Starting back in June 2017,Xbox Game Passis about to hit its sixth birthday, and the service shows absolutely no signs of slowing down. Though not every game has a concrete release date yet, Xbox Game Pass is set to have a phenomenal rest of the year with some huge name first-party titles dropping day-one on the service in 2023. While these big titles are what fans want, they could end up puttingXbox Game Pass' summer 2023 gamesin an awkward spot.
The summer is always a busy time in the gaming industry. ThoughE3 2023 has just been canceled, Geoff Keighley’s Summer Games Fest is still going ahead, and big publishers are sure to host their own showcases regardless. The summer months also tend to see a handful of high-profile releases, and two of 2023’s biggest games are coming to Xbox Game Pass, which could disrupt the service’s usual flow.
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Xbox Game Pass' Summer 2023 Could Be Overshadowed By Redfall and Starfield
For the last few years,Xbox Game Passhas kept to a reliable formula. It’s often the case that at least one big-name title will hit the service every month alongside a few smaller games. In the summer months, the number of heavy hitters that come to Xbox Game Pass usually doubles, with each month getting around two high-profile releases - sometimes on the day of release.
In summer 2022, May kicked off withTrek to Yomi, an indie that was a big pull for Xbox Game Pass despite not being a groundbreaking title.Vampire Survivorscame to PC Game Passon Jul 12, 2025, andSniper Elite 5hit the service on May 26. June saw the day-one release ofTMNT: Shredder’s Revenge, and July saw a handful ofYakuzagames come to Game Pass alongside the day-one exclusiveAs Dusk Falls. Then in August,Immortalitylaunched day-one on Xbox Game Pass, and in September, Xbox Game Pass ended the summer strong withDisney Dreamlight Valley,Deathloop, andGrounded’s full release.
Last year’s Xbox Game Pass offerings were plentiful, but this year’s output might look a little different. On May 2, Arkane’sRedfallis set to release. It’s clear that Xbox is really banking onRedfall, and to make summer 2023 even more interesting, Bethesda’s long-awaitedStarfieldis then set to release on September 6. These two bookends to the summer could mean a break fromXbox Game Pass' usual summer release formula.
