May 2026 Looks Like a Massive Month for the Now Cheaper Xbox Game Pass

Microsoft has confirmed the Xbox Game Pass May 2026 Wave 1 lineup, and it’s full of big hitters.

As detailed in a post on Xbox Wire, May is headlined by Playground’s hotly anticipated Forza Horizon 6, which as a Microsoft title releases straight into Game Pass day one on May 19 across Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. But there are a number of other major games coming to Game Pass this month, including the day one release of Mixtape, the next game from the developer of The Artful Escape, and, on May 14, the troubled but still hotly anticipated Subnautica 2.

But the day one releases don’t stop there. We also have Square Glade Games’ cozy open-world exploration game Outbound on May 11, and Out of the Blue Games’ Lovecraftian narrative puzzle adventure and sequel to 2020’s critically acclaimed Call of the Sea, Call of the Elder Gods, on May 12.

This is the first Xbox Game Pass lineup announcement since Microsoft cut the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate from $29.99 per month to $22.99 per month, and PC Game Pass from $16.49 per month to $13.99 per month. The change is one of the big decisions new Xbox boss Asha Sharma made in the initial few months since she replaced Phil Spencer at the top of Microsoft’s gaming business. But that’s far from the only Game Pass change. Microsoft has also confirmed Call of Duty won’t launch day one on Game Pass from this year’s game going forward. Instead, new Call of Duty games will hit the subscription service a year later. Meanwhile, Microsoft is testing a new Starter Edition tier of Xbox Game Pass for Discord Nitro subscribers.

Xbox Game Pass May 2026 Wave 1 lineup:

• Ben 10 Power Trip (Cloud, Console, and PC) – May 6
  Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
• Descenders Next (Game Preview) (Cloud, Console, and PC) – May 6
  Now with Game Pass Premium; joining Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass
• Wheel World (Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, and PC) – May 6
  Now with Game Pass Premium; joining Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass
• Wildgate (Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, and PC) – May 6
  Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
• Wuchang: Fallen Feathers (Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, and PC) – May 6
  Now with Game Pass Premium; joining Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass
• Mixtape (Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, and PC) – May 7
  Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• Outbound (Cloud, Console, and PC) – May 11
  Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• Black Jacket (Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, and PC) – May 12
  Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• Call of the Elder Gods (Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld and PC) – May 12
  Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• Elite Dangerous (Cloud and Console) – May 12
  Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium
• DOOM: The Dark Ages (Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, and PC) – May 14
  Now with Game Pass Premium; joining Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass
• Subnautica 2 (Game Preview) (Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, and PC) – May 14
  Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
• Forza Horizon 6 (Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, and PC) – May 19
  Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

As usual, a number of games are set to leave Game Pass this month.

Leaving Xbox Game Pass on May 15:

• Galacticare (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Go Mecha Ball (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Paw Patrol Rescue Wheels: Championship (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Planet of Lana (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.