Xbox has a busy first week of September, with major releases, Game Pass launches, and smaller games arriving between September 1 and September 4. The lineup includes The Blood of Dawnwalker, Onimusha: Way of the Sword, Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game, NBA 2K27, Halloween, and more.
This list comes from Xbox Wire’s weekly release roundup. Microsoft notes that dates can change, so treat the schedule as the current plan rather than a guarantee. Some games are full launches, while others are Game Preview releases or early-access editions.
The biggest games arriving this week
The Blood of Dawnwalker arrives on September 2 for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox Play Anywhere. Rebel Wolves’ dark-fantasy action RPG is set in 14th-century Europe, where the Black Death has weakened human settlements and vampires have stepped out of hiding. Players control Coen, a young man who becomes a Dawnwalker and must decide how much of his humanity to sacrifice to save his family.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword follows on September 3. Capcom’s new action game moves through an Edo-period Kyoto twisted by supernatural Malice, with a samurai wielding the Oni Gauntlet against monsters called Genma. The game supports Xbox Series X|S and Xbox Play Anywhere, and an updated demo is available ahead of launch.
Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game also arrives September 3. The hand-drawn fighter includes 12 playable characters and offline and online versus modes, along with Story, Arcade, Training, Spectator, and Art Gallery options. It is designed around the world of Avatar rather than a generic arena roster, so the elemental fighting styles are the main draw.
NBA 2K27 launches on September 3 for Xbox Series X|S. The new basketball game brings back MyCAREER, MyTEAM, and MyNBA, alongside The City and team-based REC and Park play. The standard-edition preorder includes 10,000 units of virtual currency, while the game’s online features remain separate from the single-player modes.
Halloween is scheduled for September 4 as a Digital Deluxe early-access release. It is an asymmetrical horror game set on Halloween night in Haddonfield, with one player taking the role of Michael Myers and others trying to survive as local heroes. The listing describes it as a sandbox, so the appeal is built around repeatable matches rather than a single linear campaign.
Which games are on Game Pass?
Young Suns reaches its 1.0 release on August 31 and is listed for Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass. It is a 1-to-4-player narrative life simulation set on Jupiter, where players build a home among the stars and bring it along on their adventures. The game is built around shorter daily sessions, making it a different kind of Game Pass option from the week’s large action releases.
Shelldiver and Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault are also listed with Game Pass availability. Shelldiver is a relaxed incremental game about a turtle fishing for jellyfish and upgrading a small shop. Moonlighter 2 is an action RPG with roguelike elements, dungeon runs, relic collecting, and a shop that players rebuild with the money they earn.
Several smaller releases also support Xbox Play Anywhere, which lets players move between an Xbox console and Windows PC with shared saves where the listing includes that feature. That applies to games such as The Blood of Dawnwalker, Onimusha, and Shelldiver, while Game Pass availability varies by title.
The smaller Xbox releases worth watching
The August 31 list also includes Puzzledorf, Salvation: Echoes of War, and Sticker Picker. Puzzledorf is a bright block-pushing puzzle game with multiple block colors, a new Ruins set of match-three-style challenges, unlimited undo, and a colorblind mode. Its Xbox release adds new puzzles and achievements, with Play Anywhere support.
Salvation: Echoes of War takes a more serious route. It is a third-person adventure set in a surreal purgatory, where a war pilot moves through a nightmare built from historical conflicts. The game combines stealth, puzzle solving, and strategic non-aggressive combat rather than focusing only on shooting.
Sticker Picker is a colorful spot-the-difference game built around illustrated scenes and hidden details. It is a smaller release, but its low price and simple premise make it a natural choice for players who want something quick between larger games.
More games arrive September 1–4
September 1 brings Crimson Moon and Tintle’s Great Colorful Adventure. Crimson Moon is a dark action game about a Nephilim fighting demons, undead enemies, and vampires, with solo and co-op play. Tintle’s Great Colorful Adventure is a precision platformer built around changing colors, teleporters, gravity shifts, and high-speed movement.
September 2 adds Angeline Era, Eden Coil, Feed Your Cat: New Paths, Marsupilami 2 — Salsa Palombia, and Pharmacy Store Simulator. They cover a wide range of tastes: a 3D action adventure, a snake-based puzzle game, a cozy routing game, a colorful platformer, and a shop-management simulator.
September 3 and 4 bring even more variety. SpeedRunners 2: King of Speed, Shoe It All!, Dream Cage, Fear the Timeloop, Flute of Gobelin, Fortress Merge, Hockey Beasts, I Am Angel, Isle of Reveries, Moonbringer, Order Automatica, Railbreak DX, and Tales of Formentera are all listed for the same window. Most are smaller digital releases, but the genres range from co-op sports and arcade action to horror, strategy, and puzzle games.
What should Xbox players play first?
The answer depends on what you want from the week. The Blood of Dawnwalker is the obvious pick for a new story-driven RPG, while Onimusha is the one to choose if you want focused sword combat. Avatar Legends is aimed at fighting-game fans, NBA 2K27 owns the sports slot, and Halloween is the week’s big multiplayer horror option.
Game Pass subscribers have a few lower-commitment choices in Young Suns, Shelldiver, and Moonlighter 2. Puzzledorf is worth a look if you want a bright puzzle game, and the long list of smaller releases means there is room for something stranger than the usual September blockbuster.
The week is not just about one giant launch. It is a useful snapshot of what Xbox is offering at the start of September: a dark fantasy RPG, a classic action series revival, an Avatar fighter, annual sports, a licensed horror game, and a large group of experimental indies. Check the individual Xbox listing before launch for the final release time, platform support, and Game Pass status.
