Xbox Game Pass Ultimate has added 9 Kings to its content library. The early access title is the fifth new addition to the subscription service in August 2025, as well as the 100th new Xbox Game Pass Ultimate release since the beginning of the year.
Developed by Brazilian studio Sad Socket, 9 Kings is a strategy auto battler game with a fantasy setting and roguelike elements. It is designed for fast-paced sessions that offer meaningful progression rewards without wasting the player's time. The turn-based gameplay loop involves drawing a card, placing it on a 3x3 grid to deploy a new unit or upgrade an existing one, and then watching the resulting setup in combat, as each round ends with two kingdoms duking it out in an automated battle.
Former PlayStation Boss Throws Shade at Xbox Game Pass
A former PlayStation boss criticizes Microsoft's popular Xbox Game Pass subscription service and similar business models in a recent interview.
9 Kings Joins Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass
Less than three months following its late May Steam debut, 9 Kings made its way to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, having been added to its content library on August 14. The strategy title is currently in early access and only available on PC, so playing it via Microsoft's subscription service requires an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass membership. Sad Socket previously confirmed plans to port 9 Kings to both consoles and mobile devices, but the transition to additional platforms will not occur during the game's early access phase, which is expected to run until around May 2026, according to the auto battler's Steam FAQ.
When Will 9 Kings Arrive on Xbox Game Pass Standard?
Since the debut of Xbox Game Pass Standard in summer 2024, this budget tier has typically lagged at least six months behind PC Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate in receiving day-one titles—by which point they can no longer truly be called "day-one" releases. Game Previews, however, often remain in early access for longer, and there is still insufficient historical data to predict when they might reach the Xbox Game Pass Standard library. That said, assuming 9 Kings sticks with its currently planned development timeline and is still on Microsoft's subscription service by May 2026, that seems like the earliest possible window for it to land on XGP Standard.
Since the Wave 1 Xbox Game Pass lineup for August 2025 was announced on August 5, August 19 appears the most likely date for Microsoft to detail the Wave 2 roster. This batch is already known to include Herdling and Gears of War: Reloaded.
New and Upcoming Xbox Game Pass Games
|
Game |
Game Pass Tier(s) |
Platform(s) |
Date |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
9 Kings |
PC, Ultimate |
PC |
Aug 14 |
Game Preview. |
|
Herdling |
PC, Ultimate |
PC, Series X/S |
Aug 21 |
Day-one release. Cloud version to be confirmed. |
|
Gears of War: Reloaded |
Ultimate, PC |
Cloud, PC, Series X/S |
Aug 26 |
Day-one release. |
|
Frostpunk 2 |
Ultimate |
Series X/S |
Sep 18 |
Available on PC Game Pass since Sep 20, 2024. |
|
Ball x Pitt |
PC, Ultimate |
Cloud, PC, Series X/S |
Oct 15 |
Day-one release. |
|
Keeper |
Ultimate, PC |
Cloud, PC, Series X/S |
Oct 17 |
Day-one release. |
|
Ninja Gaiden 4 |
Ultimate, PC |
Cloud, PC, Series X/S |
Oct 21 |
Day-one release. |
|
The Outer Worlds 2 |
Ultimate, PC |
Cloud, PC, Series X/S |
Oct 29 |
Day-one release. |
In the meantime, three titles are scheduled to leave Xbox Game Pass on August 15: Anthem, Persona 3 Reload, and Farming Simulator 22. For the remainder of the year, the subscription service already has multiple confirmed day-one releases, including Ninja Gaiden 4, Keeper, and the console version of Frostpunk 2.
