Highlights
- Xbox Game Pass has had its ups and downs over the years, but September 2023 is undoubtedly one of its best months ever.
- Starfield, Lies of P, Party Animals, and Payday 3 are just some of the highly anticipated day-one releases on Xbox Game Pass this month.
- With a lineup that also includes Gris, Spiritfarer, and Solar Ash, there are plenty of fantastic games to enjoy on Xbox Game Pass in September 2023.
Officially launched all the way back in June 2017, Xbox Game Pass came out of the gate swinging, bringing well over 100 titles to the brand-new streaming service. Microsoft wanted Xbox Game Pass to be the next big thing for the industry, and it's only continued to double down on its initial efforts, constantly adding new games every month, from darling indies to great third-party collaborations, also including fully-fledged AAA first-party games landing day one on the service.
But while Xbox Game Pass has continued to raise the bar on the whole over the last six years, there have been a handful of months when the offerings just aren't overly compelling. But then on the flip side of that, there have also been a good few months when the Xbox Game Pass line-up has been undeniably excellent, essentially making up for any recent shortcomings in one fell swoop. September 2023 is one such month for Xbox Game Pass, delivering multiple excellent day-one experiences, and acting as the perfect proof of the subscription service's continued worth.
Some of Xbox Game Pass' Previous Best Months
Xbox Game Pass has had some great months over the last six years. As mentioned up top, June 2017 ushered in the service with a huge bang, bringing over 100 games right out of the gate ranging from Xbox 360 classics like XCOM, Saints Row 4, and Terraria, to then-recent hits like Halo 5, Payday 2, and NBA 2K16. Xbox Game Pass would then spend the next few months of its life adding at least one or two great games to the service, but it wouldn't see an outstanding month until December 2017, when Metal Gear Solid 5, Halo Wars, and Resident Evil Remake were all added to Xbox Game Pass.
Xbox Game Pass has continued to have at least one outstanding month every year. In 2018, October was a standout month for Xbox Game Pass, with Forza Horizon 4, Wolfenstein: The New Order, Metro 2033 Redux, and LEGO Indiana Jones all coming to the service. In 2019, December brought another surge of great titles, with Halo Reach, My Friend Pedro, Metro Last Light Redux, and Pathologic 2 all being added. November 2020 was another great month for Xbox Game Pass, with EA Play also being added to the subscription plan. March 2021 is still one of the best months ever for Xbox Game Pass, with 20 huge Bethesda titles landing on the service all on the same day.
Nothing Comes Close to September 2023 on Xbox Game Pass
But while Xbox Game Pass has had some phenomenal months over the years, none really come close to the one fans are currently experiencing. September 2023 may just be the best Xbox Game Pass has ever had, and while fans have known for a while that this was going to be a special one for the service, many didn't expect it to be just this great. Coming hot off the heels of last month, where games like Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Sea of Stars released day one on Xbox Game Pass, September was already firing on all cylinders right out of the gate.
Xbox Game Pass' September 2023 line-up has already seen Starfield release, and while critics were divided on it, the fact such a monumental game is on Game Pass is still ridiculously impressive. At the time of writing, Lies of P is also just a few days away from release, it's received glowing reviews across the board, and it's coming to Xbox Game Pass on day one. Then, Party Animals drops just a day later, and Payday 3 follows the day after that. When it comes to great day-one releases, Xbox Game Pass has rarely seen a month quite as packed as September 2023. And with games like Gris, Spiritfarer, and Solar Ash coming in between, there's really no shortage of great games to play this month on Xbox Game Pass.