Xbox Game Pass August Wave 2 has been revealed, headlined by the day-one arrival of Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy.
The latest update covers ten games arriving between 18 August and 1 September across Xbox Series X|S, PC, cloud gaming and supported handheld devices. It also confirms that six titles will leave the service, including The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt – Remastered Edition.
Resonance Leads the August Game Pass Line-Up
The biggest addition is Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy, which joins Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass on 27 August.
Developed by Asobo Studio and published by Focus Entertainment, the game is set 15 years before A Plague Tale: Requiem. It follows Sophia as she travels to the Minotaur’s Island while attempting to uncover the truth about her past.
Unlike the earlier games’ emphasis on stealth and survival, Resonance promises a greater focus on direct combat. Sophia can parry attacks, use agility to evade enemies and deliver powerful melee strikes.
The adventure will also move between Sophia’s medieval journey and events in ancient Minoan times, connecting two characters through the mysterious Macula. Focus Entertainment has confirmed that the game launches simultaneously on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PC, with Xbox Play Anywhere support.
Three Games Join Game Pass Today
Three additions arrive on 19 August.
Vapor World: Over the Mind launches into Game Preview for Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. It is a narrative-driven soulslike platformer built around deflection-based combat and exploration inside a fractured dream world.
BlazBlue Entropy Effect X joins Game Pass Premium while remaining available through Ultimate and PC Game Pass. The roguelite combines characters from the BlazBlue fighting series with fast 2D combat, while a free update adds Platinum to its roster.
Relooted also joins the Premium, Ultimate and PC tiers. The Africanfuturist heist game asks players to assemble a crew and recover African artefacts from fictional Western museums.
Every Xbox Game Pass August Wave 2 Addition
The complete schedule in the official Xbox announcement is:
- 18 August: Egging On — Premium, Ultimate and PC
- 19 August: Vapor World: Over the Mind — Ultimate and PC
- 19 August: BlazBlue Entropy Effect X — Premium, Ultimate and PC
- 19 August: Relooted — Premium, Ultimate and PC
- 20 August: Starsand Island — Premium, Ultimate and PC
- 25 August: Aerial_Knight’s DropShot — Premium, Ultimate and PC
- 25 August: Blood Dungeon — Ultimate and PC
- 27 August: Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy — Ultimate and PC
- 31 August: Young Suns — Premium, Ultimate and PC
- 1 September: Shelldiver — Essential, Premium, Ultimate and PC
Blood Dungeon is another day-one release. Created by the developers behind Nidhogg, it combines precision platforming, dungeon survival and permanent progression.
Starsand Island offers a considerably calmer alternative, with farming, fishing, animal companionship and exploration built around a relaxed island lifestyle.
Six Games Are Leaving Game Pass
Five games leave the library on 31 August:
- Another Crab’s Treasure
- I Am Your Beast
- Neon Abyss
- One Lonely Outpost
- The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt – Remastered Edition
NBA 2K26 will follow on 6 September.
The departure of The Witcher 3 is particularly notable because of the considerable amount of time required to complete its main story and expansions. Players already part-way through the game may need to prioritise it or use the available subscriber discount to retain permanent access.
A Varied Wave Rather Than a Blockbuster-Heavy One
This is not the most recognisable Game Pass line-up of the year, but it offers considerable variety.
There are soulslike mechanics in Vapor World, roguelite combat in BlazBlue Entropy Effect X, high-speed action in Aerial_Knight’s DropShot and more relaxed experiences through Starsand Island and Shelldiver.
However, Resonance carries much of the wave’s mainstream appeal. Its connection to the established A Plague Tale series, day-one availability and stronger emphasis on combat make it the clear headline addition.
For more recommendations, see the best Xbox Game Pass games right now, or consider whether Xbox Game Pass remains good value. Tech Torque Media has also examined Xbox’s wider summer line-up and the platform’s evolution in 25 Years of Xbox.
Tech Torque Verdict
Xbox Game Pass closes August with a varied collection of smaller releases and one potentially significant day-one launch.
Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy is the standout, while Blood Dungeon, Relooted and Vapor World could give subscribers some worthwhile surprises.
The impending removal of The Witcher 3 is the main drawback—and one that players with an unfinished adventure should not ignore.
