
The Premium additions cover several genres
Premium members miss Beast of Reincarnation, Sandustry, and the Gears beta early access benefit, but the plan still receives ten listed games during this wave.
Heretic + Hexen is a restored package of two classic fantasy shooters. Monsters are Coming! mixes a moving city with survivor-style combat and resource gathering. PowerWash Simulator 2 offers relaxed cleaning alone or with friends.
Bounty Star combines mech combat with farming and base building. Grounded 2 expands its survival playground through the Into the Abyss update. Mio: Memories in Orbit is a hand-drawn metroidvania set inside a decaying mechanical world, while Egging On is a difficult physics platformer about moving a fragile egg to freedom.
BALL x PIT arrives on August 12 with its mix of brick breaking, character building, and roguelite runs. If you already play it, our Naturalist update guide explains the new characters, balls, passives, and release timing.
Which games leave Game Pass on August 15?
Four games leave the library on August 15, 2026:
- Menace (Game Preview) — PC.
- Atlas Fallen — Cloud, console, and PC.
- Aliens: Fireteam Elite — Cloud, console, and PC.
- Firewatch — Cloud, console, and PC.
If you are halfway through one of them, finish or move your save before the deadline. Xbox normally offers a member discount while a game is still in the catalog, but the exact price can change by region. Buying a game lets you keep playing, while losing Game Pass access does not delete a local save.
Firewatch is the shortest of the four and the most realistic game to finish before August 15. Atlas Fallen and Aliens: Fireteam Elite need more time, especially if you want side content or repeated co-op runs.
Is August 2026 a strong Game Pass month?
The answer depends heavily on the plan.
Ultimate members get the best overall access, but the wave is less dramatic if they do not care about the Gears multiplayer beta. Beast of Reincarnation is the strongest complete new release available immediately. Date Everything!, Cricket 26, and Sandustry add variety later in the month.
PC Game Pass members receive nearly the same useful benefits as Ultimate for this wave. They get the Gears beta early access, Beast of Reincarnation, and the PC-only Sandustry preview. Cloud and console access are the main differences.
Premium members receive a broad group of games, including Date Everything!, Cricket 26, BALL x PIT, Grounded 2, and PowerWash Simulator 2. The plan has quantity, but its biggest missing pieces are Beast of Reincarnation and the Gears early window.
Players comparing the subscription with buying hardware should remember that Xbox console prices increased worldwide. Game Pass can lower the cost of trying games, but it does not make the console itself cheaper, and games may rotate out of the library.
Frequently asked questions
How many games are in the August 2026 Game Pass wave?
Xbox lists 12 game entries dated from August 4 through August 18, plus early access to the Gears of War: E-Day beta. The announcement also includes a Madden NFL 27 trial, a Warzone benefit, and two “in case you missed it” items, which are separate from the main schedule.
Is Gears of War: E-Day fully available on Game Pass in August?
No. August brings early access to the multiplayer beta for Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members. The complete game launches on October 6, 2026, and is planned for Game Pass Ultimate on day one.
Does Game Pass Premium include the Gears beta early access?
Xbox names Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass for the August 6 early access benefit. Premium is not included in that part of the announcement.
Which August games are available on Game Pass Premium?
Premium includes Heretic + Hexen, Monsters are Coming!, PowerWash Simulator 2, Bounty Star, Date Everything!, Grounded 2, BALL x PIT, Cricket 26, Mio: Memories in Orbit, and Egging On.
Which games are limited to Ultimate or PC Game Pass?
Beast of Reincarnation and Sandustry are listed for Ultimate and PC Game Pass, not Premium. The Gears of War: E-Day beta early access also names only those two plans.
When will Xbox announce the next Game Pass wave?
Xbox usually splits monthly Game Pass announcements into more than one wave, but it has not given a date for the next August list. Treat the August 4 announcement as the confirmed schedule through August 18, not the complete month until Xbox publishes another update.
The August wave has something for almost every style of player, but the plan labels deserve as much attention as the game names. Check your subscription before downloading, and prioritize the four games leaving on August 15 if one is already sitting in your backlog.
