Microsoft’s second September 2025 Game Pass wave added Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor on September 17, returning favorite Hades on September 19, and Visions of Mana on September 25. The announcement also covered strategy games, family titles, Game Preview releases, and an October 7 addition. These dates are historical: they do not describe upcoming releases in 2026, and current availability should be checked in the live Xbox Game Pass catalog.
The three headline Game Pass additions
The announcement, published in September 2025, was a staggered Game Pass wave rather than a simultaneous launch of three games.
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| Game | Service date | Announced platforms | Plans listed in the announcement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor | September 17, 2025 | Cloud, PC, Xbox Series X|S | Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass |
| Hades | September 19, 2025 | Cloud, console, PC | Ultimate, Standard, PC Game Pass |
| Visions of Mana | September 25, 2025 | Cloud, PC, Xbox Series X|S | Ultimate, Standard, PC Game Pass |
See the official Xbox announcement and contemporary coverage from Thurrott for the original lineup details.
Visions of Mana
Visions of Mana was the wave’s main traditional single-player RPG. The latest mainline entry in Square Enix’s Mana series at the time, it follows Val and Hinna, the Alm of Fire, on a journey toward the Mana Tree.
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Its announced Xbox release supported Xbox Series X|S, PC, and cloud—not Xbox One. It was listed for Ultimate, Standard, and PC Game Pass. For players seeking a longer, story-driven adventure rather than short repeatable runs, this was the strongest fit in the lineup.
Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor
Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor is a single-player survivor-like auto-shooter set in the Deep Rock Galactic universe. You control one dwarf, mine resources, fight alien hordes, and build power through weapons and upgrades.
It should not be confused with the cooperative first-person shooter Deep Rock Galactic. Survivor was announced for cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S, and the September 2025 announcement listed it for Ultimate and PC Game Pass—not Standard.
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- Memory: 16GB GDDR6 w/320 bit-wide bus; Memory Bandwidth: 10 GB @ 560 GB/s, 6 GB @ 336 GB/s; Internal Storage: 1TB Custom NVME SSD
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Hades
Hades was a return to Game Pass, not a first-time Game Pass debut. The acclaimed roguelike action game was scheduled to return on September 19, 2025, with cloud, console, and PC support listed across Ultimate, Standard, and PC Game Pass.
Complete September 2025 Game Pass schedule
| Date | Game | Platforms announced | Plan information announced |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 16 | RoadCraft | Cloud, Xbox Series X|S | Ultimate, Standard |
| September 17 | Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III | Console | Standard |
| September 17 | For the King II | Console | Standard |
| September 17 | Overthrown — Game Preview | Xbox Series X|S | Standard |
| September 17 | Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor | Cloud, PC, Xbox Series X|S | Ultimate, PC Game Pass |
| September 18 | Frostpunk 2 | Cloud, Xbox Series X|S | Ultimate |
| September 18 | Wobbly Life | Cloud, PC, Xbox Series X|S | Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Standard |
| September 19 | Hades | Cloud, console, PC | Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Standard |
| September 22 | Endless Legend 2 — Game Preview | PC | Ultimate, PC Game Pass |
| September 23 | Sworn | Cloud, PC, Xbox Series X|S | Ultimate, PC Game Pass |
| September 25 | Peppa Pig: World Adventures | Cloud, PC, Xbox Series X|S | Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Standard |
| September 25 | Visions of Mana | Cloud, PC, Xbox Series X|S | Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Standard |
| September 30 | Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light | Cloud, console, PC | Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Standard |
| October 7 | Sopa – Tale of the Stolen Potato | Cloud, PC | Ultimate, PC Game Pass |
Overthrown and Endless Legend 2 were Game Preview titles, so they should not be described as finished releases. The wave also was not entirely made up of day-one launches: Hades was returning, several games were existing releases, and Sopa was a later day-one addition scheduled for October 7, 2025.
Game Pass Core additions
The announcement also named Cities: Skylines – Remastered, Disney Dreamlight Valley, and Warhammer 40,000: Darktide for the Game Pass Core library in October 2025.
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Contemporary reports disagreed over the exact arrival date, giving October 1 and October 11. The safest interpretation is that these were October 2025 Core additions; the historical reports should not be treated as a current Core schedule.
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Games leaving on September 30, 2025
The reported September 2025 departures were:
- Ninja Gaiden Sigma
- Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2
- Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge
- Terra Invicta
This was the leaving list associated with the 2025 announcement, not the current 2026 “leaving soon” list.
Which Game Pass plan was needed?
The historical plan split mattered. Visions of Mana and Hades were listed for Ultimate, Standard, and PC Game Pass, while Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor was listed for Ultimate and PC Game Pass. Other titles had their own platform and tier restrictions.
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- What's in the box: Xbox Series S 512GB console, 1 Wireless Controller, High Speed HDMI cable.
- CPU: 8X Cores @ 3.6 GHz (3.4 GHz w/SMT) Custom Zen 2 CPU; GPU: 4 TFLOPS, 20 CUs @1.565 GHz Custom RDNA 2 GPU; SOC Die Size: 197.05 mm2.
- Memory: 10GB GDDR6 128 bit-wide bus; Memory Bandwidth: 8GB @ 224 GB/s, 2GB @ 56 GB/s.; Internal Storage: 512GB Custom NVME SSD
- Gaming Resolution: 1440p; Performance Target: Up to 120 FPS; HDMI Features: Auto Low Latency Mode, HDMI Variable Refresh Rate, AMD FreeSync.
Microsoft has since changed its plan structure and benefits. Game availability can vary by region, plan, platform, and time, so check the current catalog before subscribing or assuming that a title remains included.
Should you subscribe or buy?
- Choose a subscription if you want to sample several games in the wave, use cloud gaming, or play across Xbox and PC.
- Consider buying if you want permanent access, only want one inexpensive title, or are concerned about a game leaving the catalog.
- Check DLC separately. Game Pass access to a base game does not automatically include every expansion, cosmetic pack, or premium bundle.
- Verify cloud support. Cloud availability can differ by title, plan, region, and date.
As a U.S. price signal observed in August 2026, Microsoft’s Game Pass landing page said plans started at $9.99 per month. That is not a September 2025 price and should not be treated as a universal or permanent price; consult the current Xbox Game Pass page for live pricing and benefits. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled through the Microsoft account.
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If Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor is the only game you want, purchasing may make more sense than maintaining a subscription. The U.S. Xbox Store page observed in August 2026 listed the base game at $12.99 or more, the Heavy Duty Expansion at $9.99, and a Complete Edition bundle at $19.99 or more. It also listed separate smaller packs, including the Supporter Pack and After Hours Pack at $4.99 each.
Prices and product contents can change. The store listing also confirms the important DLC distinction: the Game Pass base-game benefit is not the same as ownership of the Complete Edition or its add-ons. See the Xbox Store product page and DLC bundle page for current details.
Who benefited most from the lineup?
- RPG fans: Start with Visions of Mana.
- Roguelike and short-session players: Compare Hades with Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor.
- Strategy fans: Look at Frostpunk 2 and Endless Legend 2, remembering that the latter was Game Preview.
- Families: Consider Peppa Pig: World Adventures and Wobbly Life.
- Co-op seekers: Do not assume that Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor is multiplayer; the announced game is a single-player spin-off.
- Cloud players: Confirm current cloud support in your region and subscription tier.
The September 2025 wave was therefore broad rather than uniform: Visions of Mana supplied the substantial RPG, Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor offered single-player survival action, and Hades brought back a proven roguelike favorite. But all of those arrival dates are past, and the live Game Pass catalog—not the 2025 announcement—determines what subscribers can play today.
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