Age of Empires 4, The Forgotten City, and more join Xbox Game Pass in October

Xbox Game Pass October 2021
Xbox Game Pass October 2021 (Image credit: Xbox)

What you need to know

  • Xbox Game Pass is a gaming subscription service that gives players access to hundreds of Xbox and PC games.
  • Usually twice a month, Microsoft announces the next batch of games heading to the service over the next few weeks.
  • Microsoft just revealed the titles heading to Xbox Game Pass in the second half of Oct. 2021, and it includes games like Age of Empires IV.
  • Players will also be able to hop into The Forgotten City, Outriders on PC, Dragon Ball FighterZ, and much more.

It seems that Xbox Game Pass isn't allowed to slow down for even a moment, as Xbox has unveiled the games heading to Xbox Game Pass in the second half of Oct. 2021. There are a lot of fantastic games this time around, giving players plenty to look forward to as we enter the Holidays. Not only that, Xbox is enabling touch controls on over a dozen new games through Xbox Cloud Gaming, bringing the total to over 100 touch-enabled games on the service.

The highlight of this round of games is absolutely Age of Empires IV, but we also have the arrival of Outriders on Xbox Game Pass for PC, The Forgotten City, and many more. This looks to be a pretty busy month for Xbox Game Pass, regardless of where you play.

The games listed here can head anywhere Xbox Game Pass is available, including Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC, and Xbox Cloud Gaming. Because of the sheer volume of titles, it can be hard to keep track of all the games coming to and leaving from Xbox Game Pass.

The best Xbox Game Pass games continue to get more competition in the form of new Xbox Game Pass arrivals. Here's everything coming to Xbox Game Pass in the next few weeks.

Coming soon

You can check out all the titles coming soon to Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Cloud gaming below:

Into the Pit (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox Cloud Gaming, & PC) — Oct. 19

A fast-paced retro-FPS roguelite! As a member of a family of lore-hunting mystics, you are summoned to a cursed village, drawn by rumors of a demonic portal. Dark magics have overwhelmed the village, and it's up to you to rescue the survivors, grow your powers, and journey forth into the pit.

Outriders (Xbox Series X|S Optimized, Xbox One, Xbox Cloud Gaming, & PC) — Oct. 19

Outriders is available today with Xbox Game Pass for PC! Developed by People Can Fly, veterans of the shooter genre, Outriders presents a journey of survival across a savage planet, which can be tackled in both single-player and 1-3 player co-op.

Dragon Ball FighterZ (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, & Xbox Cloud Gaming) — Oct. 21

Unleash the ultimate power from within in Dragon Ball FighterZ! Experience epic fights, destructible stages, and famous events ripped from the Dragon Ball anime. Create your team from a huge cast of your favorite characters and battle it out in epic 3v3 fights! This is the fighting extravaganza born from what makes the series so loved and famous.

Echo Generation (Xbox Series X|S Optimized, Xbox One, Xbox Cloud Gaming, & PC) — Oct. 21

Spooky mysteries abound as you lead your ragtag gang to take on monsters and mechs to save your hometown. Unlock unique skills for your party through comic books and prepare for active turn-based battles and boss fights that will keep you on your toes! By the developers of Riverbond, dive into another stunning voxel adventure and face off with the extraterrestrials to find the true meaning of home in Echo Generation.

Everspace 2 (PC) — Oct. 21

Everspace 2 is a fast-paced, single-player spaceship shooter featuring meaningful exploration in space and on planets, tons of loot, RPG elements, mining, and crafting. Follow its predecessor's events and experience the continuation of a thoughtful sci-fi story set in a vivid, handcrafted open world full of secrets, puzzles, and perils!

Age of Empires IV (PC) — Oct. 28

One of the most beloved real-time strategy games returns to glory with Age of Empires IV, putting you at the center of epic historical battles that shaped the world. Featuring both familiar and innovative new ways to expand your empire in vast landscapes with stunning 4K visual fidelity, Age of Empires IV brings an evolved real-time strategy game to a new generation.

Alan Wake's American Nightmare (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, & PC) — Oct. 28

In this standalone experience, Alan Wake fights the herald of darkness, the evil Mr. Scratch! A thrilling storyline, hordes of creepy enemies, serious firepower, and beautiful Arizona locations, combined with a fun and challenging new game mode make this a must for Alan Wake veterans, and the perfect jumping off point for new players!

Backbone (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, & PC) — Oct. 28

Raccoon detective Howard Lotor is not a hero. He can barely make rent. And yet he has stumbled across something so massive that it will shake the very fabric of society. Stunning visuals, an evocative soundtrack, and a daring narrative bring a dystopian Vancouver, BC inhabited by animals to life in this highly anticipated, post-noir adventure. Get to it, detective.

Bassmaster Fishing 2022 (Xbox Series X|S Optimized, Xbox One, Xbox Cloud Gaming, & PC) — Oct. 28

Experience the thrill of competitive bass fishing in Bassmaster Fishing 2022! Compete as 10 Elite Series anglers, such as cover star Scott Martin, back-to-back Bassmaster Classic Champion Hank Cherry, or create your own angler to achieve angling immortality by winning the coveted Bassmaster Classic.

Nongunz: Doppelganger Edition (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox Cloud Gaming, & PC) — Oct. 28

A nihilistic action platformer roguelike. Obscure in both gameplay and theme, Nongunz is a riddle that demands sacrifice. Each run sees you parting from a black and white graveyard into an ever-changing gothic dungeon full of nightmares fleshed out of human viscera. Surviving not only requires skill but style.

The Forgotten City (Xbox Series X|S Optimized, Xbox One, Xbox Cloud Gaming, & PC) — Oct. 28

Travel 2,000 years into the past and relive the final days of a cursed Roman city, where if one person sins, everyone dies. Only by questioning an intertwined community of colorful characters, cleverly exploiting the time loop, and making difficult moral choices can you hope to solve this epic mystery.

Leaving soon

You can check out all the titles leaving soon from Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Cloud Gaming below:

Oct. 31

  • Carto (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox Cloud Gaming, & PC)
  • Celeste (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox Cloud Gaming, & PC)
  • Comanche (PC)
  • Eastshade (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox Cloud Gaming, & PC)
  • Five Nights at Freddy's (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox Cloud Gaming, & PC)
  • Knights & Bikes (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, & PC)
  • Unruly Heroes (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox Cloud Gaming, & PC)

Xbox Cloud Gaming touch controls

You can check out all the titles gaining touch controls on Xbox Cloud Gaming below:

  • Art of Rally
  • Boyfriend Dungeon
  • Crown Trick
  • Curse of the Dead Gods
  • Gears Tactics
  • Lethal League Blaze
  • Signs of the Sojourner
  • The Ascent
  • Train Sim World 2
  • Yakuza 0
  • Yakuza 6: The Song of Life
  • Yakuza Kiwami
  • Yakuza Kiwami 2
Zachary Boddy
Staff Writer

Zachary Boddy (They / Them) is a Staff Writer for Windows Central, primarily focused on covering the latest news in tech and gaming, the best Xbox and PC games, and the most interesting Windows and Xbox hardware. They have been gaming and writing for most of their life starting with the original Xbox, and started out as a freelancer for Windows Central and its sister sites in 2019. Now a full-fledged Staff Writer, Zachary has expanded from only writing about all things Minecraft to covering practically everything on which Windows Central is an expert, especially when it comes to Microsoft. You can find Zachary on Twitter @BoddyZachary.