Xbox Game Pass September 2026 Games You Need to Play Including Dune Awakening and Minecraft Dungeons II

Xbox Game Pass is heading into September 2026 with a strong lineup featuring Dune Awakening's new full single-player mode, Minecraft Dungeons II, Moonlighter 2 and SpeedRunners 2. Here is everything confirmed so far, including release dates, platforms and Game Pass availability.

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For Xbox Game Pass, September 2026 is set to be yet another busy month, with Microsoft having confirmed four titles for the subscription, and more titles likely to be added to the list of confirmed titles as the month draws near. While the roster will get expanded with the help of Microsoft’s traditional Game Pass waves, the current roster already has a few things in store due to two day one additions to Game Pass – Dune: Awakening and Minecraft Dungeons II.

September will be especially exciting for Dune: Awakening due to the fact that the Game Pass addition for the game is not a mere console port of the existing PC title. As Funcom prepares the Xbox release of Dune: Awakening, it will also introduce a massive update for the game, adding a full-fledged single player mode.

The first four confirmed September additions are Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault on September 2, SpeedRunners 2: King of Speed on September 3, Dune: Awakening on September 22, and Minecraft Dungeons II on September 29.

Xbox Game Pass September 2026 Confirmed Games

Game	Release Date	Platforms
Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault	September 2	Xbox Series X|S, PS5, Switch 2, PC
SpeedRunners 2: King of Speed	September 3	Xbox Series X|S, PS5, Switch, PC, Cloud
Dune: Awakening	September 22	Xbox Series X|S, PC, Cloud
Minecraft Dungeons II	September 29	Xbox Series X|S, PC, Cloud

With four games already confirmed, September has a strong foundation before Microsoft reveals the remainder of the month's additions.

Moonlighter 2 Arrives With Its Full 1.0 Launch

September starts off with Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault, which is due to hit Xbox Series X and Series S on September 2. Even more noteworthy, however, is the fact that this sequel is coming out of Early Access and finally releasing in its final, version 1.0 form on the very same date, thus making it convenient entry point for those who missed the game during its PC development.

What sets Moonlighter apart from other games has always been its unique mix of dungeon crawling and shop management. The players enter other dimensions, kill enemies and collect treasures, then return back home to sell everything they found. Thus, the gameplay is designed in such a way that the player is able to develop his/her shop and community through exploring.

Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault adds new weapons, tools and mechanics to this system. Its vibrant graphics serve to create a strong contrast between the horrors waiting within the dungeons and the colorful and cheerful environment outside of them.

For Xbox Game Pass subscribers, September 2 effectively represents the complete console debut of the sequel. Instead of jumping into an unfinished Early Access version, players can experience the game's full 1.0 release from day one.

SpeedRunners 2 Finally Gets Its Game Pass Date

Second September release comes just a day later. SpeedRunners 2: King of Speed will be available for Xbox Series X|S, PC and Cloud on September 3rd, following previous reports that the game was supposed to be available via Game Pass way back in July.

The game follows the same competitive and platform racing approach of its predecessor, with players running through scrolling screens and using power-ups, grappling hooks and shortcuts in the environment to remain ahead of other players. Getting too far behind the scrolling screen can end a player's run instantly, as one tiny mistake can cost a lot.

Perhaps the biggest difference between the two games is the multiplayer aspect, which has been expanded to include up to eight online players – compared to four in the original. Local multiplayer is also possible, and it makes the game an interesting choice for multiplayer fans and groups of people looking for a fast game.

Being released on September 3rd gives a little wait for those who were anticipating its delayed July release, as well as giving gamers a multiplayer title before the bigger September releases arrive.

Dune: Awakening Could Be September's Biggest Game Pass Addition

The most notable of September's early lineup is definitely Dune: Awakening. While being released on PC back in June 2025, Funcom's open-world survival game has been focusing on a robust multiplayer component right from the start and thus has not been very enticing for single-player gamers.

That will all change on September 22.

The Xbox release will introduce the full game on Xbox Series X|S and at the same time add a complete single-player mode to the mix. As explained by Funcom, this is far from a scaled-down or completely separate campaign tailored for single-player use. It means that you can play the whole story, from start to finish, without needing any additional players.

This new feature may potentially be a game-changer for Dune: Awakening. Survival games rely on a heavy emphasis on multiplayer mechanics and interactions, but there is always a certain group of people who appreciate the genre for exploration, crafting, progression, and even storytelling purposes.

Dune: Awakening's Single-Player Mode Changes the Game

The single-player update has more going for it than just stripping out the multiplayer aspect. Solo players will get to enjoy the entire world of Arrakis, its story campaign, and Deep Desert end-game content alone.

Players will now get even more control over how difficult they want the solo experience to be with Dune: Awakening. There are three pre-defined difficulty levels, and survival parameters can be customized to tweak aspects such as resources and experience.

This should definitely make the game more user-friendly, as players wanting the more hardcore survival experience will still be able to configure the settings more harshly, whereas others interested in exploring Arrakis and experiencing the story will have less to worry about in terms of survival.

But the timing of the update also plays a role in that the September update will bring about the end of Book One. This means that the Xbox version is not coming out with an unfinished slice of the original game for PC. New players will be getting a more mature version of the game with plenty of content already available.

A Different Vision of the Dune Universe

Dune Awakening is set in the alternative reality of the Dune universe, without Paul Atreides. Arrakis is in the middle of the rivalry between the Houses Atreides and Harkonnen, while the Fremen are nowhere to be found.

Players assume the role of the secret agent of the Bene Gesserit order who has to survive on the planet and discover the truth about the missing people. Surviving in this situation will mean coping with harsh climate, shortage of water, dangerous creatures, sandworms and politics of the rival factions.

This game includes both survival components and such elements of gameplay as base building, exploring, gathering resources and developing a faction. The game involves travelling to significant places like Arrakeen and Harko Village and deeper into the conflict involving Arrakis.

In multiplayer mode, these locations get defined by the presence of other players, PvP fights and economies. The new single player mode changes the experience dramatically by allowing to explore them without being threatened with the constant competition with other players.

Dune: Awakening Game Pass Availability and Cross-Play

Awakening will be available on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass on September 22. Xbox Cloud Gaming support is also included in the game to allow subscribers to enjoy the game via the cloud.

Another useful feature is Xbox Play Anywhere support, which will enable progress synchronization between the Xbox console version and the Microsoft Store PC version so players don’t have to purchase the same game twice in case of switching platforms.

Unfortunately, this is not an option for PC players because cross-platform play between Xbox and Steam is currently not supported. It means that a person playing the Steam version of Dune: Awakening cannot play with those who purchased Xbox or Microsoft Store versions.

Funcom plans to deliver additional post-release content to the game, such as the Polar Cap expansion pack. This map expansion pack will allow players to explore the northern region of Arrakis in a unique ice-based environment.

Minecraft Dungeons II Closes Out September

Another big Game Pass day one release coming in September is Minecraft Dungeons II. This is the sequel to the original Minecraft Dungeons and has been made by Mojang Studios in cooperation with Double Eleven.

The sequel adds more characters, loot progression and encounter customization according to various party sizes and experience level. The game is still Minecraft but in terms of gameplay more of action RPG dungeon crawler and less of the sandbox genre.

The plot introduces players to a new threat called Twisted that is spreading all over Overworld and another unknown dimension. Heroes of Minecraft will have to fight against the threat and the Warden variant.

A major strength that the game offers may be in terms of its accessibility. Minecraft Dungeons II is based on cooperative gameplay, but at the same time remains quite accessible within the gaming genre. This allows up to four people to join the fray in online and split-screen modes, employing diverse build-ups in combat.

In comparison with the tough survival mode offered in Dune: Awakening, Minecraft Dungeons II is completely different when it comes to families and groups of friends.

Minecraft Dungeons II Is a Day-One Game Pass Release

Minecraft Dungeons II goes global release on September 29th, with Game Pass members getting access to the game on the same day as well.

The title will be available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2 and Steam. The Xbox Play Anywhere feature will allow gamers that buy the game on Xbox to play the game on PC within Microsoft ecosystem, without having to purchase the title separately.

The Standard Edition costs $29.99 for those purchasing the game. However, pre-ordering the game will give additional cosmetic content to the owners, such as hero skins, Twisted cape, and Twisted chicken pet.

With Game Pass, however, the day-one release takes away some of the burden from the players, giving them the chance to experience the sequel without spending extra $29.99.

Which Game Pass Tier Gets the September Day-One Games?

However, there is one caveat for subscribers who will focus on the biggest games in September. The games Dune: Awakening and Minecraft Dungeons II are already known to be available as day-one releases for Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.

For subscribers who utilize Essential and Premium Game Pass tiers, there is no way that either of the two blockbuster games will be released through those tiers at the beginning of the release.

Presently, the cost of the game passes are as follows: $22.99 per month for Game Pass Ultimate and $13.99 for PC Game Pass per month. This implies that PC subscribers who will be more concerned about Dune: Awakening and Minecraft Dungeons II can go for the latter tier instead.

The availability of Moonlighter 2 and SpeedRunners 2 in all Game Pass tiers has not been clarified completely.

September Shows Microsoft's New Game Pass Strategy

This month's additions also give an insight into where Game Pass seems to be headed in 2026. Microsoft has been increasingly using third-party deals to get known titles onto the platform, especially since the recent change that has impacted day-one access for Call of Duty games.

This is what makes Dune: Awakening rather interesting. A title with a $49.99 Standard Edition will be made available to qualified Game Pass users on the day of its console release and at the same time provide something to entice people who would not be interested in the competitive multiplayer version on PC.

Or, in other words, Microsoft's offering is more than just one more game in the library. Dune: Awakening is being introduced with a new gameplay experience for a large chunk of gamers.

It is complemented by Minecraft Dungeons II, which is another recognizable title that launches at the end of the month. Although both titles appeal to completely different audiences, they will ensure that Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers have something exciting to play without having to buy those games individually.

More Xbox Game Pass Games Are Still Expected

These four officially confirmed games are unlikely to be the whole list for September 2026. Game Pass usually gets a lot more games announced in waves, so the library will undoubtedly be significantly bigger by the time September comes around.

For now, however, the obvious standout game is Dune: Awakening. The Xbox release of this title offers not only a new platform but also the introduction of a single-player experience, a new storyline arc ending, and immediate inclusion into Game Pass.

September 22 is when players who did not play the PC version of Dune because it required multiplayer participation would consider the actual beginning of the game. Meanwhile, Moonlighter 2, SpeedRunners 2, and Minecraft Dungeons II offer quite different experiences.

With Gears of War: E-Day set for its day-one Game Pass release on October 6 and Fable to follow on February 23, 2027, September may turn out to be a vital link between the third-party focus of the current Microsoft strategy and the return of first-party games.

And what can we say about Xbox gamers? – The bottom line for them would be that September 2026 is going to be a busy one for Game Pass.