Game Pass April 2026 Wave 1 Lineup

Game Pass has a loaded first half of April, with a mix of day one releases, heavy hitters, and some pleasant surprises. Available today, the next entry in the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series joins the lineup with Final Fantasy IV on Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, and PC for Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, and PC Game Pass subscribers. Widely considered one of the best stories in the franchise and one of my personal favorites, Final Fantasy IV follows Cecil the Dark Knight as he questions the Kingdom of Baron’s increasingly aggressive campaign against its neighbors. He’s joined by an iconic cast, including Kain the Dragoon, Rosa the White Mage, Rydia the Summoner, and one Spoony Bard.

Tomorrow, April 8, brings three titles. DayZ heads to PC, now joining Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, Game Pass Essential, and PC Game Pass. The post-apocalyptic open-world zombie survival game has been doing its thing for years and still has a dedicated community of players figuring out how far they’ll go to survive in the post-soviet country of Chernarus. Endless Legend 2 (Game Preview) arrives on PC, now with Game Pass Premium and joining Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. The 4X strategy game features asymmetric factions led by powerful heroes, where players build empires, wield political influence, and raise armies to uncover dark secrets buried within an ever-evolving world. The third title for April 8 is FBC: Firebreak on Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, now with Game Pass Premium and joining Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. Remedy’s co-op shooter set in the world of Control had a rough go of it, and the studio recently announced its final major update along with a price drop. Getting it on Game Pass might give it one last chance to find an audience.

On April 9, Planet Coaster 2 joins on Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, and PC for Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, and PC Game Pass. The sequel lets players build and customize roller coasters and water slides while managing the ultimate theme park experience. If you’ve ever wanted to design a park that would make guests either thrilled or nauseous, this is the one.

On April 10, Tiny Bookshop arrives on Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, and PC for Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, and PC Game Pass. It’s a cozy narrative management game where you leave everything behind to open a second-hand bookshop by the sea. Stock your shelves, set up shop in scenic locations, and get to know the locals. If you’re looking for something relaxing between the heavier titles on this list, Tiny Bookshop looks like a solid palate cleanser.

Football Manager 26 and Football Manager 26 Console both arrive on April 13, now with Game Pass Premium and joining Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. Built on the Unity engine, FM26 is being billed as a legacy redefined, with a reimagined interface and a more immersive matchday experience. The Console version is designed with controller-first navigation in mind, so both versions cater to their respective audiences. If you’re a football (soccer) fan, this series needs no introduction.

The middle of the month is where things get really interesting. On April 14, Hades II joins Game Pass on Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, and PC for Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, and PC Game Pass. In our review, I had a bit of a love-hate relationship with it. The moment-to-moment gameplay is some of the best I’ve experienced, but the progression system and the number of mandatory runs to roll credits left me a bit fatigued. That said, there are very few games in existence that nail that combat feel as well as Hades II, so it’s absolutely worth playing through Game Pass. Joining Hades II on the same day is Replaced, a day one release on Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, and PC for Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. It’s a cinematic 2.5D platformer set in an alternate 1980s America where you play as R.E.A.C.H., an AI trapped in a human body, trying to expose the secrets of Phoenix Corp. Also on April 14, The Thaumaturge arrives on Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, and PC for Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, and PC Game Pass. This character-driven RPG features morally ambiguous choices and turn-based combat, where players use mystical powers to read emotions, uncover motives, and command folklore-inspired demons in a city on the brink of change.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered | Image: Bethesda Game Studios / Virtuos

On April 16, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered arrives on Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, now with Game Pass Premium and joining Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. The remaster modernizes the 2006 classic with stunning new visuals and refined gameplay, letting players explore the vast landscape of Cyrodiil like never before. The same day also brings EA Sports NHL 26 on Cloud and Xbox Series X|S for Game Pass Ultimate subscribers. The latest entry features Ice Q 2.0 powered by NHL Edge data, a reimagined Be A Pro mode, and HUT seasons. Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can also grab a Supercharge Bundle until May 16.

On April 17, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare heads to Cloud, Console, and PC for Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, and PC Game Pass. The 2019 reboot redefined the series with a visceral, grounded campaign alongside an immersive multiplayer experience and cooperative Special Ops missions. If you missed it the first time around, it’s one of the better entries in the franchise.

The back half of the lineup starts April 21 with three titles. Little Rocket Lab arrives on Cloud, Console, and PC, now with Game Pass Premium and joining Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. It’s a cozy machine-building RPG where you play as Morgan, an aspiring engineer who heads home to help complete the family’s dream of building a rocket. Help the locals with new machines, get creative, and become the ultimate engineer. Sopa: Tale of the Stolen Potato also arrives on April 21 on Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC, now with Game Pass Premium and joining Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. In it, a boy named Miho steps into the pantry to fetch a potato for his grandma and falls into a magical world inspired by South America. It’s an emotional narrative adventure with quirky characters and a story about the things we pass along.

Vampire Crawlers | Image: Poncle / Nosebleed Interactive

The title I’m most excited about on April 21 is Vampire Crawlers, available day one on Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, and PC for Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. From the creators of Vampire Survivors, this spin-off turns the formula into a dungeon-crawling roguelite deckbuilder. It’s been one of our most anticipated games of 2026 since it was announced at the Xbox Partner Preview, and the idea of combining the Vampire Survivors universe with card-driven, turn-based dungeon crawling sounds like something we could sink hundreds of hours into.

On April 23, Kiln arrives as another day one release on Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, and PC for Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. It’s described as a pottery power fantasy where you sculpt ceramic creations and then take them into online PvP arenas. I’m not typically a PvP player, but I’m genuinely curious to see how the creation systems work and whether building your own pot and bringing it into battle feels as satisfying as it sounds.

Game Pass Essential subscribers can also look forward to Warhammer Vermintide 2 (Cloud and Console) and DayZ (PC) on April 8.

With this lineup, the following titles are leaving Game Pass on April 15:

Ashen (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Grand Theft Auto V (Cloud, Console, and PC)
My Little Pony: A Zephyr Heights Mystery (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Terra Invicta (Game Preview) (PC)