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| The first wave of Xbox Game Pass additions for May 2026 brings massive heavy hitters like Forza Horizon 6 and Subnautica 2 alongside a strong lineup of indies. |
By Jon Scarr
May 2026 is here, and the first wave of Xbox Game Pass additions brings serious value straight out of the gate. You're getting Forza Horizon 6 on day one, Subnautica 2 in Early Access, and the arrival of Mixtape.
Xbox stacked the front half of the month with a huge variety of genres. I usually wait a few weeks before jumping into massive open-world games, but exploring Japan in a custom Skyline is incredibly hard to pass up.
Available Today and Early May Additions
Final Fantasy V (May 5: Xbox Cloud Gaming, Xbox Series X|S, and PC)
The classic RPG hits Xbox Game Pass today. You and your Chocobo track down a missing king to save the crystals balancing the world.
Ben 10 Power Trip (May 6: Xbox Cloud Gaming, Console, and PC)
You transform into powerful aliens and explore a 3D European map alone or in co-op.
Descenders Next (May 6: Xbox Cloud Gaming, Console, and PC)
The extreme sports series returns with snowboards and mountainboards. The career progression makes it much easier to unlock new parks and slopes.
Wheel World (May 6: Xbox Cloud Gaming, Xbox Series X|S, and PC)
A cosmic biking adventure where you race rival cyclists across neon highways and try to reclaim legendary bike parts.
Wildgate (May 6: Xbox Cloud Gaming, Xbox Series X|S, and PC)
This is a PvPvE multiplayer shooter mixing tactical ship-to-ship combat with fast first-person action.
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers (May 6: Xbox Cloud Gaming, Xbox Series X|S, and PC)
A dark action RPG set in the final days of the Ming Dynasty. You play a pirate warrior fighting a deadly curse.
Mixtape (May 7: Xbox Cloud Gaming, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, and PC)
Mixtape pulls you through teenage memories tied to a specific soundtrack. It's a shorter experience, making it a perfect weekend playthrough before the bigger games drop.
Mid-May Additions
Outbound (May 11: Xbox Cloud Gaming, Console, and PC)
You build a custom home on wheels. You craft workstations, source renewable energy, and grow crops with up to four friends.
Black Jacket (May 12: Xbox Cloud Gaming, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, and PC)
We're getting a purgatorial card game where you wager coins against restless souls. I saw the demo for this during Steam Next Fest, and the risk-reward math gets incredibly stressful when the ferryman demands his cut.
Call of the Elder Gods (May 12: Xbox Cloud Gaming, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, and PC)
A Lovecraftian puzzle adventure serving as the sequel to Call of the Sea.
Elite Dangerous (May 12: Xbox Cloud Gaming and Console)
Take your own starship into a massive galactic sandbox and earn your way up the ranks.
DOOM: The Dark Ages (May 14: Xbox Cloud Gaming, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, and PC)
Tossing the shield saw into a crowd of demons and watching it ricochet back never gets old. id Software dropped this medieval prequel a while ago, but it's now officially joining Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, and Game Pass Premium. If you missed it at launch, having it hit the subscription library is the perfect excuse to jump in.
Subnautica 2 (May 14: Xbox Cloud Gaming, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, and PC)
Subnautica 2 enters Early Access. This time, Unknown Worlds built four-player co-op into the game from day one instead of making you rely on community mods. You and your squad map an all-new alien ocean, build custom habitats, and manage your oxygen supply, right before something massive inevitably circles your group in the dark.
Forza Horizon 6 (May 19: Xbox Cloud Gaming, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, and PC)
Forza Horizon 6 anchors the month on May 19. Playground Games drops you directly into Japan with over 550 real-world cars. I poured hours into tuning suspension setups in Horizon 5, so having this massive garage to mess with from day one is exactly what I want. If you want to skip the line, grabbing the Premium Upgrade unlocks the garage early on May 15.
Leaving Xbox Game Pass on May 15
You have until May 15 to wrap up a few departures. The following games are rotating out of the library:
- Galacticare
- Go Mecha Ball
- Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo
- Paw Patrol Rescue Wheels: Championship
- Planet of Lana
If you have a weekend to kill, I highly recommend pushing through Planet of Lana before it disappears.
Forza Horizon 6 Is Exactly What Game Pass Needed
This first wave of Xbox Game Pass games for May 2026 covers a lot of ground, jumping from survival co-op in Subnautica 2 right over to pulling off trick combos in Descenders Next. Xbox loaded up the front half of the month to give everyone something to play.
Having Forza Horizon 6 act as the anchor is exactly what Xbox Game Pass needed. Tearing through Japan in a tuned-up street car is going to easily take over my gaming hours for the next few weeks. If you only have time for one download this wave, make it that one.
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