Xbox Game Pass September 2024 Wave 2 Lineup Announced

Microsoft has announced the Xbox Game Pass September 2024 Wave 2 lineup, taking subscribers up to the end of this month.

Just three games are listed as coming during September’s second wave in Microsoft’s Xbox Wire post, two of which are PC-only strategy games that launch day one on Game Pass, the other a turn-based strategy game released last year.

Wargroove 2 (Cloud, Console, and PC) hits Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass on September 19; PC strategy game Frostpunk 2 releases as a day one title straight into Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass on September 20; and Ara: History Untold on PC launches straight into Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass on September 24.

Wargroove 2 is Chucklefish’s Advance Wars-style strategy sequel released in 2023. IGN’s Wargroove 2 review returned an 8/10. We said: “Wargroove 2 is still one of the best tributes to Advance Wars out there, and bigger than its predecessor in every way, even though otherwise not much has changed.”

Frostpunk 2 is the hotly anticipated city-building survival sequel from 11 But Studios. Check out IGN’s Frostpunk 2 hands-on preview to find out more about what to expect. And Ara: History Untold is Oxide Games’ new turn-based grand strategy Civ-like, published by Xbox Game Studios.

September 2024 Wave 2 is the first Game Pass update from Microsoft’s since its controversial introduction of its new Standard Tier, which does not include a number of first-party games such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Starfield, and Diablo 4.

Microsoft announced the revised Game Pass tiers in July and as of September 12 the changes went into effect. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate has risen from $16.99 to $19.99 a month and still includes all the typical benefits, but the Xbox Game Pass Standard tier is quite different from its predecessor.

It replaces Game Pass for Console (though those already subscribed don’t have to upgrade) and includes significantly fewer benefits. Subscribers no longer gain access to day one titles or access to EA Play, Xbox Cloud Gaming, perks, Quests, and discounts on games in the Game Pass library. Microsoft said players would also be denied access to “specific entries to the Game Pass Ultimate library,” and that list has now been revealed to be fairly extensive.

Xbox Game Pass September 2024 Wave 2 Lineup

• Wargroove 2 (Cloud, Console, and PC) – September 19 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• Frostpunk 2 (PC) – September 20 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• Ara: History Untold (PC) – September 24 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

None of the three September 2024 Wave 2 games are included in Xbox Game Pass Standard / Game Pass for Console. Game Pass subscribers don’t get the upcoming Starfield expansion, Shattered Space, either upon its September 30 release date. Instead they can save 10%.

Game Pass members do, however, get six hero skins and an instant one-time grant of 30 Mythic prisms to spend on Mythic unlocks in Blizzard’s free-to-play hero shooter Overwatch 2.

Microsoft is heavily rumored to be set to reveal a number of Final Fantasy games coming to Xbox consoles and Game Pass during its Tokyo Game Show 2024 broadcast, which is set for Thursday, September 26 at 7pm JST / 3am Pacific / 6am Eastern / 11am UK. Perhaps September will be fleshed out somewhat following the conclusion of the show.

Microsoft also confirmed the games leaving Game Pass later this month.

Leaving Game Pass September 30:

• Gotham Knights (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Let’s Build a Zoo (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Loop Hero (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• My Time At Portia (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• PAW Patrol Grand Prix (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Pheonix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• The Walking Dead: The Complete First Season (PC)
• The Walking Dead: Season Two (PC)
• Valheim (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.