Each headliner has conditions attached. Which Game Pass plan includes Minecraft Dungeons II? And does "free upgrade" mean every old copy of The Witcher 3 turns into the remaster? Here are the details.
Minecraft Dungeons II: Which Game Pass Plans Include It
Microsoft confirmed the date and platforms. According to Xbox Wire, Minecraft Dungeons II arrives on September 29 and will be available for XBOX Series X|S, XBOX on PC, cloud, and included with Game Pass. The same Xbox Wire post says the game also launches on Steam, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2.
"Included with Game Pass" doesn't cover every plan. Pure Xbox's copy of Microsoft's September 15 to October 6 schedule puts the September 29 launch under the Ultimate and PC tiers only, not Premium or Essential. Other coverage says the same: Xbox's current plan comparison reserves day-one releases for Ultimate and PC Game Pass, while Premium receives selected new Xbox-published games later.
What that means by plan:
- Game Pass Ultimate: included from launch on Series X|S, PC and cloud.
- PC Game Pass: included from launch on Windows PCs.
- Premium or Essential: not listed for day one. Check the catalogue for your own plan before you download anything.
Buy Once, Play on Console and PC
If you're buying instead of subscribing, the game supports Xbox Play Anywhere. Xbox's store page says buy Minecraft Dungeons II once and play on XBOX console and PC for no additional cost. Earlier WindowsForum coverage also pointed to a bonus for returning players: if you play Minecraft Dungeons I and II with the same Microsoft account, you get the Hero Cape in Dungeons II and in Minecraft: Java & Bedrock Edition.
When Xbox Wire's page was captured, its store listing showed $29.99 for the standard edition and $49.99 for the Deluxe Edition. Deluxe adds four hero skins, the Soul cape, the Blub pet and the first two DLC packs as they come out. Store prices can change, so check yours before you buy. Co-op supports up to four players, online or on the same couch.
How It Differs From the First Game
The first Minecraft Dungeons sent you on separate missions with a clear start and end. Xbox Wire's hands-on preview describes the sequel as one connected world with biomes, side quests, dungeons and no loading screens between regions. The game now runs on Unreal Engine 5, and you can finally jump. The preview also covers:
- Boss Totems that let you replay boss fights for more loot
- Minecart Stations and Teleport Statues for fast travel
- A Guidance Trail, turned on by clicking the left thumbstick, that points toward your active quest
The game also introduces a new dimension. Xbox Wire says the Sift is Minecraft's first new dimension in over 14 years, and Mojang Studios confirmed that the Sift will come to Minecraft in 2027.
Treat that as promotion rather than a verdict. The Xbox Wire piece is Microsoft reviewing its own game. Pure Xbox's view is just as brief: its staff played some of the game at Xbox FanFest in London and liked it. That's a first impression, not a full review.
Section summary: The game is day one on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass, supports Play Anywhere across Xbox and PC, and early impressions are positive but limited.
The Witcher 3 Remastered: Who Gets the Free Upgrade
CD Projekt Red announced the remaster on August 25. It said the new version is a free upgrade for owners on GOG, Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Nintendo Switch owners can claim the remaster separately on Switch 2. In its September 28 update, the studio said past purchases, physical or digital, upgrade for free "within the same platform ecosystem."
Keep that platform rule in mind. CD Projekt Red lists the Remastered upgrade for current-generation hardware only. On PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the studio says nothing changes except that the Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine expansions are now free to download. An Xbox One owner won't see the remaster on that console.
Both expansions come with the remaster. Anyone who owns the base game also gets them free by updating to the latest version. Standalone expansion listings have been removed, and stores now sell only the Complete Edition. Pure Xbox lists the Xbox release for Series X|S, PC and cloud. CD Projekt Red's patch notes also add Xbox Play Anywhere support.
What Stays the Same
According to CD Projekt Red:
- Your saves still work, and cross-progression works as before.
- Achievements are kept, including those from the expansions.
- You can still start either expansion as a separate new game from the main menu.
One change will catch some players out. Skills are now arranged in a skill tree with three ranks each, so your skill points have been reset. Expect to rebuild your Geralt.
Notes for Windows PC Players
The PC changes are substantial, and CD Projekt Red says the minimum system requirements have changed. The patch notes list:
- Native DirectX 12 rendering with multithreading
- Path tracing and ray-traced HairWorks
- NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 with Ray Reconstruction
- AMD FSR 4 with Frame Generation and Anti-Lag 2. It works only on Radeon RX 7000 Series cards and newer; older GPUs fall back to FSR 2.
- Intel XeSS 2.0 with Frame Generation and Low Latency
- A built-in mod browser powered by mod.io, reached through a Mods entry on the main menu with a CD PROJEKT RED Account
The studio also asks PC players to install the latest graphics drivers from NVIDIA, AMD or Intel before playing. That advice probably matters most for the new DX12 renderer. CD Projekt Red adds that if a particular mod causes problems, you should contact that mod's creator. Other changes include:
- Reworked combat cameras and animations
- Transmogrification through "Reforge" at the master craftsmen
- Meditation shown as a timelapse
- A much larger photo mode
- A new "Bard's Ballad" accessibility preset
These are the studio's own feature claims. We haven't independently tested performance.
Section summary: Current-gen owners upgrade free within the same platform ecosystem. Saves and achievements carry over, skill points reset, and PC players should update their GPU drivers and check the new system requirements.
The Other Four Games
Pure Xbox lists these September 29 Xbox releases but gives no platform breakdown, prices or technical details for them:
| Game | What it is |
|---|---|
| Gothic 2 Complete Classic | Gothic II plus its Night of the Raven expansion |
| NEIGHBORS: Suburban Warfare | A multiplayer party brawler where disputes between neighbours end in wrecked houses |
| Transport Fever 3 | Build transport networks across land, sea and air, using more than a century of vehicles |
| Way of the Hunter 2 | A hunting game with challenges across two environments and a cast of NPCs |
Check each store listing for platform details before you buy. Transport Fever 3 in particular belongs to a genre that has long been strongest on PC.
Bottom Line
Only one of these six releases is a Game Pass addition, and only on Ultimate and PC Game Pass. The Witcher 3 upgrade is free on current-gen platforms, but Xbox One owners won't get it on that console. If you're on Premium, you'll have to wait for Minecraft Dungeons II. And if you're about to boot the Witcher remaster on your PC, update your GPU drivers first.