With the absence of E3 this year, the pressure's been on for the rest of the industry's big events to pick up the slack, and for the most part, they've delivered. Geoff Keighley's Summer Games Fest kicked things off nicely with a healthy amount of new game reveals, and he managed to continue that with Gamescom Opening Night Live, which aired just a few days ago. Along with some huge reveals and new trailers for highly anticipated games, Gamescom has also been host to a number of smaller reveals, such as the confirmation that five new games are heading to Xbox Game Pass in the coming months.
Offering an unparalleled amount of video games for just one reasonable price, Xbox Game Pass is truly one of the best deals in gaming right now, and Gamescom only cemented this further. Over the course of Gamescom Opening Night Live, as more games were being revealed, a little Game Pass title card would also appear occasionally. When all was said and done, a total of five games were confirmed for Xbox Game Pass, ranging from an eagerly-awaited Soulslike to a potential Indie darling.
Lies of P
One of the biggest standouts of Gamescom Opening Night Live also just happened to be the biggest Xbox Game Pass confirmation of the night. A Soulslike based on the Pinocchio mythos, Lies of P is heading to Xbox Game Pass day one when the game releases in 2023. Lies of P received an impressive-looking trailer at Gamescom, showing off the game's steampunk bosses, transforming weapons, and its titular, upgradeable character. Of all the Pinocchio adaptations releasing right now, Lies of P might just be the most exciting.
You Suck At Parking
The cartoon-y, bright racing game with a twist, You Suck At Parking, was also confirmed to be heading to Game Pass upon its unspecified 2022 release date - though it's only been confirmed for PC Game Pass right now. You Suck At Parking is a top-down racer that sees players speed through a course as fast as possible, but take frequent sudden stops, as points are only scored if the player can park in the designated spots along the track. Crashes will be frequent, but that's all part of You Suck At Parking's chaotic charm.
GRID Legends
Released back in February of this year, GRID Legends is the latest installment in EA's long-running racing franchise. GRID Legends is heading to EA Play on September 1, which means those that have Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or Game Pass for PC will be able to download the game for no extra cost. According to reviews, GRID Legends offers up a serviceable story mode with some thrilling racing mechanics, but it does suffer from some technical issues, though most of those will have likely been patched in the months since release.
Mad Streets
A 3D fighting game with Human Fall Flat's physics, Mad Streets is heading to Xbox Game Pass soon. For those who love chaotic multiplayer experiences like Gang Beasts, Mad Streets should be the perfect addition to the party game roster, even despite some less-than-glowing critical reviews.
Hardspace: Shipbreaker
Originally released in May of this year, Hardspace: Shipbreaker is a Sci-Fi salvage sim that tasks the player with dismantling spaceship debris in order to make enough cash to pay off their debt to an evil futuristic corporation. Each wreckage acts like its own puzzle, where players need to determine how best to approach the ship and the most effective ways to rip it apart. Hardspace: Shipbreaker launches on Xbox Series X/S on September 20, where it'll also be a day-one Game Pass title.