Xbox Game Pass August 2025 Wave 2: Gears of War: Reloaded, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Void/Breaker, and More
- Sagar Mankar
- Aug 19
- 5 min read
Xbox has officially revealed the second wave of titles joining Game Pass in August 2025. Headlining this batch are Gears of War: Reloaded and Dragon Age: The Veilguard, but there’s plenty more to keep players busy, including quirky indie experiments and nostalgic returns.
Alongside the arrivals, Xbox also confirmed five titles will be leaving the service at the end of the month, so subscribers might want to squeeze in some last-minute play sessions before they disappear.
Let’s break down everything that’s coming and going in Game Pass this month.
Available Now
Blacksmith Master (Game Preview) – PC (Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass)
Kicking off the list is Blacksmith Master, a medieval-themed management sim from Untitled Studio. Players step into the shoes of a humble blacksmith aiming to rise to the rank of master tycoon. The game revolves around hiring workers like miners and assistants, training them, and optimizing your forge for better production efficiency. You’ll fulfill merchant contracts to unlock blueprints, craft weapons, armor, and jewelry, and expand your workshop through both clever planning and reacting to market shifts.
Although still in Game Preview, Blacksmith Master has already built a solid reputation among simulation fans. According to early reviews on Steam, the game boasts a Very Positive rating with 84% approval, and critics on Metacritic have praised its depth and relaxing gameplay loop, even while pointing out a few areas needing polish. For players who enjoy games like Stardew Valley or Factorio but with a medieval twist, this one is worth a try.
Void/Breaker – PC (Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass)
Next is Void/Breaker, a brand-new roguelite first-person shooter from Stubby Games, and it’s available day one on Game Pass. This is not your typical FPS — it thrives on chaos. Players face relentless waves of machines inside a simulation, armed with highly destructible environments, grappling tools, and endlessly modifiable weapons. Every run feels fresh thanks to procedural generation, and the fluid movement mechanics give it a high-energy rhythm.
The story is as brutal as the gameplay itself. You’re trapped inside an endless cycle created by a hostile AI, and the only way forward is to keep fighting, dying, and trying again until you uncover fragments of the truth. As per early previews, many are drawing comparisons to hits like Hades and Gunfire Reborn, but with a sharper sci-fi edge.
Coming Soon
Goat Simulator Remastered – August 20 (Xbox Series X|S, Game Pass Standard)
The absurdity is back. Goat Simulator Remastered by Coffee Stain Studios lands on August 20, giving players another excuse to embrace pure chaos. This updated edition takes the infamous goat antics to a new level with upgraded visuals, multiplayer features, and all DLC bundled in.
At its core, it’s the same hilarious sandbox where you’ll ragdoll across towns, headbutt everything in sight, and unlock mutators that turn your goat into bizarre forms ranging from jetpack-equipped to giant monster. Critics have been split, though. While some love the upgraded visuals and co-op support, others argue that the formula feels a bit dated, with Metacritic averages hovering in the mid-60s. Still, for anyone seeking dumb fun, few games deliver it better.
Persona 4 Golden – August 20 (Cloud, Console, PC) – Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Standard
Also arriving on August 20 is Persona 4 Golden, one of the most beloved JRPGs of all time. Originally released on PlayStation Vita and later ported to PC in 2020, this expanded version of the cult classic mixes dungeon-crawling battles with slice-of-life storytelling. Players balance everyday school life with supernatural adventures inside the mysterious TV World, building relationships that strengthen combat abilities.
The narrative — a small-town murder mystery infused with themes of friendship, identity, and self-discovery — is often praised as one of Atlus’ finest works. Persona 4 Golden currently holds a 93 score on Metacritic for PC, reflecting its universal acclaim. Whether you’re revisiting it or experiencing it for the first time, this is a must-play for JRPG fans.
Herdling – August 21 (Cloud, PC, Xbox Series X|S) – Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
A completely different tone arrives on August 21 with Herdling, an atmospheric adventure developed by Okomotive, the studio behind FAR: Lone Sails. Available day one on Game Pass, this game invites players into a quiet but emotionally powerful journey.
The gameplay centers around guiding a herd of mystical creatures called Calicorns across alpine landscapes and valleys. Along the way, players solve environmental puzzles, protect the herd from dangers, and build bonds through interactions like petting and caring for them. The story, told without dialogue, captures a post-apocalyptic migration tale about survival, companionship, and finding safety in a desolate world.
If you enjoyed narrative-rich indies like Journey or Spiritfarer, Herdling might scratch a similar itch.
Gears of War: Reloaded – August 26 (Cloud, PC, Xbox Series X|S) – Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Easily the biggest highlight of this lineup, Gears of War: Reloaded arrives on August 26. This is a full remaster of the first Gears of War, powered by Unreal Engine and optimized for modern consoles. The Coalition has gone all out, bringing in 120 FPS multiplayer, cross-play support, and all the original game’s post-launch content — including a bonus campaign act and additional maps.
The story follows Marcus Fenix and Delta Squad as they take on the Locust horde in the iconic battle for survival on planet Sera. The blend of cover-based shooting, brutal chainsaw executions, and squad-based strategy is all intact but modernized for today’s hardware.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard – August 28 (Cloud, PC, Xbox Series X|S) – Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, EA Play
Closing out the month is Dragon Age: The Veilguard, launching August 28 through EA Play for Game Pass Ultimate subscribers. Developed by BioWare, this entry shifts to a faster, action-RPG combat style while retaining the deep storytelling and party dynamics the series is known for.
Players step into the role of Rook, a customizable hero who leads the Veilguard — a band of seven companions — against ancient elven gods threatening to destroy Thedas. Choices matter, with branching relationships, romances, and alliances shaping the outcome of the narrative.
Reception so far has been mixed. The game currently holds an 84 score on Metacritic for PS5, praised for its story and characters, but it fell short commercially. EA confirmed that while it sold around 1.5 million copies, it did not meet expectations, resulting in layoffs at BioWare. Still, for Game Pass subscribers, this is a huge value addition.
Leaving Game Pass on August 31
As always, new arrivals mean farewells too. On August 31, several titles will exit the service, including:
Ben 10 Power Trip (Cloud, Console, PC)
Borderlands 3 (Cloud, Console, PC)
Paw Patrol Mighty Pups Save Adventure Bay (Cloud, Console, PC)
Sea of Stars (Cloud, Console, PC)
This War of Mine: Final Cut (Cloud, Console, PC)
Among them, the standout departure is Borderlands 3, a looter-shooter RPG, developed by Gearbox Software. Sea of Stars, a modern retro-inspired RPG that captured hearts with its pixel art and nostalgic combat, is also leaving the service.
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