Microsoft has refreshed its Xbox Game Pass catalog for September, adding a fresh Call of Duty entry alongside a couple of other new titles while sending Cyberpunk 2077 out the door. If you’ve been keeping an eye on your subscription library, here’s exactly what’s coming and what’s going.
#1 Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War joins Xbox Game Pass
The headline addition is Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. The Cold War-era first-person shooter is now available to Xbox Game Pass subscribers, giving access to both its story campaign and its competitive multiplayer modes.
Released in November 2020, Black Ops Cold War is the seventh entry in the Black Ops subseries and picks up the narrative just a few years after the events of the original Black Ops. It’s set against the backdrop of the early 1980s, when the tension between the United States and the Soviet Union was at a boiling point. Players take control of a new cast of CIA operatives hunting down a mysterious Soviet agent known only as “Polaris,” whose actions threaten to tip the world into conflict.
This addition carries more weight than a typical monthly rotation. It marks another step in bringing Activision’s flagship franchise to Microsoft’s subscription service following the company’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Call of Duty titles have historically been a major draw for the service, so having a full entry in the vault is a notable one for subscribers who want AAA multiplayer without buying each release outright.
In practice, this means you can jump into both the campaign and the multiplayer — including the return of classic maps and the Zombies mode — using your existing subscription, with no separate purchase required.
#2 RuneScape: Dragonwilds is coming
Also joining the lineup is RuneScape: Dragonwilds, the latest entry in Jagex’s long-running fantasy MMORPG franchise. RuneScape has been serving players for over two decades, and Dragonwilds represents a fresh take on the series’ isometric, quest-driven formula.
For those unfamiliar, the RuneScape series is known for its sprawling open world, skill-based progression, and a massive amount of side content rather than a single linear path. Dragonwilds is the newest chapter, and its arrival on Xbox Game Pass makes it immediately playable for subscribers without a separate purchase.
What this means for you: if you’ve ever wanted to dip into a long-form RPG with tons of content to sink hours into, this is now part of your existing subscription. There’s no extra cost beyond what you’re already paying for Game Pass.
#3 Cyberpunk 2077 leaves Xbox Game Pass
On the flip side, Cyberpunk 2077 is departing the service. The CD Projekt RED open-world RPG, which launched in December 2020, will no longer be available to Game Pass subscribers once it rotates out.
Cyberpunk 2077 is a sprawling sci-fi setting based on the Cyberpunk 2020 tabletop game, following V, a mercenary searching for a way to implant a digital consciousness into their mind in the megacity of Night City. It had a rocky launch but was steadily improved over the following years, eventually earning a major next-gen overhaul and acclaimed expansion. If you’ve been enjoying it through your subscription, you’ll want to finish your playthrough before it leaves.
The practical takeaway: your access to the game is temporary. Once it rotates out, you won’t be able to launch it through Game Pass again — though any saved progress stored on your console will remain if you later decide to repurchase it.
What This Means for You
For everyday Xbox Game Pass subscribers, this is a straightforward rotation: one major AAA title joins while another departs. The key thing to remember is that nothing on the service stays forever — your access to these games is on a temporary lease, not a permanent addition to your library.
The Call of Duty addition is the clear win here. If you’ve been meaning to try a Black Ops game or want to jump into multiplayer without buying it outright, it’s now included in your existing subscription at no extra cost. There’s nothing to unlock or pre-load beyond what you’d normally do.
The departure of Cyberpunk 2077 matters most if you’re mid-playthrough. Since Game Pass access ends, you’ll lose the ability to launch it once it rotates out — but your saved games stay put, so repurchasing later won’t cost you your progress.
How to Get It
Both new additions are available to anyone with an active Xbox Game Pass subscription. Whether you’re on the console or the PC app, just search the store for the game title and select Install. New releases are typically added at a set time, so check the “New to Game Pass” hub for the full September lineup.
If Cyberpunk 2077 is leaving, head over to the “Removing soon” section to see the exact date it will rotate out of the service — a good reminder to wrap up any remaining quests before it’s gone.
Source: Neowin
Over to you: Which are you grabbing first — Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War’s multiplayer, or will you rush to finish Cyberpunk 2077 before it leaves the service?
