Why You Can Trust CNET Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Lets You Play Jedi: Survivor and Manor Lords Now, More Soon
Game Pass Ultimate and Core subscribers can access these games now and others soon.
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Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, a CNET Editors' Choice award pick, offers hundreds of games that you can play on your Xbox Series X or Series S, Xbox One and PC for $17 a month. A subscription gets you new games every month (like Diablo 4) plus other benefits, like online multiplayer and deals on non-Game Pass titles.
Microsoft recently added Shadow of the Tomb Raider to Game Pass Ultimate on April 11, and the company is adding the games below to the service in April. They include three Day 1 releases, meaning they'll appear on Game Pass the same day they're released for sale.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Available now.
Prepare to explore new and familiar worlds in a galaxy far, far away as Cal Kestis, one of the last surviving Jedis following the destruction of the Jedi Order. This award-winning sequel picks up five years after the events of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and follows Kestis as he continues his fight against Empire. And while he does this with the usual tools of the Jedi, like a lightsaber and the Force, he can also now use a blaster in combat, too -- Obi Wan is shaking his head somewhere about how uncivilized blasters are.
Orcs Must Die 3
Available now.
Crank the orc-slaying mayhem up to 11 in the latest installment of this tower-defense series by slicing, burning, carbonizing and tossing hordes of hapless orcs. You can also use a trove of new traps and weapons, like magical staves or sawblade launchers. No matter how you dispatch them, the one thing for certain is that every last orc must die.
EA Sports NHL 24
Available now.
As the NHL hurtles into the Stanley Cup playoffs, you can too, with the latest installment in this EA Sports franchise. This entry in the series has new gameplay mechanics, including vision passing and an exhaust engine, intended to give you more control over your players and to present new challenges. So if you want to see the Las Vegas Golden Knights win the cup back to back, or you want to make absolutely sure that never happens, this game is for you.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes
Available now.
Gather your friends and allies for this Day 1 release. In this action JRPG, you create a party of six heroes out of over 100 -- it's in the name, after all -- as you set off on an adventure across the war-torn continent of Allraan. You can also manage a small town and play mini-games along the way. And if you can't get enough of this game and its world, you can play its prequel, Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising, on Game Pass Ultimate, too.
Another Crab's Treasure
Available now.
You know what they say: One man's trash is another crab's treasure, or something like that. This Day 1 release is like a cross between Elden Ring and the classic game Ecco the Dolphin. You play as a hermit crab who sets off on a quest to buy back your repossessed shell. You'll have to use the trash of the ocean to protect yourself against huge enemies, and you'll also learn why the ocean is so polluted with garbage to begin with. And who knows, maybe you'll see Ariel with her collection of thingamabobs down there.
Manor Lords (PC)
Available now.
If you watched Game of Thrones and thought, "Being a medieval lord doesn't seem that hard. I could do it," now's your chance to prove it. This medieval strategy game brings city-building, tactical battles, economic simulations and social interactions into one complex sim. Now you can find out if you have what it takes to keep your people safe and fed when the seasons change and the harsh winters come.
Have a Nice Death
Available: April 30
Even Death needs a break every now and then, and that's the goal of this roguelike game. You play as Death, the CEO of Death Incorporated, who finds himself needing a restful vacation. The only thing standing in your way from a relaxing stay at the beach -- or wherever Death would vacation -- is a mountain of paperwork and reminding your demonic subordinates who's in charge. Just another day at the office.
Games added to Game Pass Core
Game Pass Core ($10 a month) is the cheapest Game Pass subscription, and it's a good option if you only want to play certain games online. It also gives you access to a handful of games, and Game Pass Core subscribers can access these titles now, too:
Titles leaving Game Pass
While Xbox is adding the above titles to Game Pass Ultimate, it's also removing six others on April 30. So, you have some time to finish any side quests before you have to buy these titles separately:
For more on Xbox, here's what Diablo 4 on Game Pass likely means for the service, other titles available on Game Pass Ultimate now and everything to know about the gaming service.
